Kitchen costs

[reservoirdawg]

I (quite rightly) got tumbleweed when I posted this in AIBU

Can anyone share recent costs and timelines for kitchen rebuild?
We’re renovating a house at distance. The kitchen is 5.6 x 3.4 and has just one tatty run of units with plumbing along the shorter end. We were sleepwalking into Howdens or
this beauty, but what if we just tidied up the tatty run, new doors and worktop and went freestanding? There’s a separate shelved pantry for food and appliances, space for shelves or cabinets for crockery. At some point we’d need to put a new floor in there which is another +ve for freestanding.
YABU- fitted is the way to go
YANBU- freestanding would be easy, cheaper and could look stunning.
TIA
Large Handmade Pilaster Shaker Kitchen & Butler Pantry & Island - 3832276
Large Bespoke Handmade Pilaster Shaker FB Railings - Alabaster Kitchen & Butler Pantry & Island – Smeg Leisure Appliances – Granite Bullnose Edge Worktops
https://usedkitchenhub.com/showroom/ex-display-and-used-kitchens/large-handmade-pilaster-shaker-kitchen-butler-pantry-island/

TIA

that kitchen is not to my taste - hideous and impractical.

i'd go IKEA all the way if you are on a tight budget - our basic IKEA kitchen works very well and is still in reasonable shape after 15 years.

That is a fitted kitchen though 🫤

Still not managed to sell this kitchen since the last time you posted it, eh?

It’s not my kitchen! 😂
I’ve had two Ikea kitchens and agree they’re lovely. However builders hate fitting them and we won’t be onsite. Howden’s are much loved by fitters and so that’s the second option.
However DH we had the lightbulb realisation that we don’t need a fitted kitchen. It’s a large room, there’s a separate pantry and space for a washing machine in the utility room hence the enquiry for recent costs of Howdens v freestanding.

All 3 links are for the same fitted kitchen....

Hideous

Oh dear, I actually really like that kitchen, unlike everyone else on here 😂

I think it’s stunning- obviously! I’m also very attracted to the bargain.
However realistically reusing such a distinctive kitchen in a new space when we’re far away is likely to be extremely difficult.
I might start a new thread about freeetanding kitchens and not link to the second hand one as it’s really really riled some posters.

Might be helpful if you tell us what the property is being done up for. Is this going to be your home at some point? Rental? Holiday let?

Can’t really advise on costs because it literally depends on what kind of of spec you want on it. You can definitely do a bodge job by replacing doors and worktops but if they are not in good nick now I’d be concerned the actual units are knackered as well so the whole lot may need properly replacing in a couple of years.

Do you mean not a flat pack kitchen rather than a freestanding kitchen? The one in the link is a fitted kitchen because it is meant to be fitted to the walls. A freestanding one is just like pieces of furniture you can move about.

House will be wfh/ second home. Probably not rented out. Definitely doesn’t need to accommodate a family needs. Which I guess is why fitted kitchens are so popular, you can store and hide so much stuff.
There is an existing small run of units which honestly I would take an afternoon to replace with Ikea units and get a professional to put a worktop on, fit in sink and plumb in dishwasher. I’m then thinking freestanding units like this.
So it would be really helpful if people can advise me on recent fitted kitchen costs and when anyone has a freestanding kitchen. Thanks

3.4m isn't really big enough for an island with units on both sides of it. You would need 1.2m for the two units, 2m for the walkways between the island and units, which will leave you only 20cm for the island.

If you only have units on one side, then you would still need 2m for walking around the island, 0.6 for the units, leaving only 60cm for the island, which is way smaller than the one linked.

So that kitchen layout won't work for you anyway.

One like the one in your next picture could work, but the problem with free standing is that it complicates having any appliances in it, which will seriously impact its usefulness.

I love freestanding kitchens, but they are considerably less practical unfortunately.

@CatherinedeBourgh that’s really useful, thank you.

We’ve gone for the second hand kitchen! Builder who is overseeing the repairing the old kitchen (there was a burst pipe before we moved in) reckons we’ll use about half of it so I think we’ll spend around £10,000
As pp mentioned upthread we can’t use the island but with the pantry, oven, dishwasher and so many configurations of base and wall units and we should get exactly what we need.

Yes, that’s exactly what I did 15 years ago! I bought an old showroom display from The White Kitchen Company and I was ecstatic! The quality was incredible, and it was such a bargain. You made the right choice, a win-win.

We’re taking it very slowly. The builder is on a day rate amongst other jobs but it’s going to be stunning. We’re even using some bits that aren’t in the kitchen as alcove cupboards. And I have over ambitious plans for a window seat from unused cabinets. The worktops are currently offsite being recut but I think even with labour and that monster fridge (I had to take the kitchen door off to get it in) it’ll be under £10,000