New Kitchen in Kent - Urgent

[Iluvcruz]

Urgently need to decide on kitchen as builders in and old kitchen gone. Have been very indecisive as I originally wanted a Neptune kitchen and my husband didn't. (Cost). Builder pushing for Howdens but I still want a painted wood door and don't really like the carcasses (I know, I know but it matters to me).

I've finally found something I like in Tonbridge at a place called Burnhill Kitchens. They supply Second Nature kitchens which fit my spec perfectly - painted Ash Doors with rigid cabinets, hard back in a big selection of colours. Only problem is I can find no reviews on them. Anyone used them or know of them?

Perhaps start a new thread with the name of the kitchen company in the title?

Thanks - just done it

Hi OP, we're having a 1909 kitchen (same parent company as second nature) as I wanted a painted shaker, solid oak cabinets, oak dovetail drawers etc etc.

It's not a positive review as such, but I buy Real Homes magazine fairly obsessively and there seemed a time when there were at least two SN kitchens in each issue!

Good luck with your decision.

Ps, I personally don't feel like you're missing much by not having Neptune. It may just have been a case of poor-fitting/poor finish, but the examples I saw in one of their showrooms was not what I would expect to achieve for that price point. And you'd hope that the fitting/finish of the kitchens in their showrooms would be top notch wouldn't you!

Check out DIY kitchens- I think they are the same as second nature and very positively reviewed on here.

DIY dont offer this tye of kitchen as it is a little to complex to offer as a supply only.
yet the 1909 is an off the shelf kitchen it is still very pricey compared to others above in the market

Thanks Tatlerer - yes I went back to have a nostalgic look at Neptune yesterday and whilst they look lovely the prices and lead time are silly.

I will check out 1909. I have had a great quote from DIY but my DH is dubious about ordering online unseen based on our own measurements/design. He likes the thought of the builder taking responsibility (hence his preference for Howdens).

Tatlerer what sort of cost is the 1909 Kitchen and is it a long lead time or can they deliver relatively quickly?

I know a lot of people who have used them and have not heard any bad reviews at all. Which is pretty good for a kitchen company! In fact I know the people who have the kitchen on their website under classic (the oak one/black worktop with the red range)

Quality on that has been great, and when they were asked a couple of years on to adjust a unit due to a new ff, they were more than happy to do so.

I'd use them

The other option if you like Neptune is yew tree kitchens in Tunbridge wells

DIY kitchens don't do 1909 kitchens, however unitsonline do and are a similar set up. UO offer a planning service for £100, which is still lots cheaper than going via a Second Nature retailer

Second Nature doors can be quite expensive from what i've seen. Remember, a door is either MDF, MFC or solid wood. There are also foil wrapped MDF doors to give different effects to the MDF etc. Don't go and pay £80 for a solid wood 18mm door when you can get the same thing for half the price online. Lots of high street shops will try and rip you off with their first price! I'm a big fan of transparent pricing, not having to barter with them like you do with traders on a beech in Thailand!

My friend has a cream Howden's kitchen which has been in about 4 years now and still looks good.

DIY kitchens have a show room up north. I took a day out and went up there to have a look. They'll collect you from the station if travelling by train and have staff on hand to help finalise your plans. It was very useful to see everything in the flesh and get someone to assist me as I needed some bespoke sizing. They can F&B the fronts in any colour and have very short lead times. The quality is excellent, everything is sturdy but you won't get the solid oak carcasses etc that come with much more expensive kitchens.

We have a painted wood kitchen from DIY. It looks great. I used their planner and drew out the room outline then put the units in and had the design sense checked by DIY who fine tuned bits for me so our basket was correct. They'll do this by email for you. DP needed convincing about quality so we went to their showroom - we live just over an hour away though.

lluvcruz our initial quote was £38k from a 'premier approved retailer', that included worktops, appliances etc. We ended up ordering from our local kitchen retailer and it's costing us nearer £25K. It's a large kitchen though.
Like wowfudge I was all set to order a painted kitchen from DIY but I'd set my heart on a Butler's pantry which DIY said they couldn't offer in the kitchen I'd chosen and I didn't want to compromise.

Oh and lluvcruz I'm afraid I don't know about the lead time as we don't need to install until the end of November.