Kitchen quotes seem high

bluebird

I would advise not to put laminate on the kitchen floor as a kitchen gets rather grubby and mopping a laminate floor will only raise the laminate and damage it.look for a GOOD quality lino in a wood laminate effect,we had to replace all our laminate due to water damage and it is highly slippery i'd slipped several times imaginge slipping with a boiling pan of spuds in your hands.Think hard as down the line a few years and you'll find yourself changing the flooring like we had to,so learn from our costly mistake.goodluck.

andygb

cosworth_monkey wrote: »

Have you thought about asking a chippy?

Day rate of around £200-250 and would take around 2weeks. A basic kitchen is not difficult to fit at all for a competent person.

I agree with that. The only difficult bit is cutting/mitreing the worktop, because you need a router and someone who knows how to use it and the jig.
I did all my own units, levelled them and fitted them, AFTER putting 12mm ply down on the floor (fitted marble tiles). The chippie then came in and fitted the worktop after making a couple of small adjustments.

katejo

bluebird wrote: »

I would advise not to put laminate on the kitchen floor as a kitchen gets rather grubby and mopping a laminate floor will only raise the laminate and damage it.look for a GOOD quality lino in a wood laminate effect,we had to replace all our laminate due to water damage and it is highly slippery i'd slipped several times imaginge slipping with a boiling pan of spuds in your hands.Think hard as down the line a few years and you'll find yourself changing the flooring like we had to,so learn from our costly mistake.goodluck.

I agree. I am also going to avoid vinyl when my kitchen is done. My current floor cover got torn when the new freidge freezer was delivered because the foot on the ff caught in it. Round the edges it is already curling a bit after only 1 year. I intend to have ceramic tiles in the new design.

missbargain

I live in Central London and lots of people who live in other parts of the country have no idea what builders charge as soon as they drive into Central London. For what would cost 1000 pounds in, say, Yorkshire, it easily costs 4-6000 pounds in London. We've just had our loft insulated (a small, terraced house, so the loft very small) and the quote was 6000 pounds, reduced from 7300 hundred after I baulked at the cost.
I had 4 quotes and ALL of them came with 10% difference between them! A double glazed, standard size sash wood window costs 3000 pounds, each. More if it is slightly bigger.

Every time I tried to get something cheaper, it turned out a disaster as the people where not qualified, had no idea what they were doing, do damage that I have to pay double to be rectified etc. So you really take a risk if you choose the cheapest quote.
All highly recommended, reputable people (some even not so), charge an arm and leg as soon as they enter London. Ironically, they all live miles away, so don't pay London living prices themselves, but still feel free to rip you off. Central London is seen as the golden goose for many people, asl long as they can get a foot in the door. There is nothing one can do, unfortunatelly, I just wanted to say this as some people on this forum are amazed at the quotes. In London, this is just normal, especially in Central London and parts of zones 1 and 2.

I did think about getting someone from further afield, but where do they sleep? Hotel? Their own car? And how do I know who they are and if they are any good if none of my friends/neighbours use them. It is difficult and hugely unfair, but that's the way it is.

For this reason, I think that only people who live in London or very close to it can really comment on the London quotes, as anyone from other parts of the country (excluding perhaps "posh" areas like Oxfordshire, Wiltshire etc.) simply can't relate to what the charges are like in London and won't be able to give proper advice, unfortunatelly.

katejo

missbargain wrote: »

I live in Central London and lots of people who live in other parts of the country have no idea what builders charge as soon as they drive into Central London. For what would cost 1000 pounds in, say, Yorkshire, it easily costs 4-6000 pounds in London. We've just had our loft insulated (a small, terraced house, so the loft very small) and the quote was 6000 pounds, reduced from 7300 hundred after I baulked at the cost.
I had 4 quotes and ALL of them came with 10% difference between them! A double glazed, standard size sash wood window costs 3000 pounds, each. More if it is slightly bigger.

Every time I tried to get something cheaper, it turned out a disaster as the people where not qualified, had no idea what they were doing, do damage that I have to pay double to be rectified etc. So you really take a risk if you choose the cheapest quote.
All highly recommended, reputable people (some even not so), charge an arm and leg as soon as they enter London. Ironically, they all live miles away, so don't pay London living prices themselves, but still feel free to rip you off. Central London is seen as the golden goose for many people, asl long as they can get a foot in the door. There is nothing one can do, unfortunatelly, I just wanted to say this as some people on this forum are amazed at the quotes. In London, this is just normal, especially in Central London and parts of zones 1 and 2.

I did think about getting someone from further afield, but where do they sleep? Hotel? Their own car? And how do I know who they are and if they are any good if none of my friends/neighbours use them. It is difficult and hugely unfair, but that's the way it is.

For this reason, I think that only people who live in London or very close to it can really comment on the London quotes, as anyone from other parts of the country (excluding perhaps "posh" areas like Oxfordshire, Wiltshire etc.) simply can't relate to what the charges are like in London and won't be able to give proper advice, unfortunatelly.

What type of insulation work did you have done in your loft? That sounds extremely expensive so it makes me wonder exactly what work was done. (I am in London too)

missbargain

Hi KateJo,

Kingspan boards between the rafters and a continuos sheet of Kingspan underneath these, plus some insulation on the floor of the ceiling. This included installing the loft hatch, though. Took a week to finish (but didn't include repainting the ceiling after the works had been completed). VAT was on top of the price.
I know perfectly well that it is expensive, but I failed to say that I had to sack the previous builder who gave a cheaper quote as he didn't know how to install the insulation properly (didn't allow for the ventilation gaps, didn't know what the current british standard for insulation was, didn't know about different types of loft leathers, etc. etc.). It is very difficult to get good quality work in London and not to be ripped of, but, from my experience, if I don't pay through the nose, I end up regretting it as lots of chaper people make a booboo and I have to pay twice to have it corrected. It is almost as if the good builders know this, so know that they can charge the premium because they are good.

I don't want to hijack this thread, though. I just want to say that my experience has been that it is better (although much more expensive) to get the specialist person for every part of the job, rather than the jack of all trades. You end up paying more, and it is slower sourcing all these people. At least, the specialist people usually know what they are doing while one man who does it all will know how to do one thing OK, but make a mess of 3 other jobs. My experience to date.

fsdss

i have just had a quote (from homebase) for installation of 12 base cabinets and 4 wall cabinets at £5500,
currently i have a bare space room (extension) with wall to wall floor tiling. there is new electric points and plumbing in place all certificated. the points have been placed in situ based on the kitchen design.
based on their quote...i queried why i need to pay for removal of old kitchen when there is nothing there? this is non negotionabe they state.

although i have looked at granite (paying £4800 - just for the material costs) the quote is coming in at £16k excluding appliances and thats with the 50% advertised discount on kitchens

phill99

fsdss wrote: »

i have just had a quote (from homebase) for installation of 12 base cabinets and 4 wall cabinets at £5500,
currently i have a bare space room (extension) with wall to wall floor tiling. there is new electric points and plumbing in place all certificated. the points have been placed in situ based on the kitchen design.
based on their quote...i queried why i need to pay for removal of old kitchen when there is nothing there? this is non negotionabe they state.

although i have looked at granite (paying £4800 - just for the material costs) the quote is coming in at £16k excluding appliances and thats with the 50% advertised discount on kitchens

I would be inclined to tell them where to get off.

Basil1234

fsdss wrote: »

i have just had a quote (from homebase) for installation of 12 base cabinets and 4 wall cabinets at £5500,
currently i have a bare space room (extension) with wall to wall floor tiling. there is new electric points and plumbing in place all certificated. the points have been placed in situ based on the kitchen design.
based on their quote...i queried why i need to pay for removal of old kitchen when there is nothing there? this is non negotionabe they state.

although i have looked at granite (paying £4800 - just for the material costs) the quote is coming in at £16k excluding appliances and thats with the 50% advertised discount on kitchens

i would ask to speak to the manager of the store and if he states is non negotionable tell him so is your business and you are off to take it else where. where you are not getting robbed also mention trading standards will be informed of charges for work that doesn't need to be done that should make his bum twitch a bit and if he won't back down on that, do it walk away and inform trading standards. i know i would i just think they are trying it on.

fsdss

just got my 2nd quote in from an independant company...fitting costs £990..incl chippy, electric and plumbing ...much happier with the 2nd quote coming in miles cheaper than homebase and appears to be a better quality kitchen