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Original poster

DIY kitchens

34 replies

greengrey · 17/03/2021 12:46

I had a fitter lined up to fit a DIY kitchen.

He's the second guy I'd found as the first one was really pushing Howdens and Benchmarx and it was £££.

Fitter has just messaged with this, decking the job:

I've not fitted a DIY kitchen before so I spoke to someone in the industry and they didn't have very good things to say about them and I'll be honest it put me off.

So now I have to find someone else.

I've only heard good things (mostly on here) so is there any truth to this?

OP posts:
zzzebra · 17/03/2021 12:49

I've only heard good things about DIY Kitchens as well.

Including from the carpenters we had estimate on our extension. I'm pretty sure every single one of them recommended considering them.

I wonder if it's to do with them making less money if you don't order the kitchen through their howdens account.

Original poster
greengrey · 17/03/2021 13:12

Thing is this fitter wasn't pushing for a particular supplier at all.

Oh well. I have a plan C guy who is someone recommended to me after I'd lined up the other guy so maybe he'll be better all round.

OP posts:
kirinm · 17/03/2021 13:32

My non carpenter DP fitted our kitchen. I would say the ordering is more of a pain than anything.

Leigh8721 · 17/03/2021 14:17

I had been recommended DIY kitchen and was about to order in the next couple of weeks so will watch this to see people's feedback.

Original poster
greengrey · 17/03/2021 14:19

Yes I do worry that I'll mess up the order - DIY matched the Benchmarx one like for like they say but I'm worried it won't be.

DH is as crap as I am at working there kind of thing out.

OP posts:
kirinm · 17/03/2021 14:31

I would recommend checking and checking again. If a part doesn't arrive, you have to order / reorder and wait X amount of weeks and potentially pay a further £400 delivery charge. One of our mistakes was our own rather than theirs and we took too long to sort it but it is still a rather painful delivery process. BUT, the kitchen is far nicer than any other places we looked at (and cheaper).

dotdashdashdash · 17/03/2021 14:39

We've only had positive experiences of them. DH fitted out first one.

We're currently ordering another one (our 4th I think) and the fitters we've spoken with haven't had an issue.

msgloria · 17/03/2021 14:51

I had one a few years back. Fitter was very experienced and had never done a DIY kitchen before, and he was actually pleased to do one for the first time so he could use it as a selling point when dealing with other customers looking to order from them. He was pleased with the build quality.

Sounds like your fitter doesn't want the work. I've known some trades people who have no inclination if they can help it to step outside of what they already know, so wonder if yours is same. Good luck finding somebody else - the local Facebook groups around my way are very active with recommendations.

throwa · 17/03/2021 15:56

We had one fitted 2 years ago, going into a brand new extension (flat straight walls and all that). The fitter hadn't fitted one before, but said they were good quality, liked the way the units came ready built etc and had no trouble in getting the units in place and fitted. Sounds like your fitter doesn't want the work tbh as my (handy) husband said on watching our fitter work, that he could probably have done it himself.

It was half the price of anything comparable from e.g. Howdens etc, and was the design we were actually after. Yes, there was a fair amount of checking that you'd measured correctly and had picked the right bits and pieces, and I'm sure we ended up with a random end panel and some trim which didn't go anywhere, but this was a minor thing in the grand scheme of things. We'd happily order from them again.

NotMeNoNo · 17/03/2021 16:00

Have they got confused with B&Q (DIY.com)? DIY kitchens are excellent quality, very sturdy units.

Awmum42 · 17/03/2021 16:17

We got one a couple of years ago in a previous house and never again, really poor build quality and customer service. They are at the low end of the price bracket and it shows.

Logmein · 17/03/2021 16:25

DH builds/designs kitchens and has done so many, he will only use DIY kitchens now as the quality far exceeds Howdens and the like.
I have personally had 4 DIY kitchens and they are great.
Their customer service is good too!

renovationfatigue · 17/03/2021 16:38

I've heard mixed views - Instagram seem to love them but I think it can take a long time to order parts if you or they mess up the order or forget something. Maybe this is why the builder wasn't keen? They were also no cheaper when we got quotes from a variety of places but do look very good quality.

OrchidFlakes · 17/03/2021 16:39

I have a DIY kitchen kitchen! Installed just over 2 years ago and I am thrilled with it! Our builder fitted it and was perfectly happy with it in terms of quality and ease of fitting.
We had one damaged door which DIY kitchens sorted fairly painlessly and quickly and it’s holding up to daily use and 2 young DS really well.

Chasingsquirrels · 17/03/2021 16:44

I had one about 18 months ago, fitter usually did Howdens and was quite negative at first - but soon changed his mind and through the fit kept saying "this is better than Howdens" and "that is better than Howdens".

I ordered an extra cupboard after the full order and they got it out v quickly.
Plus sent me extra top up paint on request.

I'd definitely use them again if circumstances arose.

isseys4xmastinselcats · 17/03/2021 19:47

i went with DIY kitchens last year and it is very good quality for the price my fitter does a lot of kitchens and said he couldnt believe how much better than howdens they were and when i told him what we paid he said it was way below howdens prices , 9 months later it still looks like a brand new kitchen and is so easy to clean, we did the basic plan went to the shop live near enough to do so, the consultant at the shop went through our order and tweaked bits we hadnt thought of they were very good

skippy67 · 17/03/2021 19:56

My builder rates them way above howdens, who he has an account with. We visited the showroom last year, and were very impressed. Delivery charge is £99, not £400 BTW.

121hugsneeded · 18/03/2021 07:58

Your fitter probably is trying to push back your job because he has the opportunity to fit a more expensive one.

Ramona75 · 18/03/2021 08:15

I had a diy kitchen a few years ago and I have no complaints. The delivery looks expensive but they add it on at the end, rather then saying free delivery and hiking the unit prices up I guess. Still way cheaper and much better than the tatt, I had before I changed it. I would use again.

Loofah01 · 18/03/2021 09:26

I can only echo what's been said, my carpenter fitter said it was a breeze with great units. So much so that the builder has switched from his preferred kitchen supplier to DIY.
I didn't find the ordering process too hard as they check everything over for you to stop obvious mistakes. I did miss a couple of things off and they turned the parts round to me in a couple of days.

roses2 · 18/03/2021 09:33

We've got a DIY Kitchen (5 years old) and the quality is excellent. It also comes pre assembled so fitting is less work.

Sounds more like the guy isn't interested in the job than the quality of the kitchen.

If you need a new fitter I would recommend looking at www.checkatrade.com/ to find one. I use this to find builders, decorators etc and have more luck on this website than local recommendations.

FoofOfTheWalkingDead · 27/04/2021 12:33

@greengrey, Have you ordered your DIY kitchen yet? I'm on there just now trying to plan mine and it says they're not taking orders for the integrated appliances, just the carcasses. Did that happen to you? if I can't get the appliances from DIY is there another supply company that would have the right sized appliances to install with the kitchen?

I've been looking at IKEA kitchens but TBH I don't like the details such as wine racks, deep top cupboards etc. I think there would be a lot of work to be done by the fitter to get it right. DIY has so many options that I think I'm sold on them but I don't want to order anything if I can't source appliances!!!

p.s. I'd be very interested to hear how you're progressing with your kitchen and if you have found a fitter.

daisyphase · 27/04/2021 12:42

Huh, @FoofOfTheWalkingDead, surely integrated appliances is the easy bit? They're pretty much standard sizes. I'd be very willing to get them from Appliances Online, etc as a separate order. Being specialists, there may be better customer care, guarantees, etc (I don't know if this is true though) but I can imagine that they at least have more choice and fast delivery that you can put through so they arrive at just the right time.

FoofOfTheWalkingDead · 27/04/2021 13:09

Thanks daisy. That is very useful. I'm quite petrified of ordering from DIY in case I get it wrong but I like their units and their prices!

Soulstirring · 09/05/2021 09:19

@isseys4xmastinselcats we’re not too far from the show room either. The designing and getting it wrong is my concern, how much do they help with that?