Is it better to have the kitchen fitted by the retailer you're buying it from, or should you hire private builders instead?

[lolstevelol]

I know retailers charge more but I have heard horror stories for people who used private builders so save money.

There are horror stories from people who use the retailers to fit too.

Just find yourself a fitter who’s been recommended to you.

And when buying your kitchen, www.diykitchens.com is by far the best option, in terms of price, quality, and lack of silly pressure selling tactics.

I had a bog standard ikea kitchen fitted by a very talented kitchen fitter who came highly recommended by a friend ( catch - he’s so good he has a long waiting list). He resolved so many issues with the layout and the finished product looked really good. I have heard bad things about a lot of retailer fitters, I guess it’s the luck of the draw.

I had mine fitted by a recommended independent fitter. It wasn't great and anything that didn't fit or subsequently broke, the fitter blamed the retailer, the retailer blamed the fitter.

In future it'll be the retailer and I'll be a PITA for them until its perfect.

When we got a B&Q kitchen they supplied the (excellent) fitters too.
The fitters accidently threw away our old dishwasher that was to be refitted and B&Q replaced it free of charge with no argument .
with our our own fitters we would have had to argue the toss I imagine
It was great that we didn't have to manage any of it - B&Q and fitters worked out any issues between themselves.
We actually need something replacing so I emailed B&Q and the fitter phoned me straight away, came out to look a few days later and we are booked in next week.

It can go either way retailers sub contract so you can get any random
if you source your own you have more input

We used our own fitter as we got our kitchen from DIY Kitchens and they dont do fitting, but he is my son in law and a time served cabinet maker so I knew he would do a good job Wickes qouted us almost £2000 just for the fitting i paid him just under half that for two days work

We got to meet ours first, he came round to see us. We could have refused and they would have found someone else, probably would have had to wait longer though

If you happen to be getting a Howdens, I'd advise against straight edge worktop, mine has had water / steam ingress near the dishwasher and swollen so it now sits above the trim and looks awful, apparently common with square edged worktop, my parents had the cheaper rounded nose one and theirs is fine.

Find someone independent FIRST to fit it, then you have time to look before you book. Get recommendations to find someone perfect and usually they have accounts with Magnet or Wren or whoever. Mine had a 35% OFF in Magnets and only charged £2100 to fit the whole kitchen and he was perfect and did the job to my expectations. Magnet would have paid him the same to fit my kitchen, but would charge YOU £4000 for the same job plus more for the kitchen.
Also, Magnet was happy for him to buy the kitchen at his discount.
So I would say someone independent.

If you like the square edge look at duropal that the one we have its thicker than most laminates and folds over the edge so you dont get a seam but i havent got a dishwasher so dont know about the effect this is mine now three years old and still looks like brand new price three years ago was £142 for each of the lengths we needed

Yes I used Duropal on an ikea kitchen, it looks good and I found a retailer based in Yorkshire that sold it at a reasonable price.

Independent, then you can choose who you have. Ours came well recommended and we also viewed their work. But we had to wait about six months for a vacancy with them .

Ours is from diy kitchens who don't have installers. Fab kitchen, very very pleased with it.