Howdens vs Ikea kitchens - which is best overall? Any advice?

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  • sillywilly
    sillywilly Posts: 701 Forumite
    Doozergirl wrote: »

    What isn't great about Howdens is that different people get different discounts dependent upon their relationships and some tradespeople will add their own margins on top of what they pay to Howdens whereas others will pass their price straight to you. It's possible to get a Howdens kitchen at a really good price that may not be quite as cheap as Ikea but then I'm not sure I'd expect it to be.



    I use Howdens, they are a good standard kitchen - not top drawer but of a decent quality and not expensive. I pay less for Howdens than any retailer can offer. I know that people often get quoted more but I wouldn't ever expect to spend more than £3000 on units in a decent sized kitchen. I don't think I could get away with an Ikea kitchen in one of our houses. I never buy appliances from Howdens though. I always shop around for appliances, sinks and taps. Howdens are a joinery, they do not specialise in appliances and don't offer great prices on them either.

    Very interesting points Doozergirl - especially on price!! Our kitchen size is 3.5 X 3.6 M but that has 2 doors so is not full units.

    I am sure I have seen some pics of some of your kitchens - any chance you can point me in the right direction to see them again?

    Thanks
  • Doozergirl
    Doozergirl Posts: 33,781
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    sillywilly wrote: »
    Very interesting points Doozergirl - especially on price!! Our kitchen size is 3.5 X 3.6 M but that has 2 doors so is not full units.

    I am sure I have seen some pics of some of your kitchens - any chance you can point me in the right direction to see them again?

    Thanks

    The space that this kitchen occupied was 3.6 x 3m
    http://www.photobox.co.uk/my/photo?album_id=239017432&photo_id=1973719391

    This one was more than £3000 in units but this was just massive (the units go on behind where the pic was taken) there were so many units.
    http://www.photobox.co.uk/my/photo?album_id=27469175&photo_id=1600634809

    I'll have another new big one to show in about 3 months. Can't wait to do that one!
    Everything that is supposed to be in heaven is already here on earth.
  • Gizmosmum_2
    Gizmosmum_2 Posts: 448 Forumite
    Do Howdens just do door fronts? My units are absolutley fine but the white high gloss cathedral door fronts are a little early noughties .... I'm trying to find someone who will do reasonably priced door fronts - OH is very pratical so slight alterations to fittings aren't a problem
    Target of wind & watertight by Sept 2011 :D
  • sillywilly
    sillywilly Posts: 701 Forumite
    Kitchens look great Doozergirl. What ranges are they? 2nd kitchen looks like Glendevon in Oak?..

    The 1st one - Person I am enquiring for was going to go for a walnut kitchen which I felt would be too dark. Not great light in the room.

    Also I assume you are a developer. Personally I wouldn't want a really dark kitchen - white is a better bet for more people.

    Can you recommend any websites for appliances and where did you get the gorgeous granite worktop?

    Sorry for all the questions!!
  • sillywilly
    sillywilly Posts: 701 Forumite
    Gizmosmum wrote: »
    Do Howdens just do door fronts? My units are absolutley fine but the white high gloss cathedral door fronts are a little early noughties .... I'm trying to find someone who will do reasonably priced door fronts - OH is very pratical so slight alterations to fittings aren't a problem

    No - they do full kitchens - but you need to be in the trade to buy from them.

    Ikea just do doors at very reasonable prices - trouble is they aren't standard sizes but if OH is handy... still wouldn't help that much as carcasses are different sizes!

    B&Q do off the shelf doors. I am sure Howdens would just sell the doors - just need to find someone in the trade to buy em! You will then get the seemingly arbitrary "discount" where they will let you know the "RRP" then give you a 50% + discount.

    I really don't get why they do this. Doozergirl - do you have a price list off them seeing that you are in the trade? You know exactly how much they will charge without any of the discounted BS?

    Please let us in on a trade secret...:o
  • Doozergirl
    Doozergirl Posts: 33,781
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    Gizmosmum wrote: »
    Do Howdens just do door fronts? My units are absolutley fine but the white high gloss cathedral door fronts are a little early noughties .... I'm trying to find someone who will do reasonably priced door fronts - OH is very pratical so slight alterations to fittings aren't a problem

    If you find someone with the right relationship with them then yes, they do sell just doors. :)
    Everything that is supposed to be in heaven is already here on earth.
  • Doozergirl
    Doozergirl Posts: 33,781
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    edited 8 July 2010 at 9:03AM
    sillywilly wrote: »
    Kitchens look great Doozergirl. What ranges are they? 2nd kitchen looks like Glendevon in Oak?..

    The 1st one - Person I am enquiring for was going to go for a walnut kitchen which I felt would be too dark. Not great light in the room.

    Also I assume you are a developer. Personally I wouldn't want a really dark kitchen - white is a better bet for more people.

    Can you recommend any websites for appliances and where did you get the gorgeous granite worktop?

    Sorry for all the questions!!

    They are the Glendevon Cream and the Hexham Oak I think.

    H just put the Greenwich Walnut in for his sister's business, I haven't seen it but I'm a fan of doing what you want in your own house - can't be bothered with light and dark. If walnut is what you love, then light the room well and use light colours on worktops and walls.

    Worktops in the first pic are from www.thegraniteandmarblecompany.co.uk and the second from www.diapol.com Whatever happens, use people that template either traditionally or computerise it and then go back to cut. We did a kitchen where H found someone that cuts the granite on site and the quality was nowhere near as good. Both of the companies above were excellent.

    Appliances I always use www.pricerunner.co.uk and will spend forever looking for appliances that fit my bill and see which is cheapest for what I want. I'll go and view it in one of the big appliance shops to make sure I like it then I will go back and buy it online. I've used lots of companies through there (boots kitchen appliances - points and quidco; jual domestic; trading post appliances) and always think about whether I can collect to save delivery costs. I'm often guilty of buying ex-display as well to save money. I have a lovely Bosch integrated fridge freezer in my kitchen which I picked up really cheap in B&Q because the sides were slightly dented. You don't see the sides!

    I don't know exactly how much Howdens charge for everything, there is no 'real' pricelist. They seem to have a minimum margin which they work to on each item which the computer will tell them if they go over, but the margin on the RRPs isn't the same so the % they reduce by isn't the same for all items. And discounts are different on different ranges. (can get a 95% discount on some discontinued stuff if they can make me a kitchen from it!). On the whole you'll find all units should be reduced by the same amount, and doors will be the same amount. Worktops again are a different discount, usually less and I often use B&Q as they do a nice worktop that is cheaper. As a rule I'd be looking for no less than a 75% discount on anything but not expect as much on a worktop.
    Everything that is supposed to be in heaven is already here on earth.
  • ic
    ic Posts: 3,291
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    edited 8 July 2010 at 11:16AM
    kayl wrote: »
    The total cost was £3600 which was for both my kitchen and my utility, and included an oven, hob, extractor and dishwasher. Each appliance was between £100 and £200 cheaper that the equivalent in the B and Q kitchen brochure. Installation will be £2300.
    Added benefit is that 2 years interest free credit!
    Is that £2300 of the £3600? I.e. you're paying £2300 to fit a £1300 kitchen? :eek:

    Any good kitchen fitter is probably very capable of the plumbing needed in the kitchen, plus if they're not a qualified electrician, they should have the contacts and be able to arrange that work for you. I doubt there is any extra work in arranging your own fitters, other than contacting them. At £2300 I'm sure its worth you making the effort - I'm sure you could get the work done a lot cheaper than that.
  • suisidevw
    suisidevw Posts: 2,256 Forumite
    I read it as £3.6+ the fitting. That's a HELL of a lot on fitting! Can't you cancel Kayle?! Where are you based?
  • lizbethr
    lizbethr Posts: 12 Forumite
    This may not be much use but my Mums Kitchen is Ikea, she has just replaced all the doors and said it was all quite easy to do and looks great.

    No experience of Howdens though my godmothers sons kitchen was one of theres.

    We have recently ordered our kitchen from DIYkitchens after visiting there showroom. Spent weeks deliberating over where to order from so fingers crossed it all goes ok, should arrive next week.
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