DIY Kitchens - designer

[Madblondedog]

So I'm starting to budget for our new kitchen which we will sort next summer. I love the idea of buying from DIY Kitchens and although I'm confident I know what I want design I want, I'm scared to do the ordering and would like someone to have a quick look over for me.

Are there people we can pay to have a quick look over and take responsibility for the order? If so how much would we be looking at?

The other alternatives is to go with Howdens I guess

unitsonline (who do the same as DIY kitchens - for some kitchen ranges we found unitsonline cheaper, and for some DIY kitchens, but very little between them) do offer a planning service for £120

www.unitsonline.co.uk/kitchen-planning-service

Have you bought from them Neeps? Keen to go with a company where people have had positive experiences

We had a kitchen design done with Karen from Oneplan (who hangs out on here!) which we then used to get units from Deterra which, like DIY kitchens, doesn't do a design service. It was brilliant. A really personalised design, then bargain units. Highly recommend her.

My main bit is I want someone to write a list of what bits to order, did she do that for you?

I'm happy playing with designs, just don't want to risk ordering incorrectly

Yes, we used unitsonline for supply - very impressed with no issues.

Didn't use their design service though, as we were largely replacing like for like. But if you've got your design sorted and drawn out on paper, isn't it just a case of checking and re-checking the order (i.e. printing out your 'basket' and then crossing off the units, handles, kickboards etc on the paper plan until you are sure everything is there)?

What else is it you are looking for - not sure you will find someone to 'take responsibility for the order' (if by that you mean they are liable if they leave off a unit) unless they have visited and taken the measurements themselves.

Neeps I worry I will do something like order the wrong sized oven housing or the sink won't fit in the unit I planned for the sink or I will mess up on how to make the island - that kind of thing. I'm happy to do the measuring though so I think the unitsonline design service would probably do the trick.

I got my kitchen from DIY kitchens. I emailed them with all the things I wasn't sure about, and got really helpful answers. I also got quotes and designs from a variety of other places just to see if they could give me what I wanted for a similar price (none of them could) but it gave me more confidence in my ability to plan a kitchen, and to know what bits I wanted/needed. My design was far better than the ones from the kitchen companies.

Thanks Jasper. Pleased to hear they were helpful.

DIY Kitchens were great for their advice , both online and on the blog they pointed me to. I agree with JasperDamerel, once you start planning your own kitchen, it turns out better than any plan that you have had drawn up as you can get the kitchen exactly how you want it. And, as you live in your current kitchen, day in and day out, you'll know where things need to go and what does not work at the moment that needs adjusting.

Thanks Ramona

Did you, or Jasper for that matter, get your appliances from them or elsewhere? Just wondering if they are still helpful making sure appliances would fit in cupboards if I buy from ao.com or similar

I used most of my old appliances but got a fridge/freezer from AO. But you cannot really go wrong with appliances. Ovens and microwaves just fit straight in and there is a filler panel that can be cut down to cover any gap that may be left at the top. Microwaves do vary in height so the filler panel needs to be the last piece you fit.

Sorry, am late coming back! Yes, she did a design and a complete parts list so it all worked beautifully.

I designed my kitchen using the IKEA design tool a few years ago...it automatically "looked" at the design and reminded me to order end boards, feet, surfaces, shelves etc when I forgot them. However it wasn't a person and I guess might be less thoughtful about finishes and choice possibilities.

Twas a good starting point for me though

Ah thats helpful

Thanks all - its early days at the moment but I am trying to start planning now so that when the time comes I am sure I've got everything right

I have a DIY kitchen. Things we misjudged slightly were the end panels (didn't realise we needed them for the cupboards next to the range cooker!) and also the doors in terms of whether we needed a 'drawer line' door. So for example, we got an integrated dishwasher door without a drawer line, but then it looked odd next to a magic corner with a drawer above it. But we sorted this - ordered some new bits although it did take a couple of weeks for them to arrive. I didn't feel like it was a big problem though.

We absolutely love our kitchen and it does feel like it's been designed for the way we live. We have a little pull out unit next to the cooker that holds our cooking oils - every time I open it I feel a bit pleased with myself. Sad I know!

I feel the same way about my deep drawer hidden behind the plinth under my oven.

It's worth looking at other kitchen showrooms to get a feel for what you want. I was convinced that I wanted a magic cupboard but when I actually looked at one, I realised that I didn't like it at all.

Don't dis the magic corner Jasper. It's DH's pride and joy!

Wondering what a magic cupboard is now

Definitely going to visit a few showrooms to get some ideas and possibly get a few designs done just in case they come up with some ideas I don't think of

I got mine from diy kitchens too, I second what a previous poster said about the end panels, and also don't forget to factor in the 15 mm that they are into the plan. A good way I found was to mirror the top cupboard sizes with the bottom. When you order they automatically add things like the plinth on the curved corners so that you don't forget. I drew mine out on graph paper and actually enjoyed it.