New Kitchen

[northernladuk]

Wow, what is going on - very helpful comments, no accusation of being Wilmslow in disguise or other abuse (there is still time) - cheers all !

Building kitchens, making fire... all that kind of stuff. Very serious topics for man talk. <beats chest and wanders off dragging knuckles on floor>

[lukemg]

Wow, what is going on - very helpful comments, no accusation of being Wilmslow in disguise or other abuse (there is still time) - cheers all !

[Troll]

I used these for a recent bathroom refurb in a BTL - for the price the quality is very good & they come pre assembled, got a local handyman to install and a chippy to do the worktop mitres and very pleased with the result

Going to try their kitchens for the next refurb


HTH

[Bright Spark]

All the big chains are OK if you just want to buy the stuff from them, and are after a clean but nothing special approach. It's using their own fitters I might be worried about.

B&Q don't have their own installers they have subcontractors, who are pretty
good, a couple of the parts where missing and some didn't fit properly
but they sorted out the re-order of parts and fixed them once they arrived.

[norrahe]

Howdens and Wickes, terrible quality, I should know that's what we inherited from the previous owners taste in kitchens.

I'm also not in my forever home and if you are happy with the kitchen layout, look into replacing the fronts and worktops for a more cosmetic update. (Will also cost less)

I've had a look at the cook and lewis range at B&Q and it's not at all bad.

Find yourself a local kitchen fitter, get the B&Q peeps to do all the measuring work and delivering of kitchen, then your man can put it in.

Also as Gibbon said make sure they're "gas safe" registered (formerly corgi).

Check out for kitchen recycling companies that will come in and take your old kitchen out for nowt.

Last but not least pay on completion of project and set a time limit and budget on the work needed to be done based on their assessment, if they delay or go over budget, then they have to put the time in and incur the costs to get it finished.

[Gibbon]

Go round the showrooms and see what you like. Use yellow pages or people at work for some local tradesman or some poles, if poles make sure they have corgi and electrical certificates. Get them to do it, it's ok to give them money for materials but withhold the rest until completion. I did this for my kitchem and bathroom and it worked out fine. You could save a days labour costs by ripping out the old kitchen before they start though.

[d000hg]

All the big chains are OK if you just want to buy the stuff from them, and are after a clean but nothing special approach. It's using their own fitters I might be worried about.

[Clippy]

Ikea sucks sweaty camels balls IMO and you can find just as good stuff at same price in UK without blindly running to IKEA just because it is big and blue. MFI sold just the same stuff as them all be it in a small shop and IKEA drove them under.

B&Q and just as good, help you design your own yadda yadda and had a reasonable range if you arn't overly bothered about having your dream style. I am sure the other DIY chains will do exactly the same.

There is no need to run to the Swede's when there is just as good around here.

IKEA didn't drive MFI under - MFI drove MFI under.

[Jeebo72]

Used B&Q a few times and they are ok.

[Jefferson]

I would personally avoid B&Q and Homebase with there permanent 50% off sales and are both flat-pack units.
There's a trade only company called Howden's who do pretty good quality pre-assembled units at good prices if you are trade. (Although discounts vary a lot depending on if you use them regularly or not)

You could either

1) Go to Howden's with company headed paper and open an account & get a trade catalogue, decide what you want and buy your kitchen yourself. (Obviously depends if your company name is obvioulsy IT-based or if you can get away with blagging that you are a tradesman)
You would then need to get someone to fit it.

Or

2) Contact a fitter or carpenter and ask them if they use Howden's (A lot do) Howden's then send round a designer to your home and talk through what you want.
The problem is that the designer will not give you a price - This comes from the person fitting it (With his mark-up included).

[OwlHoot]

.. Can anyone give me hope that it won't be a horrendous process, plagued by 'salesmen' refusing to leave while phoning their boss to 'see if they can get today's special discount' off the vastly inflated price of a few flat-pack cupboards, uncooperative/incapable installers, endless list of snags and inevitable litigation ?

No - You've described the process perfectly.

[northernladuk]

Ikea sucks sweaty camels balls IMO and you can find just as good stuff at same price in UK without blindly running to IKEA just because it is big and blue. MFI sold just the same stuff as them all be it in a small shop and IKEA drove them under.

B&Q and just as good, help you design your own yadda yadda and had a reasonable range if you arn't overly bothered about having your dream style. I am sure the other DIY chains will do exactly the same.

There is no need to run to the Swede's when there is just as good around here.

[Clippy]

I've always liked the look of Ikea kitchens.

No idea of their quality or experience of their fitting service but they are a big company so should be good, no?

[lukemg]

Need a new kitchen, not in forever house but still needs to be smart. Can anyone give me hope that it won't be a horrendous process, plagued by 'salesmen' refusing to leave while phoning their boss to 'see if they can get today's special discount' off the vastly inflated price of a few flat-pack cupboards, uncooperative/incapable installers, endless list of snags and inevitable litigation ?
No - I can't do it myself...