Desperate for Kitchen advice!

Maria9995

We're in the middle of an extension that started 5 months early (!) and the most pressing thing is which kitchen to buy. We've had quotes for Wentworth, Beckermann and Burbidge - all in cream gloss - and Beckermann comes out most expensive followed by Wentworth then Burbidge. The Burbidge doors would be fitted by a carpenter who makes the cabinets himself and uses Hafele fittings internally and works out at least 4k cheaper than Wentworth though we haven't been back to negotiate the price (around 25k). The good thing about the Burbidge would be that we could source all the appliances and worktops etc ourselves and save even more however it needs to be the right kitchen. Any opinions as to the quality of Burbidge? A friend used the same carpenter and he did an excellent job so I'm happy to use him. We would appreciate any advice and hearing from anyone with these kicthens.

Thanks!

ormus

25k?
do they have solid gold handles?

Maria9995

The Wentworth and Beckermann are all broken down - it's basically 11k for the units, 5k for appliances, 3/4k for granite worktops, 3k fitting and 2k 'extras'. The Burbidge is 9.4k for cupboards and fitting - the rest is up to me.

keystone

A good fitter can make a cheap kitchen look good but a bad fitter can make an expensive kitchen look carp. If you are happy with the fitter then go with whatever he recommends him I'd say.

Cheers

amol_karnik

Hi

Let me first confess that I run a kitchen design and installation business.

Of the kitchens offered to you, Beckermann is by far the best product. Burbidge is a supplier of kitchen doors and these are then mated, either which custom built carcasses or off the peg carcasses manufactured by several manufacturers at several price and quality levels. Unless you know what to look for in a quality carcase, this is a tricky route as you door could be mounted any any average carcase with 18mm MFC. Remember that practically anyone with a saw can manufacture a carcase, so its longevity is very dependant on the other factors (grade of MDF, water resistance, type of edging etc) that give the carcase its quality.

Wentworth is an english made kitchen and almost certainly better quality. However, if the price difference between a Wentworth kitchen and a Beckermann kitchen is small (all other things being equal), the Beckermann kitchen is going to be much better quality.

We deal with German kitchens, and the quality and consistency of manufacture is very good.

Happy to help with anything if you wish.

27col

I cannot conceive of any way that I would pay that sort of money for kitchen units, even though I could afford to. Absolutely ridiculous prices.

Maria9995

27 col, wouldn't it be more helpful to make suggestions or just not post anything rather than come up with a negative comment? I've asked for advice so I'm looking for just that - you have no idea how many units I'm being quoted for or what the internal specifications are which all make a huge difference.

Doozergirl

Maria9995 wrote: »

27 col, wouldn't it be more helpful to make suggestions or just not post anything rather than come up with a negative comment? I've asked for advice so I'm looking for just that - you have no idea how many units I'm being quoted for or what the internal specifications are which all make a huge difference.

It's not a negative comment Maria. I wouldn't spend that much either and I know about big kitchens. I know that I don't need to spend that much on granite tops if I shop around, that I can have really decently branded appliances for less than your quote.

My kitchen is John Lewis Colour Collection sold also as Cucina Colore by Mereway (who make Wentworth kitchens) and it cost me £500 on eBay because it was used in the photshoot for the brochure. Now I'd happily spend more than £500 on decent quality units, but I didn't need to.

You can have an excellent kitchen on a budget. Just because you embrace the MSE ethos doesn't mean you can't have quality on a budget. I'd have as many quotes as I could if I genuinely wanted to spend as much as you do and I'd be looking at German kitchens.

slummymummyof3

Perhaps you should consider getting worktops, handles, sink etc from another supplier and this will really help in an overall reduction in price.

Maria9995

I don't mind opinions but I have asked for advice on Burbidge so someone who just posts what 27col and ormus have done really shouldn't bother. As I said above, the quote for Burbidge is 9.4k including fitting, so is approx 8k really too much for units including 2 full height pull out larders, 2 magic corners and a tambour unit among many others all of which add significantly to the price? I've certainly seen higher quotes than this for Wentworth and other brands on this site. I also said that the Burbidge quote means that everything else is up to me so I can save more on everything else though I have done plenty of shopping around for the appliances and the Siemens brand I want does not come much cheaper for the appliances I'm looking at. Any suggestions for cheap sites? Doozergirl, why would you suggest German kitchens when you have Wentworth? Are they not up to Beckermann, Shuller etc standards? That's the kind of info I would like please.

keystone

Don't be so sensitive Maria. This is a public forum and anyone can post to each and every thread if they want to and have something to contribute. Don't forget that its not only you reading what is posted but a great number of "lurkers" to whom 27Col and Ormus' opinions might a) matter and b) help.

Best of luck with your kitchen.

Cheers