Handmade kitchen suppliers west midlands

easilydistracted

Hello everyone. We are looking at getting our kitchen redone at some point. The units have minor damage, one area of the counter top is lifting quite a bit but with some repair this is a job that can wait. Eventually I am hoping to have a nice wooden kitchen made by someone local. This may involve reusing the current carcasses but I'm not too sure. I have been having a browse on eBay at second hand kitchens and actually found some small local companies that appear to offer really cheap kitchens but have very limited web presence. They look a bit too cheap to be any good, but I wondered if people have experience of sourcing local companies this way? Here are a couple of examples of companies:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Croft-Oak-rustic-Kitchen-Traditional-Rigid-Built-Kitchens-Second-Nature-/110343944865

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BELFAST-SINK-KITCHEN-LARDER-ISLAND-UNITS-SOLID-WOOD-MADE-TO-MEASURE-/201535616735?hash=item2eec7576df:g:mUsAAOSw6aVUotdj

Thanks for any ideas :j

leveller2911

The E-bay kitchen I would give it a miss. The photo is taken from a brochure and not the actual kitchen you would be buying.

Is it really that much of a saving buying from E-bay as opposed companies such as DIY,Howdens,Wickes etc?.

There is a company called CK Kitchens Ltd (may or may not be associated) that was was dissolved in Feb 2016 so you may not get any after-sales support if its linked to the E-bay company. I'm always wary of companies that set up business for a couple of years ,then dissolve and re-start under a different name.

easilydistracted

leveller2911 wrote: »

The E-bay kitchen I would give it a miss. The photo is taken from a brochure and not the actual kitchen you would be buying.

Is it really that much of a saving buying from E-bay as opposed companies such as DIY,Howdens,Wickes etc?.

There is a company called CK Kitchens Ltd (may or may not be associated) that was was dissolved in Feb 2016 so you may not get any after-sales support if its linked to the E-bay company. I'm always wary of companies that set up business for a couple of years ,then dissolve and re-start under a different name.

Thanks for that. It did seem suspicious that there is very little online presence. I'm not necessarily expecting the eBay kitchens to be cheaper than DIY stores, but I have seen really mixed reviews for DIY store kitchens and was hoping to get
something a bit more unique without spending some of the crazy prices for companies with expensive show rooms.

Doozergirl

A reputable company is http://pineland.co.uk

Their prices are reasonable in conparison with the chains etc. I've been to their premises and know people who bought some time ago and their kitchen is lovely.

leveller2911

I would avoid carcases constructed from Whitewood pine (Quebec Yellow pine) due to it being very soft ,damages easily which is not what you want in a kitchen carcase but the plus side is its very,very cheap.

You find most of the pine furniture sold in the UK is constructed from Whitewood pine laminated boards.

Anyone wanting to use a pine softwood for a kitchen is better off using Douglas Fir because its more stable, denser so it will put up with everyday knocks but its more expensive.

In general you get what you pay for so buy cheap and it won't stand up to everyday use.

If budget is limited then go for a standard kitchen from somewhere like DIY online,Howdens or Wickes .

You will regret buying a cheap "hand built " kitchen from companies that sell pine furniture.

J_B

Doozergirl wrote: »

A reputable company is http://pineland.co.uk

Their prices are reasonable in conparison with the chains etc. I've been to their premises and know people who bought some time ago and their kitchen is lovely.

DD2 has this and is very pleased.

easilydistracted

Thanks everyone. I'd rather wait and have something decent, but may have some left from the loft conversion I need doing and debating spending it before it goes on anything else!