Factory or workshop: the short answer
A factory kitchen (Italian or German) wins on a proven system, precision and a single catalogue. A workshop wins on freedom of size, speed and the ability to fit a kitchen into uneven walls. In an old Barcelona flat a mix often works best: factory modules plus made-to-measure joinery for niches and junctions.
The choice is less about taste than about the geometry of the flat and the schedule. If the plan has true corners, standard ceiling height and a wall with no projections, a factory kitchen fits perfectly. If an Eixample flat has walls that wander by centimetres, a 3.6 m ceiling and old pipes in the alcove, a workshop will do what a factory cannot.
Below is the comparison on what matters to the owner: lead time, sizes, service and who is responsible for installation.
How Italian and German factories differ
German brands (for example Bulthaup, Poggenpohl, SieMatic, Leicht) build the kitchen on a strict modular grid and engineering precision: standard dimensions, fitted parts, drawers and mechanisms refined over years. Italian ones (Boffi, Poliform, Arclinea, Valcucine) put the emphasis on design, materials and finishes, and allow more custom sizes.
For the owner the difference is practical. With a German kitchen the result is easier to predict, but the space has to be adapted to the module. With an Italian one you can get closer to your own dimensions, and in the premium segment Italian factories often make bespoke modules for a surcharge.
Both categories work through official dealers, who prepare the design, measure, arrange transport and installation. Quality depends not only on the factory but on the dealer and the crew that fits the kitchen.
How long do you wait for an Italian kitchen?
As a guide, three to five months from approval of the project, not from the first meeting. The exact lead time is given by the dealer in writing, and it varies with the factory, the finish and its workload.
A Barcelona workshop with a healthy order book builds a kitchen faster, usually in two to four months, though that also depends on the material and the queue. Ask either side not "how long does it take" but "from what date do you count, and what has to be ready by then?"
Watch the renovation schedule: a kitchen is not installed in dust or before the finishes are done. If the factory delivers late, the kitchen becomes the bottleneck of the project. That is why it is ordered right after the layout is approved, not at the end of the renovation.
What if a factory module does not fit the space?
A mistake of a couple of centimetres is covered with a filler panel. A mistake of ten centimetres or more needs a new module, which is paid work and four to eight weeks.
That is why dimensions are taken after plastering and wall levelling, not from the plan. The laser survey and drawings are agreed with the dealer, and the appliances are chosen in advance: the sizes of oven, hob and fridge affect the modules, and changing them after the order is expensive.
Another detail is delivery. Lifts in the Eixample are narrow, columns of 2.4 m or more may not fit the car and are carried up the stairs. Ask in advance about packaging dimensions and confirm which floor you live on.
Who repairs the kitchen in five years?
With a factory kitchen, the dealer in Barcelona and the factory itself are responsible for service. That is a plus when the manufacturer has kept its catalogue for decades and parts stay on sale. It is worse if the dealer leaves the market: repairs then go through another dealer or the factory direct, and take longer.
With a workshop, a particular joiner is responsible. The plus is that the mechanics (hinges, runners) come from the same manufacturers the factories use, and a part can be replaced anywhere. The minus is that the workshop can close or change its team.
In both cases ask in the contract for: drawings and a parts list with hardware models, the service term and conditions, and a named contact. Those papers matter more than any promise made at the meeting.
Can you combine a factory kitchen with bespoke joinery?
You can, and in old flats it is the most sensible option. The factory makes the straight runs of the kitchen, from the island and main modules. The joiner makes the full-height columns, the niches, the pantry, the wall panels and the side panels that meet the wall.
The main risk is a difference in shade. Factory lacquer and a workshop's lacquer will differ slightly even if both take the same catalogue colour. So give the joiner a factory sample and ask him to match it, and have large surfaces (the columns) sprayed in a single workshop.
The other risk is responsibility. If two contractors build the kitchen, someone must answer for the result. It is better that one person coordinates installation, junctions and connections, rather than leaving it between dealer and workshop.
How to choose, and how we can help
Compare offers on the same drawing and the same appliance list; otherwise prices are not comparable. Ask each for the lead time, service terms, the hardware specification, and who checks the walls and when.
At BCN YARD one person in charge runs the site, so the kitchen does not turn into a separate project nobody coordinates: measurements, water, power and extraction connections, flat walls and installation go into one schedule. We help compare factory and workshop proposals on the same drawings and agree the wall junctions before the order.
If you are torn between an Italian kitchen and a workshop, we come to measure and prepare a comparative estimate after the visit and measurements.
Frequently asked questions
How long do you wait for an Italian kitchen?
As a guide, three to five months from project approval, but the dealer gives the exact term in writing. It depends on the factory, the finish and its workload. Ask from what date the count starts and what must be ready by then. Order right after the layout is approved so the kitchen does not hold up the renovation.
What if a factory module does not fit?
A couple of centimetres is covered by a filler panel. Ten centimetres or more needs a new module: a surcharge and four to eight weeks of waiting. To avoid it, measure after plastering and levelling the walls, and fix appliance dimensions before the order.
Who repairs it in five years?
With a factory kitchen, the dealer in Barcelona and the factory; with a workshop, a particular joiner. Hardware comes from the same manufacturers, so a part can be replaced at any service point. Ask the contract for drawings, a parts list and a named contact, in case the dealer or workshop closes.
Can you combine a factory kitchen with bespoke joinery?
Yes, and in old flats it is the most sensible choice: the factory makes the main runs and the joiner the columns, niches, pantry and side panels. Watch the shade: factory lacquer and a workshop's differ, so give the joiner a sample. One person should answer for installation and junctions.