How to find local independent kitchen supplier/fitter

menollyke

Ok I might be stupid, but was just wondering. How to find local independent kitchen suppliers or fitters? We are looking at replacing the kitchen and I was hoping to get a quote from several different kitchen places. (B&Q, homebase, wickes and such are all close by) However everyone seems to recommend going for the local independent kitchen suppliers and fitters. So my questions how do I find these? I foud one close by but from the website it just looks way out of our price range. (area is around Portsmouth, Southampton)

I either want to buy the kitchen from say B&Q, wickes etc and get a local kitchen fitter in to do the work. Or if reasonable price get everything from one place.

philip1988

I bought our kitchen from Benchmarx which is the trade arm of Wicks. They are will come out and produce a design and prepare a quote for you but the kitchen must be ordered through a kitchen fitter.

Like you I didn’t know of any reliable fitters, but Benchmarx gave me names of fitters that buy from them. I then contacted people that they had recently fitted kitchens for and chose the one that came most recommended.

Leif

Companies not that far from you include Optiplan and Hampshire Kitchens, and one in Ropley whose name escapes me. There's bound to be some closer to you. Conquest are near Portsmouth, but expensive.

Furts

If you buy from B&Q or Wickes you may be better getting your fitter to purchase the kitchen. He should be able to obtain a better price than you. Bear in mind he will have access to B&Q Tradepoint and I suspect you do not?

The fitter will mark up the price - his profit, but you can negotiate on this.

If items are defective, do not fit, are damaged, short delivered or missing etc. this all becomes his responsibility and not yours. Hence you get, potentially, less hassle.

Beware of the advice given on this forum saying go to an independent kitchen company. This is only valid if the company is any good. I could name three within ten miles of me which tick all the boxes but are dodgy, if not blatantly useless. They survive in business through a combination of sales patter, BS and customer ignorance of both good value and good workmanship.

Finally, give careful thought to your kitchen designer. Again there are posts saying go to an independent company. I will comment with my experience. The best designer in my area, by a country mile, works at Magnet Trade.