Optiplan and Crown Kitchens

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We're considering going for a Optiplan or crown kitchen. We've had 2 really great kitchen planners round one from Optiplan and one from a company that primarily fits Crown. We've got a very strange shaped and sized kitchen so need a company that offers a wider range of sizes in cabinets etc. and will totally remodel the kitchen/cloakroom for us (so obviously not B&Q or any of the other usual suspects). Having had a B&Q bathroom which aged very badly certainly wouldn't buy a kitchen from them. Has anybody got a crown or Optiplan kitchen? How would you rate it? Is it standing up to the everyday rough and tumble kids and pets?

Probably should say we want the supplier to Project manage the fitting too. As the last thing we need is to be chasing trades men. We don't have a good history of them turning up when there supposed to etc. (not saying the said jobs weren't completed well, they generally were) which for a complex project like this would be a nightmare!

We have an Optiplan kitchen & I'm delighted with it. Its a year old & despite two pre-schoolers playing football, riding trikes, pushing dolls'prams etc, its still in really good nick apart from one scratch where DD bumped her pushchair into the door of a unit the day it was fitted! I'm the only one who knows the scratch is there.
We had some minor building work done at the same time so the builder did everything other than fit the kitchen.

I could have written weetabix's response myself. Very pleased, and they were happy to accommodate several last minute changes.

The Basingstoke branch dealt with us. Please feel free to ask any specifics.

Thanks Weetabix and Persil for taking the time to answer makes me feel we're doing the right thing in following our gut and going with Optiplan. The other company that fits Crown wanted us to pay getting on for nearly 30k for a very similar kitchen , so we won't be buying a kitchen from them! That was despite them knowing our budget was 15-20K, makes you wonder.

Whereabouts are you? I meant to say that 3 friends chose Optiplan after seeing my kitchen, 2 of them choosing the same granite. So I've met lots of their staff and they've all been really pleasant.

The only thing that annoyed me was that the one year warranty starts from the first day they arrive, even although the kitchen wasn't really "finished" ie granite in and lights fully operational due to a technical issue for another couple of weeks. I argued it should be a year from when it was finished and not when it started. Anyway, minor point, but still overall very happy.

We have an optiplan kitchen that is dented scratched and falling apart.would not recommend at all.I don't know whether they fell out with our builders ( new build) or what but it's dreadful.granite not properly sealed disaster all round.

We are having an Optiplan installed at the moment.
Problems: 1) They didn't ask us if we wanted to paint BEFORE the fitting - so we have no choice but to paint after.
2) They didn't ask us if we wanted to do the flooring BEFORE the fitting - so we have no choice but to do after.
3) Billing is a nightmare - never one flat price for the overall job - and you pay deliveries and skip separately. Oh, and the fitter is ON TOP of the kitchen????
4) Phoned to ask a question and they passed me off "It's fine that way" - not really fussed now they have the money BEFORE the job is done ( the only way they will fit it).
5)The sales man was very quick to pass us off once he'd got the final sale signature.
6) the microwave is out of stock - they knew that when they sold us the kitchen - it'll arrive in 6 months!!
They are very expensive - now that I can compare in retrospect, adding in skip, fitting, and the extra electrician work they never quoted for but added in on the day they began.........

Good : The kitchen was hauled out in a day.
The plasterer did a fabulous job.

So I hope the fit goes well, otherwise I'm going to be very unhappy.
We'll see how it goes from here...

I know this thread is quite old, but I'd like to add that I got a kitchen from Optiplan last year, from this showroom: www.optiplankitchens.co.uk/kitchen-showrooms/basingstoke/

The staff were extremely friendly and the kitchen still looks as good as it did when it was installed.

We have a Crown Kitchen ( Kenton I think) its 17 years old. Beech Shaker style. Looks a bit dated now but still in fantastic condition.