Howdens V B&Q Kitchens
Discussion
I've had a couple of Howdens kitchens before and they've been OK and I had an MFI flat pack which was ok too.
I recently saw my old home for sale and the MFI kitchen still looks fine, 15yrs later.
I've just had a look for a new kitchen and intend to buy an Anthracite one.
Howdens despite their sale are approx 25% more than B&Q.
The main difference seems to be that Howdens are glued and B&Q are flat pack.
I'm unconcerned about that.
However apart from the hinges are there other differences ?
Both are MFC 18mm cabinets and MDF doors - are there differences in the material ?
Finally B&Q sell two types of door they look identical to me - I suspect the salesman may have shown me the wrong sample as apparently one is lacquered and one is postformed laminate - I presume I should see the join on the back edge ?
Is there anything else to look at quality wise ?
I recently saw my old home for sale and the MFI kitchen still looks fine, 15yrs later.
I've just had a look for a new kitchen and intend to buy an Anthracite one.
Howdens despite their sale are approx 25% more than B&Q.
The main difference seems to be that Howdens are glued and B&Q are flat pack.
I'm unconcerned about that.
However apart from the hinges are there other differences ?
Both are MFC 18mm cabinets and MDF doors - are there differences in the material ?
Finally B&Q sell two types of door they look identical to me - I suspect the salesman may have shown me the wrong sample as apparently one is lacquered and one is postformed laminate - I presume I should see the join on the back edge ?
Is there anything else to look at quality wise ?
B17NNS said:
I've just fitted a benchmarx kitchen. Quality comparable to Howdens. Cost significantly less.
Also heard only good things about diykitchens.co.uk
I fitted a Benchmarx 2yrs ago - was very disappointed to find that they were flat pack but then supplied assembled but not glued. Also the thick back panel was loose so completely pointless and the wall units only came with one shelf.Also heard only good things about diykitchens.co.uk
I've looked at DIY kitchens and the price was very similar to Howdens and I'm not keen on buying without seeing it and without having a shop I visit if there's a problem.
B17NNS said:
I've just fitted a benchmarx kitchen. Quality comparable to Howdens. Cost significantly less.
Also heard only good things about diykitchens.co.uk
FYI all Benchmarx kitchens are made by Gower Furniture at Halifax. They have a PDF brochure and price list on their site : http://www.gower-furniture.co.uk/Also heard only good things about diykitchens.co.uk
creationracing said:
I know you will read a million and one bad reviews of their customer service, but I have Wren units in Kitchen and Utility rooms and have no complaints. Only had a few small probs like a couple of handles were the wrong size, and one door was damaged in transit.
All sorted quickly and for free.
But I will say, my salesman stopped answering my calls as soon as I handed over money. Had to actually go into the showroom to get response and resolution.
Makes perfect sense.All sorted quickly and for free.
But I will say, my salesman stopped answering my calls as soon as I handed over money. Had to actually go into the showroom to get response and resolution.
Howdens service is brilliant and B&Q is DIRE
I waited 9 weeks for my B&Q cabinet doors to arrive and they kept lying and fobbing me off. Didn't deliver when promised.. Twice! Delivered to wrong address and then only delivered half. Lost 2 days worth of work as I had to take a day off to wait for a 9-6 delivery. NEVER AGAIN.
Their IT range is crap. Not sure of the Cook and Lewis range.
Howdens have always been brilliant for all the kitchens I've done although they almost always forget an item but they bring it within a day or so, so no real issue.
I did a magnet kitchen too. Same as howdens but flat pack so extra labour needed time wise
I waited 9 weeks for my B&Q cabinet doors to arrive and they kept lying and fobbing me off. Didn't deliver when promised.. Twice! Delivered to wrong address and then only delivered half. Lost 2 days worth of work as I had to take a day off to wait for a 9-6 delivery. NEVER AGAIN.
Their IT range is crap. Not sure of the Cook and Lewis range.
Howdens have always been brilliant for all the kitchens I've done although they almost always forget an item but they bring it within a day or so, so no real issue.
I did a magnet kitchen too. Same as howdens but flat pack so extra labour needed time wise
RE DIY Kitchens. I bought from them a year ago, and would do so again.
My kitchen was fitted by a specialist who usually does Wickes fitting. He said the kitchen was better quality in the carcase, used better fittings, was more generous with all the legs, shelf pins, unit joiners etc.
I had an issue where I forgot to order a corner post, it arrived special delivery next day.
A few weeks ago, I eventually got round to asking for a new pair of drawer runners that had been clunky from day one. They too arrived special delivery next day.
Excellent price/quality and great service.
My kitchen was fitted by a specialist who usually does Wickes fitting. He said the kitchen was better quality in the carcase, used better fittings, was more generous with all the legs, shelf pins, unit joiners etc.
I had an issue where I forgot to order a corner post, it arrived special delivery next day.
A few weeks ago, I eventually got round to asking for a new pair of drawer runners that had been clunky from day one. They too arrived special delivery next day.
Excellent price/quality and great service.
creationracing said:
I know you will read a million and one bad reviews of their customer service, but I have Wren units in Kitchen and Utility rooms and have no complaints. Only had a few small probs like a couple of handles were the wrong size, and one door was damaged in transit.
All sorted quickly and for free.
But I will say, my salesman stopped answering my calls as soon as I handed over money. Had to actually go into the showroom to get response and resolution.
We've just had a Wren kitchen fitted - very impressed with quality, price and, unlike your experience, the after sales service.All sorted quickly and for free.
But I will say, my salesman stopped answering my calls as soon as I handed over money. Had to actually go into the showroom to get response and resolution.
Definitely worth a look, IMHO.
From experience, I would only buy from somewhere that allows me to be buy from them. That might sound odd, but unless you can get your own account, I would avoid Howdens.
We had a house extension completed recently and chose door handles from a Howdens catalogue. Recently I've been replacing some of the other internal doors in the rest of the house and wanted handles to match. My two local branches won't even talk to me about trying to source matching handles. Head office ignore my emails. They expect me to go through a tradesman with an account. Maybe I should have been cleverer at the started and pretended I was a trades person. Now they know me they won't talk to me.
I've now thrown over £300 of brand new Howdens handles in the bin because it's been easier to just start again with a different supplier. I would not be happy if I had an expensive kitchen and wanted spare parts.
We had a house extension completed recently and chose door handles from a Howdens catalogue. Recently I've been replacing some of the other internal doors in the rest of the house and wanted handles to match. My two local branches won't even talk to me about trying to source matching handles. Head office ignore my emails. They expect me to go through a tradesman with an account. Maybe I should have been cleverer at the started and pretended I was a trades person. Now they know me they won't talk to me.
I've now thrown over £300 of brand new Howdens handles in the bin because it's been easier to just start again with a different supplier. I would not be happy if I had an expensive kitchen and wanted spare parts.
A lot of the trades around here seem to love Howdens. I wasn't impressed with the quality & ended up going to an independent who make the stuff here in Shropshire (apart from the doors, they come from Italy). The chippy who fitted it did said they had fitted stuff from diy kitchens.com (http://www.diy-kitchens.com) & the quality was excellent. I didn't have the time to work out what cabinets I needed etc but if you do it may be worth a look. I did look at B&Q and didn't like the idea of something that clicks together.
DIY kitchens have a silver edging on their Anthracite doors 
Wickes don't make one nor do Gower.
I think Magnet still have a silver edging on all their carcasses and the sales woman is so rude my wife refuses to go in.
Ikea are an option.
I have a Tradepoint (B&Q) account and although delivery may be slow I must admit I've found the service good.
I also have a Howdens account
Wickes don't make one nor do Gower.
I think Magnet still have a silver edging on all their carcasses
and the sales woman is so rude my wife refuses to go in.Ikea are an option.
I have a Tradepoint (B&Q) account and although delivery may be slow I must admit I've found the service good.
I also have a Howdens account
I fitted two kitchens back to back recently. B&Q first (customer supplied) then Howdens (we supplied). It took longer to assemble the b&q kitchen than it did to fit the Howdens kitchen. B&Q drawings are dire, the amount of extras supplied and left over was unbelievable. They swap the cupboard sides for colour matched rather than having clad on end panels which is just plain wrong.
I have now refused to fit b&q kitchens because they just aren't worth the hassle.
I have now refused to fit b&q kitchens because they just aren't worth the hassle.
I'm very happy with the quality of the Homebase Hygena kitchen I've just put in. Building the flatpack took a while, but the quality is perfectly decent and any issues were dealt with quickly enough.
Only real hassle was that the worktops we picked were 3m lengths rather than the standard 3.6m so we were left short, but they provided an extra half length at no extra cost, just a bit of a delay waiting for the factory.
Only real hassle was that the worktops we picked were 3m lengths rather than the standard 3.6m so we were left short, but they provided an extra half length at no extra cost, just a bit of a delay waiting for the factory.
Gtom said:
I fitted two kitchens back to back recently. B&Q first (customer supplied) then Howdens (we supplied). It took longer to assemble the b&q kitchen than it did to fit the Howdens kitchen. B&Q drawings are dire, the amount of extras supplied and left over was unbelievable. They swap the cupboard sides for colour matched rather than having clad on end panels which is just plain wrong.
I have now refused to fit b&q kitchens because they just aren't worth the hassle.
Not true in my case just fitted my BQ cooke and lewis and all sides came with clad on ends,good point about the excess though but I intend to return these.I found the kitchen store staff very helpful even after payment.Shopped around everywhere nobody came close the BQ for us.I have now refused to fit b&q kitchens because they just aren't worth the hassle.
DocJock said:
You need to differentiate between B&Q's IT range and their Cooke&Lewis.
The former is dire and the latter very good.
What's the difference ?The former is dire and the latter very good.
From what I can see they use the same flat pack carcass and just have different doors.
The IT doors appear to be the same spec as Howdens (MDF laminated) the C&Lewis are painted.
One of my neighbours went for a John Lewis kitchen (retiring and wanted a really nice set up think he used a fair amount of his 25% pension tax free lump sum to pay for it).
Different league to B&Q and Howdens but worth checking as sometimes they come in relatively reasonable and the customer service of JL group is superb.
Different league to B&Q and Howdens but worth checking as sometimes they come in relatively reasonable and the customer service of JL group is superb.
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