Are there ANY kitchen suppliers it's safe to use?

happyandcontented

Bill23h wrote: »

This is good stuff, thanks to you and all the other responders.
1. I didn't know Tesco did kitchens - don't think they do now??
2. " he didn't get past the door as he insisted on my OH being present". When was this, 1973? Unbelievable!

I realise bad reviews are self-selecting (people vent when annoyed, but are often slow to praise) but it's a bit scary - does ANYONE buy from these people and end up happy? - is what I was asking, really. I'll have a look at Homebase - I take it you were happy with the end result? - and maybe look at a local guy to fit, but what i'd really like is for someone reliable to project-manage the whole thing for me, even if it costs a bit more.

My son bought from Homebase and has had nothing but trouble with them. Late delivery, missing parts, no delivery, wrong items delivered, no flexibility re-delivery, wrong measurements by their designer, etc. Currently, he has a multi-point formal complaint under discussion with them.

His fitter whom he employed separately after ordering said he has also had major issues with them in the past and wouldn't advise his customers to use them.

premkit

The most important part of the kitchen headache is the fitter, if they are good they will make it seem a breeze. If they are poor you will be throwing all that hard earned time and money away. Research the fitter, if you go to a shed ask who are the two best teams and insist on one of them.

vansboy

No mention as yet of Ikea. Currently about to order my 5th kitchen, from them, for new house.

Good points....
Clear pricing structure.
Reasonably skilled staff who are NOT sales commission led.
An on line planner (sometimes a bit fiddly to use at first) which will price each item individually.
Various styles to match most budgets unless you REALLY into spending big money.
Readily available stocks delivered in days.
Lots of bits n pieces you can add on, once you've bought and built it.
If they do make a mistake, or have a problem that causes you to go back to the store, they will contribute toward your mileage costs.

Not so good...
Never used their contractors to build, which probably work out at around £100/unit, so not cheap.

The long guarantees on installation, as well as product itself, seems to have left a number of customers not happy, when there is a fault. but mine have all lasted well.

VB

WeAreGhosts

Bill23h wrote: »

Thanks for that. Were you happy with the price? Most people say they are a bit pricey? Also, was the cost spelled out and finalised by them? I've heard their pricing can be a bit, er, random.
Cheers

The price was great, but only because there was a sale on at the time. I think it worked out as 50% off the units and we got free appliances. What should have been a £14k kitchen cost us £7k. It was all itemised.
It is worth asking if there is a sale coming up.

I totally agree about fitters. Find a good fitter and the hassle is vastly reduced. We had one piece missing and he sorted it for us. But Magnet were great with this too. It was couriered and with us in 24hrs.

martinsurrey

I used DIY kitchens and while they were great don't be fooled into thinking its the easy option.

I designed the kitchen myself, I did a lot of the fitting myself.

If you cant do that you will be relying on finding a designer and fitter yourself, and if something goes wrong, you will be chasing multiple people.

the most important part of a kitchen is the right fitter, followed by the right designer.

Furts

Bill23h wrote: »

Hi.
I'd appreciate some advice on buying a new kitchen please.
I've been reading lots of posts here and elsewhere and it seems like nothing but negatives about the main suppliers - Wren, B&Q, Homebase, Wickes, Magnet and Howdens.

Bill23h wrote: »

I realise bad reviews are self-selecting (people vent when annoyed, but are often slow to praise) but it's a bit scary - does ANYONE buy from these people and end up happy? - is what I was asking, really. I'll have a look at Homebase - I take it you were happy with the end result? - and maybe look at a local guy to fit, but what i'd really like is for someone reliable to project-manage the whole thing for me, even if it costs a bit more.

You are naming typical retail suppliers but you are falling into the same trap that the vast majority of consumers fall into. Equally no responses to your query have stated the Plan B - so many of these respondents may also be in the same "trap".

My kitchen came from none of your names, neither did it come from diykitchens, neither was it an expensive German Kitchen. It was a simple purchase from a builders merchant. About a mile or so down the road from me is an excellent kitchen showroom - part of a national builders merchant. A couple of miles further on is an excellent kitchen showroom which is within a local independent builders merchant.

In my case a national builders merchant supplied exactly what I required giving me a price and a quality that met my Specification. OK I did a lot of design, thinking, sizing and so on but that was only because I had an eye on quality and detail. I did not have to do that. But this also meant that I did not have to accept the dross which is frequently aimed at consumers from DIY sheds. There really is no need for consumers to go through Homebase, Wren, B&Q and so on, but consumers happily do so! But these same consumers then get flimsy carcasses, inferior hinges, vinyl wrapped doors, 28mm worktops and all the other multitude of tat that is out there!

trailingspouse

Yes indeed - it was 2013, but felt like 1973!!

I don't know if they've stopped doing kitchens - strangely enough, I've never felt the need to find out...

The Homebase kitchen is still going strong and has been in 4 1/2 years now. We were so impressed with the fitters that we got them back to fit our utility room.

hunters - I wouldn't be keen on leaving any tradesperson to get on with the job unsupervised. Even the best can have questions that need answers while they're going along - it's so much easier to sort things out there and then rather than have them perhaps make the wrong choice between option A and option B when you're not there to ask.

Edited to add: I just Googled Tesco kitchens. They stopped doing it in 2014. I wonder if it was something I said??

marlot

I've just installed three IKEA units in a utility room. Generally decent quality, though I'd have preferred thicker end panels.

One thing I hadn't expected (but was very grateful for) was that if you book an appointment with one of their designers they can send the entire picking list through to the despatch area. I arrived there to find my units on a trolley waiting for me. No extra charge.

hunters

trailingspouse wrote: »

Yes indeed - it was 2013, but felt like 1973!!

I don't know if they've stopped doing kitchens - strangely enough, I've never felt the need to find out...

The Homebase kitchen is still going strong and has been in 4 1/2 years now. We were so impressed with the fitters that we got them back to fit our utility room.

hunters - I wouldn't be keen on leaving any tradesperson to get on with the job unsupervised. Even the best can have questions that need answers while they're going along - it's so much easier to sort things out there and then rather than have them perhaps make the wrong choice between option A and option B when you're not there to ask.

Edited to add: I just Googled Tesco kitchens. They stopped doing it in 2014. I wonder if it was something I said??

I have my ace guy on WhatsApp free calls via WiFi and photos of what is happening

Bill23h

WeAreGhosts wrote: »

The price was great, but only because there was a sale on at the time. I think it worked out as 50% off the units and we got free appliances. What should have been a £14k kitchen cost us £7k. It was all itemised.
It is worth asking if there is a sale coming up.

I totally agree about fitters. Find a good fitter and the hassle is vastly reduced. We had one piece missing and he sorted it for us. But Magnet were great with this too. It was couriered and with us in 24hrs.

Thanks for that - We were in our local Magnet yesterday and I was quite impressed. I think they may be a starting point for a first quote, at least. Cheers