Kitchens - money saving

[WelshMoth]

Two builders that I've spoken to in the past have said not to ever bother getting a kitchen with the larger companies (won't name them - don't want to slander anyone) as you will end up paying top prices for something that can be done a lot cheaper - getting carcasses made up in the factory, sourcing counter tops independently etc.

Has anyone done this type of kitchen build? I'm keen to plan for as much saving as possible without compromising on quality and I need as much advice as possible. Thanks!

funnily enough because we are going for a coloured gloss kitchen we have added the end panels because you will see some of them on the top cupboards when we went through the plan with the kitchen consultant she pointed out where they would be essential and where we didn't need them so I feel they were worth the extra money

I had my own plans done and didn't need them [end panels] they weren't on my list ( rental property, white doors white cabinets ) and they added them themselves. I just find it cheeky behaviour from a supplier to do this . Best thing I ever did was get independent designs done. Now I double check every lady detail is just as her design and listing .

• last not lady

@wehaveafloater can you tell me about getting independent designs done? Do you mean by an interior designer or similar? We've had 2 designs from suppliers so far, one a local independent and Ikea the other. Neither is quite right, although they are OK I'm tempted to get someone else to design it but we are on a really low budget so don't know if it's worth it.

@WelshMoth

Really glad I started this thread. This is so helpful - thanks everyone!

@mencken what do you mean by vertical panels? Not sure about this but keen to save costs - any pics?

This is my DIY kitchen

With Regard the end panels

I had them on my last kitchen 20 years ago because the carcases were all white so didn't match up with the doors, now you can get carcases the same or very similar shade or to tone with the doors so they are much less necessary.

EG The plan added them on the wall unit - one side is against the wall and the other side is smooth with no joins anywhere, so pointless.
The really expensive one they wanted me to buy for the side of the full height cupboard was not necessary as I knew the fridge freezer was going there

However, one on the end of the island, next to the bar stool, would have been an improvement. It would have covered the join you can see where the side meets the back panel but more importantly, the side of the cupboard stops before the floor and needed some kick board which it wouldn't have done with a side panel.

@TiddleTaddleTat , sure I have several rentals and have used the same lady, Karen, at OnePlan a few times now . I found out about her on another site where people were raving about the service she offers . She has loads of great reviews ( consistently over a good few years too ) she doesn't sell products so no pressure etc.

current state of the kitchen lovely aint it

We used DIY kitchen, worktop express and bought all our appliances from Ebay.
It's really odd there's a whole market of brand new Neff Ovens, Bosch dishwashers all brand new on there.

I found the models I wanted on their site then just set up a search. Got them all brand new & boxed but loads cheaper than the retail price!

We planned our kitchen ourselves using the old DIY planner which was basically cut out paper units on a bit of graph paper!

It worked though and I love my kitchen!

@wehaveafloater thanks, I'll take a look

I went up to dIY in Pontefract on the train and they sent a lovely driver in a Merc to meet me at the station and drop me back again afterwards. We love our kitchen. Got our white goods in a range of places on black Friday or whatever it's called but my MIL got her oven and stuff from them too and is very pleased as well.

So glad you started this thread OP. I've got my graph paper out and have done my own drawings as Wickes didn't really come up with a very good design.

Will read thread more carefully tomorrow so may well be back with questions. Thanks all.

@Celeriacacaca Have you tried the DIY Kitchens planner? It really is easy to use, even for a moron like me :) - I'd suggest you try that if you have the measurements of the area

I struggle with the DIY planner. I still can't get the cupboards to stick in one place, they keep flipping about and it says there's no space!

Sorry to sound thick.
Are end panels the same as vertical panels?

I'm chuffed that this thread is helping others. I'm blown away by DIY Kitchens - they sound an incredible firm.

Has anyone had a kitchen drawn up by a company, then taken the idea to DIY ?

Ikea are also excellent value for the quality.

Don't have your hob on an island as it reduces your choice of extractor by about 95% and you'll only be able to choose from a small selection of really expensive ones.

Our extractor cost £750 which was the cheapest I could find plus it sounds like a jumbo jet taking off and isn't very good but if we'd had the hob against a wall, we could have got an extractor for no more than £1-200.

Boiling water taps are £££ and I know that people rave about them, but they cost more than about 20 lifetimes worth of kettles.

But pull out drawers in base units are really worth the extra money compared with standard cupboards, don't skimp on those.

@WelshMoth we got wickes in to do a design as we were looking at one of their kitchens first and whilst we didn't actually take it to DIY it came in handy when my OH was doing the DIY planner

@BarbaraofSeville great name btw!
We currently have an externally vented extractor that we are happy with, but kitchen designer at Ikea and another place have said it doesn't need to be on an external wall. They are much more efficient this way though surely? We have such a tiny annoying space I want to have everything as as efficiently placed as possible. Don't like the sound of a jumbo jet extractor either

I'm getting so much out of this thread for our planning!

Now tell me about flooring. 20 years ago we put down beautiful terracotta tiles, which had to be prepped and treated. The builder initially used the wrong grout (a darker one rather than the sandstone one) and then dug that out and relaid it. The grout has never been properly sandstone as some of the darker stuff must have remained and the whole floor has always looked dirty as a result - an expensive error. We have grown to hate the floor. Now I'm happy to have something very artificial and low maintenance such as linoleum or patterned tiles. Any suggestions as to a good material? We're going for a white gloss j pull kitchen and it's part of a kitchen/diner/living room in a Victorian house with lots of original features. The are the kitchen is in is an extension so looks modern. The dining area, which adjoins, has real ash flooring so I don't want more wood on the kitchen floor.

I liked these they're used on a wall here) www.wickes.co.uk/Wickes-Central-Park-Patterned-Ceramic-Wall+Floor-Tile-Sample-316-x-316mm/p/182521 as they fit in with our tessellated tiled hallway which adjoins the kitchen. Anything else you'd recommend please?

Re boiling water taps, ours is called a Qettle. It does filtered water as well as hot cold and boiling. Was much cheaper than a quooker, the customer service is brilliant and I reckon ive already got about a month back on my life from it. Instant boiling water for pasta, tea, hot water bottles, washing kitchen floor (once in blue moon). Wouldn't be without it. That and the Insinkerator food shredder.

Loving this thread. I've had a quote from IKEA so far but feel the designer was adding extras I don't need. This will be a budget kitchen rather than dream kitchen so not fussed for cover panels on every edge 😂

I bought units from Ikea and had an independent fitter. Got the worktops and appliances separately.

People are always surprised when I say it’s an Ikea kitchen.

Ikea kitchens are actually highly rated. Their Metod range certainly scored highly in the Which review on kitchens. I would have gone for ikea if only they had a door that I liked. I love the versatility their kitchens provide.

How easy is it to find a fitter willing to fit Ikea though? We are fairly handy but not DIYing the kitchen. Every builder or trade I've spoken to so far is very wary of Ikea kitchens.

@TiddleTaddleTat God forbid builders be expected to put together a flat pack kitchen... It's just laziness if you ask me. Ikea offer their own installation service. In fact they quoted me in the region of £1700 for installation which included appliances (so long as they were purchased through them). I didn't think that was a bad quote.