Second hand kitchen?

VfM4meplse

Is there a market in these?

I'm looking to move and have grand plans for the new place. The problem is, grand plans come at a price!!

One thing I cannot live with is the kitchen, its used and nasty and I'd rather rip it out and live without one that live with what's there. It occurred to me that I could live with the property with a revitalised but not necessarily new kitchen for some time whilst I save up for the extension (for that is where the dream kitchen would be sited). So I'm looking for an interim solution and am wondering how easy it is to get hold of a decent functional kitchen, cabinets at least because I can happily live with a microwave alone for a while.

How easy is it to get hold of a kitchen that has been pre-loved? Is it all down to private sales or are there any companies that specialise? Size wise, it needn't be perfect, just adequate.

By the same token, how easy is it to sell used kitchens? This could be an option if I do end up buying brand new and don't want to recycle in my own home.

Grenage

It's very common to see used kitchens on ebay; you pay very little. I would imagine that selling a kitchen is a lot harder.

VfM4meplse

Grenage wrote: »

It's very common to see used kitchens on ebay; you pay very little. I would imagine that selling a kitchen is a lot harder.

Thanks! I've just been looking at Gumtree as I don't eBay and have seen some stunning kitchens. Which makes me thing buying second hand is a good move for now. I only wish I was handy enough to strip and fit it myself!

Any other advice, dos and don'ts etc? Obviously gas and electric fittings need expert fitters. Do guarantees cover reinstallations?

Kiran

Is there an issue with the old kitchen or is it something a deep clean could rectify? You can but second hand kitchens and they tend to be quite cheap as its normally sellers trying to avoid skip costs. Failing that, go for a builders merchant "X unit special" It won't necessarily fit perfectly but yu dot need to worry about the units falling apart etc.

missbiggles1

When we were renovating, we managed for a couple of years with kitchen things on bookshelves and just a length of worksurface with white good underneath and a basic sink - as we already had the bookshelves it cost about £100.

ST1991

If you are after something cleaner, but cheap and cheerful - you should try Ikea.

My sister recently bought a flat which she is planning on selling in a few years and couldn't live with the kitchen but didn't want to spend a fortune.
It isn't the biggest, nor was it the smallest - but it came to £800 including sink, oven and hob. Plain white units, simple worktops - and it actually looks lovely as it's been built and installed well.

She also went in to order it and one of the staff sat down to check the design was OK, and managed to get the cost down even more with some tips about worktop excess, creating an end mini-breakfast bar, and choosing wider cabinets instead of lots of smaller ones.

EDIT: sorry just to add. I know this isn't perhaps the cheapest option, but if you are looking to keep it for a few years it may be a good idea! We are living without an oven whilst we save for a new kitchen and 3 months in i'm going crazy...

VfM4meplse

Kiran wrote: »

Is there an issue with the old kitchen or is it something a deep clean could rectify? You can but second hand kitchens and they tend to be quite cheap as its normally sellers trying to avoid skip costs. Failing that, go for a builders merchant "X unit special" It won't necessarily fit perfectly but yu dot need to worry about the units falling apart etc.

The kitchen is by my estimation about 40 years old and totally grimy. I do not even want my kitchen equipment to grace the cupboards. Ditto the bathrooms, but that will be straightforward!

I learned my lesson last year when I spent a load of time getting a relative's kitchen spotless for him one rainy Saturday in July - cleaning it like I've never had to clean my own! - for him to change it to a spanking new one a few weeks later. He didn't use it in the interim as he was living with me!

DigForVictory

eBay all the way if the photos look promising - I lived next door to a lady who had a new kitchen & ebayed the old one when her spouse had erred & invested in a new kitchen to appease herself.

I suppose it was cheaper than a divorce...

Davesnave

Grenage wrote: »

It's very common to see used kitchens on ebay; you pay very little. I would imagine that selling a kitchen is a lot harder.

I haven't sold a kitchen, but everything I've put on the Bay has sold, and I don't live in the most accessible place.

Notable among the harder-to-take-away items: 9 doors, an Aga, a 1200 litre oil tank and a 4.6 metre steel joist.

OP, you need to find a local fitter or a good carpenter and joiner who will be able to make your s/h kitchen fit reasonably well by making small adaptations, as necessary.

Summer_Dreams

I sold my old kitchen on gumtree for £5-10 per unit, there wasn't many and it saved me lifting them into the skip and gave me some wine money;-)

lewishardwick

I think most have covered the main points. The key to buying a second hand kitchen is finding something that will roughly work with your space, then finding a good carpenter who will be able to adjust the carcasses to make it fit without looking a mess.

Some just wont be interested.

My sisters fiance is a kitchen fitter by trade. was at a customers, and carefully removed an old(ish) kitches to put in my sisters BTL as the current kitchen was very tatty.

It's sat in two garages for the last few years and they have given up fitting it, just hesitant to tell my dad (whose garage it's filling!)

I think for a lot of people it's far easier to fit cheap & new.