 | Home > Off Topic > Your advice please. First time home owner buying a kitchen. |
 
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| JJ Member Since: 18 May 2009 Location: Winchester Posts: 932   
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I would echo the above sentiment . If you can find a good fitter it is more important than the component parts . A good fitter will pull it all together nice and tightly and it will then last for a lot longer than an expensive kitchen fitted badly.
Expect a good fitter to be booked up well in advance ( 6 months or more ) but in the grand scheme of things it is worth the wait. As has also already been said the carcasses are much the same so you might as well get the best deal irrespective of the brand. Howdens are a good shout. HR064 Hampshire and Berkshire 4x4 Response |
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16th Aug 2016 9:49am |
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| Grenadier Member Since: 23 Jul 2014 Location: The foot of Mont Blanc... Posts: 5804  
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Another uptick for Howden's. For doors etc as well.
Don't forget, if you're not after a gloss fronted but hanker after a Shaker style, you can always get carcasses from Ikea (which I think now have a 25 year guarantee) and then get a local joiner to make some quality bespoke doors to give it a bit more exclusivity. Further, when choosing your worksurface, go for something slightly thicker than normal. Sounds odd but it really does give the kitchen the 'bespoke' final touch.  Click image to enlarge
And some well placed 'pelmet lighting' likewise will dothe job. Just avoid Ayia Napa neon blue.... 
Finally, and it may not be everyone's cup of tea, but if your space is a fairly uniform shape, don't forget websites such as the one below. Some massive discounts off luxury kitchens. Some are genuinely 'second hand' (so as I said, not for everyone and perhaps not for you in your first home) but many are either ex-display (and the shops they come from may be able to order an extra door or cabinet or two if they don't quite fit) or 'as new' and taken straight from a recently developed home, unused, where the owner wants to put their own mark on it. This is just one of a number of sites... http://www.theusedkitchencompany.com/kitchens-for-sale Monsieur Le Grenadier I've not been everywhere, but it's on my list..... 2011 Puma 110DC - Corris Grey |
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16th Aug 2016 10:18am |
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| Guy Member Since: 11 Feb 2013 Location: St Eval, Cornwall Posts: 250
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Wow!
Thank you all so much. I am really grateful for such a great number of replies. Looks like Howdens is well worth a look. Thank you again. You're a good bunch on here! 
DINGO - '99 Discovery 2 V8 with 300Tdi transplant, chawton white. Repatriated from Australia and expedition prepped. **FOR SALE** SHARKY - '06 Discovery 3 HSE Auto, bonatti grey. SOLD. GEORGE - '99 Discovery 1 300Tdi Auto, willow green. Daily driver, travel companion, part of the family! SOLD. PINGU - '96 Defender 110 300Tdi station wagon. SOLD. Dream LR - 130 pop top station wagon camper. |
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16th Aug 2016 10:29am |
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| Grenadier Member Since: 23 Jul 2014 Location: The foot of Mont Blanc... Posts: 5804
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And plan ahead. We took the recommendation from our joiner to build our island in one piece as it would be stronger but easier to fit. Ahem. A few hundred euros later....
We needed this:
Click image to enlarge To do this, (given the island eventually weighed over 200kgs) 
Click image to enlarge Monsieur Le Grenadier I've not been everywhere, but it's on my list..... 2011 Puma 110DC - Corris Grey |
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16th Aug 2016 10:30am |
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| Guy Member Since: 11 Feb 2013 Location: St Eval, Cornwall Posts: 250
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"And plan ahead. We took the recommendation from our joiner to build our island in one piece as it would be stronger but easier to fit. Ahem. A few hundred euros later..."
DINGO - '99 Discovery 2 V8 with 300Tdi transplant, chawton white. Repatriated from Australia and expedition prepped. **FOR SALE** SHARKY - '06 Discovery 3 HSE Auto, bonatti grey. SOLD. GEORGE - '99 Discovery 1 300Tdi Auto, willow green. Daily driver, travel companion, part of the family! SOLD. PINGU - '96 Defender 110 300Tdi station wagon. SOLD. Dream LR - 130 pop top station wagon camper. |
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16th Aug 2016 10:37am |
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| Grenadier Member Since: 23 Jul 2014 Location: The foot of Mont Blanc... Posts: 5804
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^^^ You live and learn, you live and learn.....
Monsieur Le Grenadier
I've not been everywhere, but it's on my list..... 2011 Puma 110DC - Corris Grey |
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16th Aug 2016 12:03pm |
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| shazzy90 Member Since: 17 Dec 2010 Location: tyneside Posts: 489 |
hi mate I fit kitchens for a living ,my advice is keep well away from ikea,
howdens do have different price ranges,all kitchens are supplied from them come with the same carcas but the range of frontals decipher the price so a top of range kitchen has the same carcass as the lower range unless you buy their budget range which is flatpack,quality is good but also bq ,it range is a good allrounder, I am a sole trader and use them all,howdens bq and magnet a 5k kitchen from magnet retail can easily be obtained from magnet trade for £750-£1250 less yes its true for the exact same kitchen I would only buy from these I have fitted them all from wren to homebase I find bq cheapest when bought with a trade card, the secret is in the fitting a good fitter can make a 4k kitchen look good a bad fitter could ruin a 7k kitchen the howdens sale is in October ,and as a rule is about 10%cheeper than any other month do no t buy anythink from online stores it will be wrong and damaged and is a pain to rectify, stick with the 3 above and you will be ok hope this helps (north east building and property maintenance) |
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16th Aug 2016 11:13pm |
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| Guy Member Since: 11 Feb 2013 Location: St Eval, Cornwall Posts: 250
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Thanks Shazzy. That's great advice from someone in the know!
DINGO - '99 Discovery 2 V8 with 300Tdi transplant, chawton white. Repatriated from Australia and expedition prepped. **FOR SALE** SHARKY - '06 Discovery 3 HSE Auto, bonatti grey. SOLD. GEORGE - '99 Discovery 1 300Tdi Auto, willow green. Daily driver, travel companion, part of the family! SOLD. PINGU - '96 Defender 110 300Tdi station wagon. SOLD. Dream LR - 130 pop top station wagon camper. |
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16th Aug 2016 11:18pm |
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| Ryderoo Member Since: 28 Aug 2015 Location: South Oxfordshire Posts: 1666  
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I installed a B&Q Kitchen in my mother in laws house in 1995, only took it out this year as remodelling. All draws, cupboards, doors carcasses still in good working order. So I can agree with Shazzy on that.
I think my missus got our last kitchen from MFI about 6/7years ago. We had it fitted by a carpenter friend, still looks good with no faults. Cheers Simon I can explain it to you, but I can't understand it for you 1990 110 TD5 county, my first Land Rover - gone 2012 Discovery 4 XS SDV6 - gone 2014 Discovery 4 XS SDV6 - gone 2015 Evoque SD4 dynamic - Wife’s - gone 2015 Urban Truck 90 XS Santorini Black Hard Top - Reluctantly gone 2020 Discovery 5 Eiger Grey 3.0 SE - gone March 24 2021 Defender S D250 Santorini Black 110 HT - gone March 24 2023 Evoque P300e SE wife’s current vehicle |
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16th Aug 2016 11:40pm |
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| Rashers Member Since: 21 Jun 2015 Location: Norfolk Posts: 3462 
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MFI, now there is a story. They are no more so it won't make any difference. My mate needed a cheapish kitchen for his rented house. Nice 'expert' in the shop designs it with a scaled plan of the kitchen to help. Money paid and then we waited. Delivery was late. Delivery arrives, two carcasses missing. A long wait. One carcass turns up. The other we had to go to the store and 'steal' one from an ex-demo as there seemed no hope of getting it. All fits together well (in their defence) until we realise that there is not enough moulding. We are about 300mm short. Mouldings are expensive and that is how the 'expert' made their kitchen design cheaper than B&Q.
You live and you learn. Maybe this shows why MFI went out of business? |
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17th Aug 2016 6:27am |
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| Ryderoo Member Since: 28 Aug 2015 Location: South Oxfordshire Posts: 1666
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I have heard the dramas with More Fu*#$ng Inconvenience, but we had no problems at all, we did not go for a budget kitchen, we designed ourselves, every thing was delivered, no hassles.
We have in the past had major issues with Magnet, almost the same issues Rashers mate had with MFI. Cheers Simon I can explain it to you, but I can't understand it for you 1990 110 TD5 county, my first Land Rover - gone 2012 Discovery 4 XS SDV6 - gone 2014 Discovery 4 XS SDV6 - gone 2015 Evoque SD4 dynamic - Wife’s - gone 2015 Urban Truck 90 XS Santorini Black Hard Top - Reluctantly gone 2020 Discovery 5 Eiger Grey 3.0 SE - gone March 24 2021 Defender S D250 Santorini Black 110 HT - gone March 24 2023 Evoque P300e SE wife’s current vehicle |
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17th Aug 2016 8:26am |
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| MartinK Member Since: 02 Mar 2011 Location: Silverdale (Lancashire/Cumbria Border) Posts: 2664 
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One of my best pals is a (very good) kitchen & bathroom fitter
He also has an Account at Howdens May be a bit far away from you tho (he's in Scotland) I use Howdens stuff in my buy-to-lets (I own a few flats/houses I rent out), it's pretty good for the £. If you want to go a step up however, you may find a local company that make their own carcasses etc. I have used both of these: http://www.smithandfrater.co.uk/ http://www.duncanskitchens.co.uk/ I would recommend them as a big step-up, for hardly any more £. The carcasses are so much better than Howdens, Ikea, B&Q, Wickes... quite noticeable for the small extra outlay. One thing I would say...get a tradesman who can "do it all" or you may end up waiting (tools-down) for the kitchen fitter to get a sparky, or plumber in to do something he can't. My mate has cert 16 (or whatever the latest electrical qualification is) so he can do the plumbing, electrics, tiling etc all-in-one. Defender "Puma" 2.4 110 County Utility (possibly the last of the 2.4's) |
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17th Aug 2016 8:47am |
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| rockhound42 Member Since: 24 Jun 2015 Location: where Surrey meets Sussex Posts: 38 
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Do not under any circumstances use Wren kitchens.
Appaling customer service and crap fitters. Took them 8 months to do a 2 week fit, and they only came back to reinstall the entire kitchen because we started posting on twitter. Still not finished sorting it all out. The colleague that recommended them to us because their friend worked for them deeply regrets doing so. Wish we had gone with Ikea as per our original plan, also considered Howdens as the ones in our office still look smart after all the abuse they get, but we didn't know of any good local fitters at the time. The key is to get a good fitter, dosn't matter how good the kitchen is being fitted, if the fitter is crap so is the kitchen. |
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17th Aug 2016 8:54am |
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| Bluest Member Since: 23 Apr 2016 Location: Lancashire Posts: 4160 
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As a DIYer, I've fitted a couple of IKEA kitchens and been really pleased. Both the carcasses and associated hardware seem good quality and very strong. I like modularness of it all too, which makes it easy to design and customise to how you want, but maybe all systems are like that.
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17th Aug 2016 9:33am |
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