Howdens vs Ikea kitchens - which is best overall? Any advice?

leveller2911

Doozergirl wrote: »

Howdens are trade. taps. Howdens are a joinery, they do not specialise in appliances and don't offer great prices on them either.

Howdens are not a Joinery, they are called Howdens Joinery but don't actually make Joinery.They buy all of their doors in.They use to sell windows and didn't make them either:D...All bought in stock.

Years ago they were called Howdens Joiner Inc but changed the name a fre years ago....

Just wanted to clarify that .......

sillywilly

Doozergirl wrote: »

I'd love to see your pictures sillywilly, well done for hunting it all down separately - definitely the best was to do it cheaply!

Hi Doozer, will set up an online picture gallery to show the before and afters.

Am actually really pleased that I have taken as many pictures as I have because it is easy to forget quite how shi7 it looked before! Pine clad ceiling anyone??!

sillywilly

Gizmosmum wrote: »

After getting a "quote" for replacement doors of between £1,000 - £1500 I decided to price up some full kitchens.

Couldn't get my head round Howdens not having a showroom - I need to see what they look like in a kitchen setting because I'm not very visual - CAD drawings are really basic. Hubby is in the trade so we can get trade prices but I can't chose from a couple of base units and a catalogue.

Tried a local version of Magnet trade - much more choice, quality appears the same as Howdens and price reasonable.

Quite liked one of the take away kitchens from Wickes (we out one in one of our rental houses 5 years ago and it's still like new) but even that was £2k - my kitchen is a decent size. Thought I'd look at the prices of to order kitches at Wickes and nearly fell off my chair - £450 in the sale for a larder untit!!

Took a trip (70 miles) to my nearest Ikea yesterday - loved the kitchens, the quality (have you seen how many people are testing those doors and drawers every day on their way through to other departments??) I'd knocked up a quick cad drawing using Ikea tools the night before and was talked through all the bits I'd missed off by very helpful staff in the kitchen bit.

End result - I spent £3,400 fitting out my 5m x 3m kitchen with a mix of oak and white units (sounds awful but looks great) with 25 year guarantee, sink, oven, integrated microwave, integrated fridge freezer, integrated dishwasher, integrated washing machine - all with 5 yr guarantees and 3 solid oak work surfaces. Unbelievable price and I could have had 2 years interest free credit and delivery in 48 hours. If I'd wanted full oak it would have been about £150 extra.

Hard to beat I'd say. Of course we have to put the units together but having done this many times before - it's only an extra day's work to do this.

Happy bunny. :j

I don't think white and oak sounds weird at all - sounds nice! The solid oak worktop was a ridiculously expensive option with our Howdens kitchen but persuaded the OH not to have it when I let them know about the amount of upkeep and lack of resillience!! Saved a few quid there!!

It only comes in 2.4 metre lengths in Ikea doesn't it - which wouldn't have been enough anyway.

I am assuming you are fitting the kitchen yourselves, is that right?

I guess the carcasses are pretty simple to assemble unlike some of their furniture that has very unclear pictures and instructions!

Good luck with it all - you have any before and afters?

aah

Howdens do seem to hide the fact that they are a kitchen unit supply company under this "joinery" tag. Someone on this review site http://www.reviewcentre.com/reviews182104.html has also posted this cover. It also seems to permit them to vary their prices at will.
I am not interested in buying into this uncertainty and they have gone from the top of my preferred supplier list to now being right off it.

There are other reasons for this:

-the designer in the "showroom" was really pleasant and talked us through a super design and arranged to come out and measure up
-somebody else - completely disinterested - came out (late) to measure up
-we talked through our requirements in detail with mr couldntcareless and he went off and promised a design - soon - but he didnt send it until we phoned to remind him ten days later
-design didnt resemble our discussions at all
-measurements of the length of the room were out by 1 metre (yes 1 whole metre!)
-no response to our email of complaint

and then I found the review site listed. It is damning of Howdens, one of their fitters even claims that they are a con outfit.

People may say that it depends on the particular branch and that is obviously true to a certain extent. But the lack of transparency - and variation - of price seems a nationwide issue and that is unacceptable.

So glad I found out in time. I wouldn't touch Howdens with a bargepole.

leveller2911

aah wrote: »

Howdens do seem to hide the fact that they are a kitchen unit supply company under this "joinery" tag.

Actually they also supply doors and stairparts too, so not just a "Kitchen supply" company

and then I found the review site listed. It is damning of Howdens, one of their fitters even claims that they are a con outfit.

Ive fitted a fair few over the years and TBH always dealt with one branch and one designer, always had good service.

People may say that it depends on the particular branch and that is obviously true to a certain extent. But the lack of transparency - and variation - of price seems a nationwide issue and that is unacceptable.

Totally agree........

So glad I found out in time. I wouldn't touch Howdens with a bargepole.

Don't expect any different with Wickes,Magnet,Homebase or B&Q, from my experience they all have "issues" If any company gives bad service from the start just walk away......

debtdesperado

Hmm.. a friend has a Howdens kitchen, and the units were very flimsy, not very good. I have a Howdens bathroom cabinet and it's actually starting to warp where the steam gets in the joints (it is 2 years old). Absolutely rubbish...

I have an ikea kitchen (not installed by me - was here when I bought the place) and it seems a lot tougher and more robust. I was getting quotes for a new kitchen, and one of the installers said that Ikea kitchens are very good because they are made by Blum, who apparently make very expensive kitchens?

I think kitchens are a rip-off though - thousands for bits of chipboard covered in plastic laminate???! Crazy.

Doozergirl

debtdesperado wrote: »

Hmm.. a friend has a Howdens kitchen, and the units were very flimsy, not very good. I have a Howdens bathroom cabinet and it's actually starting to warp where the steam gets in the joints (it is 2 years old). Absolutely rubbish...

I have an ikea kitchen (not installed by me - was here when I bought the place) and it seems a lot tougher and more robust. I was getting quotes for a new kitchen, and one of the installers said that Ikea kitchens are very good because they are made by Blum, who apparently make very expensive kitchens?

I think kitchens are a rip-off though - thousands for bits of chipboard covered in plastic laminate???! Crazy.

Blum make hardware - hinges, drawer runners etc for kitchens, not actual kitchens.

Ikea and Howdens both have Blum fittings!

Did sillywilly post their kitchen pics?

sillywilly

debtdesperado wrote: »

Hmm.. a friend has a Howdens kitchen, and the units were very flimsy, not very good. I have a Howdens bathroom cabinet and it's actually starting to warp where the steam gets in the joints (it is 2 years old). Absolutely rubbish...

I have an ikea kitchen (not installed by me - was here when I bought the place) and it seems a lot tougher and more robust. I was getting quotes for a new kitchen, and one of the installers said that Ikea kitchens are very good because they are made by Blum, who apparently make very expensive kitchens?

I think kitchens are a rip-off though - thousands for bits of chipboard covered in plastic laminate???! Crazy.

Completely agree with your last sentence - an utter rip off for a few bits of chipboard, contiboard mdf faced stuff!! I swear that an "average" sized kitchens carcasses must cost the manufacturer less than £100 to make.

Without the doors, worktops, tiles etc most kitchens are pretty damn basic pieces of "carpentry"!!

Howdens are without doubt a lot easier for the fitter as the units are all ready made.

I hate their arbitrary "discount" their own branded appliances are BEKO!! and that they have no showrooms and only sell to trade. They also don't offer a guarantee like Ikea do.

Does anyone want to see our before, during and after of our Howdens kitchen?

lol

Gizmosmum_2

Neighbour has just had Howden kitchen fitted the worktop was scratched in the first couple of weeks:(

Doozergirl

sillywilly wrote: »

Does anyone want to see our before, during and after of our Howdens kitchen?

lol

YES!

I asked again two days ago - give it up sillywilly!