How much should I budget ? Howdens v Ikea?

[9millioncansofbeans]

Hi all

I want to replace my small (3x2) kitchen. Mainly the same layout but some new sockets, down lights, new tiling and prob howdens kitchen with laminate worktop. Will need dishwasher and oven but I have fridge freezer.

Also want to replace bathroom, not moving anything just replacing the 3 piece suite and re tiling.

I’m in a one bed flat and trying to update ready to thr eventual move.

What should I budget?

Would I save a lot going for Ikea over howdens?

[Flamingolingo]

Hard to say, but bathroom might be £4-6k depending on what you choose to put in there, kitchen could probably be done for £10k, maybe less depending again on what you choose and how much work is involved.

I notice you’re doing this in anticipation of moving so I would probably try to make what’s there look more up to date if possible rather than going for all new. We did this in a friend’s flat about a decade ago - replaced really 80s door fronts with new kitchen doors and handles and had a big impact

[NCwithAvocado]

My kitchen quote was the same from Howdens and Ikea. Went with Howdens in the end. Cost was £7000 including all work, but no appliences.

[okiedokieme]

Personally i would get valuations and advice from an estate agent. Unless it's appalling, I doubt you will recoup what you spend unless you self install.

[9millioncansofbeans]

Thanks, that’s helpful to know.

Replacing kitchen door fronts won’t make much difference unfortunately. The electrics etc need doing.

Sorry I should have preempted the comments - In terms of moving, I have had flat on market and it didn’t sell - Feedback was it needed kitchen and bathroom updating. I’ve taken it off market as it’s a weird time to try and sell anyway. And I will prob stay for a couple years so new kitchen would be nice for me but also eventually I now know that’s what people want

[Sooverthemill]

Recently had quotes from wickes howdens and magnet & Neptune for identical kitchen layout
Wickes £6.5 k
Howdens: 11.6k
Magnet: 14k
Neptune: 16k

[thatonehasalittlecar]

Check out DIY Kitchens. Excellent quality and cheap. Also comes assembled so knocks a little off installation costs. If it is a pretty standard shape, have a look at eBay or local sell sites for second hand kitchens - so many people buy places and rip out virtually new kitchens that you can get bargains.

[Flamingolingo]

The electrics need doing because they are unsafe? Or just look old? Because if it’s the latter then new socket covers could be the answer

[9millioncansofbeans]

Thanks @Sooverthemill that’s so helpful!

[9millioncansofbeans]

Thanks @thatonehasalittlecar . I’ve had a look And kitchens and prices look great, Amy ideas how I can get help with kitchen design?

[Sooverthemill]

@9millioms
Just ask loads of places for ideas. Look on Pinterest.write down what you use in your kitchen what your niggles are now ( so I have no corner units. I hate them. I'm paying tons for a fancy pantry cupboard because I miss my old walk in larder. I'm having a very simple,e galley plus a one unit peninsula. I had a drawing done by a fancy place from my first conversation and have fiddled around with that after each new chat with a kitchen company.

[whiteroom]

Ikea have a kitchen design app on their website kitchenplanner.ikea.com/gb/UI/Pages/VPUI.htm

Bathroom pricing; Victorian Plumbing (for example) do a complete bathroom priced between approx £300 to £700 which sounds quite reasonable but plumbing labour costs are high and tiling is not that cheap either.

[NotWantingToOffend]

I tend to stick to IDS as I have had laminate worktops from them before and they were high quality and super helpful when it came to making the decision. Good luck OP.

[OnlyFoolsnMothers]

Literally doing the same size kitchen at the moment OP-
Works c. 3-5k
Units Ikea 5k
Units Howdens 6k

Workmen apparently hate Ikea because flat pack, and tbh Ikea have been neat on impossible to contact since lockdown (plans drawn up before). Will probably go with howdens.
Ikea I didn’t consider doing the work as they literally only install a kitchen in a perfect plain boxed room, so I’d still have to hire people to
Knock out the old one and make good etc. Also Ikea outsource the work tops which adds more time to the job.

[OnlyFoolsnMothers]

Oh and my bathroom was c 5k works and suite- Victoria plumbing with private builder

[9millioncansofbeans]

Thanks @onlyfoolsnmothers sounds like I should estimate £15k for bathroom and kitchen together

[MariaDingbat]

I just fitted a new galley kitchen, with all the appliances and plugs in the same place, into a 3m x2m kitchen and it came to £2200 including fitting from IKEA plus £250 for tiling. I kept my old oven and fridge freezer but had new extract, sink and hob. They were really helpful and everything was fitted well. Askersund doors, Ekbacken worktop in white marble and plain white subway tiles. Cheap and cheerful but I really like how it looks.

[Bananasandorangesss]

Go DIY Kitchens used them twice now - cheaper than Howdens by far and BETTER QUALITY!! Highly recommend. Wouldn’t do IKEA personally

[tilder]

Google reviews on diy kitchens before using them.

Builders hate Ikea because it's flatpacked. They can charge for time to build though. Also Ikea are a different size to everyone else so mix and match with elsewhere including work tops can be tricky.

Ikea are a which best by though.

[SavoyCabbage]

I’ve got a Howdens kitchen that is only eighteen months old. The workbench has already been replaced once because it got a sort of raised bubble it and it’s happened again in a different place with the new one.

Our units don’t have handles (by design) and have started to peel at the bottom where you open them.

[TiddleTaddleTat]

Have a similar size kitchen to do too, OP, and having the bathroom done later this year.
We've been quoted just under £3k by a local bathroom fitter for labour, guess we will need another £1-2k for materials (no idea yet!)
Have only had Ikea kitchen fully designed and priced up yet.
Howdens design team were a nightmare as they wouldn't take my drawings without me measuring the perimeter of the room and distance between all sockets etc in lots of detail before they sketched a design. We have lots of boxing in and nooks etc so it's annoying to have to measure in this way.
Local kitchen company still waiting for a reply.
I've heard Ikea are not as hated by installers as they once were because they now have space for the service void with the Metod kitchen - but don't quote me.
We're hoping to do the kitchen for under £6k

[TiddleTaddleTat]

Should have said Ikea kitchen design came in at £2k. There were not many cupboards, but it did include an oven and microwave.

[petrocellihouse]

Howdens kitchens are fairly good value for straight forward cupboards and fittings etc. I’d advise against buying any of their appliances though as they get universally panned.

[Smallgoon]

Howdens initially quoted me circa £8k for units only which I felt was too high for a kitchen my size. Managed to get them to take out a lot of the crap that they added to the order, and swap out some of the more expensive units. This brought the cost down to £5k.

I then discovered DIY Kitchens during lockdown and spent a few weeks playing around with their planner - which I love! Decided to go with them in the end. All units have come in at £4k and the units are more superior (solid timber) in comparison to Howdens' offering. It arrives next week, am super excited!

[ShellieEllie]

If you only want to replace the kitchen for it to sell and to do it cheaply then why not consider Travis Perkins. The kitchens are exactly the same ones as the off the shelf ones at Wickes and you don't need to be trade to buy there. Wickes also have a very good offer on their ready to fit Orlando Cream one at the moment too. Might be worth looking considering.

[BrokenLink]

I have just had a new kitchen and this is what I learned. Wren (supply only) and Howdens are a similar price but in my opinion Howdens appears lower quality. Trades people try to get you to buy from Howdens because they earn commission (in the form of discounts). Appliances (even built in) are standard sizes so shop around for good deals.