Advice on buying an MFI kitchen, please

gazzak_2

Don't use them.

My old neighbour was a bathroom and kitchen fitter and always said they were not the best quality and WAY overpriced. His advice was Ikea kitchens all the way. MUCH lower price and absolute top quality.

I'd seriously suggest getting in a professional kitchen fitter and choosing an Ikea kitchen for them to fit.

Bean_Counter

gazzak wrote: »

His advice was Ikea kitchens all the way. MUCH lower price and absolute top quality.

We're actually off to Ikea tonight for a wander round. Hopefully should be a bit quieter as couples might have other things to do!

hollydays

I dont believe there is any connection any more between Howdens and MFI.

zebidee1

Squiffy wrote: »

I don't believe that there is any such 'policy', just maybe an over-zealous assistant in your local store.

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.html?p=8575615&postcount=18


http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.html?p=8578917&postcount=20

Not just my store. Other forums have people saying the same thing too.

Emmalou

I think the Ikea kitchens are great too (my sister and a couple of friends have one), but I live in Devon, over 100 miles from the nearest Ikea.
If any fitters live in the Exeter/Plymouth area and deals with Ikea kitchens, please let me know!

MFI - I too have experienced the new MFI policy and was shocked to be told that they would not draw up a plan as I was not in a position to commit then and there (this despite the fact that I already have builders in my house - they just had not got round to starting my kitchen extension yet). And the planner also observed that I didn't have my husband with me ('assuming I am married' as he put it).

I wouldn't deal with them now on general principle - in addition to the fact that I have heard some appalling reports of their service.

Oh, just seen that Zebidee put in a link to my previous comments!

majjie

Well, I probably have a different perspective on this to most of you. As an independent kitchen designer I charge for doing a kitchen design. That solves the whole problem. I don't mind if you then hawk my design round a miriad of kitchen suppliers - I can even tell you which suppliers do the sizes of units which are best for your kitchen.

This isn't meant as an advert, I'm not touting for work. I'm just convinced that this is the way forward for kitchen design.

If you were a good kitchen designer and people were using your skills to get a good design and then taking the result to a rival company because their designers were rubbish and their kitchens cheaper - what would you do?? Most designers work at least partly on commission or bonuses - so what you want them to do is work for nothing (or very little). Sorry ... this is a hobby horse of mine ... it used to drive me mad when I worked directly for kitchen companies!

OK - end of self interested bit.
I might get in touch with MFI and suggest that they start charging for their designs but letting people take them away!

In answer to some of the queries raised here. MFI and Howdens used to be the same company but Howdens sold off MFI at the end of 2006. They still supply some of the kitchens but they are no longer identical and MFI will increasingly be bringing out new ranges which have nothing to do with Howdens.

Howdens are trade only - but some branches are stricter than others. Their trade discount varies ... according to how they feel ... and how many kitchens they think you are going to buy from them. It can be very large.
Their range of unit sizes is quite restricted - making the kitchen design more difficult than with some other unit ranges.

IKEA kitchens are not "absolute top quality" but they are very good value for money. They're great for white kitchens, or if you don't mind the white carcasses showing through between the doors. I don't think that looks very good ... especially for timber doors, or in modern open plan kitchens where the kitchen is the main living room of the house. Only you can decide how much it matters to you. They also have fairly limited unit sizes - but also have some unusual ones - making the kitchen look more interesting.

As to kitchen suppliers wanting your husband to be there ... that's a whole other story. I'm thinking of writing an article about it!

StuHolmes

I cannot over emphasise how much of a mistake I think you would be making dealing with this company!

Their furniture is not too bad but they seem completely incapable of delivering a complete order. I made two separate orders for home office and bedroom furniture at the beginning of November, one online and one through telesales. 11 delivery dates later we still have neither order complete. That's 11 times someone has to be home or they charge you £50. Sometimes they will call to inform us a delivery is going to be short of some items.....after the delivery is made!

To make matters worse the price of the furniture was reduced again before any of it had been delivered but they refuse point blank to give it to us at these prices. I could have cancelled and re-ordered at the new prices but would probably be luck to see the furniture by 2009. They refuse to refund delivery charges (after 11 deliveries and still neither order is complete!). They rarely answer emails, and you spend ages on hold on the 0870 to speak to anybody.:mad: :mad:

Their customer charter is a load of bull. They claim to "want you as a customer for life" but do not want to make any redress for their incompetence.

A google search will show hundreds of similar experiences. I think their latest TV ads say "We've changed."...They certainly have not.

Emmalou

I do agree that it is not really fair to get a company with the expertise to do the designing and then hawk the plan around for a cheaper price - especially when dealing with a small independent kitchen company. Indeed as I was sat in MFI waiting for my first appointment (that had to be cancelled after keeping me waiting for 1/2 hour) I saw people with drawings by other companies ready to show the MFI planners.

I would understand if a designer a) wanting to charge for a plan or b) was happy to design and give a quote but not allow the plan to be taken away.

But how on earth can you make a considered decision about who you want to go with if you have to commit before you've even found out how your kitchen will be designed or how much it costs i.e. MFI?

MFI have completely wasted my time, not once but twice.

majjie

You're absolutely right Emmalou! And you have my sympathy for being treated the way you have. I too think MFI are shooting themselves in the foot ... it's not as if people will be queuing up to buy from them because of their brilliant reputation :rolleyes:

It's just that I can see why they're doing it. It would be much better if they just made a small charge for the plan ... sorry ... hobby horse again!

matmcgregor

Go to Howdens, you might need a kitchen fitter to get it for you, but they supply to mfi and are much cheaper