| Kitchen advice 11:00 - Jan 30 with 2278 views | Bluefish |
I know this has come up in then past for others and some good advice was shared.
I'm in the market for a new kitchen because we are extending. I've never bought a full kitchen from scratch before, we've been quite lucky with house buying or just upgraded parts of them. Now I need to start from scratch, we pretty much know what we want it is just a case of from where and how much. I went to Magnet at the weekend for a design appointment and the one I picked was rather pricey so he suggested a very very similar one that was much cheaper from a lower range and he also suggest max top worktops instead of quartz. This makes the whole thing in my desired price range. Should I consider elsewhere though? I like shopping around but this all made sense.
My initial plan was to look at all of them but go to Howden or benchmarx but I don't know a decent fitter and I'm not sure I would be able to choose one. This gives me a problem using either of those and also a problem in rectifying any warranty or fitting issues. The idea of magnet fitting whether it is rigid or flat pack makes it seem so much simpler.
Please share your wisdom and experiences [Post edited 30 Jan 2019 11:04]
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| Kitchen advice on 11:15 - Jan 30 with 2231 views | clive_baker |
Very generic advice here but I would ALWAYS shop about. You might end up back at Magnet but at least you'll know you considered the options. There are plenty of alternatives and you might surprise yourself. I extended a while back and put a new kitchen in, I couldn't believe the difference in prices, even just for the labour. Same applies for all works IMO, recently had a large fence installed, guy I went for was half the price of the 1st quote I got which happened to be the highest, and he did an incredible job. He wasn't even the cheapest by the way. |  |
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| Kitchen advice on 11:19 - Jan 30 with 2223 views | Bluefish |
| Kitchen advice on 11:15 - Jan 30 by clive_baker |
Very generic advice here but I would ALWAYS shop about. You might end up back at Magnet but at least you'll know you considered the options. There are plenty of alternatives and you might surprise yourself. I extended a while back and put a new kitchen in, I couldn't believe the difference in prices, even just for the labour. Same applies for all works IMO, recently had a large fence installed, guy I went for was half the price of the 1st quote I got which happened to be the highest, and he did an incredible job. He wasn't even the cheapest by the way. |
I'm with you and I have about 5 builders coming round to price but I can't see a way I feel comfortable about having a local bloke fitting the units opposed to doing it all through the shop. I was worry that they will blame each other for faults. | |
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| Kitchen advice on 11:28 - Jan 30 with 2200 views | chicoazul |
| Kitchen advice on 11:19 - Jan 30 by Bluefish |
I'm with you and I have about 5 builders coming round to price but I can't see a way I feel comfortable about having a local bloke fitting the units opposed to doing it all through the shop. I was worry that they will blame each other for faults. |
http://mickstockwellkitchens.co.uk/ |  |
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| Kitchen advice on 11:31 - Jan 30 with 2198 views | Bluefish |
I would love that and I think it is part of my problem that no other fitter would quite be as legendary as Mick Stockwell | |
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| Kitchen advice on 11:39 - Jan 30 with 2184 views | SaleAway |
I'm about to be doing a kitchen as well, so I have similar thoughts. Did the bathroom last year, and was in the same boat... wanted someone to own the whole process, so I couldn't have a plumber blaming the sanitaryware, and the bathroom suppliers blaming the workman.
We spoke to a couple of the big bathroom suppliers, but ended up using a local independent... was a really good experience. What I found with the big chains was that they would ask you what you wanted, draw it up, and sell it to you, but the independent lot gave loads of advice, and we ended up with something much better.
I'd probably go the same way with the kitchen - find an independent local kitchen supplier and involve them. |  |
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| Kitchen advice on 12:00 - Jan 30 with 2153 views | Bluefish |
| Kitchen advice on 11:39 - Jan 30 by SaleAway |
I'm about to be doing a kitchen as well, so I have similar thoughts. Did the bathroom last year, and was in the same boat... wanted someone to own the whole process, so I couldn't have a plumber blaming the sanitaryware, and the bathroom suppliers blaming the workman.
We spoke to a couple of the big bathroom suppliers, but ended up using a local independent... was a really good experience. What I found with the big chains was that they would ask you what you wanted, draw it up, and sell it to you, but the independent lot gave loads of advice, and we ended up with something much better.
I'd probably go the same way with the kitchen - find an independent local kitchen supplier and involve them. |
I felt more comfortable with it when it was the bathroom last year but probably because the materials outweigh the Labour this time i feel less so.
I've just phoned benchmarx and they were really helpful. Happy to give me my own trade account and recommend some fitters | |
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| Kitchen advice on 12:25 - Jan 30 with 2116 views | Deano69 |
BenchMarx are really good. They also have names of fitters they trust.
Have heard not very nice things about Wren |  |
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| Kitchen advice on 12:30 - Jan 30 with 2104 views | giant_stow |
Howden's seems to be the builder's choice, but a tiny bit pricey. Some one I know tried to buy an Ikea kichen but their builder (already hired for other tasks) more or less refused to work with Ikea stuff. Personally though, I bought Ikea and it was far cheaper than anything else I could find which meant we could afford a nicer worktop (which seems to be the main expense). |  |
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| Kitchen advice on 12:38 - Jan 30 with 2080 views | jeera |
I almost wrote, a bag, some bricks and running water.
Then I realised it said 'kitchen'. |  |
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| Kitchen advice on 16:43 - Jan 30 with 1995 views | bluejake78 |
An independent fitter with a magnet account will get a massive discount over whatever you can get.
We found a recommended fitter and let him buy it so any problem was his problem.
It worked well. |  | | |
| on 16:55 - Jan 30 with 1967 views | _ |
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| Kitchen advice on 18:45 - Jan 30 with 1912 views | brogansnose |
Few things to note on this, and I'm repeating some things other posters have already mentioned.
Trade fitters will get a large discount from suppliers like Howdens and Magnets which they should pass on and make some bunce themselves to cover organising and taking the hit if something is wrong.
Always check out the drawers and doors , they should be sturdy and thick. As a little sign to look out for, the bottoms of the drawers are one of the places where companies cut corners.
You've probably got this sorted, but whoever is doing your extension needs to know where you want sockets, underunit lighting, appliance wiring ect. Not too essential because its all get-overable but it helps and keeps labour costs down.
Fitters can be a bit of a lottery cost wise. There are some really good ones out there who are very reasonable price wise and some who are chuffing expensive but very good also with long lead times. As an example, we had our bathroom done , which isn't small, this summer. All the ones recommended to us were damn expensive and a bit prima donna-ish and couldn't do anything for 9 months. Bloke we got in to do it was about £4 grand cheaper, did a great job and liased well with my old lady, which trust me, is never easy. Its quite easy these days to get recommendations and look online at reviews. I did my own kitchen which we got from IKEA and got a chap in to do the work tops which is where you do need to be a bit skillfull. |  | | |
| Kitchen advice on 18:47 - Jan 30 with 1908 views | Warkystache |
Try Plain English. Pricey but they're stunning. My mum and dad have one! |  |
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| Kitchen advice on 18:52 - Jan 30 with 1899 views | Bluefish |
| Kitchen advice on 18:45 - Jan 30 by brogansnose |
Few things to note on this, and I'm repeating some things other posters have already mentioned.
Trade fitters will get a large discount from suppliers like Howdens and Magnets which they should pass on and make some bunce themselves to cover organising and taking the hit if something is wrong.
Always check out the drawers and doors , they should be sturdy and thick. As a little sign to look out for, the bottoms of the drawers are one of the places where companies cut corners.
You've probably got this sorted, but whoever is doing your extension needs to know where you want sockets, underunit lighting, appliance wiring ect. Not too essential because its all get-overable but it helps and keeps labour costs down.
Fitters can be a bit of a lottery cost wise. There are some really good ones out there who are very reasonable price wise and some who are chuffing expensive but very good also with long lead times. As an example, we had our bathroom done , which isn't small, this summer. All the ones recommended to us were damn expensive and a bit prima donna-ish and couldn't do anything for 9 months. Bloke we got in to do it was about £4 grand cheaper, did a great job and liased well with my old lady, which trust me, is never easy. Its quite easy these days to get recommendations and look online at reviews. I did my own kitchen which we got from IKEA and got a chap in to do the work tops which is where you do need to be a bit skillfull. |
Cheers pal, top advice | |
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| Kitchen advice on 18:54 - Jan 30 with 1894 views | lowhouseblue |
ordered from 'solid wood kitchen cabinets' - fit them myself. |  |
| And so as the loose-bowelled pigeon of time swoops low over the unsuspecting tourist of destiny, and the flatulent skunk of fate wanders into the air-conditioning system of eternity, I notice it's the end of the show |
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| Kitchen advice on 19:00 - Jan 30 with 1886 views | Pecker |
The answer is WKJ. He does it for a living. |  | | |
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