My opinions on kitchens I have been to see .........

Discussion in 'Kitchen Fitters' Talk' started by jimmy_bob, Feb 24, 2007.

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  1. jimmy_bob

    jimmy_bob New Member

    Hi everyone,

    Like a lot of new posters, I have been drawn here in search of the best value for money, but decent kitchen!

    I thought I would share what I have found out already, and perhaps some of the more regular visitors could help me find a kitchen!

    We started looking for a kitchen for our new house a couple of months ago. We went to the place who supplied and installed our kitchen in our previous house and were all for going with them - until they calculated the price!

    For a simple L-shaped kitchen (2.4m by 3.6m) and then a larder cupboard and built in welsh dresser type unit built into alcoves on the opposite side of the kitchen came in at ..... £10,500 (including around £1,600 for fitting). This figure included a siemens extractor (nothing fancy), bottom of the range siemens double oven, fridge freezer and dishwasher - again all bottom of the range appliances. We were told that these appliances would be supplied at trade price, so it got me thinking where do the kitchen company get the money to pay for the BMW and Mercedes owned by the family run business employees, the money for the nice showroom and the money to pay the 3 or 4 admin staff!! I concuded they must be making a HUGE mark-up on the untis, so I thought I would have a look myself. Incidentally, the units quoted for are made by a company called Chippendale - and did look good quality (rigid backs, cabinets same colour as doors, good hinges etc.)

    So as I said, the search began here really, the names Wickes, Howdens, MFI, B&Q, Magnet and Ikea were mentioned. As these are relatively simple to view, we went to our nearest outlets:

    We are looking for ivory / vanilla shaker style slightly country looking units with Wood worktops. (worktops will be sourced from a local wood place where we soured our pitch pine internal doors). Budget ideally £2500 on units / doors only.

    Wickes - Styles not right!

    Howdens - absolutely awful! Cabinets looked poorly made, doors looked cheap and the shelves are supported by cheap looking plastic holders. Also, the pre-drilled holes up the sides look cheap.

    MFI - see Howdens (but more expensive)

    B&Q - cheap units are poor, but the more expensive looked OK. Nicely built with decent drawers. Informed by salesman that not 18mm backs!

    Magnet - hardboard backs ..... say no more

    Ikea - poorly put together in store, did not look particulary impressive. Again pre-drilled doors etc.

    So .... as it stands the original place's units are the best, but.... too expensive.

    I then looked on the internet and found a very promising site called withknobson.com, been around 6 years - guy on phone sounded knowledgable and friendly. Hardly any mentions on this site, but the cabinets look very well made on the internet diagram (18mm backs, glue and dowels, available in a multitude of colours to tie in with doors). The doors are also the same as advertised on the pws site, these doors seem to be popular with fitters on this site. Great prices as well. Only gripe is that I can not go to a shop / showroom to see them!

    Has anyone on here actually bought / fitted one of these kitchens. My wife is risk averse and is not keen on buying blind. It is possible to buy trial doors at around £20 each, but the cabinets are the main things that I would like to test!

    Another name that has come up is Nobilia, which seem to be supplied by Howarth Timber - local outlets in Oldham and Manchester. Not sure on prices for these, and not seen them yet.

    We are in south Manchester, any help would be appreciated.

    Sorry for the long message, James
     
    jimmy_bob, Feb 24, 2007
    #1
  2. STGO

    STGO New Member

    Hello James,
    can with knobs on point you to a previous customer of his for a quick viewing? surely if it meant a sale he could arrange this?
    just a thought
    good luck mate
     
    STGO, Feb 25, 2007
    #2
  3. Steve Stiffler

    Steve Stiffler New Member

    If you were thinking of trying Focus please don`t,basically they have no cam and dowels they are simply screwed in from the SIDES with 4 screws,slide in your hardboard and away you go,then i saw the prices they charge and almost wet myself laughing
     
    Steve Stiffler, Feb 25, 2007
    #3
  4. Jonny Round Boy

    Jonny Round Boy New Member

    If you're adverse to hardboard backs, I wouldn't bother looking at Nobilia - and their MFC is only 15mm...
     
    Jonny Round Boy, Feb 25, 2007
    #4
  5. 2 a month

    2 a month New Member

    2 a month, Feb 25, 2007
    #5
  6. Lucky

    Lucky New Member

    Hey JB

    I`ve just 2nd fixed a Kitchen in Timperley ( i`m a Spark) The Guy there bought a Kitchen from Keller Kitchen Cntr on Manchester Rd Timperley , It was a very nice bit of Kit , The Cabinets were good quality ( from Holland) , You upgraded the Fascia if you wanted to pay a Bigger price , i`m not a salesman for him ( Check my Postings) just a bit of info u may appreciate.

    Lucky.
     
    Lucky, Feb 25, 2007
    #6
  7. jimmy_bob

    jimmy_bob New Member

    Cheers guys - Lucky, will check out that place in Timperley that you mentioned. Would still be interested to hear from anyone who has had dealings with "withknobson.com" though!

    James
     
    jimmy_bob, Feb 26, 2007
    #7
  8. cubekitchens.co.uk

    cubekitchens.co.uk New Member

    withknobson, turn over a massive amount of money on a yearly basis.  in a similar way to appliances, more and more people are buying kitchens online (would you buy a full kitchen of ebay...?)
    they use a german company and then buy PWS second nature products.  both of which have there place in the market and work really well.

    I can supply kitchens in the manchester area, let me know if I can be of help, most of my work is in Yorks though so a trip over the hills would be required to see any of our projects


    *

    Message was edited by: Screwfix Moderator
     
    cubekitchens.co.uk, May 6, 2011
    #8
  9. G Brown

    G Brown New Member

    What a stupid spammer! Get lost!
     
    G Brown, May 6, 2011
    #9
  10. Kfrankham

    Kfrankham New Member

    We have had a couple of Sheraton Kitchens from New Design Kitchens in Staffordshire in the past. Always been great service and good quality - https://newdesignkitchens.co.uk
     
    Kfrankham, Nov 29, 2018
    #10
  11. cliffk

    cliffk New Member

    Fitted several kitchens from DIY-Kitchens this year nice quality and good website showroom in Pontefract but do not do home visits or planning although I do believe if you take measurements etc to the showroom they have helpful staff,

    Re the company with fancy cars, I used to sub to a studio like this, the owner used a couple of observations when building his qoute, what type of car the customer drives, was the wife wearing expensive jewelry / diamond rings, where they lived, all this had a bearing on the price!!!!
     
    cliffk, Nov 29, 2018
    #11
  12. kitfit1

    kitfit1 Well-Known Member

    There was a point in my mum and dad's past when as WW2 children they were forced to eat spam because that was all there was to eat. In this day and age nobody with any sort of brain would eat the stuff at all.......................................................so f*c* *f*
     
    kitfit1, Nov 30, 2018
    #12
    Paul12345 likes this.
  13. chippie244

    chippie244 Well-Known Member

    Spam fritters :):)
     
    chippie244, Nov 30, 2018
    #13
    KIAB likes this.
  14. ajohn

    ajohn Active Member

    It's worth thinking about the strength of the units as well. MFI that was - falls apart. Magnet reputed to be rather strong. Ikea not bad and easy to replace bit by bit if needed. Wickes - didn't like what they offered.

    Easy to do - pull a drawer out and really put some weight on it. Also check the weight of panels. Ikea passed - some creaking but the drawer still worked. Time will tell if there stuff will do an mfi - drawer fronts and doors coming off when pulled open one day plus cabinets warping. I don't think Ikea items will have that problem rather rapidly.

    John
    -
     
    ajohn, Dec 17, 2018
    #14
  15. Not-a-Decor8r

    Not-a-Decor8r Member

    I've just ordered from http://www.betterkitchens.co.uk not arrived yet but did a viewing and the cabinets look far better then competitors.

    They have a 2mm capped front to the end of cabinets as well so (hopefully) don't peel after a few years.

    Its really a money for old rope game in kitchen units.
     
    Not-a-Decor8r, Feb 4, 2019
    #15
  16. Mr Rusty

    Mr Rusty Well-Known Member

    Currently installing a kitchen from diy-kitchens at pontefract. Nice quality and v competitively priced. Obviously you have to design and fit yourself. - recommended.
     
    Mr Rusty, Feb 4, 2019
    #16
    KIAB likes this.
  17. KIAB

    KIAB Well-Known Member

    Can't fault DIY Kitchens,installed a few, very good quailty,wide range of units,can't fault them, their showroom South Kirkby near Pontefract is worth visitiing,good helpful staff there.

    https://www.diy-kitchens.com/
     
    KIAB, Feb 4, 2019
    #17
  18. Dam0n

    Dam0n Active Member

    Can we please start locking these old threads. The original was from 2011. Some spammer dragged it up from the depths. Read through nearly the whole thread before realising.

    Sort it out Screwfix.
     
    Dam0n, Feb 4, 2019
    #18
    KIAB likes this.
  19. KIAB

    KIAB Well-Known Member

    I keep asking for old threads to be locked,as does others,for some reason SF Pete seems reluctant to do so, you could still link to them if need be,but it would also stop trolls,& peeps with same issue,from tacking onto them.
     
    KIAB, Feb 4, 2019
    #19
    Dam0n likes this.
  20. Not-a-Decor8r

    Not-a-Decor8r Member

    Sorry mate do I ask you if its fine to post next time?

    I was merely helping the community with updated options for kitchens?!?
     
    Not-a-Decor8r, Feb 4, 2019
    #20
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