Swmbo would like a new kitchen

[Lord Nibbo]

Swmbo would like a new kitchen, and before you suggest making it I'm not interested, it's too much of a hassel and to much all the sameness (sameness is that a word? ). What I'm after of all the national kitchen companies who should I go for? in other words who would you recommend from personal experiences?

 

[TonyW]

My SWMBO would also like a new kitchen - In fact last year had a few companies in to quote - not gone ahead yet due to other commitments.

We had quotations from the likes of B&Q, MFI, Magnets which were all very similar. What put us off was the cabinets - they were all finished in white - we wanted a wood interior.

We did find some that we liked from William Ball. In my mind much better finished and higher quality than the others we looked at. Pricing from an independent kitchen company came out very similar to the others
http://www.wball.co.uk/Kitchens.html

We also found a very good local company while more expensive had the "wow" factor and also the important (at least to me) KBDSA label.

Cheers
Tony

 

[Harbo]

Of the more "popular" makes Wickes came out well in "Which".

I used their units for our Utility Room and they are great for the money.
They arrive flat pack and not too difficult to piece together.
One piece of advice is to get them and others to do layouts for you - they sometimes come up with good ideas and it makes ordering the bits a lot easier.

Rod

 

[RogerS]

Swmbo would like a new kitchen, and before you suggest making it I'm not interested, it's too much of a hassel and to much all the sameness (sameness is that a word? ). What I'm after of all the national kitchen companies who should I go for? in other words who would you recommend from personal experiences?

We've put in two kitchens from Magnet over the last few years. They suited the London flats and looked good but might not suit your house or style.

Avoid wooden worktops.

Currently researching for the cottage. It depends on what style you're after. We've been round most of them and our conclusion is that it depends on what style you are after. High gloss doors look great from Magnet and cheap and tacky from B&Q. Real oak ...well..others rated B&Q but we thought the finish plasticky and reckon you can't beat the real thing and making them yourself. Wood veneer? B&Q walnut veneer shaker style looks good.

Cabinets white? Well B&Q do wood lookalike cabinets in one of their ranges.

In the final analysis, you can't beat driving around and looking at them yourselves.

Avoid Homebase stainless steel sinks...they ARE pretty poor IMO.

 

[cumbrian]

I've just been through this loop. I'm about to put three kitchens into the barn we're having converted for holiday lets, so I spent a lot of time searching for the best deal I could readily find. When I went into the local builders' merchant I noticed they had a number of "special offers" from a company called Omega - carcasses (18mm) looked okay, blum fittings etc etc.
I took a price list home and sharpened up the pencil (excel, actually), and the really odd discovery was when I priced up one of the more expensive ranges (with solid maple doors) which had 50% off the listed price, and compared it with a cheaper one (foil doors) with 25% off, the more expensive one came out cheaper. The killer factor was the pan drawer carcasses (with soft close action), which are wincingly expensive regardless of the drawer fronts - so 50% off these compared with 25% made a BIG difference! I even did a double check with the shop, and their best price for the naked unit was more than the manufacturer's 50% offer for the unit with drawer fronts.
Had I just done the obvious quick comparison of a couple of standard 600mm cupboards I'd have dismissed the whole idea and missed out completely. As it was, and much to my surprise (cynic that I am), the "Special Offer" really was a good deal, even compared to good deals on ebay.

BTW I'll also echo the post re William Ball stuff - used them in my last house on the strong recommendation of a kitchen designer friend and thought they were very good.

 

[Karl]

Hi LN

Just my thoughts, for what they are worth:

1) about 90% of the kitchens I install are B&Q

2) if the carcasses are not a matching colour to the door, this is easily remedied by applying edging tape to the edges of the carcasses prior to construciton. Obviously this doesn't solve the carcasses being white on the inside, but does that really matter?

3) The biggest factor in a new kitchen and the quality of the finish comes from the installation. I have seen (relatively) expensive kitchens look pants because of poor installation, and cheap kitchens look pretty good.

4) Having said the above, I would recommend B&Q, MFI or Wickes as a good value high street supplier. Avoid Homebase. I have done a couple of theirs - absolute crap.

I would point out that I have no knowledge of the other manufacturers referred to above, so couldn't comment on them.

Hope this helps.

Cheers

Karl

 

[jasonB]

Of the high street brands I find Wickes about the best of the flat pack and they are quite good to deal with.

If you want colour matched carcases take a look at woodfit who do about 20 colours/grains either with melamine lipping of 2mm PVC on the premium range. They also have about 50doors to choose from which are available from a lot of other suppliers as Second Nature/PWS.

If you can convince woodfit you are trade they you can knock about 40% off the retail prices. Other web sellers do the doors with about 30% off to non trade.

 

[tim]

Jason

What's your opinion of the woodfit carcases? I've not used them but I need to deck out my own utitility room soon and don't have the time to make my own.

Cheers

Tim

 

[jasonB]

I've only had the basic ones in the past which are OK for the money. I've got £4,500 worth of Premium carcases and doors coming Tuesday week so ask me again in 10 days.

Jason

 

[devonwoody]

Many years ago we had a new kitchen, the salesman quoted over £5000, I laughed at him and said £1500 or something ridiculously low, and finished up at £2400. (self fitted)
but they do try to bump up the price, my own experience in sales was I always doubled the price on something I was selling and always accepted 50% less. :wink:

 

[RogerS]

Good point, dw.

Reminded me of when we bought a kitchen. Got the company to quote for supplying the appliances as well (that way you don't get caught out by the built-in/under/integrated gotchas) but they were quite expensive. Went onto kelkoo and got a list of prices for the same goods off the internet. Went back to the kitchen supplier who matched the price. And I saved the delivery charges.