New kitchen time

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vickster

Legendary Member
Whatever you do don't use one of the small independent suppliers, make sure you use Wickes, Wren, Howdens, Magnets, Homebase or B&Q and drive the small shops out of business! :okay:
Maybe you can supply @Salar with his units? :okay:
 

Heigue'r

Veteran
Magnet Kitchens are the ones the builders and developers use round here- that speaks volumes!
I fitted 14 magnet kitchens in a luxury development about 6 months back,no complaints on quality of anything.Did not use their worktops though,instead got a specialist stone fitter.I wouldn't hesitate to buy if I was refitting myself.
 

Archie_tect

De Skieven Architek... aka Penfold + Horace
Location
Northumberland
That might be more do with the fact they get a bigger trade discount than the other sheds give.
All the base/ wall units are made by the same company who supply all the suppliers... I can't remember the name, I'll check, but it's more to do with the service Magnet give rather than just the price... never had an issue with back-up and support from Magnet- all the rest charge you full price for any returns or changes once order is placed.... so no, it's not all down to the discount cf to Howden and Wickes. Never used Wren, Ikea or B+Q.
 
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Deleted member 26715

Guest
All the base/ wall units are made by the same company who supply all the suppliers..
Wren don't, they make all their own carcasses there is huge margins to be had once the tooling is paid for, over 500% is not uncommon.
 

Archie_tect

De Skieven Architek... aka Penfold + Horace
Location
Northumberland
I didn't know that - good to know.

I've heard bad things about Wren among fitters but then with the volume they get through there will always be horror stories occasionally- it'll be how they deal with problems that'll set them apart.
 
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Deleted member 26715

Guest
I've heard bad things about Wren among fitters but then with the volume they get through there will always be horror stories occasionally- it'll be how they deal with problems that'll set them apart.
They don't have any fitters themselves they subby it all, which means you get what you get & they have little control over it. I've also been told mis-shipping of items & people getting each others kitchen is quite common, but no idea how true it is.

I used to know the owner (before he owned Wren) he had me sacked 3 times as he didn't like hearing the truth, but he had me taken back twice when he found out it was the truth I was telling him :laugh::laugh: I do know he sacked his General Manager & sent him back to the US.
 

Venod

Eh up
Location
Yorkshire
I have fitted a few kitchens myself, the first one cheap and cheerful, I think it was Status ? the second one Hygena a bit better quality, the latest one we had fitted by a local independent and they made a first class job of it, we had granite tops and splashbacks, highly recommended.
 
OP
OP
Salar

Salar

A fish out of water
Location
Gorllewin Cymru
Hygena, that's a blast from the past, now long gone together with Schreiber which is the kitchen I'm taking out.
 

Mark pallister

Senior Member
I used to fit for a living and always used Howdens and got a v good service
Prices vary massively depending on how much you buy and even how well they like you
Even from depot depot
All Howdens peeps are on sales bonus which makes up a big percentage of there wages so there usually up for a bit of good natured haggling
 
OP
OP
Salar

Salar

A fish out of water
Location
Gorllewin Cymru
We've used Howdens a few times for kitchens as we have a trade account.
The last time though the prices had risen quite a lot ( we fitted new Howden doors recently and then sold house..doh) and they messed up the order by giving wrong information about door availability which cost us quite a bit to rectify.

Hence the reason to try someone else.
 
Ikea ?

Fitted our utility room out a few years back and was impressed with the quality and range, seems a common choice here. Also as others have said you can get replacement panels and parts for quite some time vs smaller suppliers.
 

johnblack

Über Member
I used IKEA for our last one a few years ago. The design service was excellent, priced well, includes 25 year guarantee on workmanship and defects on the units, 10 years on taps and 5 years on appliances. We got it on the interest free credit which you can also use for their third party fitting service, that was also pretty good. Not had an issue in the 4-5 years since it was fitted.
 

Milkfloat

An Peanut
Location
Midlands
I just replaced an IKEA kitchen which had the carcasses falling apart in less than 5 years. I had to put in a Money Claim Online (small claims court) before they would deal with me properly. They sent out an assessor who wrote in a report that I used bleaches to clean the cupboards and had standing water on the woodwork. Little did they know that my security camera picked up the assessment where I specifically told him that only water and disinfectant were used and never bleach and that I was always careful not to leave puddles of water. They did not want to know even though I eventually told them I had footage, it was only when I gave them a copy of the claim that they started to pay attention to me.

We replaces it with a kitchen from Benchmarx which are the same kitchens as Wickes, but significantly cheaper. Nothing but praise for them (although not their delivery guy), great design and the product seems really good too.
 
OP
OP
Salar

Salar

A fish out of water
Location
Gorllewin Cymru
I've read that Ikea are good for the money.( Not so sure now though reading what @Milkfloat says)

One thing that seems to pop up in their reviews is that the units don't have a services gap at the back of the units, but the units are deeper because of this and they hook onto a rail.
 
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