We need a new kitchen. I don't know where to start

[WilliowGreen]

We bought our first house 2 years ago. It has an 80s 90s kitchen that is possibly older than us. The wall has been knocked down to make it into a kitchen dining room and the floor is really wonky where they have joined together. We know one of the pipes in the central heating is leaking so we need to pull up the wall to find it.

We basically need:

• leak reapers
• new floor
• replastering
• new kitchen

what would you do if you were us? Do we get one builder to do the whole thing? Do get lots of different people in? I don't have any confidence to do it myself.

Thank you.

Oh gosh - sounds like my problem too.

I would get individual contractors in to do an assessment of each of the separate areas and another quote from a reputable building company who can do the whole thing.

I've had a kitchen installed by a well known diy organisation and it was a very painful process - turned out ok in the end but was v expensive for v poor service.

Who is the well known DIY organisation? I may be thick but I can't think of one!

It would be a lot easier if I just got one builder in but I am worried it will cost a fortune.

Think DIY superstore which isn't b&q

Oh ok. I'm feeling less panicked now. I think we are going to get the kitchen from Ikea and then get a fitter to install it. Most also do floors and walls which is a big relief.

I've never seen an ikea kitchen IRL but all the other stuff they make is fab

I would avoid ikea, I went with them because I didn't think I had the time/expertise to manage lots of different contractors for all the things we needed (gas cooker opposite sides of kitchen currently, new cooker was all together, so need gas lines switching off, ripping up and replacing floor tilling, plastering, repairing damp, repositioning the sink was all involved), and also WHICH recommended them.

But I still managed on managing them and their subcontractors they use, like 5-10 hours a week calling and emailing, because they all refused to speak to each other.

A few weeks before work was about to start it all transpired it would be another 2 months before they even considered measuring the granite tops and cutting it, but the kitchen fitters wanted to knock my kicthen out to schedule.

Meaning 2 months without work tops.. flooring or wall finishings. And that is IF it went to plan.

I got all my money back (£12k) after kicking up a HUGE fuss.

Currently taking quotes from local small firms after gathering feedback on Facebook, local friends etc. So far so good.

WREN quoted me 16k
Ikea quoted me £12k

Local contractors quoting me 10k, plus pulling in some favours from tradesmen in the family.

Oh dear wine that sound horrendous! Poor you.
It seems to cost so much money. We haven't got that much of a budget.

Please do not use Wren. They are truly awful! It has taken 11 weeks for them to complete my kitchenand they left me without a working kitchen for 5 weeks of that. See long running thread on here and Wren Kitchen Disasters page in Facebook if you need further evidence of their incompetence.