Kitchen - best options?

tali

I'm looking for a new kitchen (i have a reliable builder to fit it) so are the major chains (Focus , Wickes, B and Q etc) the best option -or should i go for indepenants/smaller retailers?
Must admit i do find it a bit confusing as when they advertise these kitchens -the smallprint seems to exclude virtually everything you thought was part of the price!
Also lots do 0% finance - but i am suspicious as to whether they have factored this in to the inflated? prices
Also a friend of mine claims they make most of the money fitting the kitchens - rather than the units themselves
I'm not looking for anything fancy - just want a standard issue kitchen at a budget price.
Thanks

justjohn

howdens or b&q and get builder/joiner too fit
15% off b&q next week

mitre the worktops

vansboy

Ikea.

Download the FREE planner, spend a few evenings making your own design & you'll have fun.

Local installer.

VB

CKdesigner

Hi Tali

You will find lots of threads on here like this one with lots of people offering different advice. Here is some basic whole market information for you.

Bottom end - Suppliers are all the 'sheds' Focus, B&Q, Homebase, etc. Also Howdens, Moben and Magnet. All of these will have a limited range of between 20 and 50 door styles to choose from, all the sheds will be flat packs so the fitting costs will be more than a rigid or pre-built carcass. There will also be a limited range of unit sizes. Best of the bottom end suppliers, in my opinion would be Wickes.

Middle market - Dominated by the Independent kitchen specialists and John Lewis. Will generally be rigid carcasses. Many independents will use doors from the likes of Second Nature and use a local carcase manufacturer. Others will use German kitchen manufacturers. All will give you a lot more choice of door styles with a lot more units and sizes to choose from. My vote would be a decent German product as most really know how to produce very reasonably priced much better quality kitchens.

Top end - Suppliers like Mark Wilkinson, Christians, Smallbone, etc. These are very much show piece kitchens and great if you can afford a new kitchen from £50k plus!

Hope this helps to get you started.

CK