Kitchen Advice, Howdens Quote in, is it reasonable?

[Reese123]

Hi Mumsnet,
I have got a quote from Howdens - which includes 5 cupboards (2 pan cupboards), 2 corner units, a food larder cupboard, integrated fridge freezer, integrated oven and hob and sink.
The quote has come in at £5.9k?

The kitchen is fairly small - I just wanted to get some advice whether you think this is a reasonable quote. Or, if you think there is any way I can reduce the price? I don't have an itemised list.

my-kitchen.howdens.com/plan/zbC3119700001mmk/

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you sincerely for your time.

[17leftfeet]

I've got a homebase kitchen

It's 9 years old, doors and worktop still looks new

Drawers still work perfectly, couple of the door hinges for the most frequently used base units are starting to wobble but that's because the kids swing on them and lean over rather than walking round

[DIddled]

Had a Howdens kitchen in for 5 years- utter shit. Foil wrapped doors bubbled in heat, work tops knackered in no time. Just replaced with one made by a man who buys the materials and builds himself. It's a wrapped shaker style type door (check out Stax Orlando). Thrilled with the kitchen and the design. Wasn't ££££ either.

[OnePlanOnHouzz]

And if they can't - here's an annotated sketch !

[OnePlanOnHouzz]

Had a play about on basic software with this just to give you another option - this way gives you a simple efficient plan using basic sizes - and allows space for a WM DW FF and cooker - it gives you over 80cm walk through and plenty of storage and a good sized (900deep) prep island
pinterest.com/pin/440930619739895113/
pinterest.com/pin/440930619739895117/
pinterest.com/pin/440930619739895122/

If you take these images to any decent kitchen shop they should be able to easily work out what they are ! Ask for several quotes form several places !

[Wormshuffler]

I agree that plan needs tweeking quite a lot, there is bit of worktop hidden around a corner that would be next to useless, it also seems horrifically expensive for such a small space, I agree about the doors almost next to each other, do they go to different areas?

[NoArmaniNoPunani]

Has anyone got any experience of homebase kitchens?

(Sorry for hijack)

[MisForMumNotMaid]

Sounds expensive. I'm not keen on the design as I think there are other ways of making better use of the space.

The plan shows a door in the kitchen area. Where does this door lead? Is it the only door to that area and what are the chances of people wanting to use it when someones cooking?

I'd play around with a U with the kitchen entrance next to the door so people could use it without getting in the cooks way.

I'd have the tall storage cupboards next to the external door then high wall cupboards all along the back and side walls, with sink under.

In a smallish space going for cupboards right to the ceiling does give you lots of extra space, google plinth storage and plinth stools if you need a boost to reach the top of cupboards.

I'd have the cooker either at the end opposite the door if its an externally venting extractor or over the side looking into the room if its not. With a fancy lampshade extractor or tube extractor as a visual divide on the spaces.

Have you thought about having the in room bit of worktop wider than standard? I have a smallish kitchen with a large opening through to the dining space. I have standard depth cupboards accessible from the kitchen side and wall unit depth cupboards from the dinning side. Overall its 105cm deep but gives loads of extra storage. The kids have their make and do in one single cupboard, the other double cupboard is breakfast cereals, long life juice cartons, long life milk and all my baking bits storage, sweets and crisps.

[poorbuthappy]

I don't think there's anything wrong with the plan as such, but please take the time (and the plan) to go to Ikea, B&Q and possibly Wren, to see how much money you can save.

howdens are damn expensive, and in my experience not worth the money.

[Reese123]

I know it's not great, but would happily take feedback from anyone.

[OnePlanOnHouzz]

I'm speechless !!! ( at the 'plan' )

[nbee84]

I've just had some units from Howdens - I didn't need any appliances as it's an extension onto the original kitchen and I've also sourced worktops elsewhere.

I got 2 x extra tall larder units, 2 x extra tall glass fronted wall units, 2 x 1000mm drawer line base units, a plinth heater + cornice, pelmets & plinths for just under 1.8k. I have however gone for the Greenwich shaker doors which are a price band down from the Burford ones.

I thought the quote would go to my builder but it came directly to me and was all itemised and showed the trade discount which was 70% on some and 80% on others.

I had a quote from Homebase for the same and it came in at 2.7k.

[Badvoc]

Sounds a lot to me tbh.

[DottyDot]

I think that's fairly expensive. Your kitchen looks a similar size and layout to ours - we got stuff from Magnet trade and it was under £2k in total and included a pull out cupboard (well, actually 2 - we could only afford one but they delivered 2 instead of 1 and an ordinary cupboard unit. Ahem.) which is brilliant for storage.

[Sunnyshores]

The integrated appliance price from Howdens does seem reasonable. But the units sound expensive, unless you've gone for something more than standard base/wall units?

Howdens really arent kitchen designers, they just fit any old units on your space and you're done. Go to another company for a different/better design if nothing else.

[Chimchar]

I managed to get my Howdens kitchen (units only) to within my budget by negotiating with the sales guy. The original quote was for about 7k. I paid just 3k. It took time, but they did it in the end.

Get some more ideas for layout from other places too.

[GillTheGiraffe]

I laughed when I saw the design Howden's had done for me. I would not have thought it possible to have come up with such an unbalanced ugly design.

[Reese123]

This is the only plan I have had done, and yes will need to change it as the gap between the fridge/freezer and breakfast bar if it is only 60cm.

[Reese123]

I have managed to get £1k off the price by getting a bigger trade discount and changing some of the items. So it's a bit more reasonable now but if anyone has any ideas about the design/layout that would be great.

Thanks

[ProfessionalProcrastinator]

Ikea all the way. Howdens are overpriced.

[17leftfeet]

Regardless of price, is there only 60cm between the front of the fridge and the breakfast bar?

Is this the only plan you've had done?

[SquidgyMummy]

That was here, last summer, to give you an idea of how inexpensive a kitchen can be. Key is getting a good kitchen fitter / joiner. Also try not to buy all the architraves, plinths, end panels, that bumps up the cost hugely; get them made for you and stained / painted to match

[SquidgyMummy]

Howdens give Trade up to a 75% discount. (I used to buy from them; ask your builder if he can get a trade discount for you.)

All kitchens are hugely marked up; (I used to work in interior design.)
We live in France now, so not up to date with UK stores / prices but we bought a flat pack kitchen (4m run of top and bottom units) for under 1,500 euros plus not more than 600 euros on oven, hob & extractor

[superram]

Friends have a wren kitchen which was less than howdens. If you go to their showroom please let me know if they stand in the drawers-I found it amusing!

[superram]

Howdens quoted £2.4k for similar to ikea units that cost £800-for utility so no appliances but even with £200 extra for labour costs of assembling units a no brainer!

[GillTheGiraffe]

That makes Howden's seem even more expensive.

I gave up on Howdens. I like to see itemised lists so I can make comparisons and decide whether I'm getting a good deal. That's impossible with Howdens.