Kitchens - more space in IKEA's units than in Howden's?

[rollingpastryagain]

We spent the past few days looking at kitchens and trying to decide. We've never fitted a kitchen before!

Our immediate thought is that the IKEA units have much more space inside than Howden's. I read that Howden's have a panel inserted to allow pipes to go along the back so does that mean that IKEA kitchen cabinets are indeed bigger? (head spinning)

Yes they are bigger as they're flush with the wall. We had our pipes re-routed so they were lower and used ikea cupboards. It didn't cost much to do it.

A builder friend told me that ikea ones are a pig to fit due to not having that gap for pipework. Not sure if this would impact on fitting charge?
He recommended howdens as the units are made of thicker wood and a lot sturdier

So does that mean that the pipes go behind the back panel of the IKEA cupboards?

No the pipes go underneath - ie behind the kickboards which are under the cupboards.

The cupboards are the same thickness as howdens ones.

Our fitter was reluctant to fit ikea as we're others we had over to quote but they were susprised when they felt the doors and cupboards. I think it's the assembly bit they don't like. Plus howdens sell direct to trade which means fitters can make a profit by making the price less transparent.

*sorry for the typos!!!

Also our walls were re-plastered so pretty flush/straight.

Thank you TheGreatHunt, I understand how it works now . We much prefer the IKEA ones because of the extra room inside the cupboards and tbh they all feel about the same quality (IKEA, Howdens, Magnet) BUT IKEA's hold more - which is of course important.

The new IKEA cabinets are both deeper and taller than other makes so yes will hold more. You can move your pipes to floor level or buy deeper worktops and leave the pipes running behind them. I plan to do the latter as I like the idea of extra workspace.

Great idea iggymama about leaving the pipes behind. I'm still trying to understand IKEA's new kitchen system and I can't see one of the things I really liked in their last system - the slim, tall, pull out larder. Do they still do it

www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/S79920072/
That's that one ?!?!

No, Oneplanonhouzz. They used to have a much slimmer one with pull our baskets. It held lots and now (unless I just cannot see it) it's gone. The one you've linked to is a regular sized unit :(

It was something like this www.alarisavenue.co.uk/acatalog/Kitchen-Pull-Out-Storage.html

Do you have the ikea planner? Easier to check there.

My friend in London always fits IKEA kitchens in high end properties he does up and then puts very expensive doors and surfaces on them. No one ever complains when they come and view his properties for sale and he says the IKEA fitters do a good job and come when they are told to come. He has no hold ups on the rest of the project then. He would not fit any other kitchen.

They are bigger, and not much of a pain to fit. Any fitter who moans about it is being lazy, and I'd avoid them. We've fitted two on our own ...

DH has fitted several IKEA kitchens in the past without issue. Highly recommend.

We were shocked that Howden wall cupboards aren't deep enough to hold dinner plates

Agree with PrimalLass, wouldn't go near any fitter who complained about fitting because they're not quite standard. As a DIYer I managed fine so I'd be worried about any professional who couldn't adapt. We moved our gas pipe below plinth level and got slightly deeper worktops to accommodate uneven walls (620mm v 606mm standard ikea depth)

Just had a look and it seems 40cm is now narrowest size larder and no wire pullout option. Perhaps you cloud buy the normal larder and source the wire pullout elsewhere. I looked on eBay and found a wire larder pullout for a 40 cm larder for 147 pounds.

I want a larder but plan on having pullout drawers inside as I think the wire baskets could be fiddly to get stuff in and out so prefer being able to pull out just the drawer I want rather than having tilt and turn to get stuff out iykwim.

Fussychica - I KNOW! I remember renting a flat which had a Howden's kitchen and we had large dinner plates which wouldn't fit in.

Iggymama - thanks. In one of our previous homes (rented) we had a wonderful slim larder with wire pullouts. It held all of my kitchen foodstuffs - it was great. I'm disappointed that IKEA have stopped making it. Thanks for all the info.