B&Q Beach Style or Howdens Tunbridge Beech

saver_newbie

Hi,
I have a quote from Howdens for their Tunbridge Beech kitchen which is around £500 more than a B&Q Beech effect kitchen. They look simmilar in appearance and quality to me (I am not an expert).

My fitter says that the Howdens kitchen is better generally and in construction which is not always externally visibile. Howdens kitchens come with "rigid" cascasses as against B&Q's which comes "flat packed" which, again (I am told), makes Howdens better quality.

Has anyone any long-term experience with these kitchens as to how well they wear over the years ? Is the Howdens kitchen all that better ?

jockster211

Howdens are better in the long run.

Jockster

Basil1234

well it depends how good your fitter is really at putting units together and how much extra he will charge for his time by the sound of it.
Howdens are all ready pre-built just goto fit them in and the thickness construction would be better all round including the backs also if unit comes pre-built will get kitchen in faster versus flatpack so that would save some time and nagging from the wife which to me sounds like a well spent £500 overall.

Steve_the_fitter

Neither carcasses are that great though both kitchens will end up looking good if fitted well but Howdens is better than b and poo. Have you tried taking your printed B&Q qoute along to howdens for them to price match?

saver_newbie

Hi, Thanks to all the replies.

Howdens bettered their quote when I asked them to price match but they cant match the quote. The fitting will cost £200 to £250 extra for B&Q as the kit needs assembling. So the saving should be around £250.

I have heard complaints of the B&Q kitchens laminate peeling and poor after sales if a problem does occur. The B&Q kitchens beech laminate does not extend to the insides (i.e) their insides are white. But the B&Q kitchen looks better as of now.

Does Howdens kitchen have any such long term problems ? And how is their gurantee/after sales if a problem does occur ?