I've been in the kitchen industry for over 20 years, and I can tell you that the single biggest cause of delays, extra costs, and headaches during a kitchen project is poor measurements. Get this bit right and everything else falls into place. Get it wrong and you're looking at units that don't fit, filler panels where they shouldn't be, and a fitter who's not happy with you.

This guide is written from experience. I'm Steve, the owner of SJB Trade Kitchens in Oldham. We manufacture rigid-built, made-to-order kitchens, so accurate measurements are essential for what we do. Whether you're ordering from us or anyone else, this advice will save you time and money.

Don't overcomplicate this. You need a tape measure (ideally a 5m one), a pencil, some paper, and a bit of patience. A laser measure is handy but not essential. If you've got a smartphone, take photos of the room as well — they're useful when you're discussing the layout later.

Clear the worktops and move anything away from the walls so you can get clean measurements. If your existing kitchen is still in, measure from wall to wall behind the units where possible, or measure the fronts and add the depth of the units.

Start by sketching the shape of your room on a piece of paper. It doesn't need to be to scale — just get the basic shape right. Mark where the door is, where the windows are, and which walls you're planning to put units against. This sketch is your reference point for everything else.

Label each wall — Wall A, Wall B, Wall C, or however you want to do it. The important thing is that when you write down measurements, you know which wall they relate to.

Measure the full length of every wall in the room, even the ones you don't think you'll put units against. Measure at worktop height (around 900mm from the floor), not at the floor or ceiling. Walls are rarely perfectly straight, so measuring at the right height gives you the most accurate picture of where your units will actually sit.

Write each measurement on your sketch next to the correct wall. Always measure in millimetres — it's more accurate and it's what kitchen manufacturers work in.

For every window, measure the width of the opening and the height of the sill from the floor. Also measure how far the window is from each corner of the wall it sits on. This tells us exactly where the window sits in relation to where units and worktops will go.

For doors, measure the width of the opening and how far it is from the nearest corner. Note which way the door opens — it matters more than you'd think when planning where tall units and appliances go.

This is the bit most people forget, and it causes the most problems. You need to mark the position of everything that sticks out from or into the wall space:

Boilers: Measure the width, depth, and height, and how far it is from the nearest corner and from the floor. If it's a combi boiler on the wall, we need to know if units can go underneath it.

Pipes: Note any visible pipes — especially soil pipes, gas pipes, and radiator pipes. Measure how far they are from the corner and how far they stick out from the wall.

Plug sockets and switches: Mark their positions. These can usually be moved, but it's good to know where they are now.

Extractor ducting: If there's existing ducting for a cooker hood, note where it exits the wall or ceiling.

Measure the floor-to-ceiling height in at least three places — both ends of the room and the middle. Older houses especially can have uneven ceilings, and this affects whether wall units will sit level and how tall your tall units can be.

Because we build made-to-order kitchens, we can adjust unit heights to suit your room. But we need to know the ceiling height to do that properly.

Measuring at floor level: Walls bow and lean. Floor-level measurements can be 10-20mm different from worktop height. Always measure where the units will actually sit.

Forgetting to measure the depth of window sills: If a sill sticks out further than the worktop depth, you've got a problem. Measure the sill depth from the wall.

Ignoring uneven floors: Put a spirit level on the floor. If it's not level, your fitter will need to pack the units up. Note any obvious slopes.

Not measuring twice: It sounds obvious, but measure everything at least twice. One wrong number can throw the whole kitchen out.

Rounding up or down: Write down the exact measurement. Don't round to the nearest 10mm — that's how gaps appear.

Once you've got everything measured and sketched out, you can send it to us at SJB Trade Kitchens. We'll use your measurements to help plan the layout and give you an accurate quote. If you're local to our showroom in Oldham (Unit N, Central Trading Estate, Coulton Close, OL1 4EB), you're welcome to bring your sketch in and we'll go through it with you.

If you're further afield, just email your measurements and photos to info@sjball.uk or give us a call on 0161 509 4221. We supply kitchens nationwide, so distance is never a problem.

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We offer a range of styles to suit any home — from solid wood Painted Shaker doors to sleek Handleless designs. All built on rigid 18mm carcasses with Blum soft-close as standard.