Cheap kitchen and bathroom

bretts

Hi

I am looking at ikea and wickes to get a kitchen and a bathroom as I want to get them installed in my new house but getting very confused as there are so many units and all.

I know precisely what I need but are these the two best places to buy cheap kitchen and bathroom, I don't want to spend a lot of money on this and I am sure I can not do it on my own so I will need professional help which would cost too.

I am FTB so really not good with all this, I would really appreciate if someone could guide me a little please.

Bretts

slipthru

Hi take a look at benchmarx for kitchens if there is one local to you. as they are the order in kitchens at wickes but cheaper, we got a quote from wickes then bought from benchmarxs.

sk240

I found that b and q were the cheapest, but for installation i probably wouldnt use bandq

BlueC

The Wickes/B&Q "take home" ranges are absolutely crap. If you're after cheap go with IKEA at least it is reasonable quality.

andyhop

No such thing as a cheap kitchen or bathroom. Pay peanuts now and you will only get a few years before it gets tatty. Material costs may have increased in the last 10 years but the quality has gone downhill

Melaniep101

+1 for Benchmarx for kitchens

Plumbers_Shop_Lee

totaaly agree with Andyhop on this one. It's definitely worthwhile investing a little more in the quality of the product at the start as it will pay for itself over time.

bouicca21

But how does the average ftb work out how to judge the quality of kitchen units? Is it by looking at the hinges, drawer runners or deciding between laminate, solid wood, foil, veneer, etc?

DirectDebacle

bouicca21 wrote: »

But how does the average ftb work out how to judge the quality of kitchen units? Is it by looking at the hinges, drawer runners or deciding between laminate, solid wood, foil, veneer, etc?

With the carcasses it is difficult to tell by eye so you need to ask.

The vast majority are all made of MFC (melamine faced chipboard). It is graded HDC (high density chipboard) MDC (medium density) and LDC (low density)

Mass produced by the mile on a daily basis HDC is the best of what is a low quality product. Compare prices of the same size carcass from different outlets and ask what grade of MFC has been used. HDC the best and LDC the worst. Whatever has been used will not in anyway represent value for money. All are vastly overpriced and are guaranteed to fail in a relatively short period of time. HFC should last the longest.

I would not contemplate a door or drawer front made of anything other than wood. It is repairable and can easily be re-finished. Not so with other doors.

As long as the hinge spacing is the same no reason why you shouldn't source carcasses from one supplier and doors/drawers from another. Takes more time and effort but could save some serious money.

Hardware.

Hinges and drawer runners. Look out for Blum or Hafele. These are quite common and are of acceptable quality.

Be aware that items such as cornice, lighting pelmet, plinths etc really bump up the price. Be wary of 'included' or 'free' appliances. Compare their quality/price to other brands you may be more familiar with.

Finding a good fitter is perhaps the trickiest and most important part. A good fitter can make a 'bargain' kitchen look like a more expensive one. A poor one will make anything look like a dogs dinner.

pinkmami

I bought my kitchen from B&Q (walnut colour shaker style) and I got a great deal and I got my bathrooms from Grahams - again a great deal.

Have a look on the B&Q website as I used the kitchen planner they have on it & it will give you a close estimate. I was out by a few £££ as I didn't add the cornicing/bits to fill in gaps etc.

gazman100

bouicca21 wrote: »

But how does the average ftb work out how to judge the quality of kitchen units? Is it by looking at the hinges, drawer runners or deciding between laminate, solid wood, foil, veneer, etc?

Well if they're not sure asking for advice on forums like this is better than being completely blind!

Helped me last year buying my first kitchen :cool: