New kitchen recommendations

Slinky_Malinky

If you like the IKEA kitchens, why not just buy deeper worktops to allow for pipework. E.G. Duropal make a 665mm deep breakfast bar, this is what I plan to do when I change my kitchen.

The extra cost of the deeper worktop may well be off set by the savings of buying IKEA units. You can have the units you like plus you get nice deep worktops, win win situation imo.

Leif

I'll say what Keystone was too diplomatic to say. Howdens do huge discounts from RRP. They produce two receipts, one with the full price, one with the discounted price. Make sure the builder shows you the price he pays, or that the total price he quotes is reasonable (obviously he deserves to make a reasonable profit). Some builders quote a low fitting price, and charge the RRP, but pay ~20% of that, so they pocket a massive profit.

I'm not saying your chap is doing that, but be careful.

keystone

Slinky_Malinky wrote: »

If you like the IKEA kitchens, why not just buy deeper worktops to allow for pipework.

Yes - that's one way by standing the units off the wall a bit and battening the wall to a) secure uniits to and b) support worktop edge. Ikea tall units (oven housings etc DO have a service void BTW). The other method is to run services at floor level and as its a new extension there is no reason that couldn't be done in the first place.

Cheers

chickaroonee

I don't want an ikea kitchen, the reason I said no to them in my OP was because I thought people might suggest them and they're not what I'm after.

The builder hasn't said he'd not fit it, just that he doesn't rate them. I did know about how the discount thing works at Howdens, I don't think he is aiming to take the cut himself as he told me to ask them for the discount if I went with them. In any case, he's fine with me not going with Howdens - the way it originally came up was I asked for recommendations and he said them. Hope that clears up the confusion.

uk_messer

I like Wickes. Nothing wrong with Ikea though.

Builders/Installers will usually have a preference on what is easiest for them to fit - i.e. that they've worked with it before. Do your own homework on whether Ikea don't have voids for pipes etc.

mymedi

keystone wrote: »

If the builder doesn't want to install Ikea having a preference for Howdens then he should have the cojones to say so and a contract amendment made to exclude that from the SOW. He hasn't. Instead totally spurious reasons appear to have been given as to why Ikea is a non-starter in order to retain that element of the work within the contract.

Fair enough. I'd agree with that.

chickaroonee

He hasn't, read my post above.