New kitchen costs

foxymum1977_2

MartialArtMan wrote: »

We're going for granite upstands and a glass splashback behind the cooker, although I have read a few people on here do not think that upstands alone are enough and have tiles etc too. We're also going to have a granite window sill as the window is only small (should cost about £50) but will tie it all in nicely imo.

we had Granite put in our new kitchen at the end of May & i LOVE it!!! i also have a granite window cill at the extra cost of £140, looks lovely, have upstands too, i think this is enough to not get stuff splashed up the walls, but you do have to be careful though.
we have a stainless steel splashback which is great.
we went for Black Galaxy which has goldish sparkles in it, money well spent believe me, it makes the kitchen look like something you see on the TV.
i added red accsesories to give the kitchen some colour, we're not finished completely yet, need a bin & some interior doors & finishing off.

good luck.:D

vansboy

poet123 wrote: »

We have just black granite upstands and then black granite(sparkly) behind the hob...looks great. I hate tiles! so we had cream walls,with a feature bright red one and red accessories,goes well with black and cream. We have cream high gloss floor tiles as it connects with the conservatory. The rest of the house downstairs has the real wood floor,the upkeep is minimal,just a vacuum,and a damp mop,thengo over with one of the shine clearner with the mop. Rugs soften the effect,and mean youy can change your colour scheme by changing rugs and cushions!! I get bored easily.

Can we see some pics - love the sound of all the red n black!

I wanted Coca-Cola red walls, in the living area, but Mrs V gave us Raspberry Delight.instead.

Looks good though!

(Got the CocaCola red in the big bedroom, though!!

VB

Doozergirl

basmic wrote: »

How often do you replace the kitchen? I'd expect a kitchen to last at least 10 years, unless you're in a habit of wasting money and resources.

I like the kitchen, apart from the cheap and nasty looking laminate floor, and pink everywhere you look. :eek::eek:

I'd love to see a picture of your kitchen

Doozergirl

I really like the sound of your kitchen, probably because it sounds a lot like my last one! Can't recommend diapol enough on the granite front, they were quick and the tops looked fabulous. They were the black ones with the subtle silver sparkles as well.

Don't just look on the internet, get out there as well. You can find all sorts of really good stuff in clearance sections and factory shops. I saw a cloakroom basin, really nice, for £15 in Aldi of all places today! Also look on ebay for things that people have bought but no longer want rather than the ebay shops - I got my kitchen tap for £60, it's a brand and it looks a lot more than £60 - it would be £160 RRP.

And if you are buying then you have to haggle. Buying the appliances from Wickes will not make the kitchen cheaper, in fact, if they're anything like MFI, it makes it harder to discount as they have to work to margins and the appliances don't have much margin in them. Get other quotes, even if you want the Wickes kitchen, play them off against the other retailers!

Use price comparison sites for your appliances and don't feel you have to buy everything from one retailer. Use Quidco as well! It mounts up on expensive items!

MartialArtMan

Diapol certainly seems to be the best price on the net. We want the black with silver sparkles I think its Star Gate, we saw Cosmic black in B&Q the other day and the sparkles in that really sparkled! We're hoping Diapol one is just as sparkly :cool:

I've been hunting the net for bargains on our chosen cooker & fridge, you have to be really careful with the comparison sites and shopping at separate retailers because of the delivery costs sometimes adding them on will make your bargain find dearer than somewhere else!

Regarding the haggling; we have been planning this kitchen for 2 or 3 weeks with the planner and have told her that we will order it when the money has cleared (sometime this week hopefully!) now my haggling will probably g for a half in jest "How much are you gunna knock off for us then?" to which I would imagine her reply would be "It's already in the sale I can't offer any further reduction." To which I would reply "Oh, ok." I'm rubbish at haggling....

poet123

Sorry no camera at the moment....got stolen on our recent holiday in Spain!!! it does look nice though,it is Scarlet by Laura Ashley on the one wall and the chimney breast in the dining room(which we knoocked through to),to create an open plankitchen/dining/Conservatory is done in Cranberry LA Marciano wallpaper.

poet123

it really is worth haggling and playing one off against another we did this with Howdens and MFI,got almost £600 off the pprice and a free dishwasher!!took a lot of going back and forth though and uming and ahing until they gave us what we wanted. Just think of it as a contribution to your floor or whatever.

MartialArtMan

I've priced up comparable kitchens from MFI, B&Q and Homebase and Wickes was by far the cheapest anyway, what leverage have I got to haggle with?

poet123

You could say you were undecided between two particular kitchens obviously pick the least expensive one you can find from the "other "retailer and get the kitchen you want from Wickes reduced down to nearer the cost of the cheapo kitchen. Your leverage is that you are actually prepared to buy a kitchen at all in these uncertain times. Tell them price is paramount and let them think you will have to "settle" for a cheaper kitchen and watch the price of the one you really want come tumbling down. Keep asking for time to mull it over and keep appearing in the shop to look,and seem to be doing the figures. It is all a game,make sure you are the winner!

vansboy

Both Homebase & B&Q havee BIG signs up. offering to beat other quotes(20%ish) so you should - in theory - get another 20% off the Wickes figure, to make it equal.

If that makes sense!!

VB