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Kitchen and bathroom fitter

Alternative titles for this job include

Kitchen and bathroom fitters install kitchens and bathroom suites in homes and businesses.

Average salary (a year)

£24,000 Starter

to

£45,000 Experienced

Typical hours (a week)

40 to 45 a week

You could work

evenings / weekends away from home

Meet Shaun

Shaun is a multi-skilled plumber and joiner who fits kitchens and bathrooms for a housing association.

1 minute 30 second watch

View transcript

Hi, my name’s Shaun Whalley. I work for Yorkshire Housing. I'm a multi-skilled plumber/joiner, so that entails plumbing, fitting bathrooms, fitting kitchens, I fit floors and virtually everything else.

I started working with my father-in-law at the time. Windows, doors, conservatories. Moved up to fitting kitchens and bathrooms then. And then I was with him for 16 years, and then I went from there to Yorkshire Housing. An opportunity come up so I took it. And then been here since 2017.

I could be training somebody up, or I could be fitting a bathroom or I could be fitting a floor, fitting a kitchen. I could be just changing certain things in a property to make it so it goes back out to rent to a new customer.

I bought my house. I literally gutted it straight back to brick, and then I renewed everything in the house and put extensions on. So yeah, it just helps with day-to-day life at home.

Sometimes you've got people working with you which makes it a lot better, because you get to have a bit of a laugh. Got to be able to chat to each other and help each other out when they need it. It's like with other people in the company. If I don't know how to do something, they will come and help me or just talk to me, talk me through it.

I get most of the apprentices because I do have patience and I do have a lot to teach. So, you know, you can pass it on to somebody else as well. So if they want to be in this trade and then you can help them as much as you can, and obviously they'll take over later generation.

When it's finished and you know it's right and it looks good and someone else is going to be using it. It just feels good about it. Satisfying, yeah.

How to become

Explore the different ways to get into this role.

How to become

You can get into this job through:

  • a college course
  • an apprenticeship
  • applying directly

College

You could take a college course, which would give you some of the skills needed to start as a trainee in this job. 

Courses include:

  • construction skills
  • carpentry and joinery
  • plumbing studies
  • fitted interiors (construction)
  • kitchen and bathroom installation skills

Entry requirements

Entry requirements for these courses vary.

More Information

Apprenticeship

You could apply to do a Fitted Interiors Installer Level 2 Intermediate Apprenticeship to get into this job.

Apprenticeships in joinery, wall and floor tiling, or plumbing may also be acceptable.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • some GCSEs, usually including English and maths, or equivalent, for an intermediate apprenticeship

More Information

Direct Application

You can apply for jobs if you've got experience and qualifications in a related construction trade like joinery, plumbing, tiling or plastering.

More Information

Career tips

You may need to travel to other parts of the country for some jobs, especially on commercial and industrial contracts.

Further information

You'll find more details about careers in kitchen fitting and bathroom fitting from Go Construct.

What it takes

Find out what skills you’ll use in this role.

What it takes

Skills and knowledge

You'll need:

  • knowledge of building and construction
  • to be thorough and pay attention to detail
  • knowledge of maths
  • the ability to work well with others
  • the ability to work well with your hands
  • physical skills like lifting, bending and carrying
  • to be flexible and open to change
  • design skills and knowledge
  • to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently

What you’ll do

Discover the day to day tasks you’ll do in this role.

What you'll do

Day-to-day tasks

As a kitchen and bathroom fitter, you could:

  • measure and set out work areas, following design plans
  • mark the location of pipes and cables
  • rip out and dispose of old units and suites safely
  • install new units, kitchen appliances and bathroom suites
  • tile walls and lay flooring
  • work closely with other tradespeople, like electricians and plumbers

Working environment

You could work at a client's home, at a client's business or on a construction site.

Your working environment may be dusty and physically demanding.

Career path and progression

Look at progression in this role and similar opportunities.

Career path and progression

You could find work with building companies, design agencies, kitchen and bathroom manufacturers and retailers. You could also set up your own business.

In a larger company, you might become a:

  • site supervisor
  • project manager
  • estimator
  • trainer
  • business development manager
  • area sales co-ordinator

You could also move into shop fitting, or train in computer-aided design (CAD) and work in kitchen and bathroom design.

Current opportunities

Find apprenticeships, courses and jobs available near you.

Current opportunities

Apprenticeships In England

Lowe & Oliver Ltd - Mechanical (Plumbing & Heating) Apprenticeship

  • Wage: £15,704 a year Annually
  • Location: SO50 4NU

Lowe & Oliver Ltd - Mechanical (Plumbing & Heating) Apprenticeship

  • Wage: £15,704 a year Annually
  • Location: Boars Hill, Oxford, Oxfordshire
Find apprenticeships near you

Courses In England

Diploma In Bench Joinery Level 3

  • Provider: HUGH BAIRD COLLEGE
  • Start date: 01 September 2025
  • Location: Liverpool

Carpentry & Joinery Level 3 Diploma - 1 year day release

  • Provider: HEREFORDSHIRE, LUDLOW, AND NORTH SHROPSHIRE COLLEGE
  • Start date: 08 September 2025
  • Location: Hereford
Find courses near you

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