IKEA or DIY kitchen - how do they compare?

[another20]

Will be getting work tops elsewhere and know that DIY units come ready assembled. I know the exact colour and style that I want (flat, modern, matt black) which IKEA do -- is it worth me travelling to Yorkshire to look at DIY kitchens ? Are they a much higher quality product?

What did it say villageshop???

It was mainly about the 25 year guarantee not being honoured and that it was in effect meaningless as parts wouldn't be available for that length of time.

Also the quality wasn't up to standard. Too thin cabinet doors warping and the top layer peeling off and the chipboard beneath swelling. Several reports of a seriously cracked sink and Ikea refusing to exchange under the guarantee. Considering Ikea advertise the kitchens as robust and suitable for active family life it didn't fare well in the report.

See if you can watch it on catch-up once the programme is finished.

I will do, it was the carcasses I was interested in I was going to get the doors elsewhere!

You might be fine then but another reason we aren't going with Ikea is the very limited range of cabinet widths they do.

TBH, I haven't even begun to check them out! I know it's European sizing which sounds like a PITA already!

It was cake who sent me in a spin over naked doors!!!! I love the Ladbroke kitchen!

Agree that Ladbroke door is gorgeous, lolalotta. I wish, but am instead settling for the Stanbury painted at DIY kitchens, for ease as well as quality and all the different sizes on offer.

diy-kitchens.com/kitchens/stanbury-cornflower-blue/details/

Possibly in Cornflower blue like in the picture, or may choose dark base units and lighter wall units. We won't be having curved door units though because I don't like them. Plain and straight wherever possible, and I would prefer not to have a corner unit but probably will have to because of the room layout.

Oooh village that cornflower blue Stanbury is gorgeous!!!!!

It is lovely, isn't it.:)

I have almost settled on it, just keep thinking maybe I should play safe and go for a neutral or white rather than the blue. But it will be my last kitchen (it'll see me out) and I love the colour so I think for the first time in my life get what I really like rather than be swayed by current trends or notions of practicality.

I am quite excited, which is not good as we haven't moved in yet, are in fact waiting to exchange contracts so trying to rein in my day-dreaming and planning just in case something goes wrong.