A New Kitchen

[Claymore]

I want to put a new tasteful kitchen in a property and my budget is £3.5k including hob and oven (so probably about £3k).

Can anyone recommend an internet website (ie has experience of buying a decent product etc).

I know I can get something half decent at B+Q but some of the pictures on the internet look very tempting and claim to be better build and quality.

Many thanks
Claymore

[Jackie1960]

Having just spent over £10,000 renovating a house I'd completely run out of money before I got to the kitchen. I had no choice but to look at the Wickes range of takeaway kitchens. I got my handy brother-in-law to fit it and very impressed he was with the quality. It cost about £900 and I then purchased a good quality second-hand Stoves oven and hob for £200. Looks smashing!

[nikkko]

AVOID B&Q like the plague, I got one for my own house, it was over 12 months for them to get every bit to site. The kitchens are OK quality wise but the logistics are terrible, seriously we had 9 different under oven trim sent .
Ikea are really good for rental properties, they have a 25 year warranty!! (I think)
If you are in the south http://ecointeriors.ie/ are very very very good, really stylish and great value.

Nik

[oaktree]

I used to be a kitchen fitter in a previous life many many years ago; all kitchen fascias are much the same in the mid range units; Wickes, B&Q, Homebase, Kitchens Direct, Magnet (avoid their wooden range!)etc. You only see dramatic improvements on quality once you get into higher range units.

Its the base units you need to be wary of; don't buy anything with less then an 18mm carcase and adjustable feet. Make sure it is put together properly and glue ALL joints with something like Gripfil or No Nails, 90% of problems with kitchens stem from the carcases coming apart.

If larger base units haven't got a middle support leg then buy a pack and add one.

Wickes is OK for rental units as is Howdens but you'll need to either open a trade account of buy it through a contractor, they won't sell to the general public. Interestingly they were the trade arm of MFI, who had an appalling name for selling you 90% of a kitchen ala B&Q and eventually closed down, but their units come ready assembled and are good quality.

[bbva]

I put an IKEA kitchen in. Looks great (high gloss white) and if anything needs replacing eg door, it is easy to do. 5 years down the road and it still looks great.

[Claymore]

Thanks everyone.

I have actually got an account with Howdens, but you still have to really haggle to get a decent price.

I didn't realise the connection between Howdens and MFI - my own kitchen was MFI and is 16 years old - still looks really good and I've recently changed the handles and work top (plus the floor of course) and it all looks totally new again.

[Claymore]

If you are in the south http://ecointeriors.ie/ are very very very good, really stylish and great value.

Nik

Just had a peek - very nice but too pricy I'm afraid :-(

[mind the gap]

I concur with previous posters re B & Q kitchens (although I do like B & Q for some things, especially their toasted teacakes).

Wickes are fine, Howdens are fine for mid-price range; IKEA are great value for everything except the work surfaces and the joy of their kitchens is that everything fits together and you get lots of spare fittings and ingenious uses of space. The 25 year guarantee is not to be sniffed at, either.

[Interlaken]

If you are using a tradesman get him to show you the Howdens catalogue.
You can only buy at Howdens if you are a registered tradesman but they do a wide range of units, splashbacks (no tiling ) and appliances to suit all at trade prices. Most big towns and cities have one hidden away somewhere.

My favourite from them is the fan oven/gas hob/extractor for £265 +VAT - bought last one in June.

For appliances only I use John Lewis online, Appliance Wharehouse and Boots. Yes Boots! I wanted a particular black hob for one property after googling it - it came up on Boots.com at best price and delivered via Appliance Wharehouse. The latter keeps you well informed as to deliver times - recommend.

[Ericthelobster]

You can only buy at Howdens if you are a registered tradesman but they do a wide range of units, splashbacks (no tiling ) and appliances to suit all at trade prices.

I'd also definitely recommend them. I had an account there a few years ago but unfortunately it lapsed through lack of use. It wasn't hard to get the account - told them I was a new property developer, just starting out (so no business/trade paperwork yet...) think they took a bank reference but that was it.

[oaktree]

Just make one purchase per year to keep your account open, I hadn't used mine for a year and bought a tube of gripfil to keep it open for a further 12 months.

[Tipper]

We fitted Jewsons ready built units in our 3 holiday lets. We were really impressed with the quality of build and helpful branch staff. We've had lots of 'nice kitchen' comments from our guests over the last 3 seasons. (Maybe that's because most holiday lets are sh1te and that's what people expect!)

Got them on our Jewsons Trade account too. Just tell them you're renovating/rebuilding/loft conversion or something and they'll sign you up with an account which is useful for all sorts of things. Can have a 'trade card' too if you don't want a full account.