Kitchen revamp . Approx cost, plus other questions

another_casualty wrote: »

Howdy!
... it is worth buying cupboards when the sales are on ? If so, do I ask builder to purchase and fit them? Also, what cost am i looking at? I know what I want when time is right ..all white gloss . ..

I'd say no. Don't buy anything prior to a day pr two before installation. There are always sales, and your builder will probably get a discount anyway. And do consult your builder on what you actually need to replace;

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• base, wall and larder units? (what you call "cupboards" are usually referred to as units or "carcasses" which cost very little; from £20-50 per unit ). There is little difference in qhality, and it might be that your existing units are re-usable;
• - doors? which are the things that determine cost; you can get perfectly acceptable doors from cheap suppliers; B&Q's "white Santini Slab gloss" are among their cheapest at £15-£40depending on size, but look perfectly acceptable. And the matching plinths which just pop on at the bottom (what you call skirtings) are also fairly cheap - £20-£40 for a 2.4 or 3 metre length

So you'd get a lot of units and doors plinths and cornices for a couple of hundred quid; but up the specification and you could spend thousands?

The fact that your builder has already fitted a new worktop on some of the existing bases implies they are in OK condition. So you might even just get away with just renewing the doors (again subject to his or her advice). Although as I say, the base carcasses cost so little that it's often easier to rip 'em out and start again. And rememebr that builders often prefer pre-assembled carcasse units which cost a little more than B&Q or IKEA flatpack units, but save them time.

The last few times I've fitted kitchens as a DIY job (using a plumber or electrician for those skilled bits), or by getting contractors to do the lot, the materials (including units, accessories, hob, ovens, sink, taps, etc) have rarely cost a grand- and often much, much less .

Or you can spend several£k as I say above!

Pop into a few DIY sheds (B&Q, IKEA) or builder's merchants (Wikes, Howdens...) for ideas. But let the builder choode their favourite supplier- the cheap stuff all looks pretty much the same. And ignore any prices which Howdens will quote; they inflate these by 200-300% so your builder can pretend they are getting you a deal