B&Q Kitchens

kah22

Anyone had experience of B&Q's Cooke & Lewis kitchen range? Any idea of what the quality and build is like? Is this B&Q's own range?

As always many thanks for your feedback

Kevin

cddc

OK is the answer to that one. They are not the best at the price point but not the worst. The store fitting service is expensive. They do sell a lot of kitchens and the quality of what you get for what you pay is fair, if not outstanding.

Other suppliers at a similar price would include Wickes, Homebase, Magnet, Wren (that is a gamble though, given current quality control and service issues!) and Howdens or Benchmarx via the trade route. All are at least as good, spec wise as B&Q and in some cases better.

warmhands.coldheart

^^^^ I'd agree with CDDC's Comments..... Steer clear of their Fitting service though...... VERY Expensive compared to getting a good local fitter (Essentially what B&Q do anyway but just add on their own rip off markup) I would say if you go that route and then get a local fitter to install, make sure Everything is delivered and checked before getting them in to install.. Checked against delivery notes and have the detailed "fitters" design from B&Q (Something you'll have to really push them for I've found at times) Open the packaging and check for damaged or poor quality items (I've had damaged doors in undamaged boxes, worktops with pits and scratches all over it in nice perfect wrapping, part missing or wrong parts sent)

kah22

Many thanks for your replies. Let me expand on why I’m asking.

As I was changing an existing space into a kitchen/diner area an architect and designer friend of my brother offered to draw up a plan for me and it was very detailed. He suggested that I take his measurements and drawings to B&Q and ask them to draw it up and get a detailed price breakdown from them, which I’ve done.

B&Q’s standard kitchen was coming in at around £2,500 for what I wanted and their Cook and Lewis for the same layout was a little under £4300. The idea was to use that as a guide price. There were a few things that the architect had drawn that they couldn’t supply e.g. they had stopped doing midi-cabinets and they couldn’t come up with the kitchen island he had drawn, but this was a design you wouldn’t expect to come straight off the shelf.

What he also suggested, and this is the bit I don’t really understand, is that I should then cost out how much it would cost to have the carcasses factory made in one of my local kitchen establishments, so that they could be taken and set into kitchen and have my brother, a builder, do the necessary fixing to the walls and so forth. According to the architect factory made are much more stable.

What he then suggested was that I buy the doors and drawers separately. He also tells me that a manufacturer not 20 miles from where I live produces these doors and draws for kitchen manufacturers all over the UK but it is difficult for an individual to get into

I'm converting one space into a kitchen/diner so I'm not actually pushed on getting the job done. I still have my old kitchen.

I’ve added a dropbox link so you can have an idea of his layout.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/r34qulk7cmrnlhw/kitchen%20detail.pdf?dl=0

Unfortunately B&Q no longer do midi units

tidyfinance

Hi all,
Very sorry to jump on this thread if I am in the wrong place (please advise where I ought to put this question if necessary).
I am aware of a relevant thread, but that has been closed now since 2012.
OK, ..........I am trying to source a new washing machine, integrated and with a depth of 53cm!!!! Here lies my problem, I simply cannot seem to source one. My existing machine is an integrated Baumatic BTWM4 - H:82 W:59.5 D:53. Plumbing is not directly behind the machine, but to the left.
Any help and guidance is fully appreciated. Many thanks.

cddc

Layout is pretty good, apart from the fact that your hob is too close to your sink. Move the sink the other side of the dishwasher and job is a goodun.

adamg

Your friend has designed a bespoke kitchen and sent you off to b and q?

tidyfinance

Sorted.
Another Baumatic (not the best), but at least it fits!