Independent Kitchen Suppliers

[Vingar]

Hi - We are in the process of looking at various options for replacing our kitchen. From some of the posts here, I gathered it might be a good idea to look at some independent kitchen suppliers - unfortunately don't know of any.

Can anyone please recommend suppliers around Greenwich or S.East London?

Many Thanks
Vin

I can't personally recommend the kitchens as I've yet to purchase, but there's talk on here of West London Kitchens. I've received a brochure from them - a guy called Keith. He did a plan in double quick time, via Email, on a Sunday for me. www.westlondonkitchens.com/. He may not cover your patch but might be worth a go. Our other alternative is Howdens as they come in SO much cheaper than any of the others we've looked at. Good luck!

Thanks RatherNot, will check them out. Howdens is also an alternative I am considering - must say quite overwhelmed with the amount of choice out there as a first time buyer!

Am going crazy trying to finalise my new kitchen:( it started out fun but now I just want to decide,so it's between Ikea and Benchmarx. I can't find a single kitchen fitter who wants to fit Ikea though,anyone know a really good fitter who won't try and push Howdens down my throat??

Btw am in Brighton.Looking forward to any advice.

crazyaboutdesign they do that so they can make extra money on top of the fit due to there discounts.
The question is finding a builder/fitter who would actually put a Howdens in there own house!! :)
Not many fitters like using Ikea, for many reasons.
have you tried sites like checkatrade etc for a fitter?

Has anyone used "Interior Home Designs of Rossendale" also known as "solidwood kitchens". They design supply and install kitchens at rediculously low prices. Are they as good as they seem?

Finalising choice of kitchen now
So far - Ikea = cheap but awkward co snot standard UK sizes and no gap at back of units.
Magnet - expensive
Premier (don't know if they cover your area) nice quality but I understand their prices now I know that instead of showing you the design on email they print you out a brochure - and its not loose leaf!
B&Q - cheapest, and they do rigid build if you can get a trade card
Homebase - cheap but flat pack and didn't do a style I particularly liked (fussy)
the best design I have had was by annalouiseh's DH. He's not the cheapest but has taken most note of all my questions to make the kitchen practical and beautiful, I've lost count of the alterations he's made to show me variations and answer my dozens of questions. He replies to emails quickly and is very patient with my indecision! I can't speak for the quality yet as we haven't built the extension to put the kitchen in but he has supplied for some other MNers

Yorky do you mind me asking roughly what sort of price range the kitchen from annalouiseh's DH is? Is it framed/bespoke etc?
Thanks

I'm having my bespoke painted in-frame kitchen done by a joiner I found on ebay. He's been great to work with and has incorporated all the unusual storage requests I've found on pinterest asked for. He is building it now, so can't comment on quality yet, but the price was 2k more than the ikea version (without all the custom storage).

Pannacotta - I'm sure you appreciate how different each kitchen is, size, and cost of appliances, stainless sink or moulded into the worktop, number and make or integrated or freestanding appliances, laminate or granite work surface etc

I think ours is quite a big kitchen (compared to what I'm used to anyway) and I specified expensive appliances - including built in combi microwave, which bumped the cost up merrily! Quotes ranged from £8-20, and Evo kitchens wasn't the cheapest or the most expensive, but he spent the most time checking specific appliances and drawing alternatives so I could be sure what I was getting - from the visual difference between a stack of 5 equal drawers and a set of 3 pan drawers, where as at most of the showrooms they looked at the plan of the room and turned out a generic plan which didn't feel very personalised

Thanks Yorky, I do appreciate it depends very much on what you specify, but in terms of the cost of the units alone, would you say it was the same price range as say Wickes or Howdens, or much more?

wendybird any chance you could share the details of your joiner? He sounds like a find! Thanks...

Pannacotta - Have pm'd you.

What's wrong with Howdens? A local joiner who has a great reputation told me he uses Howdens. Is the quality poor?

Howdens are ok for there level.
There bonus is they supply ridgid, they down is not all are square.
look on money saving expert forums as this has come up loads.
They also have the largest council contract and supply the same to trade as to council on the carcass and you need to upgrade the hinges or youll get a what they put in a council house.
Alot of builders or joiners like to use them for the ease of replacement and there discount for mark up, but they are at the lower end of the kitchen market for there door quality as they buy in bulk like diy's

Hi Wendybird
Please can you Pm me the name of your joiner
Thanks
Gill

Can't compare prices with either wickes or howdens as we don't have them local to us, but I was surprised how little difference between his quote and homebase, considering the difference in the quality

Gill - done!

wendybird - could you also PM me the name of your joiner? Looking into kitchens at the moment.