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Original poster

IKEA kitchen experiences

43 replies

KvetaBarry · 26/04/2011 13:19

We've just bought our first place, and need to rip the kitchen out and start afresh (it was last renovated in 1960s apparently - when the house was built - and was not done well at all!).

We do not have a huge budget (house was cheap, but needs lots of work to make good, most of which requires us to get someone in)- probably about £5k in total, and we are attracted to IKEA by their 2 years interest free credit offer!

can anyone share IKEA kitchen experiences, like how much fitting actually costs, do they do any of the measuring for you, how good they are at actually fitting the kitchen, sorting out plumbing etc etc. Our local store is Lakeside, btw - I'd guess each store has its own team of fitters who will vary in quality!

any stories?

thanks :)

OP posts:

CompleteNovice · 26/04/2011 15:06

I am in a very similar situation! Just moved into our first flat and the bathroom and kitchen need a major overhall... the kitchen actually has a drawer with a built in, fold out ironing board - the height of 80s bijou living im told! eugh.

Anyway we went to Ikea yesterday (with the other hoards of Bank Holiday home improvers) and planned a kitchen on their online kitchen planner tool. You can do it at home on your own computer but we definately found it useful to do it instore with the help of the Ikea staff who were incredibly helpful and knew the ranges inside out (Wembley branch). Our kitchen is about 3m x 3m and we have chosen the white high gloss units with solid wood worktops, appliances and accessories (sinks, taps, oven, hob, fridge freezer etc) and the price was £2400. The initial fitting cost was £1878 (but we were advised this could be increased/decreased depending on how much we can do ourselves). I did get some fitting quotes using My Hammer because I was told it was much cheaper than Ikea fitters but most of the prices I got back were about £1500 and you obviously need to pay a private builder upfront.

So the total works out to be around £400 a month for 12 months on the 0% interest 12 month payment plan. Good value I thought and it all seems really stress free (famous last words?!) so I think we are going to go for it - any thoughts from others would be really useful though!

CompleteNovice · 26/04/2011 15:12

Oh and with the measurements - we made initial measurements so we could plan the kitchen but the Ikea installers come and check all of the measurements properly before work starts and before you buy anything (you put down a £100 deposit for them to do this). They also use registered/certified Gas and electrical installers so thet they can do all of the work to UK standards.

SpiderWilliam · 26/04/2011 16:37

Ikea did ours 3.5 years ago. Can't remember their costs as we just bought the units from them and then got a local carpenter to install which was v competitive. We also got a higher spec finish by using Ikea units with Internet sourced granite worktops and designer taps, tiles etc. It saved is lots of £££. The purchasing experience with Ikea was fine but we downloaded their kitchen design software and worked it out for ourselves. Ordering in store is not a happy memory but mostly because I was 7 weeks pg and had cracking morning sickness. Still really happy with the quality and durability of the ikea units.

lalalonglegs · 26/04/2011 16:40

I'm a fan - for the price, their kitchens are great. No need to use in-store fitters though (who won't be employed by Ikea and will come with a long list of caveats so that if they screw up the job, Ikea will take no responsibility).

teta · 26/04/2011 16:50

We have just had an Ikea kitchen fitted - but installed in our utility.I found the instore planners very good but the home-visit planner useless.Also the cost of using the Ikea fitters was absolutely ridiculous,so i opted to use a local builder.We have ordered stat white doors and they are in very short supply due to a manufacturing issue.So several doors are being delivered 4 weeks later.One door has no lead time and i can't order it so i am wondering whether we will ever get it!.The process of paying and booking delivery was unnecessary complicated and because the delivery was split into two they said we couldn't have free delivery [cost 100 pounds] until we argued.Having said all this i love my larder pull-out cupboards and sink and worktop.Ikea is really good value but is very much a do-it-yourself experience.

sorky · 26/04/2011 16:54

We bought and fitted our own. Would def do it again.

Double check everything fits and is ordered precisely if you DIY. Sometimes the cupborads don't come with doors or fittings you want and these are available separately.

pearlgirl · 26/04/2011 17:00

We planned our own using the online planner and had it fitted by our builder as part of the extension we were having built. 6 years later we still say how much we like it - like teta I love the pull out larder and also the deep drawers. I would definitely look at them again in the future.

BerryLellow · 26/04/2011 19:56

Ha! I just came here for a lurk, should have known it would be you

Original poster

KvetaBarry · 26/04/2011 21:20

:o @ originalBarry - it'll be you asking questions soon! (speaking of which, have you any decorating ideas? DH and I are bewildered by it all!)

thanks for all the info people :) i wanted the stat white doors, may have to re-think!!

completenovice -that's useful to know that they do the measuring for you too. just out of interest, why did you go for a 1 year repayment plan? we've just ordered a bathroom elsewhere, so will be making payments on that for 12 months, and hoped to pay for the kitchen over 24 months to make life slightly less painful!

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nightowlmostly · 26/04/2011 21:24

We have an ikea kitchen in boxes in our kitchen at the moment! It is to be fitted by our tried and tested builder in two weeks, I can't wait.

We bought all the units and the induction hob, oven and dishwasher and it came to just over £2000. They had an offer, two for three on appliances, don't know if it's still on. We have bought the extras - sink, taps, tiles and worktop elsewhere, mostly online, it's so much easier to find exactly what you want for the best price.

Hopefully the kitchen will turn out ok, but so far the buying experience has been really good. The planning side is a bit tricky, it is like you're pretty much doing it on your own to be honest. It will take a while so the best thing is to do it at home then go to the store to finish it off and get them to check it for you. Having said that, we ordered the wrong cupboards at first (no drawers in the whole kitchen) and had to go back and change it the next day. This obviously could have been hellish, but the guy was really helpful and it got sorted out quickly.

I think it makes a difference who you get instore, the person on the first visit didn't notice our mistake and sold us a kitchen with no drawers, even though I mentioned having drawers, she didn't pick it up. Just make sure you're on top of it and know exactly what you want!

Good luck, will update when it's finished and let you know how it went!

SwearyMary · 26/04/2011 21:32

We have just had the red gloss fitted by Ikeas contractors. Very impressed by their service and attention to detail. They did jobs that weren't agreed and charged me no extra (I did make LOTS of coffee!!)
The instore planners were just ok, there were changes when the in home planning man came and therefore adjustments to the costs, somethings we didn't need and other things were missed off.
We were left with a few bits that weren't needed, a flue for the cooker hood, as it was already there and a few other oddments but I ttok them back and got refunded.
Our worktops were made by a local firm as I wnated a particular type of quartz, OH did the tiles and floor.

I love my Ikea kitchen, its awesome and lots of people disbelieve that its Ikea because "it looks such high quality"!!

Good luck with your choices, if you choose Ikea I don't think you will be disappointed.

jeanjeannie · 26/04/2011 22:33

Really good....surprised us with the quality.
Avoid the IKEA fitters though. They're nothing to do with IKEA. Basically, a load of workman/businesses are 'recommended' (although I hasten to add NOT tried and tested) by Ikea. If you get problems you'll not know who you've got the issue with especially as they tend to then get in their own electricians & plumbers. It gets really complicated. The fitting will end up costing you about double the kitchen as well if you go with them.

Go to local fitters - get some quotes - tell them what you want and take it from there. Oh and you need really nice straight walls to get the best fit - as the IKEA carcasses don't have that much going on at the back...so you can't get away with much.

CompleteNovice · 27/04/2011 08:51

We didnt have a choice on the payment plan because our kitchen is costing under £3000. It's only if you pay over £3000 that you can take the 24month option... I think anyway! Thats what it said in the small print on the posters around the store.

Everyone's posts have been really helpful. I'm unsure about using the Ikea fitters now though... as I mentioned further up, our kitchen is costing about £2000 (its a small kitchen and we're not moving any major things like gas supply/plumbing etc its literally just putting the kitchen in) and the ftting was quoted at £1800 roughly - from your experiences do you think thats a lot?

ChristinedePizan · 27/04/2011 08:58

Yes, I think that's expensive. My Ikea kitchen cost £2000 and my builder charged me £2000 to rip out the old kitchen, install the new one, lay wood flooring, tile and redecorate and fit new halogen lighting. Which sounds like a lot more work than what you are having done. Plus my worksurfaces were a bespoke depth so he had to cut those all to size

Original poster

KvetaBarry · 27/04/2011 10:44

thanks for the tips on installation - I thought it would count as part of the cost for some reason! we're looking around for local fitters - have posted on MyBuilder for some quotes.

we're ripping out most of it on our own, but that'll obviously not reduce costs hugely.

one further question for y'all :o:
did anyone use the wall panels in their kitchen? like these: www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/80178216

think they look easier than tiling for the time being until we decide how permanent the kitchen is going to be! I want a gas hob ultimately, but we're getting an electric one initially, so these should work - any experiences?

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BerryLellow · 27/04/2011 13:41

Ah, no I'll be having Howdens with DP's business discount We're having Saponetta white, but not that level of clinical white-ness about the whole room

Sorry about the hijack :o

Celibin · 28/04/2011 19:05

I do not think I would necessarily buy my appliances from them -though the3 for 2 imight tempt me. they do not have a very wide selection and I wonderabout spare parts if they break down .

Decorhate · 28/04/2011 19:18

I have an Ikea kitchen too & am very happy with it. I don't think they can be beaten on price if you are on a budget. I got my builder to fit ours. I think he charged around £150 a day & it took five days. But that was with all the electrics & plumbing in the right place iyswim as we did it as part of a kitchen extension.

I have a similar panel in stainless steel as a splashback behind my hob. Don't bother with tiles if you can help it. A splaskback & washable paint is much cheaper & modern than tiles.

bigbumum · 28/04/2011 19:23

Im dead chuffed with mine too.
We took out the 2 years intrest free.

My kitchen is gorgeous and really good quality, we have admiring comments from every one that visits.

We worked out what we could have on the instore computer thingy.
DH fitted it (he s VERY good at DIY thank god!)

I would defo recomend Ikea kitchens for quality and ease of paying for them. Lovely

Celibin · 28/04/2011 19:41

I want to know about their appliances , please

SwearyMary · 28/04/2011 20:29

The only appliance we bought was the cooker hood and we are very pleased with it. It extracts well and the lights on it are fab!

Original poster

KvetaBarry · 28/04/2011 20:49

in one flat I rented we had an IKEA hob and oven, and they were bloody fantastic - hence me being quite keen to go down the IKEA route for our first real home! will be getting a fridge freezer elsewhere though, and there is a washing machine already there, which we'll use until it dies. it's all very exciting!!!

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duffybeatmetoit · 29/04/2011 08:49

We bought the fastbo panels but took them back. Our walls were nowhere near square enough to fit them. Other than that we are really pleased with the kitchen. We went with the fitting service as it was coming in about the same cost as local builders and having done some research on builder's forums quite a lot don't like fitting Ikea units as it involves more work for them as they don't incorporate a space at the back for pipework etc, and so they charge more to compensate for the additional hassle.

CompleteNovice · 06/05/2011 12:16

We're thinking of using Ikea fitters too - we live in London and the prices we are being quoted are about the same. Just wondered if the price they quote is just fitting the units because we want new floor tiles to be added as well?

Original poster

KvetaBarry · 06/05/2011 12:32

We're getting some quotes this weekend for fitting - I posted the job on My Builder, and got loads of responses, so have chosen the 2 nearest, and the one with the best feeback to come and give us quotes. We've jsut ordered a homebase bathroom, and the cost for tiling and plastering is much less now we've got the guy to quote us privately on those. Still fricking extortionate, but needs must when you have a leaking, cracked, pink, grey and yellow, bathroom without a shower :o

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