Homebase Small Kitchen and Installation £9500 - Should I cancel?

thedr

I've got a small kitchen - 2.3m x 2.3m

I want to have the whole thing replaced.

I had a quote from Homebase for

• Everything taken out
• Bosch Built-in cooker
• Units with oak fronts
• New work surfaces - Maia Lava - This alone comes to £1300
• Engineered wood floor
• New cupboards etc
• Fitting of built in dishwasher (already bought by me)
• Extractor fan put in and vent knocked through to outside
• Indesit Fridge Freezer

After they've applied all their 'discounts' it's coming to £3850 installation and £5650 for materials.

I realise that Homebase often charge more for installation, but I guess they use people who do good quality work guaranteed. But they can't install for 2 months!

Even so, this does seem expensive.

Should I cancel? I'm dreading having to go back to the drawing board.

Doozergirl

£3850 is outrageous for installation. It could easily be £2000 less than that.

They just subcontract fitters, they're a huge operation so they're not handselecting craftsmen especially for your kitchen. You get what you're allocated. Some will be better than others.

I'd buy appliances separately online as well as you'll find a better range and better prices.

You're not going back to the drawing board when you have a plan in your hand. Now you can go and compare with an independent kitchen company, with Wickes or DIY kitchens online and find a fitter for yourself, hopefully.

Where are you? Maybe someone can recommend.

CKdesigner

Hi

The DIY stores are relatively expensive for what you get, and often on here and other places you will hear bad reports about their installation service.

To cut a long storey short, if you are relatively comfortable with spending that kind of money then you will be most likely to get much better quality of product and installation by going to an Independent Kitchen Specialist. You will find these types of businesses survive on their reputation rather than the DIY stores that have to advertise their 'discounts' heavily to attract customers.

CK

Xeorix

That is insanely expensive! You could get an independent kitchen fitter and solid quartz worktop for that price o.O

I would have a look around, you'd be surprised how many independent kitchen fitters know where to source budget kitchens that are of better quality than the "sheds"

SuzieSue

thedr wrote: »

I realise that Homebase often charge more for installation, but I guess they use people who do good quality work guaranteed. But they can't install for 2 months!

They charge more because they add on their mark-up to the price you are paying for the fitting. And you have no idea how good their fitters are - it is pure luck if you get a good one.

Look on Streetlife for recommendations of kitchen fitters and check out their work.

Paradigm

Doozergirl wrote: »

£3850 is outrageous for installation. It could easily be £2000 less than that.

Totally agree with this.
I recently had a kitchen fitted, a little bigger than yours, fitting cost me £1300 including all new appliances, all the plumbing & electrics.


As said, look for a good independent fitter... they'll also know where to source the units too.

alex-andra

How would I go about finding an "independent" kitchen fitter are places like ratemybuilder etc a good place to start?

phil24_7

Use Google and search for 'independent kitchen fitter', followed by your area!

Al1x

Can you ask friends or family for a recommendation?

bylromarha

I'm guessing a big chunk of your installation is for the maia worktop.
Anything non laminate gets a stupid fitting fee if you get the worktop you want via Homebase/B+Q as they are not the norm.

Plus Homebase average 6 weeks to get the kitchen into store. Hence the long wait time.

We recently had our kitchen done. Bought cabinets from Benchmarx, quartz worktop and Bosch appliances sourced independently, all fitted by our builders. Kitchen is about 50% bigger than yours. Cost for ours was around £9k