My MFI Space cream kitchen quote, your thoughts please

shopaholicjules

Hi
After looking at lots and lots of places, decided I wanted (really wanted) the space cream at MFI.
I know they sell parts of this at Howdens but then MFI won't give me same discount.
It started at 8k which was including the 25% discount that they have on.
I am having:
integrated Hotpoint A* rating fridge freezer
integrated Bosch dishwasher
Bosch double over, hob and extracter
cupboard above and below oven, 3 base units, 1000mm pan drawers, larder cupboard over boiler, 4 wall units, sink, taps and a set of drawers. My work service is solid oak.
After hours of planning and bartering with proce, the quote is now 5500.
Please don't just say don't do it, I really want this kitchen but your thoughts and ideas appreciated.

Thanks
Jules

kiddy_guy

Hi Jules

I'll tell you what we had:

6m of Solid oak 1.2" thick worktops (spare leftover)
5 double base units inc double pan drawer, and 4 double wall units, 1 with glass, 2 overhead topboxes
Gorenje Glass Ceran Schott ceramic hob, and gorenje oven. New Stainless steel hob hood. New Bosch non integrated washing mahcine and dishwasher and a hotpoint fridge freezer. Ceramic marble floor tiles.
Belfast sink, Old style large hose taps to match sink,plus farmhouse style tiles.
Spotlights under and in cupboards and a lightrail on the ceiling

Total was around 5k for my 2mx5m galley kitchen.

Fitted by a local chap who works for magnet.

My thoughts as regards yours - I think you can do better for the money and as per usual I'd point you towards Ikea. The advantage of buying bits here and there is you get a very personal kitchen. Does yours include fitting?

What happens if/when the integrated appliances break down. Do you then have to put in non integrated appliances? You're coming towards the end of the summer sales - Perhaps going to one of the Focus stores which are closing down might help - 60% off at the mo...

I personally got my sink, worktops and extractor fan/hood from howdens, kitchen from ikea, tiles -locally and so on...you can get what you want and have it done in your way.

Doozergirl

Buy all your appliances elsewhere. Even if they are exactly the same, I'm sure you'll find them cheaper. Get the model numbers and use a website like pricerunner.co.uk to compare or even just put the model numbers into Google.

You will get worktops cheaper elsewhere I bet. Maybe you can even get your kitchn from MFI, your worktops from Howdens, or look on ebay for your worktops. There are companies that can supply far cheaper.

Play MFI and Howdens off against each other. Get a quote from each and just batter them down.

I always break my kitchens down into different elements. I find my own carpenters to fit the kitchen aswell, always cheaper.

Mr_Proctalgia

Having just looked at the "Space" kitchens two of them are all but identical to the IKEA "Abstract" ones (Red and White) IKEA have a huge range of different base units as well, so it might be worth having a look.

http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/categories/rooms/kitchen/11471/

shopaholicjules

Thanks for the great advice.
Went on pricerunner and found the Bosch oven for 525 instead of 849 and Bosch hob for 289 instead of 329 although I was getting these as a package from MFI so worked out cheaper than individual prices.
The fridge I have struggled to find, it is a hotpoint A+ rating 70/30.
The Bosch dishwasher 45cm A everything 450 instead of 529 although this was coming free after spending over 2k.
The franke planar sink I have found for around 300 instead of 389. I have just looked at the price for the lecco lever action tap, £149, thats an expensive tap.
I will have a look around at solid oak worktops and also call at Howdens tomorrow, I know a few people who have accounts.
My head is booming now, all I have done after getting my keys on friday is strip wallpaper, rip off tiles etc.
I think my units at MFI came to nearly £3k, do you think if I only get the units from them, I will be able to get them down much.

I hear what people are saying about Ikea, but I really want the space cream.

Kiddyguy you got alot of thinsg for 5k, lets see if I can get mine down, its my mission now although it needs ordering soon as I am only renting my house I have sold for 4-6 weeks until new house is liveable.

Thanks for your advice and any more appreciated, I am a total beginner but like shopping.

Jules

Doozergirl

£450 for a sink and tap? (keels over) Do you really need a £300 Franke sink? We use two seperate, generic, round bowls because they look pretty and come to less than £100.

I've just bought these taps:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/LINDA-PULLOUT-HEAD-KITCHEN-SINK-MIXER-TAP-15522_W0QQitemZ300138150126QQihZ020QQcategoryZ29508QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

They have loads of others. The company is literally round the corner from me so we popped around to look as I was a bit dubious about the quality compared to price but there is absolutely nothing I can complain about!

Integrated fridge freezers are very small and pretty expensive. I bet you could find a really good looking stand alone for less. I suppose it dependson how far you want to drill down but I think you can get cheaper without compromising on quality. MFI don't have the greatest range of appliances so you can still try to find similar but cheaper.

You can still drill MFI down without appliances and worktops I played B&Q and MFI off against each other. When I started, the units were £9500, when I finished they were £4900 and we've just managed to get MFI to take back some units that we decided we didn't need for a full refund

shopaholicjules

Thanks Doozergirl
That tap you have bought is nice.
I am not set on the Franke sink but want something very clean lines with no lines on the drainer if you know what I mean, I definately want square rather than circular.
I will look elsewhere for fridges but would like it integrated. I am saving a little as instead of having a wall taken down, I am having doors made and a little utility room so saving on integrated washer and drier, taking my old ones instead.
I am having Howdens round this afternoon so will see what they say, I think its propbably better them quoting without appliances as I have heard theres are expensive, is this right?
Ideally I would like to get the units from MFI as they are the ones I want, Howdens cornicing I don't like, don't have the 1000 pan drawers.
Like you said getting the worktops, flooring etc from Howdens.
I never realised how stressful this all was. I really appreciate the advice you are giving.

Jules

Doozergirl

I don't think Howden's sell appliances

But they do a lovely oak flooring

poet123

Hi, this is my first post and I am interested to know whether Howdens quote was much cheaper for the space cream. I have had awful trouble with MFI actually getting a quote and now have 2 from the same store from 2 different salespeople (first price was unknown to the second person to quote) 1 for £1791 and 1 for £2445 and there is very little difference in units between the two. So I am sceptical of the prices.
My builder will be able to get units from Howdens I suppose but before I trouble him I wondered if there was such a big difference.?

Thanks

SUESMITH_2

please dont go for mfi, i had one from there and it fell to bits. my kitchen was from ikea and we sourced all the integrated appliances elsewhere - we have an inegrated fridge/freezer and it isnt small. ikea cupboards and drawers go right back to the wall - no dummy panels at the back.b and q do good prices on integrated stuff

shopaholicjules

Hi
Howdens did work out cheaper but then I had to take into account that I was getting the dishwasher, hood etc from MFI.
I really had to barter hard with MFI but they came down quite a few grand in the end so you really need to play the game.
One of the reasons I went with MFI in the end is the kitchen is slightly different, the panels and cornicing from Howdens wasn't what I wanted, they are more rounded and thinner and I wanted the chunky square look. I also like the chunky handles from MFI, Howdens are thinner.
You can get different bits from different places but that takes some of the discount one will give you etc.
My kitchen arrived yesterday and what I have seen of it so far (65 small and large boxes) I really like.
Anything you want to know, just ask.

Jules