We've just ordered a Handmade Kitchens of Christchurch kitchen in their half price annual sale. We went down to the showroom and they are properly lovely kitchens. I love British Standard/Plain English but can't possibly afford them, too, but HMK is a similar look and they make each unit exactly to your size specifications. That meant it came up the same price a DIY as we can order fewer, very large units (so 2 pan drawers well over a metre each, and a massive larder, and a unit next to the double sink that will be exactly the same size, instead of a standard one and then a weird tray space). They are so solid and well made, with dovetailed joints in drawer boxes etc. It's exactly what we wanted, but didn't think we could afford.
People on MN who have had one are thrilled with them, which is reassuring.
They're expensive outside the half price sale times, though. I suspect it's like wine and they intentionally price high in 'normal' periods. It's a way to control sales levels presumably - they can brace themselves for the biannual flood of sales, end that sale when order books are full, and if anyone wants to pay twice the standard pricing between those times, then it's worth their while taking the trickle of much more lucrative extra business on, as it won't ever be at a level that jeopardises their ability to deliver.
They can keep the prices down I think by offering one basic kitchen, same as British Standard. There are tweaks possible, but they really are just tweaks - added beading, sort of kick plate, that kind of thing. It's also a very classic Shaker on offer. But I love that style, and I love solidly built and heavy and not pre-assembled flatpack, so I'm very happy.
handmadekitchensofchristchurch.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/2022-Price-List-Handmade-Kitchens-v2-6.pdf - that's the sale price list (look at the sizing options and then work out if you can eg get one large unit instead of 2 standard sized ones plus a filler kind, which has markedly reduced our spend).
The gallery shows what actual families have sent in, after completing projects. handmadekitchensofchristchurch.co.uk/top-50-gallery
I'd be fine with a Howdens one if we had to. But after visiting Howdens, and visiting HMKOC, they just aren't the same product at all. And we decided that as this kitchen is going to need to last a decade, and it's the largest room in the house and the one we'll live in, we want it done as we like it.
We did look at Used Kitchen Exchange, but again decided that by the time we'd paid a fitter to play Tetris with it, disposed of any extras, and had it sanded down, dents and scratches made good, and repainted, it would still be fairly expensive. And this way we can have exactly the floorplan we want, because it's being made to our specifications down to the millimetre.
It's a 20 feet by 13.3 feet kitchen, and we're having 3 walls with units. They are coming in at just over £8,000 with HMKOC. DIY came in at 9 for the Helmsley and Howdens a bit less. Obviously painting is an extra cost you don't have with the last two, but we feel it's worth it.
I'd go and visit all the options, and check the kitchen out really carefully. It is so, so much money to spend and you need to know you will be happy, living with it.