New kitchen - where to start - any advice?

[duro1]

So far been looking online and Howdens seems fairly well recommended. I don't have a very big budget but want something that looks good and will last as intend to stay in this house for a very long time

Watching with interest as I'm in the same position!

I've visited Ikea twice and am wondering about cheaper units and appliances but spending more on a quartz worktop. There are too many options

In our last house we had a Wickes solid oak door kitchen, with an expensive worktop fitted by professional, sink and taps. We put it in ourselves. It still looked great 8 years on.
We had a tiler do the walls and floor.
Many kitchens are much the same, but the finishes make the difference.

Kitchen in current house is a Howdens, lovely but IMO the worktop lets it down.

Following as we are currently building a new kitchen extension. There's too much choice I've decided and I can't even choose where to put appliances!

We went to wickes, got them to design it with their fancy pants software then bought it at howdens. It was about £6k cheaper like that, but wickes man was great because he thought of things like 'where will your bin go?' Which I hadn't even considered. If I was redoing kitchen I would change some things though, I'd prefer hard tiles or even that hard plasticky lino on the floor,we've got soft foamy lino and any stilettos or dropped things dent it. Dirt gets in the dents and doesn't come out! Also got a textured work surface, shouldve gone with smooth as again it's a bit of a b*tch with things like tea stains!

I agree, I'd go to a few kitchen showrooms (including IKEA maybe) with your dimensions and what you'd like, and get them to produce a design. You'll be asked what your budget is, but say you have no real idea as yet, if you love the design you'll find the budget!

Once you have an idea of design, then look at some of the more budget friendly companies (DIY Kitchens (online), Howdens if you like it, any local companies) and get an idea of price. Look up the cost of appliances from AO/John Lewis etc and see how they compare to the cost quoted from the kitchen companies. Same for worktops - ring round various suppliers.

I went to a high end kitchen showroom and told her my budget was £30k. Got a 2hr design appointment with really in depth planning and discussion.

Couldnt take pictures/design away (to put off time wasters ha) but it did give me a great chance to talk through the space with someone brilliant at kitchen design. All sorts of ideas I hadn't thought of.

If your budget isn't great you need to have a really clear idea yourself of want you want I think because poor design and layout is what lets down so many cheaper kitchens. We are planning to go with Howdens I think

Really Batteriesallgone? Don't you think that's morally wrong?

ikea is actually really good for the price you pay. i'd avoid the high street hardware shops, and go a little more bespoke if you've got more moolah

Don't start it.

Just live with the kitchen you have - you'll be much happier.

Disclaimer: I am currently 75% through a kitchen re-fit and I'm sick as a chip and skint.

I'm sure in a few months I'll not feel like that's

No I don't. I always go into high end shops first when making a big purchase to set my comparator. To me a free design service is like free samples - they know their conversion rate, they know if they can afford it. I am happy to pay for samples or a designers time where required, or go without the service.

After a really poor design effort by Howden we had a visit from Ikea. I left the designer to measure up and then we sat together and filled the space. The designer made some great suggestions and offered alternatives. I enjoyed the process and could see it all taking shape on the laptop. It probably helped that we had a rapport, but then again I thought the Howden designer knew where I was coming from too.
We love our kitchen, the units are sturdy, the built ins are good and it looks great (yellow/white high gloss, smooth slab, no fiddly bits to clean).

I've heard with Howden, you need your own builder. Does it mean you contact Howden to get their designer first and then find a builder to do the kitchen? I wouldn't trust a builder to design my kitchen.

We are in the process of a DIY kitchen.

Went for a consultation, bought units from howdens, work tops from wickes and bespoke doors online. Found a carpenter to fit it and paid a plumber for half a day to sort job and sink and new sockets. 17k kitchen for just under 3K and I bloody love it!!

Find a local builder and ask to visit some previous customers. Get references and visit as many as you can and ask lots of questions.

Don't go to a very overpriced kitchen company.

I have just had a fairly large building project done. My builder employs all his own people and all of them are excellent. He has people who only design and build kitchens - ditto plumbers, roofers etc.

There are builders, and there are builders...

We've just ordered from Wren - the consultation was faultless - and the showroom was massive so you can physically see lots of layouts

Hmm I've got a couple of recommendations for kitchen fitters so will speak to them first and go from there. Bathroom is next!

I've been asked to design quite a few for DIY kitchens recently they seem to be very poplar.

Have had a few clients show me plans from Builders merchants and large chain stores that's sizes are waaaaaay off - so my advice to anyone buying from anywhere - always check the sizes yourself before you place any order - no matter how professional they seem or friendly they are !

We brought our kitchen from ikea and got our builder to instal and do all the tiling ect.

The reason we choose ikea was because I didn't like the styles in howdens and wickes.

I would recommend DIY Kitchens for kitchens, they have an advice bit as well and Victoria Plum for bathrooms. I have used both and I'm very please with both my purchases.

We're having ours done this week! We went with a small local company and I've been very happy with them so far, you get a more personal service and they came out a few times to double check measurements and details etc, whereas with the bigger chains like b&q and wickes I felt a lot more rushed and don't think you get that same personal service of one person project managing it the whole way through. Since it's the first time we've had anything like this done, that's been quite reassuring to have! I found my local one by getting recommendations from one of the local FB groups

DIY Kitchens - superb quality and cheap. We considered Ikea but for an extra £1000 we have a solid oak bespoke kitchen.

I have the off the shelf B&Q cheap job and it's absolutely fine (high gloss cream, they also do white though) teamed with a mid range / expensive worktop. It's the bees knees! X

DIY kitchens looks good - which one have you gone for?

We have the Broadoak in pavillion grey. There are lots of customer reviews so you can get a good idea from the photos what the kitchen will look like in a normal kitchen.