Kitchen & Worktops

Quickblood

Mum has decided to splash out on a new kitchen as the old one is falling apart and the quote we got from Wickes for a room approximately 3m x 2.5m was almost £6000 not including fitting.

To save money we're looking at possibly getting a flat pack Ikea kitchen instead as they seem much cheaper than the competition, still we'd want better quality worktops than the laminate ones we've got.

But how do you choose? one thing Wickes warned us about was that some Quartz worktops scratch easily and we'd have to sign a waiver if we went with those one.

I'm also looking at Beech or Oak on Ebay, are they a good option.

I'm in SE London, NW Kent so any recommended local suppliers would be great, thanks.

rosie383

We are going for Ikea Metod and fitting them ourselves. With all the drawers etc. which I want, it will be around £2.5k with another £2.1k for quartz fitted by an independent.

Quickblood

Yeah IKEA seem great on price and they look really nice from what I've seen. To save money I may be able to make up the flat pack units before the builder comes it's just a matter of timing, as for actually putting it up well that's something weirdly I'd try if I won the lottery and had a house I didn't need to live in at the time, just in case I messed it up or took ages, which is very likely with me. As it needs to be done quickly and in a tight space it's something I should avoid.

I'm really struggling with Quartz worktops, I just don't know how much we should pay, where to get it from or which brand. I'm slightly leaning towards cheap Beech worktops I've seen on ebay but it's not my house nor my choice.

jellie

Quickblood wrote: »

I'm slightly leaning towards cheap Beech worktops I've seen on ebay but it's not my house nor my choice.

A good quality well fitted laminate worktop is likely to look better, and last for longer, than a cheap badly fitted wooden worktop. Especially if the owner doesn't want to bother with maintaining a wooden one properly.

Quickblood

jellie wrote: »

A good quality well fitted laminate worktop is likely to look better, and last for longer, than a cheap badly fitted wooden worktop. Especially if the owner doesn't want to bother with maintaining a wooden one properly.

Any top quality laminate worktops you'd recommend?

Davesnave

A worktop from Duropal or Axiom would be fine for a flat pack kitchen from IKEA.

Easier to look after and more in keeping than quartz or wood on cabinets at that price point.

vansboy

I'm Ikea kitchen fan anyway, but I'd have thought you would find a worktop from their range - plus you need to confirm sizes, if you chose to use other makes.

If you go for the purpose made Ikea ones (more expensive), you'll make it look very good, anyway.

I had the silver edging, on black laminate, last time, which looked very smart and made the similar trim, on oven, make it as if it was all 'part of it' properly.

VB

dirty_magic

A lot of fitters don't like Ikea kitchens because they're more difficult to fit, there isn't a void for pipework as with other kitchens.

I love our quartz worktops, I'm surprised wickes said they'd scratch. They're less likely to scratch than laminate! We got ours from a small local supplier.

I definitely wouldn't go with wood. They look lovely but they're too high maintenance, they need sanding and oiling. I'd be too scared to actually prepare any food on them in case I scratched or marked them, and they get watermarks around the sink.

rosie383

Quickblood wrote: »

Yeah IKEA seem great on price and they look really nice from what I've seen. To save money I may be able to make up the flat pack units before the builder comes it's just a matter of timing, as for actually putting it up well that's something weirdly I'd try if I won the lottery and had a house I didn't need to live in at the time, just in case I messed it up or took ages, which is very likely with me. As it needs to be done quickly and in a tight space it's something I should avoid.

I'm really struggling with Quartz worktops, I just don't know how much we should pay, where to get it from or which brand. I'm slightly leaning towards cheap Beech worktops I've seen on ebay but it's not my house nor my choice.

The new Metod range is designed to be self-fitted. They have a new rail which goes on the wall and the units click onto it.
When we were in Ikea, the kitchen guy had just changed all of the drawers in the display area. He put together and fitted forty drawers in just over an hour.
I would never fit the worktop myself though, no matter what it was made from.

gardner1

dirty_magic wrote: »

A lot of fitters don't like Ikea kitchens because they're more difficult to fit, there isn't a void for pipework as with other kitchens.

I love our quartz worktops, I'm surprised wickes said they'd scratch. They're less likely to scratch than laminate! We got ours from a small local supplier.

I definitely wouldn't go with wood. They look lovely but they're too high maintenance, they need sanding and oiling. I'd be too scared to actually prepare any food on them in case I scratched or marked them, and they get watermarks around the sink.

That's the beauty of wood...slight scratches dents dinks don't look out of place because its wood....and very easy to lightly sand and oil every couple of years
As long as they have a good couple of coats of oil before fitting they are fine....just go for a hard wood...we chose "Iroko"

EssexExile

Davesnave wrote: »

Easier to look after and more in keeping than quartz

Our quartz has been in over 10 years & looks as good as new. I didn't know you had to look after it.