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?

[Monty27]

I got a Howden's kitchen and love it. The beautfy of Howden's is that the units are delivered assembled and this saved £££££ on the chippies fitting it. So a big saving was made there.

[Monty27]

*beauty

[said]

Oh more posts! We looked at Wickes and gave the drawers a good shake and they seemed pretty crap to me. Plus, I just didn't like any of the designs in the shop (maybe they have more online but difficult to buy if can't see it) Ditto Magnets - very disappointed with the range and drawer shakeability. Appointment at Howdens this week so see what they come up with but their website looks dull and, as with most of these places, get really pissed off with the tedious secrecy about prices. Moneysavingexpert has been good for posters giving the full breakdown of their Howdens quotes. IKEA are the only ones I do like the look of and their units all felt sturdier than Wickes, B&Q's Cooke & Lewis and Magnets (which surprised me)

[Monty27]

Said, app Howdens are the same as Cooke & Lewis....

The Howdens designer that I had was great, also I had in my mind what I wanted and went for that in their catalogue, ok it was the most expensive and my builder was looking at me , but I wanted gloss cream, with a touch of brushed steel and that's what I got, lovely sink and tap fitments etc too. Because the units came already assembled, they were fitted in a day, ok so there was all the plumbing, tiling and electricals, but I'd say the whole kitchen took a week. hth

I've heard about ikea delivering with bits missing and nightmares dealing with it etc, probably on here actually....

good luck whatever you decide anyway :)

[said]

Really about Cooke & Lewis? Ha, we thought it was a B&Q in-joke because they're for kitchens and bathrooms - Cooke(rs) & Loois. Much like Grunhalle lager in the 70s was just Greenhalls

Looks like they're all just the same in the end...

[Monty27]

Said

It's what I've been told

The fitters need to be good...

Howdens designers are good too.

Honestly, I'm not espousing Howdens, its just that I was pretty happy with mine and thought it was really reasonably priced for what I got. Good luck again :)

[PinkOlives]

Howdens same as Cooke and Lewis

With howdens how do you buy it to get a good price, do you send your fitter? DO you go first have a look etc or how does it work. I like the idea of it fully assembled. Im looking for white gloss similar to Appleby White Cooke and Lewis or Caledonia from WIckes. But i dont want to enter B&Q!

Said i know what you mean about having the prices in front of you so you can compare, its just such a lengthy process. Makes Ikea easier but im just traumatised by them They aso make their kitchens look a lot funkier with the little extras and quirks but i think i can do that myself by adding nice accessories, tiles, shelving, worktops etc etc etc
Which Ikea kitchen did you like ?

[ItsTime]

We had ikea stat in our last house with wooden counter tops, totally brilliant, looked as good on the day we moved out five years later as when we bought them and that's with toddlers, cats and dogs.

[ItsTime]

Should have said, we oiled the counters three times in five years. The last time was right before we sold and I lightly sanded them first too. They looked perfect.

[Monty27]

Pink - this is pretty much what I have Howden's kitchen

The builder arranged the Howden's designer to come round and measure up/design kitchen at 12 midday, while he was doing that I looked in the brochure, I had it absolutely clear in my head what I wanted and picked out of the brochure, went up to the showroom/warehouse that afternoon with the builder and chose sink, taps and worktops etc, got handed the plan by the designer, agreed it, paid using the builder's massive discount, the units were delivered the next day and the joiners/fitters/electrician/plumber set to work. I kid you not. It was all a bit fast.

[SherlockMoans]

B & Q are good when they have their sales. DH has also installed some beautiful Howdens kitchens - if you know someone who buys from them regularly their trade discount is ridiculous to the point where I have said to H "noooo they've got that wrong havent they?"

[PinkOlives]

Sherlock it seems with Howdens the trade discount is dependent on how well they know their customer. My fitter doesnt buy from them so he'd have to open an account.
I found the Wickes Caledonia in Benchmarx who do trade discounts and it seems they are a little bit more flexible than howdens. i called howdens todays and she mentioned she couldnt give me a quote four times (i didnt ask her) its all sooo confusing! going to have a look in howdens and benchmarx this week
Nice kitchen Monty, and fast work! prob less of a headache!
ItsTime we moved in here with the ikea kitchen here already a few years ago, no one mentioned treating the worktop oops now a black worktop a around the sink and quite damaged in other areas. Its a learning curve!

[said]

Monty - you're right about Howdens being Cooke & Lewis. Went from one place to the next today at it was obvious - even down to names like the Holbrook is the Carisbrooke etc

[Monty27]

Pink - thanks, oh it was so quick I couldn't believe it.

Said - how are you getting on?

[said]

Still getting quotes and dithering monty. Howdens quote (with huge "discount" - which I struggle to believe) was double a similar kitchen with IKEA when I worked one out on the planner. Probably should ask an independent person as well for a comparison but they'll be much dearer won't they??

[Chooster]

Ahhh, I've found a thread thats so relevant to where I am now... Like IKEA stuff and have seen what I like but i realy want to feel I've done a reasonable comparison but I can't be bothered with several sales people / designers traipsing into my house to do teh designs. But if that doesn't happen how can I accurately compare price - dont think I can. Whereas we spent 30 mins in IKEA doing a plan and got a rough (cheap) price out at the end. If other places would do that then it would all be so much easier! Blimey - never thought it would be such a hassle. Off to magnet this afternoon to take a look though.

[jeanjeannie]

Cooke and Lewis is a brand owned and registered by B&Q - parent company Kingfisher.
Howdens' parent company is Galiform - who previously had the now defunct MFI. They aren't connected.

DH has fitted an innordinate amount of kitchens...he's been very unimpressed with Howdens...not the carcasses...they are fine. He's found dreadful problems about 18mnths later with the veneers peeling off like (his description) like nail varnish. They are nice and easy to fit though. He's got a lot of time for IKEA...really solid and we've got it throughout our utility room. Been brilliant and 3 yrs on - looks brand new.

One of the best things to do with IKEA is get a good local fitter to measure up with you - go through with them what you need - and bypass the sales patter and 'recommended' fitters.

[PinkOlives]

chooster - we are in the same position but I think I?m going for benchmarx now (same as Wickes) the kitchen is lacquered not gloss so there shouldn?t be any peeling, though we'll see. Anyway point being is we took our measurements to the guy and he did us a design on his computer there and then, it was really easy and he was great. First branch and Wickes wasn?t so fun but they still did a quick computer design and you can see how it really looks. So it?s worth going to one other place as a comparison. They don?t need to come to your house, you have your measurements and that?s then better for them, and you. I only went there and a quick look at IKEA, I saw b and q a couple of years back didn?t like anything and my fitter doesn?t have an account with howdens so I didn?t bother there.
I?ll be going over budget but I have an IKEA kitchen now that is peeling and bubbling so I want to try something new, and i've heard good things about lacquered. They have great timber kitchens too.

[Chooster]

Good luck with it pink olives... I've taken a look at ex display kitchen websites to see what they have to offer... big discounts and as we have a big-ish square kitchen we've quite a few options. I will also do as you say though and take our measurements into a store and see what they say....

[kitchensandthings]

I hope no-one minds me contributing to this thread. I am a independent kitchen fitter and supplier. First of all I absolutely not interested in promoting myself, I'm way too busy. I just thought I might add my own experience as I know from my own customers how much pain they go through when choosing a kitchen.

I'll start with a negative. Avoid B&Q and Homebase like the plague. I talk to a lot of kitchen fitters in real life and online and those two are guaranteed to make professional fitters tear their hair out.

On to Howdens. They are OK, they have moved on a bit since the MFI days and they are a reasonable bottom to mid range kitchen. The cabinets aren't amazing but they do the job. Their great strength is the amount of stock they hold and even if they don't have it a nearby branch will. They do however charge accordingly for this as all that commercial space isn't cheap. Most builders and just about any tradesmen seems to have an account with them which is actually a disadvantage. It means that any old Joe can tell you that they fit kitchens as Howdens do all the survey, design and pricing for them. It very often means that people that can't really fit kitchens end up fitting them and sometimes badly. The biggest problem with Howdens is the cost. I have almost stopped supplying them (not done one in last 12 months) as they are too expensive. Their ridiculous discount system is actually very clever and they use it to their advantage. I can get a decent price if I go up the road to Magnet Trade, get a price from them (mentioning that Howdens are pricing it too) and then take that price back to Howdens who evntually give in. I can't be bothered with all that so I go elsewhere now.

Someone mentioned Benchmarx. I have no personal experience but other fitters tell me good things about them and they seem to be reasonably well respected in the trade. I think someone said that Wickes use Benchmarx and I think that's the case. Wickes are probably OK as well but I know that my local store only moves kitchens when they have a sale on. Wickes sales do tend to be real ones unlike B & Pooh.

Ikea certainly polarises opinions and from research I have done in the past seem to be very cheap. Their range of cabinets is very limited compared to most, but for anyone on a budget you can't get near to them for value. I can't imagine they will actually fall apart and a lot of Ikea's bad repuation in the trade isn't to do with quality, it's to do with design. Their cabinets do not have a void at the rear for services (i.e plumbing pipes and electrics.) It's good for the end user as you get more space but not for the fitters. It's fine if you can run all your services below the cabinets which can be done. However most existing UK kitchens will have existing services behind the cabinets and these will all have to be moved if you opt for Ikea. The cabinets also don't allow for adjustments for concave or conxex walls. Normally if this happens you can trim the back of the cabinets to make sure that a 600mm worktop will still have sufficient overhang at the front. You can't do this with Ikea units.

Magnets has been mentioned. I don't use the retail side as I think they are ridiculously expensive and although Magnet Trade is cheaper, my local branch treated me like a numpty once too often and I have voted with my feet.

Anyway hope that helps. Re doors delaminating, it can happen with almost any supplier. I use a supplier that I would consider better than all of the above and you still hear of problems. Any vinyl or foil door can be susceptible to delaminating especially if it close to a source of heat or steam.

Re fitting, unless you have a really good personal recommendation from a friend, you're taking pot luck. Always remember that if you use a finance package to fund everything, there are disadvantages when it comes to snagging lists at the end of the job. They will already have been paid in full and there is no incentive for them to keep coming back to rectify faults.

If you can, ask to see someone's existing work. All of us say all the right things when we're touting for work but talk is cheap. Don't employ someone because they're a nice guy either, it doesn't make them a good kitchen fitter. The grumpy guy might be your real friend. He might only be grumpy because he's tired of women telling him what a nightmare it is having a kitchen fitted. We know and it's actually insulting.

Whoever you go with make them plenty of cups of tea and coffee, it's the best money you will ever spend and too often overlooked. Most of all don't treat your tradesmen like a servant, it won't get you a better job!!

Hope that helps even if it is not at all definitive. It's a nightmare!

Oh and I neally forgot, I use my supplier because they are incredibly reliable and offer a vast range compared to all of the above at a better price and quality. Before anyone asks I'm not going to mention them as it's a trade secret and I'm keeping it that way.

[said]

Thank you kitchensandthings, very useful and certainly concurs with my experience of Howdens.

[said]

Actaully, is there anyone you would actually recommend then? Are Howdens design shows some dead space in corners and we did, I think, a better job with the IKEA units. We've got an awkwardly shaped kitchen now but certainly found enough IKEA units to be able to design a decent looking kitchen so I'm not sure that IKEA do have a limited range and a fitter could adapt them anyway, surely??

[said]

Our not are

[AMM3]

One of the most annoying aspects of this (being in the same place myself) is never getting a straight and complete price from many of the companies. Why can't they just say their price and that is it?
You never know whether you are getting a decent/fair price or not and how much discount to push for?
Good luck with it all

[kitchensandthings]

The messing around with price is standard pratcice and annoying for thoise in and out of the trade. I do actually have firm prices now after years of looking for a sensible supplier.