Getting a kitchen

adamparsons · 9 January 2006 at 4:05PM

We've bought a new house with a terrible, rotten kitchen. The good news is that we don't yet have to move in there, so I'm pulling out all the old units to make space for a whole new kitchen, and we can get the work done while the house is empty. The problem is I don't have any experience of how to plan the room, let alone install the new units. Wonder if anybody could offer some advice on what I should do - how can you tell a good kitchen fitter from a bad one? And should I take their advice, or get in someone from MFI or Ikea and just steal their ideas? The kitchen is about four by three metres big, if that helps.

covbaldy · 9 January 2006 at 4:58PM

Does it need redesigning with new units and appliances? If so then yes use MFi or Ikea (i think they have something on there ste for designing kitchens) I've also used B&Q before they were very good.

But if the carcases are still solid - keep them and just change or paint the doors, add new handles then new worktops, sink taps etc. Its the attention to detail at the end that makes a kitchen look great, the finishing off, siliconing, painting & tiling + grouting. Spend more on this if possible.

adamparsons · 9 January 2006 at 6:47PM

afraid the carcasses are, with a few exceptions, warped, chipped, cracked and generally gone. It's a case of starting all over again. But I'm still not sure how to get going, or how to tell a good kitchen-fitter from a bad one.

Macnab · 9 January 2006 at 7:10PM

magnet offer a kitchen design with computer generated pictures plus their units are all half price at the mo. Or go to mfi get them to do the same, then find yourself a joiner with an account at howdens and buy it from them at trade (howdens supply MFI)

chaddy_2 · 9 January 2006 at 7:30PM

adamparsons wrote:

Wonder if anybody could offer some advice on what I should do - how can you tell a good kitchen fitter from a bad one? And should I take their advice, or get in someone from MFI or Ikea and just steal their ideas? The kitchen is about four by three metres big, if that helps.

The best way is to ask for references and pictures of their previous work. If they are reputable that won't b a problem and they should be only too pleased to oblige.

I'm a kitchen and bathroom fitter and this is what i do when i go and quote for a job.

If you go onto the B&Q website there is an interactive kitchen planner that you can have a play with. Quite useful. Not brilliant quality pictures though.

Nile · 9 January 2006 at 7:37PM

Welcome to the MSE site adamparsons and chaddy.:wave:

jandanjan · 9 January 2006 at 7:47PM

There is a very good magazine called Kitchens, Bathrooms, Bedrooms ( or a combination of these 3 words!). Anyway that is great to look through to get ideas of what trends are going on- kitchens are moving away from the birch/light coloured look to more dark wood with light tops - fashion in kitchens as everything else.!

Now go to Magnet ,MFI and IKEA and get quotes from all - get quotes and ideas on your totally ideal wonderful perfect kitchen and dont worry about the cost while getting these quotes and plans because your not going to buy it anyway but you need to know your total overall dream kitchen. Do not tell one company you have been to others but at the end tell them you are going to look at others. See what their planners come up with or not. Most of the planners are formulaic - they only follow fairly set pattens - clinet says they want a,b and c so shove them in and bingo thats it....they are also trained to add in some expensive unnecessary items as well.

Then, take the plans away and forget about them for at least a week but pay attention then to what you do in a kitchen and also how you work in the kitchen. Look at your family situation and realise that this kitchen needs to last you for at least 10 years (assuming that you are going to stay there for that long) and figure out how your family is going to grow and how you will need to grow with it.

Then, and only then, look at the plans again - all three or four or more if you manage to get more - and stand back and look at the KEY things you like from the plans and figure out what you NEED not what "looks great". Kitchen design and supply companies tend ot add on extras to the final quote like side panels, baskets, lines etc. They also offer you "free" appliances but these need to be good quality or thier only a waste and the "free" offer is hidden in the price somewhere!

I took 6 months of shopping around for my kitchen and I took on the task as a project.I got quotes - wait ofr these- £25K (upmarket fancy shop great designer), £15K magnet - lousy design and expensive items added in, MFI £13K - so so design bad quality products offered. I worked out what I really needed and then through the mag I mentioned at the beginning I went to local people - and got the whole kitchen, fitted, all appliances (Bosch/Miele) all my NEEDED items plus 75% of my dream items - total cost ....£8K! It was really worth the time and effort I put in. Its been in now for 7 years and still looks fantastic - will last another 10 years. I have only had one problem with one drawer and I wold now recommend that when you do get your kitchen fitted get the fitters to leave you the brackets holding on the drawers and other "spare" bits as designs of things like that change and you can have the odd problem but all in all I am really pleased with it and still think it looks lovely. Sadly I cannot recommend the guy because he's retired!

Final note and not to bad mouth anyone but a friend of mine has just had her kitchen fitted by Moben - for the second time. The design was dreadful, the doors have split, the fitting was appalling, it took 7 months to get a refit and then the guy doing it threw a piece of wood at my friend as he was annoyed at having to do the work! They also "forgot" they had agreed to do the electrics and when they did do them they went home - and all her electricity was off! - and they would not come back and sort it (Friday!) so an emergency electrician had to come around. They are on the Watchdog website and that is a good place ot look to get details of some of the rogue people working in the buisness. There are some very good ones and you will find one but take time to look. NEVER pay the full amount for fitting until it is fitted and your happy and take lots of notes of what you are agreeing at the time of contract. Also make a list of exactly what is to be done and ensure you tick it all off with the fitters before they go and you pay - get a friend to be with you when they leave to help you do the final check and tell them you will be doing a check beofre they leave. Run the taps and check the sink doesnt leak, open ALL the cupboards and drawers and run the washing machine and dishwasher and make sure they dont leak.......

and then enjoy the next 10 years!

hope that helps

martindow · 9 January 2006 at 10:37PM

Here's a link to Ikea's on line planner if that's any help
http://www.ikea.com/ms/en_CA/rooms_ideas/kitchen/download.html

lapat · 9 January 2006 at 11:48PM

dont use magent,moben,mfi or kitchens direct you can go to a reputable local company for half the price
if your handy you can look ta https://www.selffit.co.uk for your units(after someone else has designed i for you i.e one of the big stores above)
then have a look at https://www.appliances.co.uk for all your electrical equipment theyy find the cheapest appliances everywhere
you may just need your local chippy to fit/joint your worktops about £150 for the day
all the best in finding your dream kitchen

adamparsons · 10 January 2006 at 2:15PM

Thanks for all the help everyone...sounds like the key is to get a good joiner, preferably with a Howdens account!

windym_2 · 10 January 2006 at 2:23PM

Howdens have got 70% off trade prices at the moment until 21 January 2006.

Getting a kitchen

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