Kitchen retailers a shower of robbing *******

[OddSox]

Why don't you fit the Kitchen your self?...!

It's not a difficult job.

Strip your old kitchen out completely and then measure the space.

Then make a simple design on some Graph paper... where you want the units to go etc, taking into account appliance space and electrics.

Top Tip. Kitchen Units are in MM..So make your plans in MM.. and allow for splashbacks and tiles etc

You can buy your kitchen 'Flat pack', assemble it at home at your leisure and fit the Units exactly where you want them to be.

It might seem daunting but once you have done one, you will see just how easy it is.

You will need a hand with wall units and such but other than that you can D.I Y.

Save yourself around 1 or 2K and have the experience and bragging rights all to your self..

[SCP440]

We went exactly through this exercise earlier this year, we popped into Wickes just to see what they had.

There designer came to the house and kept tweaking the price, we ended up getting a kitchen for just under £10k fitted and Wren had quoted us over £20k with all the discounts he could apparently. The Wickes kitchen even included a new stove and 12 months interest free credit.

[OddSox]

Originally Posted by SCP440

We went exactly through this exercise earlier this year, we popped into Wickes just to see what they had.

There designer came to the house and kept tweaking the price, we ended up getting a kitchen for just under £10k fitted and Wren had quoted us over £20k with all the discounts he could apparently. The Wickes kitchen even included a new stove and 12 months interest free credit.

Under 10K?...I would hope a LOT under 10K..! Wickes Kitchens aren't 'Bespoke' and do not warrant a premium price.!

[The Rovering Member]

Decor-wise, l don't think we spent more than £1200, including a reskim for the walls.



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[Arryhall]

I've fitted a few kitchens and what I can tell you is this: Howdens is about the best value for money out of all the main carcass suppliers. The reason is simple: their carcasses are thicker, stronger and better made than anyone else's and just really well designed. They are better than the Wickes premium range of carcasses and cost less. Also, they are incredibly easy to put together and fit.

I had my kitchen done by Broadway who did a fantastic job. I ought to have done it myself, but I was so busy building the rest of the house, it was just SOOOO much easier to get someone else to do the heavy lifting of fitting it and the huge granite worktops than mauling it myself.

Price is only one thing to consider. Another nice touch with Howdens is that the cheapest cabinet doors are well designed. The melamine coating is actually folded over the edges so unlike B&Q doors, steam and grease can't get in and cause them to delaminate.

As for the cost difference, it's standard that you get the price, then the "trade price" which is generally 40% less. The reasons for this are varied BUT it is common practise.

[Darcydog]

Originally Posted by cossie dunc

Those were all fitted prices, I have my own fitter organised now at a fraction of the cost

Check the Howdens quote as their quote did not include fitting when we used them - and I thought that was how they operated?

I too got annoyed with the Kitchen firms - even tho we went with Howdens and are very pleased with it -. the ridiculous discounts cited on thier quote just made me angry.

Do they really think people are that stupid to believe that an item discounted by anything up to 78% is genuine?

When I worked it all back it meant that the supposed cost was over £35,000 before "Discount". I told Howdens in Ringwood to stuff it it annoyed my so much.

We still went ahead with them as the kitchen suited our needs better (1000 size units rather than 900 from everyone else) - but our fitter had his account with their Salisbury branch so they got the business.

The chap we spoke to a Wickes was at least honest about it - he said upfront that their 50% Discount was a year long silly gimmick and that the 15% discount off marked prices was the real discount that month.

He said the only month their Kitchens are at the full price is November because nobody wants a new kitchen that close to Christmas.

I liked the blokes honesty and no-nonsense approach - he was the only one out of many!!! - but sadly we needed 1000 units - and their largest was 900 so we never got past the design stage with them.

[Darcydog]

Originally Posted by Arryhall

I've fitted a few kitchens and what I can tell you is this: Howdens is about the best value for money out of all the main carcass suppliers. The reason is simple: their carcasses are thicker, stronger and better made than anyone else's and just really well designed. They are better than the Wickes premium range of carcasses and cost less. Also, they are incredibly easy to put together and fit.

I had my kitchen done by Broadway who did a fantastic job. I ought to have done it myself, but I was so busy building the rest of the house, it was just SOOOO much easier to get someone else to do the heavy lifting of fitting it and the huge granite worktops than mauling it myself.

Price is only one thing to consider. Another nice touch with Howdens is that the cheapest cabinet doors are well designed. The melamine coating is actually folded over the edges so unlike B&Q doors, steam and grease can't get in and cause them to delaminate.

As for the cost difference, it's standard that you get the price, then the "trade price" which is generally 40% less. The reasons for this are varied BUT it is common practise.

Exactly what our kitchen fitter said about the quality and ease of fittment of Howdens kitchens.

[murphyv310]

Our Howdens kitchen is 11 years old as as good as the day it was fitted. At the time I had an account with them giving me 33% discount, so if your self employed set up an account.
I would heartily recommend Howdens

[HarryM1BYT]

Originally Posted by OddSox

Why don't you fit the Kitchen your self?...!

It's not a difficult job.

Strip your old kitchen out completely and then measure the space.

Then make a simple design on some Graph paper... where you want the units to go etc, taking into account appliance space and electrics.

Top Tip. Kitchen Units are in MM..So make your plans in MM.. and allow for splashbacks and tiles etc

That is what I did many years ago too. I became friendly with a guy who worked at a local kitchen unit supplier, so he got us a good discount on top, so we were able to buy their top of the range. Planned it out on graph paper and installed it myself. It was an overall quicker job and I was able to decommission part, fit the new, then decommission/ fit the rest. That way we had some sort of kitchen facilities all the time. If you pay someone to do it, they will rip everything out then take a week or more to get you back in working order.

The work is not that difficult, if you are a practical type and you can use online kitchen design software now, instead of paper. Remember the fridge, cooker, sink triangle when laying it out.

[HarryM1BYT]

Not nearly so bad as the itinerants we get round here. One pulled up in a recent signed van, wearing day glow vests at the end of the drive - roofing repairs.

I was working in the drive anyway. Thinking they were looking for for directions, I walked down. Did I want my roof repaired, nope nowt wrong with it, did I want my drive resurfaced - nope, its fine as it is, did I want to sell my caravan you don't use it, yes I do - NAUGHTY WORD-NAUGHTY WORD-NAUGHTY WORD-NAUGHTY WORD-NAUGHTY WORD-NAUGHTY WORD- off before I ring the police, do you want to sell your dogs, no and I am now ringing the police.

I had just had some repairs on the roof anyway, by a proper local tradesman - why would I want those clowns stamping around on the tiles breaking them up?