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Original poster

A new Kitchen - Where from for a £10k budget

68 replies

MrsOCD · 05/05/2010 14:32

Room is square, about 12 foot by 12 foot. Need to start from scratch and need integrated dishwash/oven/micro. I don't want it mindblowing, just easy to use, easy to clean and whilst I don't want really expensive units and worktop, I don't want the really cheap ones either.
I don't seem to see anyone who's happy with the B&Q, Magnet way of doing things but for this price, where would you go?

OP posts:
EricPicklesFatNeck · 05/05/2010 14:34

i would get base units from ikea and pay a really good joiner to fit. ikea has the best choice of units and at that budget they are all the same.

Original poster
MrsOCD · 05/05/2010 14:36

EPFN, have you done this? Reason I ask is because I'm clueless. If you took measurements to Ikea, would they plan it and tell you what to buy or would you have to work it out yourself?

OP posts:
alypaly · 05/05/2010 14:37

my kitchen is 10 by 10 and it cost me £7k with all brand new white goods ,replumbing and new electrics. I still think it was expensivebut the white goods mount up to a pretty penny. New washer/dryer,fridgefreezer,slimline dishwasher,neff double oveb and hob,extractor fan. Be careful who you get to do it too as i have yet to find a reliable kitchen fitters. Mine nearly gassed us over night....then i found out they werent qualified to fit gas appliances. They never came back to sort out things that hadnt been done properly. I would love to stand outside their premises an tell potential clients about their after sales services cos its non existent

alypaly · 05/05/2010 14:38

i did kitchen design as one of my jobs...it is easy aslong as you have your measurements correct

alypaly · 05/05/2010 14:40

dont always take the first design as the best one. I had several designs and decided that none of them worked efficiently in my kitchen

thepuddingchef · 05/05/2010 14:41

I would recommend Ikea, my kitchen was fab and only cost £4500, although we did do all the work ourselves. They are still looking good 3 years later! oh and with two kids as well!

Original poster
MrsOCD · 05/05/2010 14:41

alypaly, where did you buy your units?

OP posts:
bibbitybobbityhat · 05/05/2010 14:42

Mrs OCD: I have a very good friend who is a brilliant kitchen fitter and he says you really can't beat Ikea for quality, unless you go up into the hugely pricey ranges.

alypaly · 05/05/2010 14:42

dont go for high gloss tops, (i did and i now regret it,as they scratch really quickly and are no use if you do alot of cooking).

I still love the maple or cherry and black tops as i dont think it dates.
My next door neighbour has a stunning kitchen in black and white but i think it will date

bibbitybobbityhat · 05/05/2010 14:43

You aren't in Essex or East London by any chance?

LadyPeterWimsey · 05/05/2010 14:45

I love my ikea kitchen - it was time-consuming to plan it ourselves (they will do it for you) but we had our great builder fit it, and it still looks great and stands up to the blows of 4 kids. only tip: don't get them to deliver it as friends had total nightmare with theirs. It was worth the marriage-testing late night trips to pick it up because when we got it wrong there was only each other ourselves to blame.

alypaly · 05/05/2010 14:46

i got them from a private kitchen fitter in a local village...but they are spanish. I wouldnt recommend them nor would i recommend any of the units that have what is called a shrunk wrap on them.one of my drawer fronts burst after xmas turkey was cooked and they wouldnt replace it. If they get too much steam or heat on them they come apart. If you can afford solid or non pre wrapped ,go for those.

if i were you, go for solid carcasses as they last for ever and you can always put new doors on them in the future

DaisymooSteiner · 05/05/2010 14:48

Ikea will come out and measure up I think. Don't go for their kitchen fitting service though, it's really expensive.

The kitchen part of my kitchen diner is about the same size as yours and cost a little bit over £4K (although we don't have a huge number of units as we have a big pantry for storage too).

Units with all the internal fittings from Ikea including huge kitchen island (though sink sourced separately), new oven, hob, extractor fan, American fridge freezer (sourced separately). We got a joiner-type person to fit the units but put them together ourselves (really easy) and found a tiler to do tiles.

We went into Ikea and went through the design bit with an assistant and then went home and thought about it. Went back in with our final decision and someone went through and ordered all the bits and pieces. They also do 2 years interest free credit which is nice! I'm really pleased with it and would do it this way again every time. I reckon you could easily do it for much less than £10K.

alypaly · 05/05/2010 14:48

OCD it depends how much work you need on your electrics and plumbing too. under unit lighting etc, hidden cooker switches too

DaisymooSteiner · 05/05/2010 14:49

Oh, and their units are guaranteed for 25 years. Where else will do that for that price?

whatwasthatagain · 05/05/2010 15:50

Where are you. The Olive Branch in Yorkshire did mine and it is fab. Wooden with some granite surfaces but mine is quite big. I am sure they could do you something for £10k

alypaly · 05/05/2010 16:05

BTW i meant the doors were spanish....not the fitters

EricPicklesFatNeck · 05/05/2010 16:37

mrsocd - yes i have done this twice. you can download a tool from ikea so you can have a go at planning the kitchen and then you can go in and talk to their kitchen designers. they are normally fairly sensible. i ended up drawing bits and pieces myself and the joiner chipped in with his opinion. turned out fairly well.

stressed2007 · 05/05/2010 16:42

Can anyone recommend their fitter if they are in the London/Essex/Hertfordshire area? And can anyone post links to photos of their completed Ikea kitchens? Thanks

Original poster
MrsOCD · 06/05/2010 13:37

Am in Bromley, Kent area. I'm seeing Ikea in a new light and note that whilst they could design the kitchen for me, I should get a good joiner/plumber etc to fit it.
If I wanted fully integrated dishwash, I guess I could buy the unit from IKEA but wouldnt have to buy the actual dishwash from them? Are integrated products one size that fits all?

OP posts:
ageing5yearseachyear · 06/05/2010 21:15

i got ours from Howdens

They only do trade so you will need to find a builder/fitter before.

They planned it and a mighty fine job they did to-because they do different quality of everything you really can mix and match to bring it all in on budget.

for example i wanted really cheap worktops because i have teenagers and i have had too many expensive ones ruined.

I ordered my appliances from John Lewis- neff through out- they all mix and match. Kitchen area is prog about 4m by 3m with a big breakfast bar- Howdens cost about £4k, appliances £3k including enormous fridge and fitting £3k.

stressed2007 · 07/05/2010 08:56

I love your name ageing - just how I feel. Can you post any photos of your kicthen? I am becoming increasingly obsessed with Ikea/Howdens kitchens.

Orangesarenottheonlyfruit · 07/05/2010 09:43

I'd also add B and Q into the mix. I managed to do ours including all Bosch applicances in the B & Q Cooke and Lewis range for 8k. It wouldn't be that price normally but we used one of their frequent sales. I then spent 2k on a granite worktop from a local supplier. Small suppliers are great as you can haggle a discount if you are brazen!

Think that Wickes kitchens are also quite nice and cheap?

Orangesarenottheonlyfruit · 07/05/2010 09:44

BTW I'd also second a really good fitter to put together for whichever one you use. Don't just use the stores own, will cost a packet and prob not be as good!

LadyThompson · 07/05/2010 13:15

I heard good things about Ikea but wanted a less modern look and went to Wickes - a cut above the other high street ones imho.