Who makes decent kitchens?

[Selwyn]

They all seem to be plastic coated weetabix in the merchants.

I can live with that for the carcase's if I have to but any idea of were best to look for a nice kitchen without a silly mark up.

I'm almost considering non fitted in my barn conversion.

 

[Rorschach]

DIYKitchens are pretty good and not very expensive.

 

[LJM]

But off the shelf birch ply units (available online) and make your own doors and draw fronts?

 

[BucksDad]

We bought ours from handmadekitchens-direct.co.uk. They don't paint it, provide handles or install it for you. They had a few advantages over others.. if you want a cheap Tom Howley style kitchen then it definitely has that look and also you can customise the units to whatever size you want. This was great to fit in some units into specific spaces within the kitchen.

The construction is MDF carcasses, poplar face frame for painting, drawers are real oak with machined dovetails with poplar faces.

The downsides are that they don't paint it, provide the handles or install it

The installer was OK but had only done flat pack kitchens before. I had to explain to him that the face frame extended beyond the width of the cabinet so that the frames can be scribed into the wall though.. he also got a bit lazy and didn't do this for the dresser unit. As the wall was out of square, this then screwed up the doors. Thankfully HMK agreed to come out and replace the doors. The guy who actually built our kitchen came out, fitted the doors and planed everything in nicely.

If you want good handles, then they are not cheap. As my wife was so keen on Tom Howley, she had found out they use Armac Martin hardware.... that's what we had

We paid someone to paint it for us - they did a mixture of brush / spray and in all honesty, it wasn't worth the money and they did a poor job.
I put on the handles and also oiled the veneers in the cabinets and the oak drawers myself.

Approx 3 years on, the kitchen is still looking good and we're happy with it. If we did it again, I'd probably now install and paint myself, but due to things at the time, that wasn't feasible.

If I was pushed for time, then I'd just get @doctor Bob or a local equivalent to do it.

 

[gregmcateer]

https://www.solidwoodkitchencabinet...itchens&utm_content=Solid Wood Kitchens:Exact

 

[Spectric]

Have you asked @doctor Bob he makes some impressive looking kitchens.

 

[monster]

We bought ours from handmadekitchens-direct.co.uk. They don't paint it, provide handles or install it for you. They had a few advantages over others.. if you want a cheap Tom Howley style kitchen then it definitely has that look and also you can customise the units to whatever size you want. This was great to fit in some units into specific spaces within the kitchen.

The construction is MDF carcasses, poplar face frame for painting, drawers are real oak with machined dovetails with poplar faces

Handmade Kitchens Direct are local to me - they also trade as Christchurch Kitchens - I had a good look around their new showroom when I was researching making my own kitchen and what they offer is of a high standard, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend them.

 

[Rorschach]

What you haven't mentioned here is budget, are we talking 3, 4, 5 or 6 figures?

 

[Ollie78]

Doctor Bob on this forum.
DIY kitchens, Howdens etc.
Depends a lot on budget and what you want.

I have seen quite a few kitchens costing an arm and a leg that were genuinley no better than Howdens. They just had slightly fancier names for everything and posher colours.

As a side note I was told it takes 8 minutes to manufacture a full drawer unit from mdf to finished unit on a modern line.

There is a company near here called the plywood kitchen company who use birch ply for everything which could be a good idea.

A kitchen is just a bunch of mdf boxes the key is designing it right in the first place and using good quality hardware.

Ollie

 

[LJM]

Doctor Bob on this forum.
DIY kitchens, Howdens etc.
Depends a lot on budget and what you want.

I have seen quite a few kitchens costing an arm and a leg that were genuinley no better than Howdens. They just had slightly fancier names for everything and posher colours.

As a side note I was told it takes 8 minutes to manufacture a full drawer unit from mdf to finished unit on a modern line.

There is a company near here called the plywood kitchen company who use birch ply for everything which could be a good idea.

A kitchen is just a bunch of mdf boxes the key is designing it right in the first place and using good quality hardware.

Ollie

i think you’re right; there’s a lot of companies offering “high end” or “luxury” kitchens, that are no better quality than howdens or similar, it’s just they offer the latest aspirational finishes or “look”. Personally I wouldn’t go near them; I’d either make myself from scratch, or by the best quality manufactured cabinets and make the rest, and use high quality fixtures and fittings. Or pony up and prepare to spend 5 figures on a bespoke kitchen.

 

[glenfield2]

I would second diykitchens. Internet sales but built in a factory near Sheffield. They did have an on site showroom but that was pre-Covid. Units all come fully built with glued carcasses and fitted doors. We’ve had ours for about three years and it’s very solid. I’d say better than the Howdens/Wickes bunch. Keenly priced too and helpful after sales with any issues. (BTW I don’t work for them!)

 

[Avery]

I make kitchens, free standing and fitted furniture. avery howell bespoke furniture. Co. UK. Although, ironically my new website is under construction my old website will give you an idea of some of my previous work including kitchens.
I work from my workshop in East Sussex. Actually I've jumped to the conclusion that you are in the uk you could be in timbuctu.
I'm surprised everyone on here does not kitchens. They are pretty easy really. It's all in the planning, hardware and materials. I use birch ply only for my carcassing. No mdf at all.

 

[Selwyn]

What you haven't mentioned here is budget, are we talking 3, 4, 5 or 6 figures?

Probably 5. Not 6 and 4 would be good.

 

[doctor Bob]

I make kitchens, free standing and fitted furniture. avery howell bespoke furniture. Co. UK. Although, ironically my new website is under construction my old website will give you an idea of some of my previous work including kitchens.
I work from my workshop in East Sussex. Actually I've jumped to the conclusion that you are in the uk you could be in timbuctu.
I'm surprised everyone on here does not kitchens. They are pretty easy really. It's all in the planning, hardware and materials. I use birch ply only for my carcassing. No mdf at all.

Just looked you up, looks good work but you really do need that new website and better images.

 

[BucksDad]

Probably 5. Not 6 and 4 would be good.

I just checked for those interested and our kitchen I think had 16-18 cabinets and the cabinets themselves cost £12k, quart worktops £4k, appliances (2 x single ovens + 5 burner hob - £2.5k, fridge /freezer - £2k, extractor £500. Cabinet hardware £1.5k. Fitting and painting approx £4k I think so roughly £25k total.

@doctor Bob I was meaning to ask you actually.. does Tom Howley offer anything more than the name + a managed service? I assume their cabinets are all built the same as you or anyone else would be doing it

 

[doctor Bob]

@doctor Bob I was meaning to ask you actually.. does Tom Howley offer anything more than the name + a managed service? I assume their cabinets are all built the same as you or anyone else would be doing it

I think I offer better service, better product and more uniqueness than Tom Howley. They have set ranges and designs (tend to always have mantle and range)
Tom Howley offer a big advertising budget, high street shops and are a brand.
My faults are, I'm not ambitious, I don't like stress, I don't really haggle (first price is a fair price) and I tend to throw in too many free bits.
Having said all that I make a very nice living.

I have seen all big bespoke companies reduce their initial quote by up to 40% if they are desperate for work. I'd be very miffed if I thought they were trying to take such a big profit initially.

Edit: the big companies do tend to drive new trends and designs. We all have our place and currently it's a mental market.