Kitchen cabinet carcases

[GCR]

I need to replace the cabinets in my kitchen. The present units were built entirely by me many years ago and are now showing their age, well they have been for some time actually.

A while ago, in a thread I cannot now find, several members gave links to manufactures of carcases whom they recommended. I wonder if members could refresh my memory with any sites/manufactures they have found useful?

Thanks in advance

Bob

 

[wizer]

Howdens are often well spoke of if you have one local.

 

[JonnyD]

I usually make my own. Howdens carcases are not too bad. They come ready assembled and are glued and doweled together so they are quick and easy to install.

jon

 

[Mattty]

When i fitted my kitchen 7 years ago i used Howdens carcases and made an oak face frame to fit in front if it all, with inset oak doors.

The carcases are ok, reasonably priced and much more rigid than most of the flat pack style i have used.

http://www.howdens.com/

 

[PAC1]

I made my own. The supplier of the melamine sheets was doing a deal on cutting so he did all the cutting. I just got my biscuit jointer and screwdriver and set about putting them together. It was simple plus you do not have to worry about standard unit sizes. The face frames and doors took longer!

 

[speed]

i always use howdens units, there bob on, i didnt reliase it was open to the public tho

 

[joiner_sim]

If you use the forum's search facility, that should bring up a few recommendations from old threads.

 

[BradNaylor]

A word about Howdens;

They are strictly a 'trade only' outfit. You need to have an account with them to buy off them.

Even then you don't get the best deal. Their discount policy is mystifiing. On the odd occasion I've used them I've gone through a friend who is a builder/joiner. He gets 40% off. Anectdotally I've heard of people getting 60% discount.

Unless you've got a friend with an active account who is happy to buy the stuff for you I wouldn't bother.


Re: kitchen cabinets - I always make my own using veneered MDF lipped with solid wood. Lacquer the componants before assembly then biscuit together. Screws too where they won't be seen.

MUCH classier than MFC!

Cheers
Dan

 

[p111dom]

A word about Howdens;

They are strictly a 'trade only' outfit. You need to have an account with them to buy off them.

That's odd. The one loacl to me say trade and public welcome and the one in Kirkcaldy even has a showroom.

 

[Oryxdesign]

A word about Howdens;

They are strictly a 'trade only' outfit. You need to have an account with them to buy off them.

Even then you don't get the best deal. Their discount policy is mystifiing. On the odd occasion I've used them I've gone through a friend who is a builder/joiner. He gets 40% off. Anectdotally I've heard of people getting 60% discount.

Unless you've got a friend with an active account who is happy to buy the stuff for you I wouldn't bother.


Re: kitchen cabinets - I always make my own using veneered MDF lipped with solid wood. Lacquer the componants before assembly then biscuit together. Screws too where they won't be seen.

MUCH classier than MFC!

Cheers
Dan

I second that, I use dominos instead of biscuits and pocket hole screws but it all amounts to the same thing, a superior cabinet.

 

[wizer]

Out of interest, when you build the carcases, do you build them completely to your own custom dimensions, or mimic the standard pre-made ones?

 

[Jake]

That's odd. The one loacl to me say trade and public welcome and the one in Kirkcaldy even has a showroom.

Do you have any MFIs near you?

An explanation would be a restriction agreed when Howdens was sold off by MFI (or its parent company), along the lines of trade sales only if there is an MFI within [insert number] miles of the Howdens branch.

 

[Oryxdesign]

I build them to suit the circumstances, generally I use a lower plinth than off the shelf and I also build the cabinets deeper. I find that with a 650 worktop I can make at least some of the drawers 590mm deep, I think off the shelf ones are only about 400mm, oh yeah and I of course make them the correct width for the kitchen so I don't have to fit wine racks and tea towel gaps!
Simon

 

[yo_chuci]

i looked in howdens and got a broucher for kitchen cabs...
there was an mfi in town but he said they sold to both trade and public..
in the broucher there were prices for trade and public side by side...
if a cab for the public was £99 it was £49 for trade... most were half the price... looked good cabs tho

 

[GCR]

Thanks for the replies everyone. I was hoping to save a little time by purchasing carcase units but it now looks as though self built units will fit the space available rather better than commercial/standard sized modules.

Bob

 

[ike]

Dan Tovey wrote,

A word about Howdens;

They are strictly a 'trade only' outfit. You need to have an account with them to buy off them.

Even then you don't get the best deal. Their discount policy is mystifiing. On the odd occasion I've used them I've gone through a friend who is a builder/joiner. He gets 40% off. Anectdotally I've heard of people getting 60% discount.

Unless you've got a friend with an active account who is happy to buy the stuff for you I wouldn't bother.

You don't need an account. Its all to do with how you approach them and the impression you give out. The discount you are offered depends entirely on how you approach them. If you convince them you are going to do the install yourself, i.e. no kitchen fitters in sight, they are perfectly happy to do the same deal. They are wary cos some spoil things by not sticking to the script, but they are there to sell kitchens and sell them, they will! Same in every trade outlet these days, they can't can't afford to turn business away.