Keeping new kitchen costs down

song_of_calliope

I am desperately needing a new kitchen but have a very small budget so I'm looking for ways to keep the cost down. So far, I'm going to:

- strip out the old kitchen myself

- paint and put down new flooring myself

- get a professional to buy the units at Howdens (if they can match the Homebase price for Amalfi - the tongue and groove design, if not will buy from Homebase)

- put the carcasses together myself, and then have him install them and the worktop/appliances etc in the kitchen

- buy the fittings separately on ebay

- buy everything in January during the sales

A few questions. First, when I put down the flooring, do I put it over the entire floor and then the units get fitted on top of it?

Second, I have a washing machine and a freezer that still have a bit of life in them but they're not integrated. Can these just go into the units as is? Or do I really need to buy all new integrated appliances. I plan to buy an integrated fridge, hob and cooker.

Third, how important is it that I have a cooker hood?

Finally, any other ideas to save money would be greatly appreciated!

kirwell81

song_of_calliope wrote: »

A few questions. First, when I put down the flooring, do I put it over the entire floor and then the units get fitted on top of it?

We are getting a new kitchen and flooring fitted next weekend and the joiner who I have complete faith in said he will install the kitchen first and then do the flooring so that's his advice.

lindos90

kirwell81 wrote: »

We are getting a new kitchen and flooring fitted next weekend and the joiner who I have complete faith in said he will install the kitchen first and then do the flooring so that's his advice.

Yep, the way we did it was to have the units fitted, but the plinths under the units were left off, then put the flooring down so it went slightly beyond the plinth point, up to but not under the legs, the the plinths were fitted over the flooring (they are cut to length and then clipped onto the unit legs)

Probably a good idea to consider the depth your flooring will be, so the fitter can take that into account when fitting the units, so all the plinths dont need to be cut down to accommodate.

Ive had several kitchens over the years, and the best type of plinths have a soft plastic/rubber type seal fitted on the bottom edge. They are not much more expensive and give a much better finish to the join between plinth and floor.

trumpton

Units usually go down first, then flooring around them. Howdens units come assembled.

If the basic units are ok in your current kitchen, a really cheap option would be to get the £2.50 doors and drawers from the B and Q sale (if any are left now) and just replace your doors and worktops. You could buy the units to go with them if the whole kitchen needs doing.

You can reuse your old appliances. When you come to replace them you may have to get freestanding ones again as I think the gaps needed for integrated appliances are different. Integrated appliances cost a lot more than freestanding ones usually, so it would add a lot to the overall cost if you bought all integrated.

lindos90

You will not be able to put your free standing appliances into units, you would need to get integrated appliances for that. Usually integrated fridge freezers, and ovens fit into units, whereas integrated washers, dishwashers and some undercounter fridges and freezers are 'freestanding' in a 600mm space between other units, and have an appliance door fitted directly to the front of the appliance.

If your current appliances are still in good order, you could use them for now, but if possible fit them into 600mm spaces, then when you need to replace them, you will have the option of fitting an integrated appliance, as the space will be just right (the vast majority of integrated appliances are 600mm as standard)..your freestanding appliances could be less standard.

Remember though that fitting integrated appliances at a later date will mean you need to replace parts of your plinths and worktops, and may have a problem getting units to match (ie yours may fade and look a different colour, manufacturers may slightly change the colour, or even discontinue a range).

Could you clean up and sell your current appliances, and put this towards integrated ones?

Try ebay to buy new/secondhand appliances, as local pickup items usually get less bids and you may get a bargin if no one else bids on it! I use this :

http://www.localbargainfinder.co.uk/

...just put your postcade in! I also fine tune it to 'nearest first' so I get all the ones less than 5 miles away first.

Or a local second hand electrical appliance shop?

A long shot, but Ive seen integrated appliances on offer on freecycle too!

Personally although I like to save money where I can, there are sometimes when you will need to spend just that bit more, especially if this kitchen will be used by you for many years to come.

ormus

intregrated appliances are different to normal free standing ones. they will not interchange.
you leave a gap for free standing ones. you will need new units for integrated ones.

lindos90

ormus wrote: »

intregrated appliances are different to normal free standing ones. they will not interchange.
you leave a gap for free standing ones. you will need new units for integrated ones.

Thats what I was meaning, but perhaps didnt make it really clear..if the OP uses their own appliances for now, they should make sure that the spaces they leave would be the right size for integrated units/appliances in the future, even if the spaces are too wide for their current appliances, if that makes sense.

Whether they are leaving space for an integrated unit to house an appliance (eg oven or fridgefreezer) or leaving a space for an integrated appliance that just needs a door (eg a washing machine) they would all need a 600mm space.

song_of_calliope

Thanks, all. If I do use my old appliances, would I be able to install the worktop over them or would they be taller than the other units? I guess that's a bit of a silly question, asking you how tall my existing appliances are, but I'm not in the house yet so can't measure them. They're a standard washing machine and small freezer size. Any ideas?

sheslookinhot

song_of_calliope wrote: »

Thanks, all. If I do use my old appliances, would I be able to install the worktop over them or would they be taller than the other units? I guess that's a bit of a silly question, asking you how tall my existing appliances are, but I'm not in the house yet so can't measure them. They're a standard washing machine and small freezer size. Any ideas?

Freestanding appliances will fit under the worktops, just like the units you will buy