Wickes Kitchens 50% off - good deal?

[VeryHungryKatypillar]

I've finally convinced DH that we should get a new kitchen.. I want to sort it before he changes his mind!

Wickes have a 50% sale on at the moment which I have only just noticed. I know all the big retailers usually have a deal on but this one sounds good - am I being naive??

Hang on a bit if you can,they'll reduce them again in a few weeks.Also Benchmarxx supply Wickes and are cheaper,but we didn't use them due to being so far away from their depots and them only supplying to the trade at the time.[that may have changed though].We also wanted to take advantage of the 0% finance and got enough vouchers back to pay for the bathroom tiles too.
The quality of Wickes kitchens is excellent and we had very good customer service.

Thanks for replying...I'm not brave to hang out for further reductions... you really think they will??

Really good to know about the quality and customer service, its so hard to tell from kitchen show rooms sometimes.

I'm almost certain they will.Times are hard.I got ours quoted when it was 50% off and hung on until just before the sale ended,and bingo!Because it was already measured up/quoted,they just reduced the price again and we were able to move pretty fast.If you check their website it should say when the sale ends.

Also,don't use their fitters if you want to save money.We saved £1000's by using our own plumber,fitter ect.I think they must make up what they lose on the cabinets by overcharging on the fitting.I went onto the Screwfix website and checked out the 'Kitchen Fitter's Talk' section to get an idea of Wickes cabinet quality and how much independent fitters charge/what their opinions are.It was very,very informative.You can even find a fitter via there.We found the average charge was around £150 per day.

They'll definitely sell it to you with the discount, regardless of when it is. Once that 'offer' has expired there'll be another one, differently presented but with the same deals (though legally I think they have to have them on full price for a bit first).

However, what 101damnations says about Benchmarx is true. We got ours for there (having seen it in Wickes) and it was much cheaper (ie. by about 40%). Most of the units also come ready-built rather than flat-pack, which saves on installation, and with a 25-year guarantee.

Our is 'Borrowdale', which Wickes calls 'Heritage Grey'. It is fab, and was recommended to me by a fellow-MNetter. The Benchmarx tip was also from here so I can take no credit.

Good luck!

Good tip re Benchmarx from 101, I have done some research but the wickes model we have chosen (Tiverton Bone which is same as your Heritage Grey but not 'in-frame') doesn't seem to be in their brochure. Wickes are saying it is 'new' so not sure whether it would be available at Benchmarx yet? Perhaps just not in brochure yet.

I guess I'd have to find a fitter myself and get them to buy the stuff from Benchmarx as it says 'trade only'. Hmm. I just don't know if I have the skill set to bring all this together....

And meant to say thanks both!

Oh - I meant to say that the 'trade-only' thing didn't remotely apply at the Benchmarx I bought from. I guess time are hard and they were only too glad of the sale.

VeryHungryKatypillar, the Tiverton range is on Benchmarx' website, looking at same one myself! I think it's called Eden.

Going to Benchmarx today for a brochure an look around. Had a Wickes lady round this am for quote but with two ds's about, could not concentrate on the task! Plus I think their appliances are overpriced. And the sale ends Thursday so she wants us to buy asap I guess.

Really glad I discovered this thread, a friend's builder also recommended Benchmarx as better then Howdens and so far with Howdens to get them out is like pulling teeth (even though we have a builder who has an account with them!).

Knightynight's post has reminded me,if you do use Wickes,price up the appliances elsewhere first.I got prices from internet suppliers and got Wickes to pricematch or beat them.Also got a dishwasher half price and a free cooker hood too.It's a buyers market and they need your business,so make them work for it.

Cool!
Knightynight - would you mind letting me know how you go with Benchmarx?? We are booked in to do the deed with Wickes on Thursday lunchtime... so have until then to try to source elsewhere!! Will be really interested to hear if they are cheaper than Wickes....

Interesting re the appliances... I will go off and check now!

VeryHungryKatypillar, yes, will let you know. I think we will get our appliances from a local supplier who we've used before. Was so hard to choose on the spot with Wickes lady today, especially as potty training ds2 at the moment and trying to work from home as well, roll on next week

How can I commit to what oven I want and where to put the pull-out larder when my three year old is doing a wee in the lounge and my four year old wants me to draw Squigglet's teeth on his picture..?! However got to take them with me when I go to Benchmarx this pm...watch this space!

Am very - I can't have a pull out larder thingy, not enough room for everything else... but I can have a magic corner... so that's almost as good...

Good luck with the potty training whilst at Benchmarx! We are potty training DD atm and she wanted to go in the bathroom showroom toilets in Wickes!

Ok. Was very impressed with Benchmarx. Our local store is Harlow and they were super-friendly and professional. Had a brochure given to me and allowed to look around the showroom which is tiny but there's enough to see, although the ranges we like are not there (so go to Wickes to see them!).

They had no hesitation in booking a home visit for me, even though I have not confirmed I would use them and they did not need to speak to our builder (unlike Howdens). So they are coming next Thursday and before then I was advised to choose the kitchen I would like and all the appliances, flashy bits and pieces (magic corner!), worktops etc. Have a stack of brochures to pore over now.

Interestingly, the Wickes quote came through tonight and in Heritage it is £9,200 with granite and £6,500 without!!! I was warned by the Wickes lady that their granite was expensive and we might want to buy it elsewhere - and we have a small kitchen, not a great massive one. For Tiverton it is £8,500 with granite and £5,800 without. This includes sink, Brita tap, hob, double oven, extractor and fridge/freezer. And without installation.

Although this is at the sale price which ends Thursday, we are not going to go for it because we need more time to consider what we really want and there are so many little things which need consideration (for spending so much money!). Also I think Benchmarx will be competitive and I got a good vibe from them (plus my 4 yr old said he liked it better..what more can you say?!)

Obviously this is early stages and I have no idea how this will all go, but our builder is calling back tomorrow and hopefully he will say he's happy to use them (he has an account with them so that's promising).

Up to you what you do with Wickes, our lady said there will be another sale in October/November, so you could hold out for that or try Benchmarx, if there's one near you.

The one thing I've learned so far is that you have to really do your homework. I'm going to choose all our appliances and price them up before next week, so we know what to expect. The Benchmarx quote goes to your fitter so he provides a price based on their figures, you don't get a quote directly from them as far as I can tell.

Will let you know how we get on next Thursday, I'm off to look at many, many picture of gas hobs...

That all sounds very exciting!

Am in a quandry now, do I sign on dotted line with Wickes on Thursday or not? Or do I investigate Benchmarx some more/wait for next Wickes sale? I just want a new kitchen NOW!

I have made contact with our nearest Benchmarx in Reading and hope to get a like for like quote on the kitchen units so that I can work out whether I am going to save money... Hope they get back to me tomorrow...

Good luck with the kitchen Knightynight. Out of interest, what colour you planning on your walls? I have a wild desire for orange, brightish orange, but not sure whether that would look ridiculous with the bone colour.

VeryHungryKatypillar - if you are happy with Wickes' quote then go for it; we are holding off because we still have a few decisions to make to maximise the space in our kitchen - in the Wickes quote there is no allowance for a microwave and we really don't want our current one on the worktop (not much space), however there might not be room for a built-in one unless the clever Benchmarx man can figure something out.

As for colour, well I was thinking either a nice cool green or terracotta sort of colour, both would work. The Tiverton/Eden has an orange-ish painted wall in the webside photo doesn't it?

I figure it pays not to rush into it, since this is the singularly biggest investment in our house since we bought 5 years ago!

And for once it's dh who is looking at the expensive stuff and not me...must remember that for the future

I am okay with the Wickes quote, but want to make sure I'm not paying over the odds really.

Lovely kitchen though isn't it? Can't wait to get it!!

Right then, just spoken with Benchmarx man (who was very nice) and their like for like quote was only slightly cheaper than the Wickes quote (few hundred pounds). However as he pointed out, I would save on the installation cost given that their units come fully assembled.

Their units also come with a v long g'tee and lead times no where near as long.

Am fairly sure now we will be going with Wickes as saving is not dramatic enough to go through faff of sorting out installation etc. myself. But will chat through with DH this evening.

Thought I'd report back in case useful!

Thanks VeryHungry. That is useful, though we have a wait till next week for visit, also one of my builders (have two who quoted for job and both seem good) can't fit until after Christmas! The other one will give a full quote on installation once Benchmarx have done the plan. But he is equally busy I fear...

Anyway, sounds like you're decided - I hope it goes well and let me know how you get on!

Oh no! I fear that I'll sign up with Wickes to be told that there is an 'unexpectedly' long wait for kitchens. But at least we're decided, this is significant progress!

Enjoy and good luck!

VeryHungryKatypillar - Did you do the deed then?!

The deed is done! All very exciting. Am getting worktops from Barncrest however... wanted a lighter oak worktop than Wickes sell.

And the bonus was £230 worth of Wickes vouchers which I get when the kitchen is delivered on their loyalty card! So that might help pay for the flooring or tiles if I can find ones I like in Wickes.

Brill!

Great news. Hope you get yours before Christmas, mine might be next year. But after 5 years I'm happy to wait. Good luck

we supply granite worktops if any one is interested we supply magnet etc and they double our price to the customer

Hi just a heads up .... Any sale that goes on will be a complete lie . Howdens b&q wickes magnet etc etc will all raise their price 2 months prior to any deal going on so when they say 50 40 30 20 % off its not real .... The only kitchen people who do generally drop prices that i found are benchmarx , thats because there a travis perkins plc so they build and supply all there own bits . This is also why they are the biggest growing kitchen supplier 6 years running . Trust me peeps go Benchmarx.....