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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:
DrSpechemin · 07/05/2010 13:23

Bibbity - I'm in Essex and need a fitter - do you have a recommendation???

ClaireDeLoon · 07/05/2010 13:33

I liked Wickes too - got solid wood doors and very pleased with it. Kitchen fitter did say that Wickes kitchens good quality.

bibbitybobbityhat · 07/05/2010 15:14

DrSpech - yes, the man is an old friend of mine. I have known him for 25 years and would trust him completely to do a superb job. I would ask him to do my kitchen if we could afford to have a kitchen done atm! Can you CAT me? Don't want to post his details on the www.

Mins · 07/05/2010 17:47

Just found this thread and read with interest as we have been going through similar kitchen stuff since January! We had quotes from lots of places and had quite a few people round (Magnet, Howdens, Wickes etc.) as we had an awkward part of the kitchen. We have ended up with units from Homebase which cost just over £3,000, have found a local fitter who will fit for just over £2,000 (Plus electrics) and are buying sink, taps, flooring, and applicances online. Estimate the whole thing will cost around £8,000 - would have liked to have done it cheaper but didn't want units to look cheap and don't feel comfortable fitting ourselves. Having looked at lots of places I felt that the Wickes kitchens were the best quality for the price and just didn't go for them as they didn't fit our awkward space unfortunately. We previously had an IKEA kitchen and didn't choose them this time as we live quite a long way from a branch and last time delivery from them was horrendous. Hope this helps!

DrSpechemin · 07/05/2010 19:15

Great - I don't have CAT - can you email me details at missisboot at googlemail dot com?

stressed2007 · 07/05/2010 21:47

I have CAT. Please can you CAT me details too. Thanks

hobnob · 08/05/2010 09:07

We have just had a fabulous 'Heritage Grey' kitchen from Wickes fitted - BUT (and this was a MN tip) we bought it from Benchmarx, which supplies Wickes, and it came in considerably cheaper.

LadyThompson · 08/05/2010 09:42

That's the kitchen I have got, Hobnob. Does it look good? My DP and BIL are fitting it Neither of them do it as a day job but my BIL is exceptionally handy and has fitted a kitchen and a bathroom in his own house (and both look good). It's a sort of greeny-grey isn't it?

Waswondering · 08/05/2010 09:54

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

hobnob · 08/05/2010 14:27

Hello LadyT. It looks stunning! Yes, a greeny-grey, which looks strangely depressing when you see it out of context, but completely beautiful when it's up and all together. Best of luck with yours!

ageing5yearseachyear · 08/05/2010 19:02

stressed- changed my name when i realised i had aged 5 years between 41 and 42. it comes from have 3 daughters aged 15, 12 and 2!

the chances of me actually clearing up the kitchen to the point of being capable of being photographed in the next couple of days is slim!

however, one thing i would add in howdens favour is that all the units are delivered constructed. also because they are a joinery themseves- any missing bits/damaged bits can be sorted out overnight. a lot of the horror stories i have heard with some of the big players are that missing bits take 3 weeks to turn up, by which time the fitters are else where.

tootootired · 08/05/2010 19:06

Howdens and IKEA are both good kitchens if well fitted. If you're not sure what you're doing, use the IKEA homeplanner to plan your layout more or less how you want it then get a good carpenter recommended to reproduce it from Howdens range.

ageing5yearseachyear · 08/05/2010 19:06

oh and i would also echo the John Lewis route as well, very good friend of mine found that their "budget" range was easily as nice as the better stuff elsewhere and were very happy with the deal they got. they also were very very nervous about using a builder because of all the horror stories you hear so this suited them very well. defo worth a look.

cece · 08/05/2010 22:08

I have pictures on my profile.

My units are from Wickes well Benchmarx really (their trade arm).

Got worktop from internet company. Appliances from online co too.

pop1973 · 08/05/2010 22:09

Ikea cabinets are good, I would have these again.

thehillsarealive · 08/05/2010 22:16

just had a kitchen from magnet fitted. my fitter was fantastic - very tidy and fantastic attention to detail. He said that magnet kitchens are good, Ikea good too - Howdens you can mix and match from, and I could have gone with them, but had already chose my magnet kitchen.

The person who came round from Wickes to do the spec was rubbish, the girl from Magnet was great - really knew what she was talking about. I do recommend them. I love my new kitchen.

The only thing about Ikea is they dont have the space behind the units for pipes/electrics, but it isnt a problem if your fitter knows what he/she is doing.

teta · 09/05/2010 11:05

Hi.Please can i join this thread?.I am also looking for a kitchen and as we have an old house the Wickes Heritage grey would look lovely.Do you mind me asking how much yours cost?.Secondly how do you go about ordering from the trade arm of Wickes?.Do I have to ask my builder to set up an account?.Finally what sort of worktops go with this kitchen?.Many thanks!.

cece · 09/05/2010 16:31

Benchmarx have their own showrooms and you can go and view the kitchens there.

My units cost just over £4500 but that included internal wire baskets, carousels, cutlery trays and so on which are expensive

cece · 09/05/2010 17:02

Here

It works like Howdens, yoou need a builder with an account as they won't sell directly to the public

teta · 09/05/2010 17:39

Many thanks Cece.Thats a really good price.I have requested a brochure from benchmarx and will see what the kitchen designer at Wickes recommends [just out of interest!].Thank-God for mumsnet.

cece · 09/05/2010 23:09

The price involved a lot of toing and froing getting each to beat the others price.... Took a while but I was pleased with the result...

hobnob · 10/05/2010 00:08

Teta - the price I had from Benchmarx (in Reading) was so much below the Wickes one (even in Wickes's 50% plus another 15% off sale) that Wickes had to admit defeat, so I didn't do any bargaining. I didn't need to go through a builder, either, which I'm guessing is a result of the recession. Mine cost just under 5k, but this is quite a few units plus pull-out larder and mini-larder, oven housing etc. I got oak worktops (the butcher's block sort) from Barncrest (another MN recommendation) which go very well, particularly as the kitchen is painted oak

frostyfingers · 10/05/2010 08:26

Try these people, although they aren't near you they do cover your area and are absolutely fab.....

www.pineland.co.uk/intro.htm

teta · 10/05/2010 10:20

Wow, frostyfingers i really like that website.The painted dresser type cabinets are brilliant.I particularly like the double-doored cupboards that open up to chaos[in one of the owners pictures].This is so similar to my house [as i have 4 kids]and is in my neck of the woods.Will now investigate!.Thank-you.

Original poster
MrsOCD · 10/05/2010 14:46

Worktops for kitchen - sure this deserves (or has had) a thread of its own. I love the idea of a wood worktop but do you have to give it special care? I only want one if you can spray and wipe. Can't be doing with all this oiling business and being too scared to damage it.

OP posts: