Fancy kitchen at budget cost - advice, anyone?

Masalamama

Hi there, so this is my first ever forum thread. Just doing up our 1st family home, we have two kids under two and full-time jobs. We've had a looooong session with a company called Bettaliving, who gave us a price, then knocked £2k off it and now calling from the trade section... bit concerned as they keep asking, how much do we want to spend.

We're keen on getting the carcass from somewhere reputed, then slightly more interesting contemporary doors from another. Would you suggest this? The building contractor will fit and we simply don't have it in us to go full DIY way... any suggestions on Magnet, Howdens, Simply Nature or Betta Living? Thanks so so much!

ic

I was very happy with my Ikea kitchen. I personally wouldn't want to mix and match units and doors from different suppliers - I suspect things like hinge locations won't line up. If anything goes wrong with the kitchen, they'd probably use the fact you'd mixed up parts as a get out clause on the warranty.

Leif

I've never seen an Ikea kitchen, but search threads here and you will get positive comments. Three colleagues have an Ikea kitchen and all say they are good or very good. Cheap too. Obviously not as good as a Magnet or whatever, but prices do not compare.

Steve_the_fitter

Ikea kitchens.... you get what you pay for however much people like them. But at least that is better than Homebase where you pay a fortune and get Ikea quality imo

As for the companies you have mentioned.
Magnet. Dont fit to many of them so cant comment but they seem to have a nice range of doors. Not the cheapest though.
Howdens. Enough people like them from here. I dont use them myself as I dont like their pricing policy.
Simply Nature?? sounds a little Vance Miller to me. Look into them (ive never heard of them so not 100% its Mr Miller)
Betta Living. Expensive what what you get though not bad quality

I fitted a Wren kitchen last week and thought they were very good quality for what my customer paid. Quality just as good as Cook and Lewis range by B and poo but half the cost from what i understand

Also look at diy kitchens. Very good quality. You could quite easily pay double their prices and end up with the same quality kitchen

phill99

Be very careful with Bettakitchens. They have an aggresive marketing policy and add on extras such as fees for the surveyor, waste removal fees, removing old tiles etc so that the price thay quote isn't the price they pay.

Steve above makes some valid points.

Howdens do a good product and the carcasses are factory built so you get a more robust product. However, you need an account holder to front it for you and he needs to be honest and tell you the price he is quoted.

Magnets are expensive, but Magnet Trade are different. They are trade onlt organisation competing with Howdens and for the last 2 kitchens I have installed they have been better on their pricing.

Benchmarx are also worthy of a look and again are a trade only place, but they have a good reputation but can't confirm this as I have never fitted one.

Cash-Cow_3

Masalamama wrote: »

Hi there, so this is my first ever forum thread. Just doing up our 1st family home, we have two kids under two and full-time jobs. We've had a looooong session with a company called Bettaliving, who gave us a price, then knocked £2k off it and now calling from the trade section... bit concerned as they keep asking, how much do we want to spend.

We're keen on getting the carcass from somewhere reputed, then slightly more interesting contemporary doors from another. Would you suggest this? The building contractor will fit and we simply don't have it in us to go full DIY way... any suggestions on Magnet, Howdens, Simply Nature or Betta Living? Thanks so so much!

There is nothing wrong with asking how much someone wants to spend as it can help with matching budget with expectations.

For what it's worth when I decided to buy a new kitchen I avoided the companies that just give you a price for the whole kitchen. The reason is you just have no idea where the money's going. I want to know how much each bit of the kitchen costs. In the end I bought a kitchen from an independent as I think you get better customer service.

jfdi

We had a Magnet Trade kitchen installed 20 years back (standard carcasses, oak doors) and are just redoing it - however we've kept ALL the units (coupla hinges needed re-adjusting, backs refitted to corner base units) and have just limed the doors. Only 'new' bits are fridge/freezer, cooker & worktops.

Judge for yourself!

Masalamama

Oooh thanks. But I thought Ikea kitchens were not a standard size and therefore, makes more sense to go elsewhere??

lisal0u

Masalamama wrote: »

Oooh thanks. But I thought Ikea kitchens were not a standard size and therefore, makes more sense to go elsewhere??

Hiya,

They are standard sizes they just don't have the recess at the back to hide pipes etc. I didn't find this a problem, I prefer having the extra room!

Here's a thread on ikea kitchens you might find useful: https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/3379962

Good luck with finding your perfect kitchen

tpt

I'd second the vote for diy-kitchens. units are 18mm come rigid, with doors and drawers all fitted. all you have to do (assuming you measure correctly) is push the units back, level and screw together.

i've had 4 from them now and reall cant fault them. the first one (ours) i fitted 4 years ago and it looks great.

danemi1

dh and I are looking at having a ikea kitchen but he is worried - he thinks that they dont have a back on them and therefore things can fall down the back - is this the case???? thanks and anyone with an ikea kitchen - are they strong - easy to put together? we will have a joiner helping us for one day only so we were going to try and put them together ourselves and then let him just fit it all - its a big kitchen but with units down one wall and then an island in the centre