
“Once the kitchen’s built, what’s there left to maintain?” — nobody asks us this at the start. But two or three years in, we hear it a lot, right around the time hinges start loosening, drawer channels start making noise, or laminate somewhere starts lifting. There’s a proper way to handle this in Delhi NCR — an Annual Maintenance Contract, or AMC — though most people never learn what it actually covers until they need it.
Here’s a full breakdown of what a modular kitchen AMC actually covers, whether you need one, and what it costs across Delhi NCR.
What an AMC Is, and Why Your Kitchen Benefits From One
An AMC is simply a yearly contract with your kitchen vendor, where they come and check your kitchen a set number of times and fix small issues either free or at a discounted rate. Think of it the same way you’d think of servicing a car — catching small problems early, before they turn into expensive ones.
This matters more in Delhi NCR’s climate than people realise. Summer heat puts extra stress on hardware, monsoon moisture can cause cabinets to swell, and daily cooking keeps wearing down hinges and channels all year round. Without regular checks, small problems quietly grow into bigger ones before you even notice.
What’s Actually Covered
Every vendor’s package looks a little different, but a standard AMC usually includes hinge and channel adjustment, since soft-close hinges loosen over time and need tightening and realigning; drawer and shutter alignment, for when a drawer sticks or a shutter doesn’t sit flush anymore; handle and screw tightening, a small thing that’s easy to overlook but happens constantly; minor laminate and edge-banding repair, patching corners before they start lifting further; chimney filter and motor checks, if the chimney was installed by the same vendor; and a general inspection report after each visit, flagging anything worth watching.
What’s Usually Not Covered
A full shutter or carcass replacement isn’t included, since it counts as a major repair with its own separate cost. Structural swelling caused by water damage isn’t covered either — fixing the actual source, like a plumbing leak, is the homeowner’s responsibility. New accessories or hardware upgrades are treated as a fresh purchase, not maintenance. And appliances from a different brand than the one that built your kitchen usually aren’t covered — only what the same vendor originally installed.
What It Costs in Delhi NCR
Cost varies by kitchen size and the specific package, but here’s a realistic range. A small straight or parallel kitchen with 2 visits a year usually costs ₹2,500–4,000 annually. A medium L-shaped kitchen with 2–3 visits runs ₹4,000–6,500. A larger U-shape or island kitchen needing 3–4 visits costs ₹6,500–10,000 a year.
This works out cheaper than paying for individual repair calls, which typically run ₹500–1,500 per visit, if your kitchen needs even 2–3 small fixes over the year.
Signs You Need Attention Now, Not Later
A few things are worth acting on right away rather than waiting for your next scheduled visit — a drawer or shutter that’s started making noise or catching while closing, a hinge that swings open on its own or a shutter that doesn’t sit flush anymore, laminate lifting at any corner or an unexpected colour change, a chimney that’s clearly lost suction power compared to before, and any crack or gap near a countertop joint.
What You Can Fix Yourself vs What Needs a Professional
Some things are genuinely fine to handle yourself — tightening a loose screw, or gently adjusting a hinge — and there are plenty of good tutorials online for both. But a few things are best left to a professional: laminate repair, since using the wrong adhesive can actually make the damage worse; structural swelling from water, since the actual source needs to be diagnosed first; and anything involving the chimney motor or electrical wiring, which is simply a safety matter.
Beyond an AMC, a few smart daily habits also go a long way toward extending your kitchen’s life — our cabinet habits guide covers those in detail.
A few things people often ask: when should you get an AMC started? Ideally right after your warranty period ends, since the warranty already covers most early issues. Can you get a one-off repair without an AMC? Yes, absolutely — an AMC is just for regular, proactive checks; without one, you can still book a single repair call whenever something comes up. How do you pick an AMC provider? The vendor who originally built your kitchen is usually the best choice, since they already know your exact hardware and materials. If they’re not available anymore, any established local fabricator working with genuine hardware brands like Hettich, Ebco, or Hafele will do a solid job too. And are appliances like the chimney or hob covered? Only if the same vendor installed them as part of the kitchen — appliances bought separately are better handled through their own brand warranty or service.
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