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Original poster

At last we're getting a new kitchen but...........................

34 replies

Polgara2 · 29/12/2008 23:07

.................where do we get it from?

Come and tell me about your kitchens - where did you get them from, are they any good, would you go again, how much were they? And anything else useful you think I should know .

Have got as far as asking B&Q to come out to plan but that's it. TIA

OP posts:

callmeovercautious · 29/12/2008 23:08

NOT Kitchens Direct they messed my Parents up big time.

MrsSeanBean · 29/12/2008 23:12

Just a thought..... If you have not committed to buying anything, have you considered painting wooden doors? We did and got a whole new look for under £100. Didn't use anything special either, but Farrow & Ball eggshell. We left the handles plain wood. It looks great imho, very 'Shaker'!

MamaChris · 30/12/2008 09:26

have used Magnet twice (with independent installer). Both times installer needed a bit of pushing to tidy snags and actually do the job we agreed, but ended up with nice kitchens If you can use the Magnet Trade range, it works out a lot cheaper (it's a subset of the full Magnet range at lower prices, sold direct to Trade).

babyboo1and2 · 30/12/2008 09:35

we got our new kitchen from howdens but had to go via our builder quality of units really good, all were ready assembled and builder said they are more sturdy than self assembly cupboards

OHBollox · 30/12/2008 10:57

Wickes were very good as are Howdens.

happystory · 30/12/2008 10:59

Another vote for Howdens, have never regretted it for a minute.....and even tho they are 'trade' we were able to go and have a browse before buying...

naturelover · 30/12/2008 12:34

We got a solid oak Ikea kitchen, we love it and it was quite inexpensive. We used their downloadable kitchen planner software, went to the store, and were out again an hour later because we already knew what we wanted. Our local carpenter fitted it for us. We are hoping to move house soon and will definitely go back to Ikea for a kitchen (possibly the identical units!)

naturelover · 30/12/2008 12:35

Should have said, it cost about 3000 pounds not including appliances (we already had those).

Original poster

Polgara2 · 30/12/2008 18:51

Great thanks!

MrsSeanBean no can't paint coz although kitchen we have is very good quality it is absolutely hideous and NEEDS TO GO!!!!

So Howdens seem to be scoring well here. Will try them.

Also like the idea of Magnet Trade but are they still much dearer than the likes of Howdens, B&Q etc?

Also will probably try Wickes.

Any more for any more? No-one has mentioned B&Q yet I hope that's not because they are still rubbish?

OP posts:

SatsumaMoon · 30/12/2008 18:56

Are Howdens no longer part of MFI then? They used to be and if they are still are it might not be advisable to buy from the given that MFI have gone bust...

Ikea is very good value. If your budget is a little higher than Ikea I would suggest a local independent place rather than one of the chains if you can get a recommendation locally...

Original poster

Polgara2 · 30/12/2008 18:57

Actually I did wonder that about howdens but dh didn't seem to think they were affected will have to check

OP posts:

MamaChris · 30/12/2008 19:42

Just checked old emails and our Magnet Trade kitchen was just over 5000 all in - including some appliances (oven, hood, hob), tiling and fitting. But we deliberately went for a simple design, no lights in cupboards or anything. The kitchen itself was 1600+VAT, so most of that price was the labour.

Planning a new kitchen for our new home, and a local independent place quoted over 11,000 (after sale discounts) . Think we'll be going Magnet trade again

FeelingLucky · 30/12/2008 19:47

IKEA fitted by a very good builder.
If you have the space, you might want to consider worktops which are deeper than standard 60cm.
And if you're buying a new oven, you won;t regret forking out a little more for a pyroletic one.

Goober · 30/12/2008 19:50

Ours is 3 months old. Got it from B&Q and was fitted by a local chappie.
Love it.

MrsMattie · 30/12/2008 19:54

Howdens aren't part of MFI any more.

We got our kitchen from them about 6 mths ago and have no complaints (our builder fitted it).

It cost £7k including all appliances (got dishwasher & fridge freezer from Howdens, but got our own solid oak worktops, oven, hob & extractor fan, washing machine & drier).

Ruthiebabes · 30/12/2008 20:38

We have just had ours fitted, bought it in Homebase. We... and our builder.. are pleased with the quality. Good price too, as they are always doing reductions.

Original poster

Polgara2 · 31/12/2008 09:18

ah Homebase forgot about them!

OP posts:

jeanjeannie · 31/12/2008 14:01

I think it really can depend on the fitter.
Please think twice about B&Q and its fitters! My DP has had to undo quite a lot of bad work on B&Q kitchens in the last year. And if you order a B&Q kitchen and don't use their fitters but get your own they tend to deliver the kitchen in bits....at monthly intervals!

Magnet are excellent and my DP (a carpenter/builder) reckons they're the best for longevity and good for even a not-so-good fitter to install. Apparently made quite well, so more room for error without disaster.

DP has also been really (surprisingly) impressed with IKEA and he never thought he'd say that. Felt that they were really good to install and very robust. So, much so - that we've fitted out our utility room with the stuff and it rocks!

He's had nothing but grief from Howdens (I won't list his moans but peeling veneers on cabinets being the main one!) Although I think it's divorced from MFI - so that may help!

woodstock3 · 03/01/2009 22:21

in my old flat had a b'n'q kitchen and it was fine but i didnt let them fit it - my builder did it. lasted well and was pretty robust, but i knew i wasnt staying there long - if i had been i might've gone for magnet.

SpangleMaker · 04/01/2009 14:02

OK I am significantly biased as DH has his own kitchen business, but don't discount local small companies. Contrary to what you might think, their mark-up is no more - often less - than the big companies (particularly Magnet: yes you may get a 'free' dishwasher but the units are marked up to cover the cost). And you're more likely to get a friendly, personal service.

It's hard to get DH to be objective about mass market kitchens, but he has always been highly unimpressed with the quality of B&Q and Ikea product. Also unimpressed with Magnet. He thinks Homebase kitchens seem better, and was getting concerned about MFI, until they went out of business, as they were stocking Mobilia kitchens which are very good.

This is all from the pov of product quality, he doesn't have experience of the service.

Good luck, whatever you choose!

Original poster

Polgara2 · 05/01/2009 16:37

Thank you lots of food for thought!

OP posts:

LunarSea · 06/01/2009 10:03

We bought ours from Ikea - and used their recommended fitters. No problems at all, and the units are full depth so you don't lose any space, plus the wall units are deeper than some, and we had the extra tall ones too, so overall have got lots more space than we had before. We did add a few extra bits from elsewhere - notably tiles (obviously) and underunit heaters which freed up a whole wall which had been used by a radiator, but the selection of interior fittings Ikea have is pretty good - and cost a lot less than the equivalent we looked at elsewhere.

juju67 · 18/01/2009 19:12

Has anyone had any experience of handmadekitchens-direct.co.uk?

procrastinatingparent · 18/01/2009 19:32

I looked at what seemed like every kitchen site online, and went to quite a few showrooms to pull drawers in and out and we settled for IKEA fitted by our excellent builders, and we are really happy. I think the quality is excellent given the price and they have lots of options. We went and picked it up ourselves which saved us the nightmare our friends had getting it delivered (the same piece had to be delivered four times) but it was quite stressful working out exactly which pieces we needed for each unit and how much they cost.

I was really unimpressed by how flimsy the B&Q and Homebase ones were.

Pannacotta · 18/01/2009 22:48

We don't have a new kitchen (we will be looking sometime soon I hope) but what I would say about IKEA is that it is good if youa re nearby so can sort out any probs by going in yourself, but if you are hours away, as we are, then it may not be such a great idea.
I like the idea of small, local companies, as think the service is often better than the national companies.

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