Benchmarx, Howdens or Ikea? Who to use and how to plan a kitchen? (merged threads)

leeloo1

I'm shopping for a new kitchen and having looked at Ikea (fab range, but worse quality) and Howdens (better quality, pre-built, but don't do sizes we need in style we like)... we've now had Benchmarx recommended to us.

I understand that they supply Wickes (which is open Sundays and all day Saturdays, so easier to go and look round and tells you the size of the cabinets on the internet) but the styles all have different names.

I think the Tucson (http://www.benchmarxjoinery.co.uk/?pageId=8&hierarchy=Kitchens&category=11&subCategory=12&products=true at Benchmarx) is Stamford ( http://www.wickes.co.uk/pcat/kitchenstamford?WT.ac=SP050295 at Wickes) but I'm not 100% sure - does anyone know?

Also if anyone has any experiences of Benchmarx I'd love to hear them! Thanks.

cddc

Tuscon is not Stamford, its Marlow. Though the ranges are exactly the same they do not overlap completely and there is one or two ranges that Wickes do that Benchmarx do not and vica versa.

Stamford, as far as I know is one of those. However, it is in the Wickes kitchens2go range and therefore not great quality, so if you are not happy with Ikea in terms of quality you would not be happy with Stamford.

Tuscon/Marlow is a much higher spec range than Stamford.

Benchmarx would certainly be cheaper than Wickes right now but Wickes are back in sale on October 5th so compare prices then.

The obvious advantage of buying from Benchmarx over Wickes is that the Benchmarx units come pre-assembled hence fitting is quicker and cheaper.

Good quality kitchens for the price point. But avoid the kitchens2go/options ranges if quality is your major concern as these are far less good than the rest of them, though cheaper.

leeloo1

Ah, thanks, that explains why it looked remarkaby economical then! Interesting to hear about Wickes sale coming up, perhaps we should get a quote from them too if we decide to go for that range?

Honesty forces me to say that I was quite happy with Ikea quality (and prices!) but my dad came to look at them with me and said they were rubbish.

It was also a downside of Ikea that everything was flat-packed, but having spoken to Benchmarx on the phone then apparently their larder cupboards are flat-packed too and they'e the main thing I'm having in the kitchen, as we're loosing 2 x 1000mm floor and wall cupboards to make room for a table & chairs, so need to make up for the storage we're loosing with 2 larder cupboards. If I have to build those myself then we're not gaining much by going for the expensive ones (which they said on the phone are harder to build than Ikea flatpacks).

Sorry this is a bit rambly - I'm just trying to make sense of it all and don't know what/who to go for and am finding it hard as there don't seem to be like-for-like comparisons between the different companies.

We are having builders (of unknown quality) put the kitchen in, as its part of an insurance claim - they were going to remove and refit the existing units. We've asked them to fit new ones instead, which they largely agreed to do if quantities of units were comparable - on the basis that we did the assembly. I'm sure they would build the new larder cupboards - it just all adds to the cost.

sugarwalsh

I wouldn't write ikea off - my brother has had one installed for 5 years + and it looks great. My parents have one and now we have some of our units from them.

Personally I would look to spend the money on a good work surface as I think there is little to compare between units - they are just boxes with doors on at the end of the day - but a lot to compare between a cheap worktop and a decent wood/stone/composite one.

Just my opinion though!

Megan

leeloo1

Thanks Megan, thats worth knowing.

I did think about getting a wood worktop, but have heard they're not a good idea as need lots of maintenance.

sugarwalsh

My brother installed a beech one and has no trouble with it - the key is making sure you oil it really well - lots of thin coats (we used a cabinet scraper in betweeen coats) and to keep it as dry as possible. We have just installed an oak one from MAgnet - £150 per 3m length. To me it's one of the more dominant companents of the room so should be nice. My parents have an amazing extension with an ikea kitchen installed, but unfortunately thehy skimped on the work surface and to me it is a real shame. It makes what could be an gorgeous kitchen just standard.

Best of luck in deciding.

Megan

ps - ikea units are a doddle, even I managed to put one together before OH (A joiner) took over. His record was less than 5 minutes to build one completely....

leeloo1

Wow, 5 minutes is impressive! If he'd like to make mine up then he's very welcome to!

Did you find the drawer units from Ikea were ok? We've lots of their wardrobes, which are fine, but the 1 time we bought a chest of drawers from them 1 side was bowed, so the drawers kept falling off their runners. 3 replacement sides later we gave up and asked for a refund.

sugarwalsh

TBH I only have one of the little 30cm pull out drawer/larder units, the rest are cupbards. We have a dresser, also from ikea (!) which holds our cutler, crockery etc. I have never heard my family complain, if that helps?

If you can wait until January he would fit it, he's on a house re-furb until then!

Megan

cddc

Ikea drawers/wirework are from blum/hafele, same as everyone elses and are absolutelty fine. Wickes/Benchmarx higher spec though.

Have 12 year old Ikea kitchen and it is on its last legs now. Despite 25 year warranty on units I cannot believe that one could possibly last 25 years. Best around at the price they charge though.

Only real problem is cupboards go right back to the wall. Bigger cupboards for sure, but unless you can channel supplies back into the wall, wiring and pipework will be visible inside the cupboards.

Alan_M_2

cddc wrote: »

Ikea drawers/wirework are from blum/hafele, same as everyone elses and are absolutelty fine. Wickes/Benchmarx higher spec though.

Have 12 year old Ikea kitchen and it is on its last legs now. Despite 25 year warranty on units I cannot believe that one could possibly last 25 years. Best around at the price they charge though.

Only real problem is cupboards go right back to the wall. Bigger cupboards for sure, but unless you can channel supplies back into the wall, wiring and pipework will be visible inside the cupboards.

Generally fitters batten the units off the wall to create a service void. Then fit slightly overwidth worktops.

leeloo1

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