If budget wasn't a factor for your new kitchen, would you go with a local independent shop or not?

[LondonGrimmer]

It's our first time designing and sorting a new kitchen, and it's in our forever home.

We've got a couple of quotes in - one from Howdens and one from a local independent trader who does bespoke cabinets (which is great, as our kitchen has funny nooks/walls). Really love his design, but obvs Howdens is cheaper.

We're getting solid timber shaker cabinets (so can re-paint when bored with colour), quartz worktops and luxury vinyl tiles on the floor. Probably get Bosch integrated appliances. Have our own kitchen fitter lined up.

So, who would you go with and why? DH is risk averse and says Howdens in case there are problems down the line (he's worried local trader could to bust, but they've been established for a few years).

Any help or advice appreciated!

We loved our Howdens design as opposed to others and are really pleased with the quality of the cabinets. We have not been so happy with the appliances however (Lamona) and would go with other brands which I can see you are planning to do. The customer service has been reasonably good but it has taken a bit of time to resolve the issues with one of the appliances. Do your own research on floor coverings, you may find something from another supplier which you prefer as I found Howdens range somewhat limited.

You could ask your kitchen fitter if they’d recommend a supplier. We had our initial design from Howden’s but used a local independent company that designed and produced our new kitchen. The quality is definitely better but the price was the same.

Thanks both, really helpful.

The independent place uses Caple appliances. I've read mostly mixed reviews about them and Lamona, hence going with the more tried, tested and loved Bosch (think Miele and Neff are out of our budget).

I've contacted a local flooring company, who we've used before for bathroom/en-suite, to come round and quote. They have a much bigger variety of coverings to choose from. Can't decide whether herringbone effect is too busy and faddy.

Fitter coming back tomorrow so will seek his advice for sure.

A small local company I deal with is a local bespoke kitchen maker. The stuff they push out at inflated prices is not good at all. They are also cutting corners and quality because the market demand has reduced. They may not be trading much longer. Your husband is right that you need to take care.

Our local.independant (bathroom) was cheaper than the national chain...

If budget were no option, I'd go for deVOL.

We had our kitchen made by a local cabinet maker. it worked out slightly more expensive than Magnet but much cheaper than the fancy kitchen retailers. It is perfect. 12 years on it is solid with nothing broken, the workmanship is fantastic and they managed to make the most of awkward spaces in the kitchen. Because it is solid wood we have had it repainted a different colour recently so it feels like a new kitchen for little cost. It your local place is offering solid wood cabinets i would go with that over Howdens.

Last time I had a kitchen done, I used a local independent. Neff appliances. That was an amazing kitchen, they were very professional, I'd use them again. I've moved into a house with a Wren kitchen, and it's not that great. Howdens did our work kitchen, it's okay. Had to replace the (Lamona) dishwasher after a couple of years though.

If using independent check who’ll be doing the work. We used a very popular private high end kitchen design firm with posh showroom, but they just used random stubbies to fit it who just turned up between other jobs so it took longer and they were pretty crap. Same happened with a bathroom fitting firm who just sent a random subbie who spent the entire time complaining he wasn’t being paid enough for the size of the job and ended up rushing it and leaving the radiator not working and forget to attach the hot supply to the bath! At the very least, check it’s either the guy himself doing the fitting or they use their own workers and not just whichever stubbies have availability!

Yes. If money were no object i would always support a local independent.

They rely on having a good reputation, so are likely to care very much about the work they produce. Places like Howden etc don't care the same as they already have a reputation, and are big enough to swallow any negativity.

Ask your husband what he envisages going wrong in the future - a solid wood kitchen really shouldn't develop any faults, and then ask the kitchen supplier what they do to avoid whatever your husband is fearing. To be honest, I would expect any faults to be with how a kitchen is fit, nit the actual kitchen, in your case.

I have always been told that a kitchen is only as good as it’s fitter.

Mine is from a local long-standing independent which had been recommended by someone whose opinion I trust. My kitchen isn't big and has very awkward angles.

I couldn't be more pleased. It's German, mid-range in price and the few appliances I needed are Neff. They use the same team with their own fitter who is excellent.

Personal recommendation was key for me.

I went with a long standing independent shop, his design looked great, it was pricier than the likes of Howdens but he was also going to project manage everything (floors needed re levelling etc), it was a nightmare from start to finish. The day his workmen turned up to rip the old kitchen out they told me that his jobs were always a cockup, not very inspiring. Anyway they ripped kitchen out and stripped back to the bones over 3 days. Then we didn’t see anyone for nearly 3 Weeks, other jobs had over ran so we ended up being slotted in, they removed the kitchen early September, it was Xmas eve by the time it was finished but as we quickly found he may have been able
to create a nice design but he couldn’t measure very well, we then waited until February (after going down the court route) to have it all refitted as many of the units wouldn’t open unless something else was closed , we had to move 2 radiators. The kitchen is nice enough, units great quality but one of the main things I asked for was to have the sink central to the window (it’s not at all but could have easily been), he went free rein on choice of certain things we had requested (asked for a Belfast sink, we got a butler as he thought it was nicer), pull out units when we had asked for cupboards. He has subsequently closed down, I think he took too many jobs on at once and messed them all up. For what it’s worth I wish I had gone to Howdens they did my neighbours and a friends, did a brilliant job and their kitchens look better than ours - we paid £35k all in, never again

I'd go and have a chat with the local independent to see if you like them. I had a horrible experience with one, who lambasted me for wanting to buy my own appliances and made me feel like I was abusing him - got home from the meeting and sent him an email telling him exactly how he made me feel and as such would not be doing business with him. He said he was having a bad day - after talking to him, so was I. Another local firm suggested I pay for their design before I could get a quote - didn't want to do that either. If I had the choice I'd get a handmade bespoke kitchen - but I'd be careful who I worked with.

Should say we also had a Magnet kitchen installed by one of their fitters. That kitchen was so bad, they had to send out a troubleshooter to fix the kitchen, even then it wasn't great - a good installation is key, I wouldn't touch Magnet again - I feel ill even thinking about what they put us through.

Had a DIY kitchen same time as friend had howdens...

Diy much better to fit and has lasted.. we went for painted and have 1 chip in nearly 9 years.. which was our fault...

However if i could afford it and you have a fitter would go for a full wood.. likely to get better use of space and character..
the Others are all mdf boxes really

We’ve recently had a kitchen made by an independent company AND a laundry done by Howdens. In your shoes, I’d definitely go for the independent- if you have an odd-shaped kitchen this is a far better option as they’ll be able to design in a way that makes best use of the space so your nooks and crannies become useful storage etc.

I’ve been pleased with Howdens for what we wanted- a small and regular-sized room so we could buy something standard, it looks smart and was a fair price. I also wanted materials that wouldn’t mind a bit of water on them so man-made surfaces rather than wood etc.

So, both can be good depending on what you want but in your shoes go for the independent (assuming you like him).

Thanks everyone, some really good advice here (knew I could rely on Mumsnet!).

I answer to some of your points

We're having a recommended fitter do all the works, who happens to be a neighbour! Know he'll do a brilliant job and won't disappear.

We've met with the Independent guy a couple of times. On our initial call I checked he would be happy to provide a free design and quote (yes) and supply only as we have a fitter sorted (yes). We then went to his showroom to see his brilliant design, and he printed out the quote and sent us off to think about things. I double checked with him he'd be ok with us sourcing our own appliances, sink and tap, flooring, worktops etc and he seemed fine with it. He seems a really genuine guy.

Definitely going with solid wood cabinets.

We're going to the showroom again tomorrow with some more questions, so will ask then about DHs concerns about any issues in the future (but sounds like with bespoke solid wood cabinets there's not much to go wrong).

We live in a small town and will be using reputable electricians who we know personally, too.

@Curtainsforus sorry you had a horrible experience! I'm glad he admitted he shouldn't have spoken to you that way. Sounds totally unprofessional.

@Muddywalks34 your experience sounds like the epitome of a nightmare!! Really hope none of that happens with us.

@LindaDawn yes, I've heard that too. A bad fitter can make an expensive kitchen look cheap, and a good one make a cheap one look expensive. Fingers crossed our guy comes good.

Me too.

Off to Google DeVOL!

We went local, they ripped everything out, then went bust and left us with nothing. I was 8m pregnant at the time.

We had a Howdens kitchen fitted in 2018 but simply didn't buy any appliances from them as I wasn't happy with the quality. It was fine to order appliances separately from other suppliers, they are all standard sizes.

If money wasn't a significant factor I would always prefer to support an independent local business rather than a big brand.

My main criteria is to have the whole job done by the same people, so it can't be the electricians fault when the floor can't be done on schedule etc and no one can blame someone else when something doesn't fit or work. I know there are cheaper ways, but this is the best way IME. So yes probably a specialist company.

We have a 50k kitchen in the house we bought (I’ve seen the invoices). It’s not a patch on the quality of the IKEA kitchen we put in our old house for 10k. The drawer carcasses are flimsy and there are some shocking oversights in the construction - sockets too close to backsplashes so you can’t plug stuff in.