Site preparation guide

What to have ready before installation

Forge kitchens are built off-site and installed on yours. Most installs run smoothly. The ones that do not run smoothly almost always come down to site readiness, things that needed to be ready on the day and were not.

This is the checklist we work to. If you are coordinating with a builder or landscaper, share this with them.

Surface and base

Your kitchen needs a level, structural base. Forge cabinets weigh 80 to 250 kg before benchtops are added.

Suitable bases include:

  • Concrete slab, properly cured
  • Pavers laid on a compacted, free-draining base
  • Hardwood deck rated for outdoor kitchen loads (check with your builder)
  • Tiled or paved patio area

What does not work:

  • Soft ground, lawn, or gravel without structural preparation
  • Decking not rated for the load (talk to your builder if unsure)
  • Surfaces with significant slope or water pooling

The base does not need to be perfectly level. Forge cabinets sit on a 160mm plinth with adjustable feet, giving up to 20 mm of adjustment. But if your slope is more than that, the base needs work first.

Access

Cabinets arrive on a truck and need to be moved to the install location. Tell us in advance about:

  • Narrow gates or paths (cabinets are 715 mm deep, and the widest single cabinet is 950 mm)
  • Stairs or steps between truck and install location
  • Steep driveways or slippery surfaces
  • Distance from the kerb to the install spot

If access is difficult, we will let you know in advance whether extra hands or equipment are needed.

Services

Forge installs the cabinetry and benchtops. We do not connect gas, electrical, or plumbing services. These need to be coordinated with licensed New Zealand trades.

For the day of install, the following must be ready or arranged:

  • Gas: if your BBQ is gas, the gas line should be run to within 500 mm of the BBQ cabinet, with the connection point and shut-off valve accessible. We recommend coordinating your gas fitter to attend the day after install for final connection.
  • Electrical: if your kitchen has a fridge or under-bench lighting, a weatherproof power outlet should be installed within 500 mm of the relevant cabinet, on a circuit suitable for outdoor use.
  • Water and drainage: if your kitchen includes a sink, water supply (cold, or cold and hot) and drainage need to be roughed in before install. You supply the bowl and mixer — tell us which bowl at quote stage so the benchtop is cut to it, and have it on site for install day. Final connection is by a registered plumber.

If you do not yet have these services and want them, get them planned and quoted now, while the cabinetry is in production. Trying to retrofit gas or plumbing after install is significantly more work.

Shelter and overhead

Forge kitchens can be installed under cover or in the open. A few things to think about:

  • If the kitchen is uncovered, your benchtop will be exposed to direct sun. Sintered stone handles this without staining, but it can get hot to touch in summer.
  • If you are installing under a pergola or veranda, check that you have at least 200 mm clearance above the BBQ to allow heat to dissipate, more for kamados or wood-fired cookers.
  • Combustible materials (wood, vinyl, fabric awnings) should be kept well clear of cooking appliances. Refer to your appliance manufacturer for specific clearance requirements.

Appliances

If you are supplying your own BBQ, kamado, fridge, or pizza oven, have it on site for the install day if possible. We can do a dry-fit and confirm cut-outs before final placement.

Alternatively, install the kitchen first, fit the appliances later. Either approach works.

On the day

An adult will need to be on site for the install. Plan for two to four hours depending on the size of the kitchen. The install team will:

  • Place and level the cabinets
  • Fit the benchtops
  • Set your sink into its cut-out, if your layout has one (plumber to do final connections separately)
  • Walk you through the kitchen and answer any questions
  • Remove all packaging

Questions

If anything on this checklist is unclear, or you want to talk through your specific site, send a photo and a description to hello@forgeoutdoor.co.nz. We would rather sort questions before install than on the day.