10k kitchen budget - who would you use?

[GardensandGrandDesigns]

Hi

It's a large kitchen with 2m island so I need to budget really well. I am budgeting another 4k on top for appliances as we like gadgets! Currently looking at DIY kitchens and is pricing up at 11k. Anywhere else I should look? Experience of DIY kitchens?

Thank you!

DIY kitchens are amazing, highly recommended. We bought a big kitchen 5 years ago, got worktop from ebay.

Be very, very wary of Wren. They have a terrible reputation. Just have a look at the FB group Wren Kitchen Disasters: www.facebook.com/groups/271261567483001

If you are highly organised and like more than a bit of project management, IKEA will fit the brief. We had an independent fitter moan and groan about fitting it, lobbying for when and howdens and then in the end, they were able to do it really quickly and easily, to a great spec. They surprised themselves! We are v happy with the finished item but it did require a lot of effort on our part. The pay off is a beautiful kitchen for a fraction of the big name prices.

Do DIY kitchens have a showroom or is it all online?

Our last three kitchens have been from Homebase. All the same Shaker style & colour! They would be my first stop next time

@CheltenhamLady

Do DIY kitchens have a showroom or is it all online?

Yes, in Pontefract, West Yorkshire. It's great.

@trickyex

DIY, Benchmarx or IKEA, not Wren or any of the sheds.

This!! These three would definitely be my pick. Especially if you are ok doing your own design.

Benchmarx are the same kitchens as Wickes but sold at trade prices.

If you can’t get to the DIY showroom they can send door samples for a small fee which I think is refunded if you send it back.

Another recommendation for DiY Kitchens. We ordered sample painted wood doors. Very pleased with service and quality. Bought work tops from Worktop City.

Recently had new kitchen with Wickes.
Love the kitchen, the fitters were great but Wickes are shocking for customer service.

Many errors on there part. One example being we had fitters round but no kitchen... Wickes forgot to deliver our kitchen.

Wren's customer service is a joke.

All seems so contradictory! I am looking for something decent quality and ideally not these wrapped doors. Is that possible?

Right kids... In Feb half term we are off to... DIY kitchens show room woo hoo 🤣

@sleepyhoglet

All seems so contradictory! I am looking for something decent quality and ideally not these wrapped doors. Is that possible?

DIY kitchens. They do a painted range, not wrapped.

@GardensandGrandDesigns

Right kids... In Feb half term we are off to... DIY kitchens show room woo hoo 🤣

You won't regret it! They do unlimited free drinks and biscuits too. But the bit I love most is the corner cupboard section - they show you ever corner option (lazy Susan, open, slide etc) with a perspex worktop so you can see how they look inside and how much space you lose to the mechanism.

I can't wait! I'm sure it will be worth the 3hr journey ☺️

We went with wren but had another company fit it (local company who were awful!) But tje kitchen itself is gorgeous

@sleepyhoglet

All seems so contradictory! I am looking for something decent quality and ideally not these wrapped doors. Is that possible?

As I said earlier, my kitchen from diykitchens is solid wood, painted.

Our builder and kitchen fitter likes Howdens but knowing me quite well suggested we look at Sheraton too, at about 10% more expensive via a local builders merchant. They were extremely helpful, delivered on schedule, everything was good quality and the finished job is very impressive. Most of that finish quality came down to the fitter -- who is a perfectionist. It looks as good as any bespoke kitchens I've seen. We have nearly 35 feet of work surface (no island though) mostly below the windows. Final cost of units for kitchen and utility was about £10k, plus fitting and appliances. But it took months to plan and schedule and we used a two burner camping stove and microwave for eight weeks while it happened.

Son recently had a howdens kitchen fitted by local tradesman. Had lower quotes elsewhere but howdens agreed to match it. Lovely quality and good service.

I had a really good experience with Wren. I used an independent fitter as it was cheaper.

Customer service was excellent and everything arrived and nothing was damaged.

I think a lot depends on your fitter, my fitter was a joiner/kitchen fitter. I got a b and q kitchen with some direct worktops, fitter bespoked a fair bit from carcuses - breakfast bar, microwave unit, wine rack, recipe book section, we designed it ourselves, I found the wren design process useful to visualise what I wanted.

We used Wren and they were great. My neighbour used them and recommended them. No complaints.

We will be booking an appointment to visit the showroom as soon as we move.