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Howdens “in-frame” kitchens nightmare

3 replies

2ndheartbeatnme · 17/05/2022 22:56

Hi, just wondering if anyone else has had experience with Howdens so called “in-frame” kitchens? I have had a nightmare with my installation. Their designer had no knowledge of how it works and my floor plan was completely out of sink as a result.

Basically with other brands, in-frame kitchens include the frame as part of each unit so the dimensions already account for the frame. So eg a 600mm base unit, includes the frame in that. But what Howdens market as in-frame - the 600mm will then need the frame (50mm on each side) added around - actually taking up 700mm! Once this extra 100mm accumulated for every unit, a lot just went out of sync and there was less space left! I had a design from another brand which Howdens designer copied without accounting for the extra space their “in frame” takes up!

Howdens claim to be selling in-frame kitchens but really they’re standard units that need frames added around. Except their designer was not aware of this, did not account for it in his floor plan and the local branch manager is hiding behind “we only deal with trade” as a way to dodge responsibility! Oh and not only do Howdens charge more for the “in-frame” option, fitter then charges more because there’s more work involved to measure, cut and fit the frames around each unit! Expensive nightmare!

Anyone else caught out the same way? And for those thinking about Howdens for in-frame - think again!!

OP posts:
FrecklesMalone · 17/05/2022 22:59

Sounds a nightmare. I would complain.
But "out of sink" keeps making me laugh. I can't work out if it was a deliberate pun!

2ndheartbeatnme · 18/05/2022 12:06

Haha! No it was wasn’t but it should’ve been! 😄 Literally did mean the worktop supplier had to come back to re-template the sink cut out.
Complained to manager with no responsibility taken, now waiting to hear back from Customer service at HQ…

oh and a correction it’s not 100mm it’s 60mm (30mm on each side), but still!

OP posts:
Mayahornsey · 23/05/2022 20:43

I toyed with Howdens for our in-frame but went with DIY Kitchens luckily. Was completely straight forward and love the design! Everyone thinks my kitchen is bespoke because of the Inframe i think. Too much smoke screen around Howdens and we just wanted to know what we were paying for and what we’d get.
Good luck getting yours sorted!

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