Cheapest way to get a new kitchen

sophie_casandra

Hello,
I was wondering if anyone could give me any advice on the cheapest way to get a new kitchen.
I brought a house last year and the people who lived here before clearly thought they could do DIY and the kitchen is terrible, doesn't match or fit together properly and is just breaking around us, we are desperate for a new kitchen.
I am planning on getting it on finance but don't want to get myself an unnecessarily big bill.
We are planning on living here for a long time so I don't want to buy one second hand. But I was wondering if it would be cheaper to get different people in to fit different things, for example; an electrician as we need new plug in better places ect or if that is just going to add to the bill and just get somewhere like B&Q for example to fit the lot.
With the kitchen we are planning on getting a new oven and hob, fitted in the kitchen and a new fridge freezer.
We will be having the kitchen plastered before hand as we are having a window put in and we are painting it ourselves.
Any advice is appreciated, thanks!!

Doozergirl

Don't get the retailers to fit for you. They will charge a lot more than any independent fitter. Ask around for a recommendation.

Ikea do the best value kitchens when you're on a budget. No one else touches them on price and value for money in their pricepoint.

Appliances are also guaranteed for five years, which is excellent.

The only issue you may have is that fitters aren't amazingly keen on them because they don't have a service gap behind. But if you can get pipes etc routed below the unit heights, they might be a bit happier.

They are flat pack too, so will cost more to fit than places which supply solid carcass as standard, but it still works out cheaper. You could build the carcasses yourselves if you trust yourself. Correct fitting is the most important element though, don't scrimp. Kitchens last a lot longer when they're well fotted.

halfpint79

I am also curious about this, I'm in the market for a new kitchen. There is a site kitchen-compare.com which does price comparisons between the main retailers. Not sure it takes into account sales though and this is my main query. Ikea are no doubt the cheapest ticket prices but Wickes regularly do 50% off cabinets and B&Q/Homebase offer pretty big whacks off throughout the year. Going to have to do some homework to see what works out best.
The biggest savings for sure would be to do as much as possible yourself. I have in the past built an Ikea kitchen from scratch with virtually no problems and I am no expert DIYer! Worth spending the money perhaps on someone to cut the worksurfaces in nicely.

Doozergirl

Ikea smash everyone for quality on the basic units and the extras that make you feel like you're not compromising.

A B&Q flatpack doesn't hold a candle to Ikea quality and even with their regular 'sales' I bet they still don't beat the prices.

trailingspouse

Think outside the box. Do you really need a fitted kitchen? How about going to local auctions and antique/junk shops and looking for dressers, kitchen table and so on.

We were in a similar position about 15 years ago - couldn't live with the kitchen (I think the technical term is 'manky'), couldn't afford to re-do it. We put a worktop on just one wall, with a double cupboard under it (both from Ikea), and that housed the cheapest sink we could find. The rest of the space under the worktop was filled with the washing machine and the tumble dryer. We had a free-standing cooker - in fact we managed with just a microwave until we could afford a cooker. We then bought a dresser and a kitchen table, which gave us our storage and extra workspace and eating space. The dresser cost us £50 and the table was £40. We did it all ourselves - plumbing, laying lino, electrics (you were allowed back then), painting. I doubt if we spent more than £500 excluding white goods.

Doing it like this gives you a pleasant kitchen without the huge cost of a standard fitted one. And if you move, the freestanding furniture goes with you. We only got rid of the dresser a couple of years ago, and we still have the table!!

onomatopoeia99

trailingspouse wrote: »

We did it all ourselves - plumbing, laying lino, electrics (you were allowed back then), painting.

Why aren't you dead from electrocution, as well as taking out all the power in the town and blowing up the national grid? The government has told us we aren't competent to do our own electrics and everyone will die (as many as 8 people a year, according to briefings issued when the legislation was going through parliament) so we have to be protected from ourselves by benevolent electricians because they pay a trade body like NICEIC or ELECSA to say they are competent.

See if you can guess what I think of part P and the government that introduced it :mad:. (I don't actually mind the technical regulations in BS 7671 as they are sane,sensible and easy to understand. My argument is not with them )

cddc

Even though I work for a competitor I would say if you have a tight budget, I would agree with Doozergirl that Ikea offer you the most bang for your buck.

They are not perfect and can be awkward to fit if your walls are not straight as they have no service gap, but compared to a B&Q , Homebase or Wickes takeaway, they offer more and better for a similar cost.

badgeraudio

I would also look at http://www.diy-kitchens.com/

Units come pre made so no wasted time/effort to build up from flat pack.

I have just fitted my kitchen with them. Good quality for the cost.