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

[MrsOCD]

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?

I have wood also from Barncrest. There is some oiling to do but this gets less with time. TBH all you do is put some oil on a cloth and wipe over like you would anyway with a damp cloth.

At the start it is quite often but now I am at the once about three times a year stage. The barncrest website has a maintenance section to refer to.

Teta - they are great. You do have to paint them yourself though, unless you want them stained. None of it is difficult, just fiddly - knotting solution, undercoat, top coat etc and time consuming, but so worth it. I can not recommend them highly enough. You obviously don't get the fancy self closing doors, but it's all solid, and heavy duty. Almost fours years on, it has barely marked and nothing has broken - and I have 3 boys...!

They are amazingly easy to fit, as they come with the original plan and just slot into place. We did ours, never having done one before, and DH cut and fitted the worktop as well (laminate, if it was granite I would have had it cut).

I'll have them again - and I know lots of others who would too!

Forgot to say - handy tip, that is probably well known amongst you expert kitchen designers....

Go to a place that does headstones/memorials for your granite worktops - often they don't have the mark up of the specialist kitchen places....

I am going to go see them tomorrow FrostyFingers.The lady who answered the phone was very helpful and I have shown the website to my builder who couldn't believe that the units were made of solid wood.Also I have found out a friend of a friend has the same and is very happy.There is a granite place down the road that advertises worktops so will also investigate further.My DH has demanded costs and printed timetable before start - I think he thinks I am an employee of his!.I will get the builder to install the units and paint as my DH is useless at things like that.I love this stage - I get so excited at doing things to the house and getting good deals-very sad!

How exciting - keep us posted! Roughly where abouts are you by the way - we're over on the Powys/Shropshire border, so almost local!

Frosty.... can't believe it! I came onto this on here to ask if anyone had got a Pineland kitchen as we've had their brochure and planned the kitchen out and just needed to know if they were as good as they looked! Thankyou

Ikea units and top-of-the range appliances.

Hobnob and LadyThompson,I have that kitchen too.The colour is actually Farrow and Ball French Grey and looks fabulous.I had dark worktops,a black range cooker and hood and a black fridge and am so pleased with it,It has been much admired.

I would get the units from B&Q but shop online for the appliances (current 50% off doors - though there's always some kind of deal)

if you aren't up to DIY install ask around locally to get a good recommendation for a fitter.

It is worth using B&Q's kitchen design guy just to point out what may or may not be possible in your kitchen space.

we did our kitchen for £2.5k all told....though DH installed.

I am very happy with our B&Q kitchen (picture on profile) though am tinkering with it now - more due to my original design being flawed thn anything else.

buying appliances from the kitchen supplier you get a very crap deal.

the same could apply to Wickes (i rather liked some of their ranges, but preferred B&Qs in the end..)

FrostyFingers I live in Shropshire but not too far from the welsh border.I'm in a small town thats very "hilly"-if you know what I mean!.I can paint the solid wood units french grey if I want can't I?.I have a hankering for solid wood units and the fact that this company can build to whatever size I want is useful.I need a very wide full height glass fronted cabinet to store all my dishware.I haven't found something like this available anywhere else.A friend of mine has Ikea units that she has painted and they look lovely[she has an enormous kitchen]but I want something different btw.
Dark worktops and matching range sound really cool but will they work in an edwardian house thats full of "old" things[not just my husband!]?

Marmaduke - perhaps we should set up an "I love Pineland" club!

You can paint them any colour you like - we used Dulux satinwood, and have a pale green to go with dark green Rayburn already in situ, black laminate worktops (lusting after granite but couldn't afford it) and red/green/cream checked blinds, and 4 years on I'm still pleased with it. It's a miracle because I kept painting our last kitchen - just the walls - because i couldn't find a combination I liked.

Have a good visit today!

Couldn't make it yesterday so went today.The showroom was interesting because you have to walk thru' the factory first!.The units were solid and looked well made[in fact i saw them being made] and the salesman sat on the drawer to show me the sturdiness of the kit.I loved the large pantry style full height double width cupboard and this apparently cost in the region of £1000.There were some neat cupboards and ideas incorporated in the island units.I hate little cupboards above the work surface and all the kitchens were laid out like that.The granite topped units looked lovely but there was a lot on stained pine units on show and on commenting on this I was made to feel a bit pretentious by the salesman!.The salesman was an ex-biochemist keen to point out the scientific bits but low on charm and agreeability.I think the units are good value for money but [I know this is shropshire!]the marketing leaves a bit to be desired.They will draw up handwritten plans for free which is a nice touch.
In summary buying a nice kitchen is meant to make you feel good - but this didn't!.I will have a look at the wickes and others I think before I make a decision .

What a shame - we had a really good chap for us. By the way, you don't have to have little cupboards if you don't want them - we don't have any wall units at all, we just said yes or no as he suggested stuff, and designed our own microwave "stand" with a drawer below and cupboard above.

We came away so enthused by their stuff (and I expect it helped looking at friends' kitchens so we could see them in a non showroom environment), that it was a good experience for us. You could always send them your kitchen measurements and ask for a drawing and see what they come up with - or ask to see someone different. If the person you saw doesn't do the drawing, make sure that you get the man who does them....

Good luck - the kitchen for you is out there somewhere!

Hi,Looking back I was just really iritated by the guy showing me round.They say to buy a product you first have to "buy" the person selling it to you!.I was really enthusiastic going there and came away deflated.Yes I think it would help if I could see it in other peoples settings.I wonder if anyone is keen to post some pictures on their profiles?.I think I will go see the heritage grey at wickes and investigate the cost and then plan and cost up the pineland.Maybe I might end up ordering a mixture of the two.

I am posting again as I am trying to refine my thoughts!.I have just got the benchmarx catalogue and I think the reason I like the heritage grey kitchen so much is that the catalogue shows a kitchen that is exactly the same shape as mine and i can envisage how it would look.But the same style can be done in pineland and i can have customised units made for the same price.So hence I think I will take this picture to them and get them to plan it out for me.I hope this salesman doesn't read mumsnet!.

Well perhaps he should! Really busy at the moment, but might have a go and see if I can get some photos up for you. No promises though!

If you do go back, see if you can get someone else.....

Have only read first page of thread

Our kitchen is more or less exactly like this so we pinched the design, got the units from Ikea, our chippy mate ( who lives near you btw ) to fit it all ( DH constructed the units first ), got the integrated appliances from Sainsbo's online and got a Silestone Quartz worktop from a local stonemason.

Twas well under £10k, we did it last year.

Ikea's kitchen designers btw we found very helpful ( Thurrock branch ).

i am near( ish) you - how much does your chippie charge non mates? and did you decorate your kicthen too? Thanks