Can anyone really beat IKEA on price for their kitchens?

[said]

I find most kitchens boring and I'm trying to avoid the tedium of sitting with kitchen planners. I only really like the look of the IKEA ones (of those within our budget) so is there any point in looking at others if they're going to be more expensive anyway?

We've just been to B & Q because I thought we should at least take a look at something other than Ikea but to be honest their selection was rubbish.

I don't think we'll bother trawling round anywhere else. On our budget I think Ikea offers best value for money.

Not best quality in my experience

Have you tried Wickes? I only ask because ours was from there yonks ago and is still going strong.

I'm fed up with it really and on darker moments have wished it would look like it actually needed replacing. (lol you can't please some people - ie me - it seems. I'd have been moaning if it hadn't lasted I guess)

Howdens or Wickes imo. It's worth seeing if anyone you know gets trade prices and buyign them a pint or two if they put it on their account.

Agree with Howdens.

I've said it before on Mumsnet and I'll say it again for the 50th time:

I have a very good friend who is a top notch kitchen fitter and if only I could afford his services, I would have him do our new kitchen like a shot. He says Ikea and Ikea only from the cheaper kitchen ranges.

I think it's important to remember that getting it fitted well makes a difference to how well a kitchen lasts and how good it looks.

Different fitters will have their own preference. My grandad is a carpenter/joiner/kitchen fitter and would recommend Howdens everytime.

Well, builder has account at Howdens and Magnets but even with taht, can they really beat IKEA for price? IKEA's just looke nicer. Not taken with any of the Magnets stuff tbh. Can't actually see Howdens just a few doors so how can you really tell? And just the same old, same old. Wasn't impressed by Wickes and cancelled design appointment and think designer sussed we were just going to use him for his ideas.

My opinionatedknowledgable builder was very negative about Howdens - he suggested they might be OK for a utility room but the Howden's rep follows him around constantly, I think it's almost a sense of pride that drives him to refuse to promote their products.

We decided against Howdens because they are too traditional for our taste.

Thanks. IKEA is much better at presenting their stuff - looks more attainable. We don't all have 25m2 kitchens.

No no of course. My kitchen is 2.4 metres square. Bloody tiny. But it's still a bloody good Howdens one.

Oh, I'm not suggesting Howdens aren't good quality. I was just wondering whether anyone can really beat IKEA for price. If they can't, I just don't want to be wasting time sitting through consultations with kitchen designers.

Said I think you might need to focus on something else as well as cost. You really need to consider variety of units a company offer. You mentioned on another thread that your kitchen is really small, you need to make the best use of your very valuable space, to do that you need maximum flexibilty. I don't know the dimensions of your kitchen but you may find you need a company who make units base and wall units in 300, 400, 500, & 600mm widths, who have clever corner units that fit your space - Ikea had 2 corner options, neither worked well for us but after a bit of shifting we worked it out by moving some plumbing but you may not have the flexibility. The last thing you need is a 200mm filler because you are limited in unit size and that is what a lot of people in the kitchen world have told me - more money often doesn't mean more quality it means bigger choice of unit sizes.

Oh, it's not going to be too bad now as have extended for a new kitchen but thanks for the thoughts, I do get what you're saying. I'm just lazy and not very interested in it all really and just want to be told they're fine.

we've just ordered our IKEA kitchen - def couldn't find anywhere near that price elsewhere. can't wait for it to be fitted! the design tool is a little clunky, but means you can design it yourself, rather than fannying about in a store with a whining toddler whilst the staff member does it for you!

Ikea do units in 300, 400, 500, 600 and 800 widths. I can count at least 3 different corner units in their current kitchen brochure. More than enough flexibility there.

The major difference is Ikea units are deeper than most others 600 instead of 570

So said you can now say you have considered the variety of units a company offers and find that Ikea still fits the bill

Don't forget that with Ikea there is the "hidden" cost of having to build it. IIRC, Howdens, for example, come as units which you just put into place, thus reducing any labour cost.

Try Benchmark - trade only sovia your builder - they are part of the same company as Wicks(travis Perkins) and have the same kitchens as Wicks but are cheaper . !!!

We went with Ikea 7 years ago after finding that no-one else came close on price.

It still looks great now. Their solid oak worktops are particularly good value compared to elsewhere.

I would not get another IKEA kitchen if they paid me a million pounds. Utter rubbish. Save your money.

Why utter rubbish? What was the problem?

Hidden cost is ok as fitting included in builder's price.

I'm thinking we should, at least, book an appointment with Howdens just to know what they'd say...

Iirc - Ikea kitchen units have a different size for pipe system at the back of the units - not the same as standard UK for fitted appliances and 'stuff'.

I dont think there is anything wrong with the quality. We had chosen a Wickes heritage range kitchen then popped into Magnet. Got them to match/better Wickes and ended up with a lovely Magnet kitchen. It is all to do with the quality of units and fitting.

Handles flimsy and broke
Door hinges worked loose and snapped
Drawers fell apart and had to be glued back together
The bits that over the shitty woodchip shelves peel off when you look at them
The integrated appliances don't really fit
It looks shabby and shoddy, like something out of a Tim Burton film

As for the oak worktop...I'd rather cut off my own legs and roll the stumps in salt than get another one.