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Original poster

Help m,e re-fit my kitchen on a teeny tiny itsy bitsy budget!

30 replies

PaddlePig · 26/08/2008 11:41

I have a small kitchen with 1 x double base unit with work top, 1 x kitchen sink unit with worktop over washing machine, 1 x drawer unit with a worktop that spans a double unit (there's a gap next to drawers)

I have a number of wall units.

Plan to replace:

double base unit and single drawer with free standing double units - negate need for worktop then.

replace sink unit and worktop.

replace wall cupboard doors only.

Is this feasabl?

How much would you budget as a minimum?

Where's the best place to buy with a minimum budget?

I'm seriously talking about £500 here!

OP posts:
Pannacotta · 26/08/2008 13:09

You could look at IKEA or B&Q when they have a sale on?
Worth getting some advice from kitchen companies even if you dont use them in the end.

IllegallyBrunette · 26/08/2008 13:13

I have bee looking at doing this. Just replacing the doors and adding extra wall units.

I found a good ebay shop that sells the units. Will have a look for it.

IllegallyBrunette · 26/08/2008 13:14

here

Original poster
PaddlePig · 26/08/2008 14:14

cool, thanks.

I also found this sale kitchens

they will do a plan for free and they stock replacement doors etc.

in fact they've just rang me to make an appointment to do the quote!

i have a sinking feeling they will be doing a sincerely hard sell as they really wanted to come around today!

OP posts:
PinkChick · 26/08/2008 14:17

speak to howdens joinery, they specialize in kitchens, we've just got ours from them and they were MUCH cheaper than anyone else, no sales pitch as theyre trade only (you can open trade acocunt or get your own joiner to put on his account)..our kitchen is the envy of all our mate and cost a fraction of what theirs cost

captainmummy · 26/08/2008 14:40

I'm just putting in a new kitchen from Howdens for MIL - I got a 70% discount on the units etc by using the (cash) trade account from a friend/builder and the quality is fine. The priciest bit of it all seems to be the worktop - laminate would cost about £200 but she wants quartz, at about £2000. But it will make the whole thing look more than it is. Also using cheap white tiles, but adding a few (about 10) really cool handmade glass tiles in beautiful jewel colours. The whole lot (3.5 metres of tiling, so quite a lot) is £120, but again, adds more than that in the look.

Original poster
PaddlePig · 26/08/2008 14:43

thanks PC, my brother put me onto Howdens a while ago actually.

he's a builder so can do the whole trade thing for me.

will look at their catalogue again tonight.

am a bit nervous abuot this rock solid kitchen lot coming round now!

OP posts:
PinkChick · 26/08/2008 15:32

should come in FAR less than your budget!..we got a lovely ceramic sink from focus when it was in sale for £90 instead of £200..have a look on websites such as plumb base etc as well.

we also got huge discounts from howdens, we just gave the name of the guy who was to be fitting it and she wprked it all out for us based upong trade, we have MANY mroe units than that, inc cuboards for washing machine, dishwasher, seperate breakfast bar with cupboards above and below and ours was about £2500 (plus builder costs and work obv)

Original poster
PaddlePig · 26/08/2008 15:58

WOW! Sounds fabulous.

Did you get some help planning the kitchen or did you DIY?

I am so inexperienced in all these things! Just looked on Ikea and sinks and so on are quite expensive there.

must ask bro if he has a "mate" who could fit it all for me!

OP posts:
PinkChick · 26/08/2008 20:19

we had to get ours done as we had big flood, but we knew how we wanted it anyway..you know sometimes you have these.."if we won the lottery we'd do..." blah blah..well we did it that way (apart from the huge extension to the playroom..insurance wouldnt foot any of that billl)..HOWEVER, we wanted it similar to how it was, tweaked a little, no tall units all base or wall, breakfast bar/units were huge old f/freezer used to be, but cos flood was so bad when they started ripping out, wiring was v.dangerous so lots of plaster came away, actually ALL the plaster came away!..then the ceiling wasnt level so as we were doing it now, we thought we'd have it levelled but we found a wonderful high beamed ceiling beyond, so now its vaulted..all this obv cost extra mind, who ever you get to do it, make sure they let you know what EVERYTHING will cost, inc what they may charge extra for doing the extra bits!!!..if you hand on ill put a before, during and after pic on my profile..it isnt quite finished, not painted yet, but you will see what i difference its made

PinkChick · 26/08/2008 20:34

right, some pics no profile

PinkChick · 26/08/2008 20:34

some pics ON profile! d'oh

Original poster
PaddlePig · 26/08/2008 22:17

wow, that's an amazing transformation! loving the cooker in the middle of the chaos!

will keep you posted on how I get on!

OP posts:
PinkChick · 27/08/2008 08:51

i know LOL, i sold it too the plasterer as we got a built under one ..good luck with it all

Pannacotta · 27/08/2008 10:20

Lovely kitchen PinkChick, PPig hope you find the bargainous kitchen you are after....

Original poster
PaddlePig · 27/08/2008 10:51

thanks but it's looking like we're off to a shakey start as the kitchen planner for rock solid is now 20mins late!

PC, did you plan out your own kitchen or did you get help?

I am not particularly design-able and am very intimated by the idea of having to work out my own design LOL!

off to retrieve my Howdens catalogue from the cupboard now.

OP posts:
PinkChick · 27/08/2008 10:52

thanks..only the second time in 6 houses we have ever had a new kitchen and first was a new wimpy house back in 1998 and it was cheapy budget provided by them, so this was fab being able to choose myself, although insurance probs and builder probs were not so good..ah well, all nearly done, so alls well that ends well

PinkChick · 27/08/2008 10:53

PP go onto b&q website, you have a template, put in were your doors and windows are then you can play around putting in units, appliances etc, gives you a little idea..we did this, but mainly we knew were we wanted things and what would look good were, luckily when it was done we both stood back and went WOW..could have been so different

Original poster
PaddlePig · 27/08/2008 11:11

well, i've binned rock solid as they are still not here. the kitchen designer just called me and he is still 20 mins away and i have a meeting at noon!

huff!

OP posts:
MissisBoot · 27/08/2008 11:12

PC - I love your kitchen - it looks fab!

Do you mind if I ask which kitchen did you use? And are the doors white or cream?

I too am looking for inspiration!

PinkChick · 27/08/2008 13:28

Hiya, thanks..theyre cream and are called......erm...hang on it began with B ????????..it will come to me in a sec???

Ledodgy · 27/08/2008 13:32

We got the Adele kitchen from Ikea and it's fab and cheap. I'll put pics up if you want.

Ledodgy · 27/08/2008 13:44

have stuck it on ym profile anyway pics a bit rubbish though.

Original poster
PaddlePig · 27/08/2008 13:56

okay stop now as i am getting LOL.

ledodgy, when you say "cheap", how "cheap"?

also who helped you plan it? did ikea do it?

i know i am starting to sound like a broken record but i really need some help designing.

tried the B&Q planner and got in a bit of a tizzy with it. It wouldn't let me add the worktops and then wouldn't let me view it!

took the easy option of doing "auto-fill" but whilst it looked lovely, it put stuff in a million places where stuff just cannot go in my kitchen LOL.

OP posts:
PinkChick · 27/08/2008 13:58

ok go onto a local kitchen palce, we have tercaz, mfi, b&q etc..'pretend' you may use them but want to work out a design first, ask their tips, tell them what you have to work with, then fiddle around ntil you like what you have