Kitchens

geezawolf

Just wondering if anyone has any experience of mid-range kitchens from places like B&Q, Homebase, Wickes, Howdens, Ikea, Magnet etc. Also thinking about Selco. Would appreciate your comments.

Thanks

C

Meepster

What exactly would you like to know?

geezawolf

I guess I'd like to know about the quality.

Meepster

Well all of them are different quality and tend to aim at different price points.

Of the ones you've listed, Magnet is the best quality, but will also be the most expensive. They use a ridig built carcase along with Howdens and Selco.

All the others use a flat-packed carcase. Wickes are the best of the flat-packs. Ikea, Homebase and Ikea are much of a muchness, although Ikeas units are let down by not having a service gap at the back of the units, which means units may need to be butchered if pipework is running along a wall.

Other than that. Shop around for the appliances online to make sure the prices are competative. Get quotes from local tradesmen for installation costs and never be afraid to haggle over pricing with whoever you get quotes for the kitchen from

Boba_Fett

my sister had an ikea kitchen and the builder fitting it said it was good quality. that's where i'm going to get mine from.

Im not sure about using there appliances though, what are others opinions of it?

Farmerbob

Ive just had an Ikea kitchen installed and im very happy with it, i used the planning and installation service which has gone very smoothly. Their doing 3 for 2 on applianaces so i got my induction hob for free. Reportedly the appliances are made by Whirlpool so should be good quality.

Cash-Cow_3

Best thing is to go into the showrooms and have a play. See how they are put together. If they can't get it right in the show room then probably a poor kitchen to go with. I've discounted loads of kitchens this way.

Garden_Gnome

I've just had a kitchen fitted by Homebase. It took nearly 4months from when I placed the order to deliver and although the main part of the fitting was done in 4 days they still haven't finished and I don't seem to have any priority over jobs they've not started.
I was told by the sales people 4-6weeks. I'm four and a half months in and still waiting for them.
I wouldn't have ordered from them had I thought it would take this long.
Any similar experiences? What did the sales people give you as a lead time.
I should add that my kitchen is small 3.3m x2.7m

Further the insurance covering the job had actually run out by the time the job was started. Nobody at Homebase seemd to understand this and kept telling me it would be okay even though I had a the certificate in front of me with the dates on. I never did get to the bottom of this despite speaking to nearly every Homebase employee (well it felt like it), if they had burnt my house down I wonder what the insurance company would have said about my out of date certificate.

IvanDrago

i just got an argos hygena kitchen all half price and fitted it myself.

it was good except a few pre drilled holes were slightly out.

but not bad for <£1000

muskoka

Personally, I like Howdens. Decent quality & decent price