DIY Kitchens - Real World Expereinces
Discussion
Evening everyone
We have just bought a new house and we are in the market for a new kitchen. We have previously looked at Howdens, but we have discounted it for various reasons (See other thread!)
We got a quote from Wicks and we liked the kitchen. Sales person was helpful and not too pushey. However, its come out at more than we hoped.
Based on advice from others, we have now got a quote from DIY Kitchens. Person on the phone was to the point and very helpful and they turned the quote round in four hours flat.
Price is very competitive. We have some of their sample doors and the quality looks good.
We bought our first kitchen from a company called Rock Solid Kitchens and we both still mentally scarred by that, so we are naturally a bit cautious when it comes to ordering from an online only company and our time is limited, so I think a visit to the showroom is out.
Interested in people's real world experiences using DIY Kitchens. What issues did you have and how good were they are rectifying them. I'm well aware that something will be wrong with the design and the delivery no matter how much I spend.
Thanks in advance
We have just bought a new house and we are in the market for a new kitchen. We have previously looked at Howdens, but we have discounted it for various reasons (See other thread!)
We got a quote from Wicks and we liked the kitchen. Sales person was helpful and not too pushey. However, its come out at more than we hoped.
Based on advice from others, we have now got a quote from DIY Kitchens. Person on the phone was to the point and very helpful and they turned the quote round in four hours flat.
Price is very competitive. We have some of their sample doors and the quality looks good.
We bought our first kitchen from a company called Rock Solid Kitchens and we both still mentally scarred by that, so we are naturally a bit cautious when it comes to ordering from an online only company and our time is limited, so I think a visit to the showroom is out.
Interested in people's real world experiences using DIY Kitchens. What issues did you have and how good were they are rectifying them. I'm well aware that something will be wrong with the design and the delivery no matter how much I spend.
Thanks in advance
Very Good, all delivered and carried to where we want.
Tea and Biscuits included for the builder.
Responcive on the phone when I wanted some odd photos (we didnt fit the legs to some to create desks in my office and girls study/play room)
One Item damaged when we came to fit it, collected and swapped out within a week.
Highly recommended and we will use them again.
Helps if you can plan and set out yourself though.
V.
Tea and Biscuits included for the builder.
Responcive on the phone when I wanted some odd photos (we didnt fit the legs to some to create desks in my office and girls study/play room)
One Item damaged when we came to fit it, collected and swapped out within a week.
Highly recommended and we will use them again.
Helps if you can plan and set out yourself though.
V.
Very happy with ours in the last house, good quality and well put together. Wife worked for Howdens a while back and was impressed.
Only thing to realise is you need to do the design properly, and it will take longer to get replacement items or issues sorted (hence builders prefer Howdens as everything is in stock) so if you are having someone fit it make sure you have everything - we were missing the brackets to mount the ceiling cupboards on a Saturday - got a bit annoyed with them on the phone so they phoned the MD and he said to buy the brackets from screwfix and provided the code, and refunded the cost - so I was pretty happy with that.
Only thing to realise is you need to do the design properly, and it will take longer to get replacement items or issues sorted (hence builders prefer Howdens as everything is in stock) so if you are having someone fit it make sure you have everything - we were missing the brackets to mount the ceiling cupboards on a Saturday - got a bit annoyed with them on the phone so they phoned the MD and he said to buy the brackets from screwfix and provided the code, and refunded the cost - so I was pretty happy with that.
Good experience overall. Couple of hinges missing which they shipped soon after notifying, and a couple of the cupboard doors with windows didn't arrive for a few weeks, as they had issues with manufacture which they informed us of. We were kept in the loop and weren't concerned at all.
Planned in Sketchup &, fitted myself; will definitely do it again.
Planned in Sketchup &, fitted myself; will definitely do it again.
We fit one in our house 18 months ago. I have nothing but good things to say about them.
A few of our friends have bought from them based on our experience and have also not had any problems.
We had to wait a week or so for one of our cabinet doors as they had noticed it was damaged when packing up for delivery. They were also very quick to send out some additional parts we required after we made a change to the layout.
A few of our friends have bought from them based on our experience and have also not had any problems.
We had to wait a week or so for one of our cabinet doors as they had noticed it was damaged when packing up for delivery. They were also very quick to send out some additional parts we required after we made a change to the layout.
Thanks for the responses everyone. Always good to see lots of positive comments. I've been through the quote and as far as I can see there is only one error on the quote and thats good going for first attempt.
I now need to remove some f the items we don't want and replace with alternatives. Also beed to look at some alternative colours as we aren't 100% happy with our initial choice.
Hoping to order next week
I now need to remove some f the items we don't want and replace with alternatives. Also beed to look at some alternative colours as we aren't 100% happy with our initial choice.
Hoping to order next week
48Valves said:
One thing to note is their delivery options. Make sure you pick the right one, and take the cost into account.
I paid for the two man delivery and was impressed by the care they took in moving everything. As the units are not flat pack, some of them are heavy and bulky.I had a couple of issues from both their side and mine - all settled easily. I had a drawer runner fail over a year later, and they just shipped out a replacement foc.
My kitchen fitter who spends 99% of his time on Wickes and Howdens, was complimentary about the units and fittings.
Oh, and he said I'd saved quite bit of his time by getting the drawers and doors factory fitted. As they do it on their jigs, it costs little extra and is bang on.
We are about to do ours and went to diy's showroom. Overall i was impressed with the quality but my only slight worry is on some of the kitchens i was looking at (inframe) i noticed the odd spatter of paint in between the joins on some of the doors.
Im not sure if I'm being very fussy and expecting a 50 grand kitchen for 5. Im also not sure if they could be sorted out on delivery.
Ive had howdens round as well, was sort of hoping he was going to come in and improve or compliment my design but it seems at this stage he's going to copy it almost like for like.
The howdens inframe doors appear to be wrapped? Which I'm not keen on. Part of the appeal of painted stuff is when the colour goes out of fashion i can have them re painted.
Anyone have an inframe from either able to comment?
Im not sure if I'm being very fussy and expecting a 50 grand kitchen for 5. Im also not sure if they could be sorted out on delivery.
Ive had howdens round as well, was sort of hoping he was going to come in and improve or compliment my design but it seems at this stage he's going to copy it almost like for like.
The howdens inframe doors appear to be wrapped? Which I'm not keen on. Part of the appeal of painted stuff is when the colour goes out of fashion i can have them re painted.
Anyone have an inframe from either able to comment?
very happy with my kitchen. i went to the showroom to have a good look. i got one of the salespeople to sit with me to complete the order. i asked for a discount. he told me to call them them the next day. i did to find the discount had been applied. 10% i think it was. they also included the soft close hinges for free.
they also picked up on a couple of issues , such as ordering the incorrect base unit for a belfast sink.
i have had more issues buying a basic kitchen for a buy to let from b&q
they also picked up on a couple of issues , such as ordering the incorrect base unit for a belfast sink.
i have had more issues buying a basic kitchen for a buy to let from b&q
m3jappa said:
We are about to do ours and went to diy's showroom. Overall i was impressed with the quality but my only slight worry is on some of the kitchens i was looking at (inframe) i noticed the odd spatter of paint in between the joins on some of the doors.
Im not sure if I'm being very fussy and expecting a 50 grand kitchen for 5. Im also not sure if they could be sorted out on delivery.
Ive had howdens round as well, was sort of hoping he was going to come in and improve or compliment my design but it seems at this stage he's going to copy it almost like for like.
The howdens inframe doors appear to be wrapped? Which I'm not keen on. Part of the appeal of painted stuff is when the colour goes out of fashion i can have them re painted.
Anyone have an inframe from either able to comment?
I think Howdens have more than one inframe. Burford is the painted one I think Im not sure if I'm being very fussy and expecting a 50 grand kitchen for 5. Im also not sure if they could be sorted out on delivery.
Ive had howdens round as well, was sort of hoping he was going to come in and improve or compliment my design but it seems at this stage he's going to copy it almost like for like.
The howdens inframe doors appear to be wrapped? Which I'm not keen on. Part of the appeal of painted stuff is when the colour goes out of fashion i can have them re painted.
Anyone have an inframe from either able to comment?
I've used them multiple times - had 2 delivered a few weeks ago.
You have 7-10 days to check everything - complaints handled well and quickly - however due to the custom nature replacements take 2 weeks - slower than some much faster than others,
I've always paid for 1 man delivery but 2 have always turned up - they will happily load into your garage but not through your house
You have 7-10 days to check everything - complaints handled well and quickly - however due to the custom nature replacements take 2 weeks - slower than some much faster than others,
I've always paid for 1 man delivery but 2 have always turned up - they will happily load into your garage but not through your house
I am currently in the same postion as you and I am looking to buy a kitchen within the next few weeks.
I have spent the best part of 6 months on and off looking at the usual kitcken suppliers such as Wren, JL, BQ, Wicks, Benchmarx and a few other online suppliers but doesnt matter where I look DIY kitchens comes out on top.
The most important part is if you do have an issue they seem to sort it in a timely manner regardless of whos fault it is.
Same as you I ordered the doors and even from them alone you can tell that there is quailty within the product compared to all the other doors I compared it too.
They obviously are not going to be the best but I am generally very fussy and from what I can gather so far in terms of bang for buck you just cant beat them. Good quality product that will last at a reasonable price.
I have spent the best part of 6 months on and off looking at the usual kitcken suppliers such as Wren, JL, BQ, Wicks, Benchmarx and a few other online suppliers but doesnt matter where I look DIY kitchens comes out on top.
The most important part is if you do have an issue they seem to sort it in a timely manner regardless of whos fault it is.
Same as you I ordered the doors and even from them alone you can tell that there is quailty within the product compared to all the other doors I compared it too.
They obviously are not going to be the best but I am generally very fussy and from what I can gather so far in terms of bang for buck you just cant beat them. Good quality product that will last at a reasonable price.
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