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Original poster

Best place to get a kitchen?

31 replies

pinkgin85 · 17/12/2021 13:43

Embarking on a much needed renovation/extension in the new year and one of the things I'm most excited about is a new kitchen!

However I'm clueless about where to begin? Which supplier to go with?

Wren? Howdens? Magnet? IKEA?

I want to source my own kitchen worktops (granite/marble etc) but how do I find a local seller?

So clueless Confused

OP posts:
oneglassandpuzzled · 17/12/2021 13:46

IKEA build quality is very good relative to the price but the design, ordering and fitting process is shambolic. Nobody is in overall charge and they will suddenly cancel fittings or tell you you can’t have an essential item, even though it is in stock in one of their stores.

I’m pleased with our one-week new kitchen but my husband would leave me if I ever suggested using them again.

LostForIdeas · 17/12/2021 13:53

My parents had a kitchen done with Magnet.
Tbh they were shambolic for the price they paid. They didn’t even managed to get the dimensions right so the cupboard which was supposed to be next to the extraction hood was too small and now there is a big gap in between 😖😖

UntilBubleSings · 17/12/2021 13:55

Magnet. I can recommend one where they are brilliant

kirinm · 17/12/2021 13:56

DIY Kitchens are very good.

RunRunGingerbreadMan · 17/12/2021 13:58

We also had Magnet and they were brilliant, but they use local fitters so I guess it depends on your area. Our fitter came round before the final order to check measurements and make sure it would all fit as expected. The price and quality seem really good and they were able to give us some good ideas for our quite awkward kitchen.

Catnuzzle · 17/12/2021 14:05

Diy kitchens definitely. I scoured Google for my worktops, went with a local company that didn't have a show room but I knew which corian I wanted and they were £2k cheaper than all the other quotes!

Original poster
pinkgin85 · 17/12/2021 14:13

Interesting about DIY Kitchens I'll check them out, do they provide local fitters too?

OP posts:
Pralinelatte · 17/12/2021 14:13

Another recommend for DIY kitchens. Units are delivered already built which makes fitting them far easier, though you need space in your accommodation to store them before they're fitted! We refitted our kitchen last year and it's fabulous; excellent quality despite being heavily used (and abused) by teenage kids and their mates.

ufucoffee · 17/12/2021 14:15

Howdons are great quality. Choose your own fitter.

Original poster
pinkgin85 · 17/12/2021 14:18

Thank you everyone for the input!

@Pralinelatte
@LostForIdeas
@oneglassandpuzzled
@LostForIdeas
@UntilBubleSings
@kirinm

I'm also worried about time scales due to the current supply shortages, how much in advance should I order it? We're hoping to begin work beginning of March and our wonderful builder is saying the work should take 2-3 months. Do I need to order the kitchen in March or even before that? Our final designs from the architect will be done in a February.

OP posts:
Twizbe · 17/12/2021 14:26

I've had 2 Howdens kitchens and loved them. Builders like them too as they are good quality and they have all the fittings etc in stock should anything be missed.

Lead time can be a few weeks so best to order as soon as you can.

You can do a design now with approx measurements and then adapt to the actual measurements when you order it.

BarstewardofNorthstead · 17/12/2021 14:28

Can recommend Benchmarxx. They supply the same kitchens as wickes, but at trade prices. They don't have a show room, so I visited a wickes showroom to pick want i wanted and then placed the order at benchmarxx - saved thousands on Wickes prices.

oneglassandpuzzled · 17/12/2021 14:29

Ikea were very unwilling to come and measure up until a fairly advanced stage in the building. We had to persuade them to come before the plasterboard and flooring went in, which their fitters did agree to, somewhat reluctantly. They aren't keen to design and commit to fitting off plans. It may be the same with other fitters.

Ruple · 17/12/2021 14:30

Had 2 kitchens from IKEA now and I couldn't fault them, they were fantastic.

Toddlerteaplease · 17/12/2021 14:34

I had a really good experience with Wren and an independent fitter.

Skinnytailedsquirrel · 17/12/2021 16:29

We fitted an IKEA kitchen 5 years ago and have had to replace 3 doors already. They all started splitting and bubbling. Never had this issue before. The internals of the cupboards are good but sadly we're going to have to change all the doors to another manufacturer.

CasperGutman · 17/12/2021 18:08

@pinkgin85

Interesting about DIY Kitchens I'll check them out, do they provide local fitters too?
No - they don't provide any fitters. The product's great, but you have to do a lot of legwork yourself (or pay someone else to do it for you), including the design, ordering exactly what you need* and fitting it all.

I was quite happy to do all this, because we saved a five figure sum compared to any other quote we had!

*They will review your order to check if anything is missing, but you need to find it all on the website and add it to the order first.

OneForTh · 17/12/2021 19:18

Howdens or Wickes. Both have been great and look spotless after a decade.

Original poster
pinkgin85 · 17/12/2021 21:12

It's between Howdens or DIY Kitchens for me I think.

Howdens seem to have a nice and easy website to work with and there's a few locations near me so I can view it in person. The savings from DIY Kitchen are enticing but I don't have any experience doing a renovation before so a bit nervous about getting it wrong.

Thanks everyone!

OP posts:
Oneforthemoneytwo · 17/12/2021 21:19

Independent, I find they can be comparable in price for a better product and you just deal with one person so actually get a consistency of service, wouldn’t buy high street

Utini · 17/12/2021 21:20

We had an initial plan drawn up by Wickes, but it was too expensive and we used it as the basis for a DIY kitchens order. Our kitchen fitter measured up for us, so we didn't have to worry about getting that wrong.

DIY kitchens looked over our order to check nothing was missing and suggested a few tweaks to the layout.

We'd never done anything like this before either but it wasn't too complicated.

unfar · 17/12/2021 22:18

We use DIY kitchens. Having just dismantled a Howdens kitchen in a rental property they're not the best quality.

skippy67 · 18/12/2021 09:21

We got ours from DIY kitchens too, Great product and customer service.

Imdreamingofapeacefulxmas · 19/12/2021 13:51

Mine has just been done, DIY and I found my own fitters which was the hardest part of the process..
Apparently there is a body of recognised fitters?

Which also recommended fitters.

I much prefer the totally open way DIY operates. I would not hesitate to get another one in future.
They have been brilliant, one or two panels wrong and new ones sent the very next day... Cs brilliant... I can't fault them. I'm extremely happy with how solid the cabinets are as well, much better then what I saw at b and q and home base.
Blum fitting like magnet and you can chose as much as you want.

Daftasabroom · 19/12/2021 13:57

A good kitchen fitter is probably more important than the brand.