Buying kitchen from Wickes

TranceNRG

Hello everyone,
I'm in the last stages of buying my 2 bed ground floor garden flat in West London.
I'm going to renovate my house as soon as I get the key (hopefully within the next couple of weeks) and had an appointment with Wickes Chiswick office last week to design a kitchen. Wickes have 50% off at the moment plus some of the kitchen models are being discontinued so you get extra 10% off when you pick them.

Dimensions for the kitchen are:

2.5m x 2m

Here's my quote:

http://i.imgur.com/4otAnGq.png

I won't be using Wickes' fitting service as I will use my builder so the total price for the kitchen is £4463.
Here are a couple of rendered pictures of the kitchen:

http://i.imgur.com/XZlqGwF.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/2rtGAn0.jpg

Since the 50% off ends today, I need to pay 10% refundable deposit to secure that deal. However I am not sure if this is a good deal or this is exactly the kitchen I'm after but the design can be modified.
I have a couple of builders that I could potentially go with for renovations but will pick one for the job this week. They have said they can get good discounts for Howden, Magnet, etc but I am not sure how that will compare with this quote.

I have read that Wickes give similar discounts even after the 'sale' period.

What do you guys think of this quote? Should I wait a bit longer and get my builder to get a quote from Howden, Magnet, etc?

Thanks very much.

TranceNRG

Anyone?

ruggedtoast

How long is a piece of string? It depends on the quality of the units.

It's more than I would spend on that size of kitchen.

My brother in law put his own in and recommends IKEA but don't get them to do it.

jamei305

If you're getting someone else to fit it I suggest comparing the Wickes price and quality to diy-kitchens.com. Personally the quote I had from Wickes was outrageous, but I probably obtained it outwith their discount period.

Doozergirl

Well, If you're using a builder who has discounts then I'd personally get their quotes. I'd be spitting at some of those prices, but I am trade. Benchmarx is owned by the same people that own Wickes, so I'd have gone straight to them in the first place.

Regardless, I would never buy appliances from a retailer, unless it's Ikea. You can run a google on the ones you've selected and conpare prices for a start, but also you get an infinite choice looking wider.
Your cooker hood: http://www.secondtek.com/zanussi-zhc6234x-60cm-curved-glass-cooker-hood-stainless-steel.ir?src=froogle&gclid=CNDf2Jrf68UCFYGE2wodOmoAFQ
Or from a recognised retailer at slightly higher, but advantage points.
http://www.bootskitchenappliances.com/product/ZHC6234X-Zanussi-Chimney-Cooker-Hood-Stainless-Steel-23543.aspx?strFriendlyUrl%3dZHC6234X-Zanussi-Chimney-Cooker-Hood-Stainless-Steel-23543%26%26WT.z_PT%3dMDA%26WT.z_AT%3dcooker+hoods%26WT.z_MT%3d%7bifdynDisplay+-+ao%7d%7bifplaSearch%7d%26WT.z_RTM%3d%7bifdynRetargeting%7d%7bifplaPLA%7d%26WT.z_MAT%3dZanussi%26WT.z_DT%3d%7bdevice%7d%26WT.z_FT%3dBuilt+In%26WT.z_PC%3dZHC6234X_SS%26WT.srch%3d1%26WT.z_CN%3d%7bifdynGDN+Dynamic+Text+Ads%7d%7bifplaNA%7d%26gclid%3dCN644bXf68UCFU2WtAodT0sA9Q


Kitchens are the first thing people look at buying and the last thing to go in. I wouldn't bother panicking. It would be very easy to take that quote to Benchmarx and get it matched (at the very least).

SailorSam

Id say Ikea are much better quality, and probably no more expensive.

Rambosmum

Our kitchen is 2.5 times the size of yours and our quote from ikea for a very similar looking kitchen is less than half the price (though we don't need appliances).

I'd definitely shop around. I'd also ask your builder what they could get you with a similar look, if it's the style you like. Our builder couldn't actually get a better quality/ price than the ikea one we like so have gone with them.

Also - don't put a deposit down until after completion, otherwise you may lose money or end up with a kitchen you have no house to put in.

Doozergirl

Fwiw, my experience is that Ikea kitchens are a little bit lower in quality and it can be a pig to get the doors to line up perfectly when you start with a flat pack, but they do come with a hefty guarantee. I have an Ikea kitchen, much larger than pictured and mine was £4000 with two ovens, microwave, fancy hood, dishwasher, hob etc. The fitting will be higher as the cabinets need building whereas Wickes should be pre built.

I like that the Ikea kitchen looks less traditional or common in it's layout, comes with lots of flexibility for layouts and does provide value. It doesn't make it my favourite kitchen, but you cut your cloth accordingly.

G_M

Don't be rushed into a decision.

Wickes, B&Q, Homebase etc all have regular kitchen sales so if you miss this one, another will be along in a minute....

Talk to your builders and get a quote for supply & fit. Go to Ikea, B&Q etc and compare quality and price. Knock 50% off their prices and wait for their 'sale'.

Nobbie1967

There's no rush, take your time to find a kitchen you really like and think about what you need rather than be railroaded into your current purchase. You'll have no trouble matching that quote when you decide to buy.

AlexMac

Having fitted or partially re-fitted about six kitchens over the past ten years- usually a mix of DIY and using professionals for the gas, lekky and plumbing, I've used or got quotes from a mix of the usual Trade suppliers (Wickes, Howdens...) and retailers (B&Q, IKEA...)

The prices vary enormously and quality can be up and down (IKEA is great quality for the money, B&Q carcasses can be a bit badly finished; leading edge laminate strips peeling off or chipped) but given that no-one ever looks at the insides, surely all that matters is what the door fronts look like, and your choice of worktops and handles? that and the qaulity of the fitting; a cheap kitchen can look great- an expensive one badly fitted will look rubbish.

Having said that- your prices seem very toppy. I got really pussed off with the crazy prices from places like Howdens, who seem to have platinum list prices but will secretly discount 70% or more to your builder so they can either claim negotiating kudos or launder the price up!

Style-wise, I like your choice of vaguely rustic/shakery door-fronts, but as I fitted a near identical IKEA kitchen for the kids a few years ago for pennies, I suspect IKEA will be half the Wickes prices?

So to reinforce what someone above says, don't be bounced into parting with a deposit today to secure a so-called time-limited -discount. Unless time is tight, ask your builder's advice (he may for example cut his fitting cost if you let him buy pre-assembled carcasses rather than the cheaper flt-packs) and look at IKEA. But builders don't like IKEA carcasses if they don't have a void at the rear for pipe runs . Also, IKEA are a nightmare to buy from; crucial items may not be in stock, their deliveries are not instant, bits get lost and their independent delivery contractors chuck stuff off the back of the truck, damaging corners. So if you choose IKEA for qaulity and economy make sure all the bits arrive before a scheduled start.

But if you're in a hurry and can afford it; go for it. Wickes are unlikely to go bust