[Closed] New kitchen time. Ideas please.

Its worth going to IKEA because their stuff is very good and comes with a long warranty. Just go at a quiet time.

Do you need to replace absolutely everything? When I did ours I kept a few of the old carcasses. There's no moving parts and they end up pretty hidden once the new doors go on and appliances in.

Don't know about oven brands but there's not much to them so I wouldn't over think it or over spend

I was going to say have you completely ruled out IKEA? Our last two (different houses) have come from there and we think the quality is excellent, but you do need to plan for the lack of service void. The fitter that did our last one said he'd avoided fitting IKEA since his last one six years prior but got sweet talked into doing ours by a colleague that probably also didn't want to fit IKEA, having finished our he reckoned the clever design, build and way everything fits together is way better than all the usual competitors such as Howdens, B&Q, Wickes etc. He thought Wren were way overpriced and their backup was non existent..

I'll probably head to IKEA and Wickes and see how they compare. I've not really got my mind set on the DIY kitchen route as such so will be open to suggestions.

We definitely need all new units, as the kitchen is small it wouldn't be possible to keep an old unit without it being noticeable.

We got to the point recently whereby our 2 year old got excited by the prospect of going to another kitchen shop of a weekend!

If you're anywhere near DIY kitchens showroom, then it's worth a visit if just for the drinks and fresh cakes.  If you've not already found it as it's terrible to find a link on their website, the DIY kitchens 3d planner is here

https://planner.diy-kitchens.com/

We found the doors looked a bit naff - particularly the shaker-esque styles.  The units are reasonably solid though and they get delivered pre-built rather than flat-pack.  Don't forget to factor delivery charge from them which can be a few hundred quid.  Very mixed customer service too - we had both excellent and terrible at pre sales.

We didn't go with them in the end but went with a local company who could do 1240 high wall units for not silly custom money.

Our previous kitchen was IKEA about 3 years ago.  Cheapest flat white doors without knobs (push to open) and oak veneer worktop - really looked nice and modern and really sold the house recently - it was the first thing you walked into like you and it looked great.

Out of DIY and IKEA, I'd go with IKEA for the modern look kitchens.

AVOID Ikea appliances.  they are truly awful.  Well, the ovens are shit and the fridge freezers massively overpriced.

We now have a NEFF double oven which is great - cooks really evenly, a NEFF gas hob and a NEFF dishwasher - all OK.  We'be just got a cheap Belling fridge freezer (anti frost) as the kitchen sales bloke advised it really isn't work spending big money on those as they are much of a muchness.

RE dishwashers - we had a slim one in the IKEA kitchen (Bosch) which was a proper tardis - would take loads.  Whether you go slim or full size, a cutlery drawer at the top rather than the basket makes it so much more versatile IME.

Whether you go slim or full size, a cutlery drawer at the top rather than the basket makes it so much more versatile IME.

I hate those ones at the top - they take much longer to load and unload. IMO.

I've gone the Ikea route this year.

As you've got a small kitchen it's worth getting in one of their designers as they can come up with useful solutions to awkward spaces and how to fit everything in.

Don't use the Ikea fitters, they were cheap but I ended up fixing some things myself rather than get them back in to half-arse it again. I'm not a perfectionist, but i want things doing right.

There's not as much gap behind ikea units so you won't be able to hide any old capped off pipework

I really like how it's ultimately come out though and it was a lot cheaper than the others i was looking at

Probably laminate worktop for cost reasons.

Our hand got forced a bit ... none wanted to try and remove the built in stone worktops.

Anyway... after a lot of <stuff> it turned out that buying used stone worktops is a lot cheaper than I'd thought and actually cutting and polishing them a lot easier than made out.

Cabinet and doors wise very happy with the DIY kitchens ... and modernisation wise really nice to get huge drawers and cutlery drawers ... however hinge wise I went with the high quality ones.

Thanks for the advice so far

Just popped in to IKEA to look at their range.  It took me about 20 minutes to find my way out!   I think we are going to get an appointment in store for planning etc.  Looking at the units though, plenty of gloss finish choice but only a couple for traditional painted shaker style.  My kitchen window is south facing and I think a gloss kitchen might just be a bit shiny.

20 minutes, were you running? That's impressive!

My kitchen window is south facing and I think a gloss kitchen might just be a bit shiny.

So's mine, I have gloss white and it's not an issue at all

Just something for you to mull over. I put a DIY Kitchens kitchen in our house earlier this year. It is superb in many ways, although there are a couple of minor things that need working out (e.g. plinths didn't properly clip onto unit legs without modification, at least in our kitchen). The big one though was the built in microwave unit. Unless I've gone about it all the wrong way, the unit is not deep enough (as in doesn't extend far enough out from the wall) to accommodate even the smallest microwave. It's not the end of the world as we're now using it as a shelf for cookbooks, but if I'd known beforehand we would likely have chosen a different unit.

Also, re: copying a design from somewhere else using DIY Kitchens, the units are different sizes so you'll not get an exact match. I think this is on purpose for this exact reason.

Cheers ox.  That's odd about the microwave cabinet.  Are you supposed to use an integrated microwave for them?

I think I was just going to see if a designer could make a kitchen with a slightly different layout than the one we have which could include a dishwasher, as I can't figure out how it would work without losing too much space.

Are you supposed to use an integrated microwave for them?

It's something I've not figured out. Unit is 280mm deep, the smallest integrated microwave I've found is 300mm with most being 320mm+ and then there's cable to hide behind that. The units just aren't big enough, but then they're standard depth so how does anyone ever have an integrated microwave that doesn't stick out too far?

IKEA. Bigger cupboards than most. Plinths are only 8cm so cupboards go lower to the floor. Superb to fit. Cupboards hang on a rail so they line up perfectly. Blum hinges and drawer runners so quality fixings.

You are in Bristol, give Gardiner Haskins a visit. They were very good and much more helpful than most. They have different ranges depending on budget. We went with a Kitchen partners (whiteladies rd) in the end for design reasons. But GH were good. Don’t go to Wren, they are a shambles. Proper old school, pressure sales. Kitchen fitters? Ours was brilliant but they are booked up well into next year.

Cupboards with Drawers

Especially if you have limited space, makes things a lot better

+1 Drawers. Much easier.

Also Haskins also do a good line in appliances.

I fit kitchens in and around Bristol to pay for my bike habit.

**** ikea and go to Gardiner Haskins

@TheFlyingOx

Are you meant to cut the back out of the carcass for the microwave to fit?

I had to do this with the integrated fridge/freezer.  It's shipped with the back in for structural integrity during shipping and fitting (otherwise the carcass would twist and not be square).

Log a support ticket, they'll answer your question.

Edit... They do sell 300 depth microwaves though.

https://www.diy-kitchens.com/products/appliances/cda/wall-unit-microwave-oven/vm550ss/wp2086406/#.W5lnLFXTU0M

i always thought gardener Haskins were supposed to be pretty expensive? 

Nah, there's no back to that unit. It's kind of two-in-one, a cupboard with a swing-up door at the top and space for the microwave at the bottom. The only way I think you could get a microwave in there would be to cut out a square of plasterboard behind the unit and slide the microwave into the void. We can't do that cos it's an old house with plaster straight onto walls.

What do the panel think about Howdens kitchens?

I have some clients who want one fitting and I've heard good and not so good.

Had a Howdens one fitted in our old house.

Was okay, not great. Lamona fridge was not as spacious  inside as the NEFF we have fitted in the new house.

Howdens design service was not so great, but that is going to vary depending on who you get.

OP will need to find a builder or fitter as they only sell to trade (Supposedly)

The big issue with Howdens is getting a price. They have all sorts of made up discounts. I like being able to do my own calculations. With IKEA it's easy to work out how much each part costs and what he implications are of swapping one bit for another.

They have all sorts of made up discounts. I like being able to do my own calculations. With IKEA it’s easy to work out how much each part costs and what he implications are of swapping one bit for another.

This was my beef with Wren, smoke screen pricing/quote. FFS just give me the prices!

Did ours myself, really not that difficult, professional in for the elctrics. Hardest bit was getting the old tiles out!

Got a beach worktop, very easy to work with, cutting out for sink, hob etc would definitely recomend a wooden one.Offcuts have made lovely matching shelves, window sill, trim etc.  Tiling was surprisingly easy. Went for a recirculating cooker hood with a filter so no cutting massive holes in walls, which are internal anyway so no choice really.

What would I do differently? Not stand on the old hob (which we were planning to reuse) and not get an induction hob as a replacement, or at least not one with touch-screen controls, right PITA everytime you out anything on it anywwhere near the controls it thinks you've pressed something.

.

I have a few issues with IKEA: units only come in integers of 200mm so you can end up with large infill panels; the new 800 high doors is all well and good but require a ridiculous kit to get integrated dishwasher doors not to foul on the kickboards; do you still have to cut your own hole in the sinks? No service space a massive issue in older properties. A general feel of poor quality panels, maybe it's just the low density chipboard that they're made from and the thin melamine layer applied. Can you order worktops in decent lengths these days? Do the legs still fall off the units when you pick the up? Deeper units can be a disadvantage in tight spaces and round corners (making the runs smaller).

Howdens seem to have become rather dear and I've yet to see a front that I'd like in my own home. Don't really have any suggestions about alternative suppliers though.

I like the Earthstone worktops myself.

We have a DIY kitchens kitchen, can't speak highly enough of it. Quality is good and it cost about half what wren Howdens et al wanted.

We have an integrated microcawe, no bother.

We got worktops from worktops direct were much cheaper than DIY kitchens for those.

Plus we got the solid wood doors, look just like doors to me.

That's weird, we about to order a DIY Kitchen and I've have just been looking at their microwave unit to free up some worktop space.  I thought I would be able to put a standard microwave with a depth of about 330mm in the the slot and have a bit sticking out at the front and it would be OK.  However, if the depth of the unit is 280mm internal, that may leave too much sticking out. I'm confused now.

I have spoken to our electrician and he has recommended a couple of kitchen fitters but he has just mentioned he is currently working on an IKEA kitchen install at the moment and fitters weren't impressed with it, not sure why so I guess I need to speak to one.

He did mention he has a Howdens account and can sort that out if I wanted to get someone over for a design.

We've got an appointment at IKEA next week so I'll see what they come up with.

He did mention he has a Howdens account and can sort that out if I wanted to get someone over for a design.

Went through all that fun, have a look and see what you like in Howdens, how much is that one - can't tell you depends on your guys discount, what sort of price range? Depends...

Agree on the Howdens pricing - it's a PITA getting a price, but in the end it wasn't that much above what we would have spent in Ikea.

They should be able to tell you which range is more expensive than the other, but looking at them it's pretty obvious.

We bought all our appliances from John Lewis - Howdens couldn't supply the ovens I wanted.

I would suggest looking at Benchmarx kitchens at Travis Perkins. Ultimately the parts that fail on a kitchen are the hinges and runners, make sure you use a company that uses hardware with a lifetime warranty.

Went through all that fun, have a look and see what you like in Howdens, how much is that one – can’t tell you depends on your guys discount, what sort of price range? Depends…

Also (if you're getting a 'friend' with an account to buy it for you) they will apparently do you two invoices/quotes. One with the price they paid, and one to show the 'customer' that lists everything at RRP.

To be honest I'm not keen on the Howdens pricing thing and that will probably put me off using them.  Not that I do t trust our electrician as he is a good friend, but there would be too much to and fro to make it worthwhile and I can't be bothered with the hassle.

So,the IKEA issues are units that are in divisions of 200mm and no service space at rear of cabinets?  Is there enough room for cables or will they all need chasing in?

You really need to chase in or ideally run everything in the 80mm void underneath, or the third option which we've done twice IF you have space is to use a deeper worktop, screw a 3x2 to the wall and then mount the rail onto that.

I would suggest looking at Benchmarx kitchens at Travis Perkins

Our utility room is from Benchmarx, same(ish) pricing model as Howdens, if cheaper. Seems ok quality so far.

One thing that's a bit weird - their carcasses are cream / off-white, so if you have white doors you can see the colour difference when you open doors.

I don't care in a utility, but in a kitchen it would bother me.

Hi everyone.  We went for our IKEA appointment and the design the guy came up with is basically the same layout as we have at the moment bar a few tweaks, which is what I thought would happen.  Looks like we can get a dishwasher though, a slimline one, at the expense of some cupboard space.

So, more questions.  IKEA appliances seem to have a 5 year warranty and I have read that dishwashers can be a pain to fit due to the unit sizes IKEA use.  For 375 quid is it worth just using their own dishwasher?  Also their built in fridge freezer is 475 quid.  Any reason not to use this as it seems reasonable compared to branded units.  Microwave too.

I think we'll go for an oven and hob from Currys and then re use our washing machine for now.

Pretty happy with the quote, was very similar to DIY Kitchens really.  Maybe not as good quality but I'd have to take the risk of ordering it all myself etc.

We've got a couple of ikea appliances and they've been good. It's not something I get especially excited about but they've worked fine and they have a good warranty if they don't. Never used the warranty so can't comment on that especially but was in there recently and someone had issues with their 8 year old tap and the IKEA guy said it would be replaced, no problem.

IKEA appliances have been fine here, word on the street is that dishwasher compatibility can be a real problem so I'd def go IKEA on that to make sure the door fits.

My 2p worth - don't use built in appliances with matching doors - they are a pain.  Just leave a standard space for a standard sized appliance.

don't use b and q - i recently fitted one of their kitchens and every cupboard was inaccurately machined leaving slight level differences.  Ikea is the only other kitchen I have fitted and the machining of the units was great.  Everything fitted first time and well.

We want to go for the built in dishwasher and a built in fridge freezer just because our current fridge freezer isn't built in and looks shit.

Worktops.  I wanted to go for wood effect laminate for cost but my wife, who is in charge of the worktop and handles and things like that, wanted wood.  The wood one would have been 500 or so whilst laminate was 100ish.  They showed us a vennered wood worktop and we liked the loomk.  Has anyone got one?

Just to add, this veneered worktop will come to 270 quid.

We’ve justahd a big kitchen refit done..

we went for Howden’s as had only heard good things about them - really pleased TBH.

THe kitchen design service was great - went by plans rather than real measurements as the build wasn’t done at the design stage.

Quoting was straight forward enough - once they had done our design, they managed to create a quote there and then. I then said “Warren (builder) said you can offer *2% discount” or something like that... and they did!

Yeah, 80% discount is mental, but it’s how it works.

I then sourced all the appliances (Neff) online from whoever was cheapest.

Then got the quartz top from another company (local) too.

THe thing i liked about Howdens was that there’s 2 branches locally, and practically everything is in stock. So when the fitter accidentally cracked a trim, 20 minutes later we had a new one and the fit wasn’t held up. Also..I changed the drawer layout a few times; and being able to just return and replace an item is great...

DrP