Wren Kitchens ???

[TheAverageJoanne]

I'm looking at having a new kitchen in the new year. I've not done anything about it yet. My neighbours aredoing the same and they've used this company. I would've thought they'd be expensive (rather like getting Coldseal Windows or Coral) has anyone any experience or comments please?

They have an appalling reputation. I wouldn't go near them. Do a google search for reviews, or look at the Wren Kitchens pages on Facebook about disasters etc.

Have a watch of this video. It was watching this that led me to decide on DIY-Kitchens, which we are about to order.

Wickes wanted £27,000 for our plan. DIY-KItchens have quoted us £14,500, including a tall larder fridge, a tall larder freezer and a Quooker tap. Wickes did include fitting, but we are waiting for a quote from an independent fitter, which we're reckoning will be about £1,500 to £2,000.

I'll be damned if I'm paying £27,000 for a flat pack kitchen!

We had a quote from Wren, but when comparing the quality with the independent we ended up using, it was clear the independent was much better quality for same price. I also hated the way Wren kept ringing me and telling me about a new discount that was 'going to end tomorrow so be quick'. I just really hate that pushy sales technique.

I had a really good experience with Wren. Used an independent fitter though.

I got no pushy sales technique
At all. It was very smooth.

Everyone I know who used them had a nightmare. Our kitchen fitter says he likes them the best for fitting and the price is good, but supply of the right parts at the right time is not so good. He recommended magnet. They were £1600 more than wren, but price matched them on a like for like quote. I much preferred the attitude and service in there too.

I'd say about 80% of the people who talk about wren complain.

I always recommend ikea. Much cheaper, smart solutions, good quality.

Close family had an appalling experience with Wren, I'd never give them a penny of my money after that.

We have a Wickes kitchen and it's been really solid. Our builders fitted it though as we were getting other work done anyway. They'll tell you when the cheapest weekend of their sale period is too, if you ask!

Ikea kitchens are solid but I've always been wary about how much you have to do yourself in terms of speccing it up. Kitchen fitters always moan about them too.

We had no problems with them at all. No issues several years on.
DH fit the kitchen and we used an independent guy for the work top. Fitting costs were extortionate.

We bought a Wren kitchen about 18 months ago. Had none of the pushy behaviour described by some PP. Loved the fact they had a proper showroom to look round - so you could see the internal configuration of all the larder cupboards and bin drawers etc. We were having an extension at the same time so the builders fitted the kitchen. We were very easily able to order parts that had got slightly damaged (via an online app) even when the kitchen had been put together. I would recommend them without reservation.

We got a Wren kitchen at the beginning of the year. It's great quality, and we didn't have a pushy sales guy. But I knew exactly what I wanted layout wise, so that helped.

With any of the chain kitchen companies just don't use their fitters and you'll be fine. We used a local joiner which saved a fortune. But also got a much better service than you read about with Wren fitters.

Had a simply appalling experience with them. Indescribably bad service for an incredibly simple, basic kitchen. They subcontract their labour out to practically anybody who can stand upright and hold a drill, and I am still really sad about the awful treatment my elderly father had from them. They spent about four months installing a SINGLE side galley kitchen.

The kitchen itself is lovely! That's the annoying thing.

Get an independent fitter, whatever you do.

Asked them for a quote, they came round and did a plan. It was plainly obvious to me that it wouldn't work due to position of boiler so I asked them to look again. Never heard another word.
Used a small local company who did a solid job at a fraction of the price.

Thanks for the comments. I'm going to shop around!

We’ve had kitchens from B&Q, Howdens and Wren and they’ve all been fine. B&Q was the lowest quality but it was our first house and all we could afford at the time and there was nothing wrong with it, just not as smart as the ones we were able to afford later.

Whenever you buy anything expensive for your home, you know you’re going to get a sales pitch. It’s their job - just take it with a pinch of salt and don’t let it put you off if you like the product.

Agree with PPs, a good fitter is as important as the product.

I'm the same.
Bought from Wren , fitted ourselves.
All good.

We were quoted 16,500 for what we wanted from wren, that was for a mid range range cooker and laminate worktops. Bought our kitchen from a company in Sheffield called SKO, independent fitter, worktops from a local granite company, better quality range, nice cooker hood, fancy arse radiator and decorating with frenchic paint have all come in 1,500 cheaper than the wren quote.

Definitely shop around. We also really liked DIY kitchens when we visited their showroom but struggled with their design software.

We had a Wren kitchen installed as soon as lockdown restrictions were lifted, partially as we had no kitchen in lockdown and they were the first company to reopen. We got a quote from an independent installer who was the same price as Wren quoted, we went with Wren installers as we thought (correctly) it’d be easier if parts were missing or broken etc, the first installers weren’t great but something went wrong (the installers fault) and the second installers were much much better, he told me that all these big kitchen companies are pretty much the same with Holden’s being the worst quality overall.
I thought the price was ok, although next time I’d go with somewhere like DIY kitchens as I have more of an idea of what to look for now.

I've just had a Wren kitchen fitted, went for the top end cupboards, quartz worksurfaces. They did a great plan, I can't complain at all about the quality of the units (preassembled), and they weren't pushy.
The packaging was terrible so loads of my cupboard/drawer fronts got knocked (but zero hassle to replace them via the app). The quartz fitters were vvv good, but apparently Wren have a lot of trouble getting and keeping kitchen fitters. My builders fitted it all apart from the quartz though and I think that is the issue generally.

I chose Wren. All fab. Had their fitter. He was amazing

All the bulk kitchen companies are massive scams. They all make their kitchen carcasses out of melamine faced chipboard (MFC). The only thing that’s variable is the door fronts, and even then they’re pretty much the same thing.

use IKEA or DIY kitchens. Try it and see- no matter what promise wren, magnet, howdens or any of them make, they can’t price match DIY or IKEA because they don’t sell their kitchens at supermarket prices- they sell at hidden prices, and they give your builder or fitter a “trade” price who then sells it on to you for a markup.

DIY kitchens are amazing. Use them.

We had great service from Wren and they were very accommodating when lockdown hit in the middle of the work, sending us a free cheap work top to use until our quartz one could be fitted. 3 years on the kitchen is holding up well, no regrets here.

Love my IKEA kitchen but wouldn't touch their fitters with a bargepole.

Went to 'wren' showroom in MK. Mega unhelpful staff, looked at us as if we were aliens. Half doors hanging off. Drawers either falling out/stuck solid. And this is their show room where they are supposed to sell how good they are. Enter with Howdens. Would never look at wren again!

I love my wren kitchen. We had it fitted by an independent joiner though and we sourced the quartz worktop and island, sink, taps etc ourselves but found the design and delivery process really good.

We had a good experience, a couple of panels were noticed to be damaged on fitting (noticed by the fitter prior to fitting them) and they were replaced, also had a couple of wrong units which at the time was frustrating but they were all replaced promptly. It wasn't smooth, but it was positive.