Moneysaving furniture shops in Dorset/Hampshire region

rammster

Hello Moneysavers

I have been presented with a daunting task to stack up a 3 bed house with furniture (just bought)-

As I live in Dorchester , there isnt an IKEA about upto Bristol.
I have been to Poole and seen their DFS/Furniture Village/Land of leather etc etc. All very expensive according to my budget and my moneysaving instincts. DFS was struggling by the look of it as they were even serving wine to anyone who entered. :rolleyes:

This makes me wonder , where would you buy furniture from in dorset/hampshire - i have checked ikea online and they wont deliver to dorchester.

Things I have in mind
leather 3 seater and 2 seater sofas X1 each (£400+300 or under)
A wood kingsize bed frame and a good mattress (?foam/Spring)x1 (£150+200)
A queensize bed with wooden frame and good mattress - x1 (£125+200)
A sliding door wooden wardrobe (preferably mirrored) - x1 (£60-80)

I wont compromise on the mattress, but others could be just bare essentials + I am skint for this month atleast

Guy_Montag

Check out e-bay/freecycle, apart from the mattress, which I'd buy new.

I've also seen it suggested that buying from second-hand & antique shops is better than buying from Ikea, the quality is better & don't go out of fashion as such, the prices are much the same. A quick check on t'internet seems to verify this.

lynzpower

You can buy new mattresses on Ebay as well Guy!

Personally, I would ( these days) go round dreams or wherever pick your mattress then order it online.

rammster

good advice , but then where would you go online apart from ebay and Ikea & BnQto pick the fantastic deals.

CB1979_2

google is your friend rammster

rammster

thanks a lot for all the advice,
I went to local charity shops and antiques shops in dorchester.
I could find loads of furniture, some of it really great.

My findings were that antiques are not cheaper and sometimes even more expensive than brand new. But what you get in return is solid wood furniture that has been around and will be around for a long time. The furniture doesnt have the cheap light feel to it here.

Secondly , it made me rethink whether I actually would want to buy brand new at all! The stuff there was better quality and if all of us went to these shops and bought what seems to be very reasonable stuff, we actually reduce the demand on trees and forests etc. So beleive it or not , it is not only a moneysaving option but also a greener option.

So now I know where most of my furniture will come from.

Ofcourse mattress will be brand new

That still leaves the sofa out . where would I get that cheap.

Guy_Montag

rammster wrote: »

thanks a lot for all the advice,
I went to local charity shops and antiques shops in dorchester.
I could find loads of furniture, some of it really great.

My findings were that antiques are not cheaper and sometimes even more expensive than brand new. But what you get in return is solid wood furniture that has been around and will be around for a long time. The furniture doesnt have the cheap light feel to it here.

Secondly , it made me rethink whether I actually would want to buy brand new at all! The stuff there was better quality and if all of us went to these shops and bought what seems to be very reasonable stuff, we actually reduce the demand on trees and forests etc. So beleive it or not , it is not only a moneysaving option but also a greener option.

So now I know where most of my furniture will come from.

Ofcourse mattress will be brand new

That still leaves the sofa out . where would I get that cheap.

They are not widely available second hand due to fire regs. You could try e-bay (look for "collection only" adverts for the real bargains) or they do come up on freecycle from time to time - though expect cheap Ikea types.

You're right second hand not necessarily cheaper, but definitely better value. - that's how I'm going to furnish my house when I finally get one.

Tim_Deegan

You can get some huge savings on ebay.
I know that many people are very wary about buying items like beds from ebay. However if you follow a few guidelines then you can save up to 75% on the shop prices:

1) most important of all make sure that the seller gives a 100% satisfaction guarantee.

2) check previous feedback for the seller, and even contact previous customers to ask them about the seller.

3) use a company who display their phone number, so that you can talk to someone about your requirements (they want you to make the righ choice because it will cost them if you return it).

4) check the sellers return policy. Many sellers charge for postage on returns.....can work out very expensive if you have unpacked a vacuum packed mattress, and you don't like it.

5) try to use a seller who delivers using their own transport. Couriers often damage or misplace goods (believe me I know from experience).

Obviously you can't try before you buy, but for the saving it is worth the risk if you follow the guidelines above.

rammster

Any ebay sellers that you would particularly like to recommend out of your own experience Tim.

Nenen

Keep an eye out for ads in local shops and newspapers/free ads etc. Also try https://www.gumtree for your area for ads for furniture. Many people sell second hand sofas in brilliant condition... they just get 'fed up of them' after 18 months to 2 years!:eek:
You could also try local auction houses (google search auctions for your area)
Happy hunting

Tim_Deegan

rammster wrote: »

Any ebay sellers that you would particularly like to recommend out of your own experience Tim.

I'll send you a private message