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Original poster

Who did you buy your fitted kitchen from? (and were they any good?)

37 replies

Charlie999 · 29/08/2007 21:23

I am looking to buy a new kitchen and have the same company install it - all new appliances as well.

So far I've been to MFI and B&Q but need opinions on prices, quality and any problems

Plan to do Ikea next week

Any horror stories / success stories would be very welcome

TIA!

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Original poster
Charlie999 · 29/08/2007 21:39

anyone?

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ledodgy · 29/08/2007 21:41

Sorry can't help but am in the same situation so will be keeping an eye on this thread.

Mistymoo · 29/08/2007 21:50

We got a deal from Space Kitchens eventually. We did not accept their first quote (way too much) and they came back and offered it for much less. The quality is great, fitters were fantastic, there was stuff missing and the fitters made one call and the missing stuff arrived the next day (we're in the Highlands and so to get anything next day is unheard of normally). I wish I could have taken my old kitchen to my new house. They are very pricey though unless you are OK to haggle and bring the price down.

The kitchen we have now in our new house is from "Kithens" and everything about it was rubbish. There customer service is rubbish, their designer was rubbish, the quality is rubbish, etc, etc, etc. Don't recommend them.

Original poster
Charlie999 · 30/08/2007 07:54

Thanks for that Misty - will have a look at Space Kitchens - assuming they have a web-site

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Original poster
Charlie999 · 30/08/2007 09:28

bump - any more stories ladies?

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MuffinMclay · 30/08/2007 11:28

We got ours from intoto, and were very happy with it and the fitting of it. That was about 5 year ago though. Don't now if they're still OK.

pooka · 30/08/2007 12:07

We got ours from Magnet. The actual standard of the fitting has been first class. However, the only downside is that the depot sending out the bits seems to have sent out loads of damaged stock, so we have had rather a lot of delays. Not the fitter's fault, and not the store's. But beware that sometimes delays out of their control can happen.
We got the Kuta. It's a framed kitchen in white/creamish painted wood. Got custom fit oak surfaces. It's absolutely beautiful and very well put together. Chose it because I like the flexibity of being able to refresh/redo a kitchen by painting it and would rather paint on painted wood than on melamine/laminated cupboards.

HappyDaddy · 30/08/2007 12:09

Our builder sources direct from Howdens, who supply Magnet, MFI, etc. Huge discount, good quality cabinets.

dustystar · 30/08/2007 12:12

We bought ours from MFI but fitted it ourselves. I'm pleased with the quality of the units etc but we had several problems with the order that took a while to sort out and delayed installation by a couple of months Having said that the customer service were ok and got everything sorted out in the end. I don't think i'd go for them if I did it again though as having to order everything form the warehouse is a pain - at least with B&Q you can pop down to your nearest store to sort out problems.

MFI fitters don't have the best rep

Original poster
Charlie999 · 30/08/2007 12:19

Thanks - plan is to have it done by November when I go back to work after mat leave....I'm dreading it (work and kitchen )

Shall have a look at some sites for companies that have been suggested!

Thanks

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HappyDaddy · 30/08/2007 12:20

My mate's used MFI. All was good except one piece wasn't delivered. Unfortunately, the one piece was a corner unit which was central to the whole kitchen. It couldn't be started til the central piece was in.

tissy · 30/08/2007 12:24

we got ours from M and S Kitchens.

The units are made of blockboard, which is MUCH stronger and more durable than chipboard. Their prices are VERY good- just paid £80 (inc vat) for a 600mm wall cupboard complete with solid birch door and handle. This is much cheaper than B+Q or Howdens.

I found them by chance on Ebay- my dh has taken against chipboard for some odd reason and won't have it in the utility room we are building. On Ebay you pay £10 for a door that you like the look of (you can get pvc-covered as well as solid wood). Then if you like the appearance you can order the rest of the kitchen units from them with the £10 knocked off the total.

Our joiner who is fitting them is very impressed with the quality, and can't believe the price! I think they are so cheap because they don't have a showroom/ advertising to push up the overheads. I think they have a website too... hang on, I'll have a look...

Hurlyburly · 30/08/2007 12:25

Another Space kitchen here. Got a quote from Magnet and they seemed fine too, but we went with Space in the end for price reasons.

You have to haggle with them quite seriously. The price we settled at was 3/5 of the first price they quoted. So if you are prepared to have the man in your house until midnight arguing the toss (which we did) then you will eventually get a pretty good deal.

They suit all budgets too. You can get a good quality kitchen, all wood and granite, with islands and ranges etc or a more moderate kitchen.

Either way just remember to haggle.

dustystar · 30/08/2007 12:26

I've thought of another problwm with MFI. I had measured my kitchen and designed what i wanted based on their product leaflet. When i went to the store the kitchen designer told me that what I wanted wouldn't fit so we had to change things around. When it came to fitting we found that a} He had put in a cupboard that wouldn't fit (this wasn't clear from the plan he gave me) and to avoid an even longer delay we cut the cupboard down to fit. Then we realised that he was wrong and my original design would have fitted and that my kitchen is now 10 cm shorter on one side than I had wanted.

Fortunately it looks fine and no-one would realise that it wasn't supposed to be like it is but it pissed me off that he could make 2 such big mistakes. I'm not saying don't buy from MFI as they have good prices but do check everything carefully.

dustystar · 30/08/2007 12:27

Just to make it clear the side that was too short was not the side we had to cut the cupboard down for

themoon66 · 30/08/2007 12:29

We used a small local company. Gainsborough Kitchens. No complaints at all about them. Lovely blokes

tissy · 30/08/2007 12:30

looks like their website is being re-done- it's called retailkitchens.co.uk- there is an M+S kitchens in Coventry on google, who are not the same people- theses are based in Manchester.

Original poster
Charlie999 · 30/08/2007 12:30

mmm MFI seemed good, but we were a bit suprised they wouldn't come round to the house to measure up themselves...have a B&Q man coming this evening...fun!

Your experiences are very useful...thanks very much...keep them coming

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GemBean · 30/08/2007 12:53

We have just had a divine kitchen put in by a firm in Stokesley, North Yorkshire, called Terry Dickens. It is brilliant and the service was faultless. If we didnt like something or it wasnt quite right, they rectified it no questions. They also did everything, tiling, plumbing, plastering, we didnt have to faff about finding tilers etc. Price wise they came out the same as Magnet but offered more in terms of what they did. Can't recommend them enough. Its probably a bit of a long shot that you live near Stokesley though??

Cloudhopper · 30/08/2007 12:56

We had a B&Q kitchen installed by a local builder. It was cheap and cheerful, but 4 years on it is still as good as new. No build quality problems.

Advantages were that if you needed any spare bits etc you could just stroll in and buy them
rather than having to order them.

Would recommend. We got a solid wood IKEA worktop which was cheaper than anywhere else.

meggiesmummie · 30/08/2007 19:25

Having a kitchen installed by in toto next week so will let you know how it goes. Worked out a little more expensive than mfi but the service so far has been brilliant. We have been back a number of times to make changes and they have always been really helpful particularly when we discovered our architect had got the drawings wrong and the kitchen area is 50cm shorter than it was supposed to be. They changed the units for us and only charged cost price!

littlerach · 30/08/2007 19:33

I don't thik I've ever heard anything good about B&Q fitters though.
Their kitchens seem to be fine, just not if they fit it!

Original poster
Charlie999 · 31/08/2007 18:14

we're on a mission now ....anyone used Ikea or Homebase?

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crokky · 31/08/2007 18:31

Just don't get Moben to do it. We got a kitchen from them, "discounted" etc. We used them because we thought that they were a good name and would not therefore mess us around (how naive can you get!!). I can honestly say it was one of the worse experiences ever.

Everything apppalling from start to finish. Delivery wrong, certain things they refused to do (flooring notably), ripped out kitchen, then fitters could not come to fit new kitchen, poor quality chipboard units, poor appliance (naff "free" dishwasher). It's hard to put into words, but it was shocking and it horrifies me even remembering it (last year).

Make sure you get recommendations and also make sure whoever does it is contactable (fitting dept, NOT sales dept!). Moben had 2 ladies answering phones for the whole country's fittings!

Original poster
Charlie999 · 31/08/2007 20:59

Ordered a moben catalogue today.....that'll be in the bin then !

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