Bespoke Kitchen Cabinets - Ballpark Pricing Per Unit?

Im_A_Mouse_In_Need

Hello,

I'm torn between paying for bespoke kitchen cabinets to be made and fitted, or getting Magnet/Howdens units through a builder at trade price who will fit them

I realise this is like asking how long is a piece of string, but are there any guidelines for what is a fair price to pay per unit for bespoke including fitting?

Variables
Type of unit (corner, floor to ceiling, appliance housing)
Thickness of wood used - Say 16mm?
Quality of wood - Medium cost
Cabinet dimensions - Various, say average base unit 700mm wide, 970mm high
Door detail and finish - Plain fronted, smoothed edges, painted
Handles - Medium cost
Assume no extra accessories like magic carousel, soft close

If anyone with experience of making/fitting bespoke cabinets can give me some kind of ballpark guide to fair prices (and say what sort of specs they are pricing it on from the above list) I would be really grateful.

Thanks

DirectDebacle

Im_A_Mouse_In_Need wrote: »

Hello,

I'm torn between paying for bespoke kitchen cabinets to be made and fitted, or getting Magnet/Howdens units through a builder at trade price who will fit them

I realise this is like asking how long is a piece of string, but are there any guidelines for what is a fair price to pay per unit for bespoke including fitting?

Variables
Type of unit (corner, floor to ceiling, appliance housing)
Thickness of wood used - Say 16mm?
Quality of wood - Medium cost
Cabinet dimensions - Various, say average base unit 700mm wide, 970mm high
Door detail and finish - Plain fronted, smoothed edges, painted
Handles - Medium cost
Assume no extra accessories like magic carousel, soft close

If anyone with experience of making/fitting bespoke cabinets can give me some kind of ballpark guide to fair prices (and say what sort of specs they are pricing it on from the above list) I would be really grateful.

Thanks

Hi, I am a fully qualified cabinet maker and make handcrafted furniture.

First off do not confuse handcrafted with hand finished. For example a very well known manufacturer of fairly good furniture (D###l) advertises their furniture as handfinished. In other words it is all made by machine and the handfinishing could mean anything from a light sanding to a flick over with a duster.

Handcrafted means that. Handcut joints, silky smooth surfaces achieved with a cabinet scraper and hand sanding and as much care and attention to detail given to what won't be seen as what will be seen etc etc. First quality bespoke work will be very expensive. Costs will also vary according to the type of wood selected and other variables. Impossible to price without a detailed spec and working drawings. Unless you have a bottomless pit of money I would avoid this route. Not doing my trade much good here I know but it best to be up front.

Other considerations are that wood is a 'living' material. In other words it will want to breathe and move. In a kitchen it is going to move more due to the extreme variations in heat and humidity. This may well mean that your beautifully made dovetailed drawers are going to open and close perfectly one day and stick like crazy the next. This is not a fault. It is the nature of wood and one of the reasons why there is still a market for handmade furniture. No two pieces are ever alike and they each have their own characteristics.

If I were you I would go with your first option for a variety of reasons.

1. Carcasses. Once these are fitted then very little of it is on view, until you open a door. Really a waste of good wood. A hancrafted carcass will be overengineered in its' construction. Once secured to the floor, wall, joined to the adjacent cabinet and a worktop screwed to the top all the rigidity you will ever need is there. So all the work involved in jointing the carcass at construction will really be a waste of time and therefore your money.

2. Doors, plinth, cornice, light pelmet. This is what you see. They are all available in solid wood off the shelf, more or less. As such they can be painted to suit your taste.

I would go for this option. Choose 18mm MDF (not chipboard) carcasses. They are pretty much of a muchness and it is quite possible that a B&Q carcass was made by the same manufacturer as makes the ones for Wickes, MFI and a host of other brands. As mentioned good quality doors are available separately. Do research. Track down carcasses, doors and accessories in the sizes and quality you need. Price it up. Ask your builder to give you a price for the same spec. and a separate price for fitting. Do the maths. If you can save money by you supplying the materials and the builder for fitting only then go for it and spend the savings on a pair of bespoke handcrafted bedside cabinets for example. When you move you take them with you, a bit tricky taking a handcrafted kitchen to another house.

At the end of the day you should end up with a kitchen that is uniquely yours. Though you won't be able to boast you had it handmade you will be able to say you designed and comissioned it yourself.

Good luck.

Im_A_Mouse_In_Need

Thank you so much for such an excellent reply.

I was wondering if it was worth paying for top quality workmanship when the majority of the carcass is almost never seen. The points you mention about the wood breathing/moving hadn't even occured to me. I will take your advice and get decent MDF carcasses instead.

Taking the time to put all that great advice down is really so much appreciated, if I could hit the thanks button more than once I would.

Scoobs72

I agree with what DirectDebacle has said. The other advice I would offer is to make sure the backs of the cabinets are also solid MDF and not hardboard. Wickes carcases are pretty decent quality. On the last visit I paid to Magnets I didn't think much to theirs. Two final things - choose your worktop carefully - there is a lot of variation in quality. And make sure you get a good fitter - a good fitter can turn a cheap kitchen into one that looks great and vice versa.

jr182

Hi, I have had a handmade bespoke kitchen fitted The quality i feel is unbeatable and the space saving is great.I got my kitchen from Oakstone Design they are based around Stockton on tees. I've just found that tey have a new website, oakstonedesign.co.uk Good luck

leveller2911

Spam,spam,spam,spam,spam ..................and its an old thread.........:D