I want a kitchen from howdens.....how does it work?

[PeckaRolloverAgain]

Do I have to find a builder/joiner first who will fit it and then get them to buy the kitchen or can I go in to howdens adn have a look etc etc?

So do howdens have kitchens on display then? Am I allowed to wander in even if I'm not with a tradesman?

Also, how the HELL do you go about finding a decent builder/joiner that isnt going to rip me off but be good?

Howdens supply one of the big stores (MFI, I think) -- so you can look at their displays instead.

I had a howdens kitchen installed just before Xmas. It is great. Didn't see it before hand, just selected from the brochure. Brochure comes with a CD-ROM, but I just choose by picture in the brochure.

I found the kitchen fitter (not a builder - all he does is kitchens and bathrooms), who lives in next road, and he arranged for a howdens rep to visit and measure.

I liked the convenience... had been trying to get a new kitchen for years - found MFI and B&Q unhelpful, as my kitchen is rather small.

we've just been told our kitchen sub floor is rotten so has to be replaced which entails ripping out all the bsae units.
i hate the kitchen anyway but we could not really afford to do right now but seeing as the insurance will eb covering some of it. We think we might just say bollix and fit a new kitchen
Our joiner fits via Howden by preference but we do like ikea stuff BUT have heard their sizes and fittings etc is not uniform.
Joiner/fitter says he will fit any kitchen make no worries. Big kitchen but he reckons £1200 tops to fit.
Hmmmmmmmmmmm what to do

I have been to the Howdens showroom (Beckingham branch). You can pop into any Howdens for a brochure and look in MFI for the quality/price comparison. Their in house designer designed mine too

Hi Pecka,
My dp is a joiner and raves about Howdens kitchens, he always encourages people to get them over ikea ones, we've got one ourselves and it is fab. You can get the brochures from inside the trade counter and a few bits might be on show but our showroom is tiny tbh.. You're best off asking someone to recommend you a joiner than getting one out of yellow pages, just ask everyone you can think of! The trick with Howdens is ask your joiner to shave off the extras they always put in on the quote. They are particularly keen on putting on 'decor end panels' They are expensive and some you won't see at all. Once you find a joiner ask him (or her!) to go through the 1st quote with you and tweak it all.If you need any more info I can ask dp for you..

HTH

Oh and that has just reminded me that our first ever trip out in the car with newborn ds was to Howdens-there were a lot of grown men cooing over him that day LOL

Howdens & MFI aren't the same company any more although I don't know how much diff that makes to the quality.

i hate decor strips and fancy bits
I want cupboards to the ceiling....