Good quality kitchen cabinets that don't cost the Earth?

[Passthewineandchocolate]

We are planning a kitchen extension and refit. We are struggling to find the cabinets we want for a reasonable price. It'll be quite a large kitchen and we want extra tall cabinets that will be close to the ceiling. We want very plain shaker cabinet doors in pale cream for most of the kitchen but pale/apple/sage green for the island. So far Optiplan have quoted us £13,000 for the cabinets alone! £13,000 for mdf! Does anyone else think that sounds ridiculous? I could buy a really decent new car for that.

Another local kitchen company has quoted £7000 but only if we had a different style for the island which comes in a pale green.

Howdens don't do any pale green doors. We've heard some bad reviews about Wickes, B&Q, Homebase and IKEA.

Any idea where else we can try? We are happy with mdf. We just want good quality and not ridiculous money.

The chains you mention sell adequate cabinets. The difference between a poor installation and a good installation is the skill and care of fitting.

To make it more flashy, add posh sink, taps and worktop.

PigletJohn has spoken !

I was about to post - save on cabinets, spend on items you touch, eg taps and worktops.

I have done house renovations using IKEA cabinets, ebay sourced everything else including granite and it looks like I spent £20K on Magnet.

It also depends how much design/specification and co-ordinating you can do yourself. Theoretically you can draw your own design, buy every single cabinet and fitting and get your own carpenter to fit it. After doing this I appreciate what a kitchen company does to earn their mark-up!

Handmade Kitchens in Christchurch are brilliant but have a long lead time because they're under-priced! Look on eBay, you may find a similar alternative with a workshop/showroom closer to home

Have a look at diy-kitchens.com - they are reasonably priced and can do painted doors in Farrow & Ball colours. I am considering using them when / if we can ever afford to do our kitchen.

Thanks for all your suggestions.

Have you thought of getting a local joiner to quote? I don't agree that any cabinets will do and add posh taps etc. ok in a refurb but in your own kitchen I would prefer decent solid units and source sinks etc cheaper. I have had a joiner glue and screw units in his workshop and sprayed at a car sprayer and cost not bad.

my kitchen came from 'un-fitted kitchens', beautiful hand made units but you would need your builder/joiner to put the kitchen together when it arrives. I have also added to my kitchen by getting a cheap butchers block from Ikea and using old/antique cupboards - my larder cupboard is an old pine cupboard which has been used previously as a laundry cupboard, general storage cupboard in dining room and/or kitchen and has now ended up as my marvellous larder! cost me about £300 20 years ago! I have a country kitchen look so easy to mix and match. Ikea also do a good range of free-standing units which are very well priced.

We used these when we had our new kitchen
www.omegaplc.co.uk/

Agree with Noddy
dont skimp on units for your own house, many wouldnt with cars yet both do A to B.
Your units are the bone of the kitchen.
Ikea is good for refurb etc

some people would say that "less than £29k" for a bunch of cupboards is not exactly scrimping.