Corner pantry using Howdens or go with Wren?

[JoanDarc]

I’ve had a brilliant design appointment with Wren today. The designer was excellent and I’m really happy with the plans, especially the corner pantry.
However… we had completed a kitchen remodel a few years ago with Howdens and would have been keen to reuse and supplement with any new units from Howdens instead of buying an entirely new kitchen from a different supplier, but they don’t seem to offer a corner pantry. Has anyone added one in using Howdens units? Am sure it can be done but would be good to hear of experiences.

Hopeful bump for the evening crowd!

Read reviews of Wren on here, then avoid them like the plague.

Take the plan from wren and shop for the items on DIY Kitchens. See the difference in price as well as the difference in feedback.

We have a Wren kitchen with a corner pantry and I absolutely love it. I love the whole kitchen actually and had a good experience with them. I've heard lots of horror stories though!

If you had a Howden’s corner pantry before and liked it you might not like the Wren one. It’s just so cheap looking in comparison and unless you use the Wren fitters there is minimal guarantee - so if things go wrong you have to fix them. Just get new doors from Howdens and save yourself the bother

And things go wrong a lot with Wren.

We've got a corner pantry from Howdens (specifically the Fairford).

@Zhampagne can you link or share a picture please? I can’t seem to find any corner pantries on the Howdens website so this is brilliant news if they do actually make one!

Wren use subcontractors as their fitters, so it depends very much where you live and how good the particular fitters are which your branch of Wren employs.
I got a Wren kitchen four years ago and I’m v happy with it. The designer was very good, talked me through all the options, came to the house to take accurate measurements himself, and didn’t moan when I changed my mind completely about the layout halfway through. 4 years on it still looks pristine despite daily use - I make all my meals from scratch and own a cat!

we went with Wren.

Howden dude was very dodgy about after sale customer service!

@JoanDarc it’s this one, although ours is a different colour. It was supplied empty and the kitchen fitters built custom corner shelves and an iron store in there for me. I love it!

@Zhampagne thanks so much, that’s brilliant to know they make one and looks similar dimensions to the Wren one I saw yesterday.
@nutellamagnet I’ve looked at the diy kitchens website but wouldn’t feel confident ordering online.

Look at howdens kitchen complaints on Facebook - although it’s a complaints page, there aren’t many complaints and lots of useful pictures of what people have had done (including corner cupboards).

Thanks @HurryUpPlease1234 I’ve joined that group and lots of great info. Slightly misleading group name though! 😀

Here's the reality of Wren kitchens :

Wren delivered my new kitchen and utility room on 5 July.
The fitter made great progress removing my old kitchen. He managed to smash one of my wall tiles which I don't want to replace. But then he found that all the changes to the plan that he had agreed with me (24 May) had not been implemented despite Wren's email (1 June) saying they had been. The result : a load of units that do not fit my kitchen. I was told the Wren Manager in Shrewsbury would return my call within 30 minutes. No call ever came. No reply to any of the emails to the Manager and Head Office. I've forwarded my complaint emails to the Ombudsman and posted.
The fitter informed Wren by 1pm on day 1 that he could not continue with the project because nothing fits.
After contacting the Managing Director, a second delivery of Wren cupboards arrived on day 5 (Friday 9 July). This was the date that the project had to be finished - Wren had said no problem. Their own fitter said it was a 2 day job. But day 5 the second delivery came and these cupboards were also the wrong size. Again the fitter left without actually fitting anything.
Delivery 3 came on Friday 16 July. Managing Director's office promised a "team of fitters" would complete the installation on Saturday and Sunday July 17/18.
0815 Saturday a fitter called Andy N rang saying he would be at my house in an hour. He was 30 miles away. Claimed his team were the best fitters around.
No one turned up.
I have emailed the Managing Director's office again and await a reply.
I am again left with a kitchen that has been ripped out but nothing put back in. Wren have caused nothing but distress. As a person with disabilities, Wren's shoddy performance has been a nightmare.

That’s awful @GingerHQ, hope you get it sorted soon.