New kitchen advice please - Wren, Ikea, magnet, something else?

[noodleaddict]

Looking to redo our medium sized kitchen. Like the wren stuff and they've quoted around £10k (though that includes £3k for the quartz worktop ) but have just been put off by some of the terrible reviews on here!

To be honest we were looking at more like a budget of £7k but we want good quality too. Is this unrealistic?

Any advice on who to go with, best designers/fitters? Is it best to source your own fitters or use the kitchen company's? Source worktop separately perhaps? What about appliances?

Any advice would be gratefully received!

TIA

Whatashower your kitchen is gorgeous!

We went with Wren and regretted it once we had already paid and read the reviews! As expected, there were problems, items missing from delivery and damaged items but to be fair the customer service was really good and sent replacements out with no quibble. Probably could've built a new kitchen with all the damaged bits we had in the end! Obviously annoying as we had to keep getting the builder back as parts came in dribs and drabs.
Now it's finished I do love it, especially the quartz worktops that are supplied by a separate company. They make out they are about 60% cheaper than Magnet too which wasn't true at all, more like 10-20% in our case.

We've just got ours from Pineland Kitchens. They have showrooms in Cheshire and Shropshire but deliver all over. It was an absolute steal. Solid wood, painted to whichever F&B colour we wanted (they do plain wood if you prefer). We sourced our own handles -theirs are wood and I wanted metal - and granite worktops. Though they do beautiful oak worktops if you aren't as clumsy as I am. Soft close doors and drawers. Took five months to get our hands on it as they get a lot of orders as the kitchens look like deVol but are Ikea prices. The units come built but obviously need tweaking by a fitter unless you're very good at DIY. The company who fitted the granite worktops were another matter but it turned out alright in the end.

Thank you it was a labour of love planning and finding a supplier, which is why I am so slightly evangelical about, and relieved to have found, DIY-kitchens.

Yes, it's Luca Bespoke in Farrow in Black Blue. Quite dark but works for us.

They'd just added us into their "`owners kitchens" 😉section, there are some nice new examples of Luca there.

Noodle if you want any other specific info, or cost breakdown, just pm me. Ours was £5.5k ex worktops -this includes another run of half depth tall larder units in our utility room. The island is 2.5m and double width so quite a lot of units 😀

Our builders fitted it as they were managing all the services etc in a new extension but I think most independent fitters would be able to do a great job as the unit construction is robust and well thought out and support seems good.

Googling Pineland kitchens now!!

whatashower how easy do you fins the Luca drawers to open? I tried it in the showroom and seem to remember I had to pull quite hard but Luca is in the 10% sale and carrera that I wanted isn't! trying to decide if £250 off is worth switching.

We have a Howdens kitchen. Sourced the quartz worktop separately, and appliances separately. Total cost £17k (fitting was 2k of that). We love it.
Wren wanted £35k for the same thing.

Recently had bathrooms fitted (Wickes) and the fitters were telling me they know Wren fitters who said they have never once finished a kitchen properly because the delivery was never completed. Every single time.

Have not noticed any problem with the drawers tbh, quite an easy action, certainly not stiff. We got the soft close upgrade versions.....and the glass sides.

Watching with interest! We're planning a kitchen extension and knocking through to our dining room to create a larger room.

We went to Wren a few weeks ago and were impressed by the range ... But then read so many horror stories online. Howdens are at the top of our list ATM. Any recommendations from where to source worktops and appliances? Thanks!

Thanks whatashower. I think the colour works really well with the window and door frames you have. We're probably going to have some Hague Blue and some white, so the dark colour is also very dark.

Pimps out Benchmarx kitchen pictures.

The huge plus to Benchmarx is that they hold stuff in stock so if there is anything missing or damaged it can be replaced immediately. Also their cabinets are delivered ready built.

Another vote for DIY kitchens. You can view the same kitchens in some kitchen showrooms it is called a certain name that I cannot remember atm

I'd recommend Howdens too but the fitters are as or more important as the kitchen itself.

Love our cupboards, carousels and long pan drawers. Howdens did the design and then I sat down with her to tweak various things. We ended up getting taps, sink, oven and microwave from them too. It was just so much easier, when we do many other decisions to make and we were getting a good discount

I flipping love my DIY kitchen. Thousands cheaper than I was quoted everywhere else. You can order samples and they refund the money when you return them. Great customer service. It us really important to get a good fitter though. Ours was recommended by family and he was cheaper than the chains and he was great. If you're surrey and boarders I will pm you his details.

We got our appliances from a shop called Stellisons. They may have branches near you. Absolutely fab and promise to beat any other prices. Also stored the stuff until we were ready to buy it.

Another great alternative is ao.com.

Just shop around and don't be afraid to ask for discount!

Our worktop came from a small local business. No fancy showroom just an industrial unit so it worked out a lot cheaper.

Thanks whatashower something to think about.

We bought a wren kitchen and totally loved it! I have to say most of the poor reviews are from the fitting. So, we paid a carpenter to fit it for us which cost £1k. The kitchen from wren itself was £6k but supposedly £17k if not in the sale?! (I can't imagine anyone paying that!) we bought 16 units, solid oak top, dishwasher and Belfast sink from them and sourced a range ourselves which was £1k

I would avoid kitchen companies.
Ask around to find a local fitter, get references.
Then ask them to recommend a brand.

Another vote for DIY Kitchens, superb quality and much less expensive than comparable ones.

Our independent kitchen fitter said he'd previously had a nightmare with Wren deliveries.

We have our wicks kitchen being delivered on the 9th with it being fitted that week but after what everyone has said I'm not so sure now 😔

Some gorgeous kitchens on here! V jealous.

So is the new protocol solid wood painted with Farrow and Ball? Sounds terribly bespoke and expensive.

My mum had a hand built kitchen by kitchen Neil (some random) and it was impressive at the time but the painted doors aren't great to clean.

We're getting our kitchen done (starting in 2 weeks). We've gone with a local firm recommended by friends. The owner said we'd be better getting the appliances ourselves as he can't get them any cheaper than we can off the Internet.

If anyone can recommend a fitter in or near SE London please feel free to pm me! Have asked for estimates from rated people but not much response so far. Will ask around locally too.

I had a Magnet kitchen installed about 16 years ago. It is still going strong, despite the house being let out. I will change the worktop when I move home, but won't alter anything else, as I like the colour, and the carcasses are still fine.

Jumping in to say do not put yourself through the nightmare that is Wren. The horror stories are absolutely true!