End Panels for Kitchen Units

Doozergirl

ic wrote: »

End panels aren't structural at all, they just finish off the visible ends. If you need a filler up to a wall, a length of plinth can be cut to size to fill the gap and attached to the cabinet with suitable brackets.

That's exactly what I was going to say. End panels are often used as fillers to ensure that the kitchen fits the room exactly.

We always use plinth if we need fillers as it's only the thin edge that's showing. You'll get as much use out of one piece of plinth as two end panels - at a fraction of the cost.

3under3

Thanks for all the replies - I think I have my answer. Like you say it's up to us what we actually buy no matter what they have quoted. The units are going mainly in a new extension which has not even been built yet so we don't need the panels to fill in the spaces. Looks like we could be spending our £280 on better things!!

Alias_Omega

Im in the middle of a B&Q diy kitchen fit.

They supply replacement end panels, basically when building the units, you fit one of these instead of the white item.

And when the unit is on the wall, the side of it is the right colour and size.

Other panels they provide are..

Base unit end panels
Wall unit end panels
Support end panels

So in short, if you want to look at the kitchen units, and see a brown door with a white side, then leave the end panels out, but if you want to look at the wall units / base units, and want the side the same colour as the doors, plinths etc, you need the colour coded end panels to build in.

Steve_the_fitter

Is it one of their gloss kitchens which have 28mm end panels, cornice and pelmet giving it a kind of framed look if done correctly? If so that is why they have put panel in when all is really needed is a filler made from plinth as already stated. The 28mm panels do look good but they should for the money. If money is an issue get rid of the ones where the wall is gonna hide it but they are needed where sides of carcasses are shown and put a good finish to the carcasse if you are having a range or free standing appliance.

3under3

Steve_the_fitter wrote: »

Is it one of their gloss kitchens which have 28mm end panels, cornice and pelmet giving it a kind of framed look if done correctly? If so that is why they have put panel in when all is really needed is a filler made from plinth as already stated. The 28mm panels do look good but they should for the money. If money is an issue get rid of the ones where the wall is gonna hide it but they are needed where sides of carcasses are shown and put a good finish to the carcasse if you are having a range or free standing appliance.

It's not a gloss kitchen, just a shaker style one, windsor it's called. Only one end panel is on display, two butt up to walls and I can't even see where the other two they are quoting for are supposed to sit, I think either side of the sink or the cooker. The only one I can see we need is the one next to the free standing fridge. They have quoted for 5 baseline panels which I'm questioning and 5 high panels - these will make a framed look with a cornice so we don't mind paying for that - we just don't want to spend money unnecessarily.

joncarpet

we had a kitchen from Homebase and raised the same issues.
Told them we didnt want all the end/filler panels unless really needed. They them took 2 off the quote. saved us a fair few quid!! they delivered 5 anyway so we've got some spare!!

also, to save more cash, we got our handles independently. They were quoting £80 ish for handles. got some of internet for £35!!
just asked the fitters to fit them and they were fine.
same with a tap we bought off ebay!!!

cjmarcantonio

Tried a Wickes one, not a bad design for the cost. The wife made us go with B&Q in the end...

frangipani

I agree - you've really got to scrutinise these 'shed' kitchen plans. My dad just bought a kitchen and bathroom from Homebase and because we all liked the sales guy, we trusted he had our best interests at heart - ha, what fools we were.

The kitchen is small and has 5 base units including the oven housing plus a washing machine and slimline dishwasher. Homebase ordered 9 base unit end panels when only 2 are required for the 2 units at the end of the u-shaped kitchen. One end unit has been supplied to cover a blanking plate that is hidden behind a front filler panel! They won't take the 7 surplus ones back - no refund policy etc - and the store is not willing to do anything, they argue it's planned correctly. So, dad who's a 75 year old OAP has 7 panels costing him well over £200 doing nothing.

I'm going to take it up with head office. But as a warning to anyone buying a kitchen from these places, I fully agree that they put these things in just to extract more money out of you. They argue they are structural as well, which I accept may be the case in a kitchen with granite worktops but in such a small kitchen? No, IMO, purely a means of the sales guy upping his commission.

jolfc

sorry to hijack the thread after so long,
can anyone tell me whether you use a plinth in the end of a base unit if you have an end panel on it.
we will have a 1000mm base unit in an alcove so only the front on show.
a 300mm base unit with a side and front on show
and a 1100mm sink unit with a front and side on show.
we ordered 2700mm of plinth is that right as my partner thinks you may need plinth for the sides even if an end panel is on.
any help much appreciated.
thank you.:D

Terryfromcucina

3under3 wrote: »

The worktops will be either solid wood or if we go down the cheaper route - laminate. No doubt which looks nicer and I like the fact that the solid would can be maintained and repaired.

That's hilarious... Maintained.. Repairable...

Was the salesman one of Alan's apprentices? They should be that is quite frankly ridiculous and also completely untrue.

By Maintained do you mean regularly resanded and reoiled, as opposed to simply wiped clean - which is the equivalent process for ALL other type of worktop except the high maintenance solid wood versions.

By Repaired did you actually believe that one too - oh yeah they can be repaired alright, though 1 x 'new one' is the part number you will need for the repair.