Jesus kitchens are expensive!!!

[dave_s13]

Just been down to Wickes for a kitchen designing and feck me they are a bit pricey aren't they?!

To be fair we (the wife) chose the most expensive in their range including all in built appliances and stuff i.e.

- Built in double oven
- Built in fridge/freezer
- Built in dishwasher
- Built in washer
- Built in dryer
- Induction hob
- Belfast sink
- Extractor

Here's a pic of what Wickes' came up with.



I was very impressed by their solution to the bottom right corner which is a snazzy unit that opens up 'a la' "transformers" to reveal a rotating carousel that uses all the available space.

For info the dishwasher will be in the island unit.

The rub came about when cash was mentioned.

- With granite worktops and all appliances - £16000
- With solid wood worktops and all appliances - £13500
- With no worktops or appliances (but sink and taps inc) - £9000
Fitting £2200 ( I know I can get this cheaper).

Now, it's nice, it's what we want/need but feck me that's rich.

Re the picture - bear in mind the wall running along the top is not actually there. It's an open plan kitchen/dining/family room.

We are also getting quotes from howdens with a 70% discount being applied via my old man. Also got a local place doing us a quote (Harmony in Leeds) and intend to see how Ikea compare also.

What do you lot think? Please feel free to rip it to bits/be constructive.

[Shaw Tarse]

Why have they drawed all over your units?
Delivered by Wikes? ....

[grumbledoak]

Fridge/Freezer right beside the oven doesn't seem too clever, and you could squeeze in a few more high level cupboards...

[ShadownINja]

I spent ages wondering why you had green and white benches to sit on to the left and right but nowhere to cook.

Edited by ShadownINja on Monday 11th October 19:35

[hornetrider]

The space between the central island and the conventional worktop seems a bit tight to me - what are the gaps?

[dave_s13]

hornetrider said:

The space between the central island and the conventional worktop seems a bit tight to me - what are the gaps?

Drawing is not 100% accurate in that respect.

There is at least 1m clearance between island and units at the left/right. Much more than that from bottom of unit to hob area.

Squiggles are me scribbling the unit sizes on the drawing before I gave it to howdens to copy.

[dave_s13]

grumbledoak said:

Fridge/Freezer right beside the oven doesn't seem too clever......

That crossed my mind.

Would using the oven cause any issue with the fridge freezer? Is there that much heat escaping to be a problem?

Could move it so the pull out larder is in between I suppose?

[dave_s13]

ShadownINja said:

I spent ages wondering why you had green and white benches to sit on to the left and right but nowhere to cook.

Edited by ShadownINja on Monday 11th October 19:35

Drink less wine. Or turn your screen around

[grumbledoak]

dave_s13 said:

Would using the oven cause any issue with the fridge freezer? Is there that much heat escaping to be a problem?

Enough to cost you some extra money every time you cook. Nothing like the cost of a new kitchen, of course, but if it is easy to change...

[Coco H]

It all depends what you want in a kitchen. I live in a cottage and wanted a twee country kitchen with painted wooden units. I got all the wooden units plus matching dress plus bit to cover the fan above the cooker, ( we have about 10 double doors large units), plus double belfast sink plus the granite (I think it may be nearly 2 inch deep) for less than 2k. Actually I think the floor tiles were included too.
How? The handmade kitchen units came out of someone else's country house and I had some matching extra units made, the granite was an offcut (some offcut we have metres of the stuff) from some rich person's house in Chelsea. I don't think our kitchen is that small either.
For us this was the cheapest option at the end of a very expensive renovation. I wanted different granite and other things slightly different but it was darn sight cheaper than anything else.
I have a friend who swears by ikea kitchens - again she paints them.
However I havent' seen any options for cheap modern looking kitchens.

[CatherineJ]

Crikey, that looks expensive for the units shown in the illustration.

I was in Ikea last week and their kitchens do look quite good and you appeared to get quite a lot for not a huge amount of money. However I did notice that the appliances shown in each display were the same amount as the kitchen furniture.

I always thought Wickes were supposed to be quite reasonable.

Edited by CatherineJ on Monday 11th October 20:36

[Jasandjules]

I would turn that Island 90 degrees to the right so that you have more room in the doorway sections and it would mean that you will have a large(ish) bit of Island which backs onto the oven so you can plate up and chop stuff there and put in the oven etc...

And yes, kitchens are expensive, that's why half decent kitchens (and bathrooms) sell houses... But fully integrated appliances make sooooo much difference, it is worth the extra IMHO (and in my experience too - as are colour matched carcasses).

[m3jappa]

I have a wickes kitchen which was fitted when we moved in.

Imo its certainly not the best quality, its 'okay' (high gloss slab) , whoever fitted it was crap too, with lots of lips on the doors when they are closed, i adjusted as best i could and its better but still not perfect (i don't think wickes fitted it though).

Worktops were iroko from howdens, very nice but bear in mind Howdens trade discount is st, all they do is inflate their prices and the bring them down to the level most others are at (in my experience anyway). For example i think these tops were £600 per 3 linear meters, while i have seen the same tops for around £250 on the net for alleged grade A. I also wanted some doors and howdens were £110 +vat i managed to get the exact same door for £47.99 from funnily enough wickes (however i am near positive that was a mistake on their site).

I know it sounds like bks but my uncle is a kitchen fitter, he only deals with real quality stuff and is a real old school tradesman, the few i have seen have been 100% perfect (for me to say that means it really is 100% lol ). If your in Essex area i can put you in touch, hes very reasonable. 16k for the above appears to be a hell of a lot but appliances can add up along with buying granite from a high street company. I would be going to a stone supplier and choosing my own slab if it were me, and not relying on whatever they send out.

[grumbledoak]

Also, mentally walking around that, your fridge and oven are far from the main work surface, so you'll spend all your time cramped on the smaller bit.

And, you don't have a drainage area by the sink, so the water will drip on the floor. That will annoy you.

[m3jappa]

I have a wickes kitchen which was fitted when we moved in.

Imo its certainly not the best quality, its 'okay' (high gloss slab) , whoever fitted it was crap too, with lots of lips on the doors when they are closed, i adjusted as best i could and its better but still not perfect (i don't think wickes fitted it though).

Worktops were iroko from howdens, very nice but bear in mind Howdens trade discount is st, all they do is inflate their prices and the bring them down to the level most others are at (in my experience anyway). For example i think these tops were £600 per 3 linear meters, while i have seen the same tops for around £250 on the net for alleged grade A. I also wanted some doors and howdens were £110 +vat i managed to get the exact same door for £47.99 from funnily enough wickes (however i am near positive that was a mistake on their site).

I know it sounds like bks but my uncle is a kitchen fitter, he only deals with real quality stuff and is a real old school tradesman, the few i have seen have been 100% perfect (for me to say that means it really is 100% lol ). If your in Essex area i can put you in touch, hes very reasonable. 16k for the above appears to be a hell of a lot but appliances can add up along with buying granite from a high street company. I would be going to a stone supplier and choosing my own slab if it were me, and not relying on whatever they send out.

[m4ckg]

dave_s13 said:

hornetrider said:

The space between the central island and the conventional worktop seems a bit tight to me - what are the gaps?

Drawing is not 100% accurate in that respect.

There is at least 1m clearance between island and units at the left/right. Much more than that from bottom of unit to hob area.

Squiggles are me scribbling the unit sizes on the drawing before I gave it to howdens to copy.

Why Howdens ? have you had a good look at thier units ? which range of kitchen did you look at, at Wickes and which brand of appliance were you quoted on ?

[mattman]

IKEA!!!!! - the only way forward - better quality and cheaper prices - fitted 2x ourselves - red gloss and dark wood and both have been great - ok you have to accomodate the pipework but its hardly a deal breaker.

[Simpo Two]

I'd split it up as follows:

Cabinets
Appliances
Worktop
Sink/taps
Tiles

- and source each from the best place. No matter what they'd have you believe, a cabinet is only a chipboard box. It's the £3 soft-close hinge that makes it feel expensive...

[dave_s13]

Cheers all.

Lots to think about

[RobDickinson]

We spent ~$30k (NZ) on ours! it aint that big and that only included 1 appliance (induction hob)!

Did get some lovly hardwood counter tops though...1/3rd the total budget