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Original poster

DIY Kitchens quote seems insanely low

42 replies

irisetta · 23/10/2021 00:01

Hi all, so DH and I had a potential kitchen designed by Benchmarx way back in May. The quote then was £10,811 including top range appliances. 5 months later, are finally ready to begin ordering our kitchen. Our criteria has changed - we are going for the premium Somerset range, rather than the Cambridge that we wanted previously - so obviously the quote will increase.
So we have started shopping around, landed on DIY Kitchens (I do have a previous thread asking about this), used their online tool to design our kitchen based on the Benchmarx design, but using the higher quality units that we now want from Benchmarx - and adjusted cost for appliances (none from DIY). Even so, the cost is already £2k cheaper! For a premium kitchen from DIY (solid timber frames etc) vs a more basic kitchen from Benchmarx (ie. all MDF, foil wrapped). We are still waiting on our premium kitchen quote from Benchmarx, however, given price rises in materials since May, supply issues etc - it must be easily 2-3k price rise.

That would make the same kitchen from DIY Kitchens almost 4k cheaper! Is this normal? What's the catch?!

OP posts:
LemonSwan · 23/10/2021 00:03

Ooo no idea but off to look at DIY kitchens!

Original poster
irisetta · 23/10/2021 00:08

They are great IMO, but you get the cost savings as they have no design service - you use the online tool that they have (my husband is a software engineer and reckons it is pretty user friendly!) I was just staggered by the price difference, as they are all essentially the same units as Benchmarx! Materials, dimensions, hinges, everything.

OP posts:
gruffalocake2 · 23/10/2021 00:15

We used DIY and they were great quality. The phone service does help check your plan but you do have to do more yourself. The Benchmarx plan we got was totally opposite to what we’d asked for (island wrong way round etc) so at least with DIY you get what you want.
I don’t know if you’ve done a full plan with DIY but you do tend to find the bits you might forget on an initial cursory plan do add up e.g end panels, filler pieces, pelmet, kickboards etc. Still good value for the quality but it could end up a little more than you first expect,

Original poster
irisetta · 23/10/2021 00:26

Thank you! Yes, I am a bit suspicious re: the low price. Sure we've missed some stuff! We just based it on the itemised quote from Benchmarx.

OP posts:
Original poster
irisetta · 23/10/2021 00:30

Should add - I have a sample from the Linwood Painted range from Benchmarx, looks almost identical to Somerset Bone White from Benchmarx. I'm just amazed that the price difference for the carcase is so much. It's all the same material!

OP posts:
Original poster
irisetta · 23/10/2021 00:31

Linwood Painted Range from DIY where is the edit function Confused

OP posts:
Needacoat · 23/10/2021 06:41

I used DIY kitchen a few years ago and they recommend me an online kitchen designer who drew and checked my plans, calculated the length of pelmet, side panels etc for me. Made life easier and even with the designer fee still much cheaper and more choices than other kitchen companies.

CherryMaple · 23/10/2021 06:48

We have a kitchen from DIY Kitchens. The quality of the units is great but the customer service was terrible.

IamJuliaJohnson · 23/10/2021 06:54

Yes, that sounds plausible. We have a Linwood painted shaker and the DIY price was about 30% cheaper than Howdens, and half the price of an independent kitchen seller locally. I think wickes was somewhere between the two, and Magnet even more expensive.

MarieG10 · 23/10/2021 07:17

There isn't a catch. The quality is excellent. Had mine now 4 years and still like new

If you give them the detail quote they will make sure they quote on the same units.

My builder who built the extension but fitted the units as he was a joiner did an amazing job but said the units were excellent quality and used DIY himself for his kitchen

Catnuzzle · 23/10/2021 07:38

No catch. My kitchen and utility were £9500, not including taps or appliances. Same kitchen, poorer quality from Magnet was £24k. Similar quotes from Wren etc. DIY kitchens are a no brainer! I loved being able to tweak my design and 3D view at home. Customer service was excellent as well.

KitchenKrisis · 23/10/2021 10:18

I've just had mine delivered, I've not inspected it yet but I'm so impressed with the quality! The Backs are all really firm and look pretty solid.

At magnet I was limited by the designer quite frankly, I couldn't have a drawer under the oven, couldn't have x.. He put me off blue it was bizzare.

With DIY I can do whatever I want.
The tool was fabulous.

They have one showroom and one stream of staff to pay, imagine the money wasted in all the other kitchen showrooms!

Our kitchen was about three grand cheaper than the same magnet one.

skippy67 · 23/10/2021 10:22

Mine is being delivered today. I've found the customer service excellent so far. We also visited the showroom and were very impressed with the quality and choice of colours, and bespoke options available.

Crabwoman · 23/10/2021 10:33

A family member works for a Well Known Kitchen Supplier. I was discussing replacing our kitchen and they said get the kitchen designed elsewhere and use DIY kitchens.

No catch, quality is amazing.

Sewaccidentprone · 23/10/2021 10:47

Had mine in a year now. Still looks like new and no issues at all.

They even supplied a small pot of touch up paint.

They just supplied the units, worktop and all trims. I planned it myself which took ages as the kitchen has 3 doorways and a large window. I ordered, they phoned me a couple of days later as I’d missed an item.

It arrived as ordered with 2 deliver blokes who were very efficient.

Cost around £2500. Plus additional costs - sink, tap, cooker, tiles, paint, fitting etc.

We’re very happy with our kitchen.

Sewaccidentprone · 23/10/2021 10:49

The showroom is worth a trip if you’re not too far.

They also manufacture on site. I can imagine they’ll have to increase their prices though as the price of wood etc has increased dramatically.

We went for the Linwood as the doors are solid wood, not mdf etc.

antsinyourpanta · 23/10/2021 10:52

A family member works for a Well Known Kitchen Supplier. I was discussing replacing our kitchen and they said get the kitchen designed elsewhere and use DIY kitchens.

We did this about 15 years ago. A local indie kitchen company did a plan for us and quoted on the same units as we got from DIY kitchens. Getting the exact same thing from DIY kitchens was approx 3rd of the price (although I did feel bad that the design service was free)

SewingBees · 23/10/2021 11:05

I've used DIY Kitchens twice, as has my sister. Fabulous quality and units still look like new 6 years on.

Delivery can be a pain - late at night for us because we were at the end of the run - but otherwise all very good. Customer service to change some units I misordered was fine.

The lower cost is because they supply direct so you're not paying for a middle man/designer who will always take their cut.

Houseplantmad · 23/10/2021 11:12

As others have said, no catch. Our Wickes quote was 11k. Magnet was £15k. We paid £5k at DIY for a superior product. Excellent quality and service.

KitchenKrisis · 23/10/2021 11:37

Yes I must say I was also impressed with our delivery, we are at the opp end of the UK to them and they whipped it in the house, nicely stacked!

Isseywith3witchycats · 23/10/2021 11:59

Another DIY kitchens fan here we got wickes to do the design and qoute theirs was £5000 this is just units worktops and sink and used that as the base for DIY came in at £3000 we live near enough to have visited the showroom they were brilliant tweeked everything and double checked the total order we got a better kitchen as well as the wickes showroom all we could look at was a door glued to a wall at DIY they have mini kitchens set up, we paid extra to have the units delivered on a specific day and a year later my kitchen still looks as good as it did the day it was fitted

FinallyHere · 23/10/2021 12:21

We used https://www.oneplan-design.co.uk to do the design with a few different layouts. Really loved one snd went with it. The list of parts require made it really easy to compare quotes, DIY kitchens a clear winner.

Lots of suppliers offer a free design service, the first two we tried made what even to me were obvious mistakes.

The design company still cost a lot less than you are saving going with DIY kitchens

HouseyHouse21 · 23/10/2021 14:31

Another vote for DIY Kitchens, really good quality, and not just for the price. I'd just caveat that all the extras (end panels, plinths, cornices etc) can be a significant proportion of the overall cost so its worth calling them up to check you've got everything covered.

KitchenKrisis · 23/10/2021 23:22

@skippy67

Have you checked yours we just started and a whole cabinet door is missing Confused so I'm dreading looking at the rest is a whole cabinet door can get missed

KitchenKrisis · 23/10/2021 23:23
  • house we didn't bother with the cabinet tops and bottoms. In ye old days I think the bottom was mainly to hide under cupboard lighting but they are so discreet now dint really need them.