Choosing a handleless kitchen - help needed!

moneysavingmicromels

Hi,
I've been a lurker for many years but am going a bit insane researching buying a new kitchen so thought I would post to see if anyone could help.
We're doing a kitchen extension and really like the look of handless kitchens. We have a 1970's townhouse so I think it would fit well with the style of our house. We've had a quote from Wickes, which came in at £11,500 which I thought was quite high for Wickes. That's with their Sofia White Gloss kitchen and their Appollo slabtech worktop in white. I'm not sure about the quote as I didn't like the way I was being asked to sign up to a HP agreement and then cancel it if we don't get planning permission (apparently we would get our money back) and we need to order by Thursday to get it at that price (which I am not willing to do). Also, I'm not sure their worktop is quite what I want as we have 2 kids and ideally want a worktop that is heat resistant and will not stain (seems to be harder than I ever imagined to find a worktop that satisfies this!).
The other quote I've had is from a posh company for a Hacker German Kitchen, which I understand to be the cheaper end of German kitchens. That quote has come in just over £20K with around £4K on Compac Glacier Quartz worktop and £2K on a glass splashback. The design is nice and the pressure to buy is minimal but is that too much for a Hacker Kitchen? Should I get the worktop from somewhere independent?
I hate spending money but other half doesn't seem to mind and keeps saying if we're spending a lot on an extension we may as well spend a lot on a kitchen - an argument that the kitchen companies must love hearing!
Our kitchen space isn't that big - quote is for 2.3m x 1.3m island with sink, dishwasher and bin and small floor units for storage at the back and then L shaped kitchen with units 2 tall housings for fridge/freezer and oven/micro and then 2 floor cupboards, 1 corner floor cupboard, 1 corner wall cupboard 3 drawer units and 3 80cm wall cupboards.
I know that I should get another quote but who from? I'm not sure about ikea kitchens - John Lewis has been suggested to me....
I have researched cupboard finishes and worktops until I've driven my husband insane with my kitchen chat so if anyone going through the same process and can help I'd be very grateful (and probably so would my husband )

Owain_Moneysaver

Do not buy your kitchen before you've even got planning permission for the extension!!!

cddc

Agree. Do not sign up before you have permission. The offer will still be similar until the end of Feb. You would get your money back , no quibble, but still.....

The moment you put a templated, bespoke worktop on that price will shoot up. If you like the Wickes one , ask your DC about Magna, which is Resin on chipboard. This would probably knock a grand or so off of your price.

Baring in mind you have both a templated Quartz worktop and glass splashback on your Hacker quote, I do not think that is unreasonable.

Lungboy

How many units are you looking at? £11k from Wickes sounds crazy unless it's a huge kitchen with island and all sorts.

cddc

Not if it includes solid surface and appliances. Between them, that could easily run to 5-6K of that quote.....

Lungboy

True, but OP didn't mention appliances so I assumed it was just units and worktop. Worktops do seem to be way overpriced from kitchen companies when compared to specialist worktop companies too.

moneysavingmicromels

Thank you so much for your replies. The quotes do include appliances. I trawled through the Which website and picked out the best of the appliances at Wickes and the total for those must be about £3,500 (Wickes haven't provided me with a breakdown of the quote, which is quite annoying!) The Hacker kitchen appliances are Siemens and come to about the same. My research today has revealed that the worktop cost from an online place is about £3500 (ouch) so the Hacker place aren't making a ridiculous mark up on that (£500) but it looks like I can get a glass splashback for around £1000 so I might arrange that myself.
I'm worried that the next step with the Hacker kitchen 'agreeing the detail' means pushing up the price even further...
Thanks for reassuring me about not being pushed into buying a kitchen before we're ready. I should give Wickes the number for our LA planning department - maybe they could push things along for me

leveller2911

Remember that the materials used to make the German kitchen will be of no better quality that the Wickes one so why would you pay a premium for the same quality materials?. The German one will also use the same hinges and drawer runners (Blum,Grass,Hettich) as the Wickes kitchen. If they do a particular design you like that you can't find elsewhere then go for it.

German kitchens along with Wickes,Howdens,Magnet or for that matter B&Q will last 15-25yrs ,if looked after.

The only advantage that I can see in German kitchens is they are more flexible with sizes of units. Materials wise they are no better whatsoever so you pays your money you makes your choice.

Lungboy

I'm not sure that's entirely true, I seem to recall Wickes use very thin back panels whereas some other companies use much more sturdy panels. Carcase material can also vary, as can the finish on the surfaces (lacquered vs wrapped etc), so it's always worth checking.

Shop around for your appliances, with the sales on at the moment you might find them considerably cheaper from places like Currys, Homebase etc.

leveller2911

Lungboy wrote: »

I'm not sure that's entirely true, I seem to recall Wickes use very thin back panels whereas some other companies use much more sturdy panels.

Go back 25yrs and most companies were using 6mm hardboard for the backs which were terrible but all down to costs. Now even a 9 mm melamine faced MDF back is plenty good enough to stand up to knocks etc as long as it has enough fixings (screws).Some companies staple the backs on which should be avoided otherwise you push bowls,saucepans to the back of a unit and push the backs off.

Carcase material can also vary, as can the finish on the surfaces (lacquered vs wrapped etc), so it's always worth checking.

Totally agree with you but the German manufacturers use Egger boards for their carcases which is chipboard , same as Howdens,Magnet etc and the vast majority of it is cheap as chips.A 10' x 5' sheet of 18mm is around £40 a sheet and is enough to make a number of units. The edgebandings on the front of the supposed superior German kitchens are the same 2mm -2.5mm ABS plastic ones that DIY Kitchens use so ,again no better in quality.

The likes of Howdens,B&Q etc use the cheapest of all edgebandings which are wafer thin at 0.8mm thick Melamine. Edgebandings on the fronts of the carcases need to be good quality to put up with the knocks.

CKdesigner

Hi OP

There is a vast difference between a Wickes J groove doored kitchen and a German made channel handleless system. I'm not talking about the quality of components as others have, it's the actual design which is completely different.

With the Wickes J groove door like other suppliers with this door, you are limited to gloss lacquer in may be 6 colours to choose. Have a look at the quality of the lacquering, especially in the J groove area. It's nigh on impossible to get a consistent finish across the whole surface of the door and the J groove area gets very orange peeley. Also try and open a fully integrated dishwasher or an integrated refrigeration product with this door and you will see its quite difficult and uncomfortable.

You will then find with the German made channel handleless system you have a lot more choice. I don't know about the make you mention, but the German make we do does an enormous amount of doors that can be used with the handleless system. From basic very hard waring laminates in colours and wood grains, to lacquers in Matt, satin and gloss to veneers. This is just from our basic range and I think the door choices runs into over 300. You will also find the channel system when the kitchen is designed well works perfectly and intuitively. Integrated appliances open easily. And you and your designer will have an enormous amount of freedom to design a very functional and beautiful kitchen as normally the German manufacturers have a lot more flexibility in sizes, specification and materials.

Go through things properly with each company, truly understand which each is offering you, see which one you feel really comfortable with, be sure they are going to look after you. Then decide which one you have confidence in.

I think you will find that in general that the DIY stores are all about 'the sale', trying to convince you that you are getting a great unbeatable deal! Where as the independent specialist should be offering you better design, proper customer service, lots of choice, lots of experience and a long track record in looking after customers, which should represent real value for money.

CK