Discussion
So, having found this I am surprised at the price difference between DIYKitchens and the others. I had a quote of £15k that was quickly dropped to £9k by Wren earlier this year, yet a 15 unit kitchen 22mm at DIY comes in at under £2k (+ Fitting).
Looks Like i'm going to be taking a drive up north! Well worth visiting this forum today then.
Looks Like i'm going to be taking a drive up north! Well worth visiting this forum today then.
Arranguez said:
So what would the difference be between one fitted kitchen as discussed on here, and a top end fitted kitchen? Thicker units, more exact fit? Or are they all much of a muchness and it is the brand you are paying for. And what would the view be on the best fitted kitchens? I saw Siematic on another thread.
As someone who supplies and installs kitchens, there is little difference between those suppliers the OP first listed, though having recently compared all of their specifications, DIY kitchens would appear to be the best spec / value for money. But you have to do your own design and sort your own fitters. Certainly sorting your own fitter is probably a good thing any way, the big sheds charge their customer top money for installation, but tend to pay their fitters a low rate, so even if they have the skills to do it well they often done have time allowed to spend on the neater details.The next level of kitchen will just be subtly better in many ways, ability to exact match carcass to door colour, rather close match,
Carcass glued and doweled construction rather than cam (ie same as flat pack, but pre assembled.) same size backing as sides. This makes the units more rigid. They should be more accurately made.
Obviously only good quality hinges, drawers, etc.
The doors are likely to be slightly better, in finish or materials.
Lots of relatively small differences but add up to a nicer product. Like Ford vs Mercedes, both fine, but one is just a bit nicer.
Top end becomes bespoke furniture and this is a whole other level again.
Interesting thread. A new kitchen is our next project and despite me having been a homeowner for 20 years, I’ve never actually replaced a kitchen in a property.
My list of potential suppliers is the same as the OP’s list, plus DIY kitchens (the latter look favourite based on this thread!).
There are a few comments in the thread about suppliers starting high with their quotes and coming down (e.g. Wren) and also a couple of people mentioned a 30%ish discount being pretty standard with Wickes. To help me understand what I might end up paying, post haggling, what sort of discounts are typically on offer from each supplier?
Howdens
B & Q
Wickes – 30%?
Wren
Magnet
DIY kitchens
My list of potential suppliers is the same as the OP’s list, plus DIY kitchens (the latter look favourite based on this thread!).
There are a few comments in the thread about suppliers starting high with their quotes and coming down (e.g. Wren) and also a couple of people mentioned a 30%ish discount being pretty standard with Wickes. To help me understand what I might end up paying, post haggling, what sort of discounts are typically on offer from each supplier?
Howdens
B & Q
Wickes – 30%?
Wren
Magnet
DIY kitchens
I used these a couple of years back when I did ours
http://www.handmadekitchens-direct.co.uk/html/cabi...
Solid wood and came in cheaper than the initial quote from B&Q (c£10k IIRC for a 5m x 3m kitchen).
Did have to paint it myself, mind
http://www.handmadekitchens-direct.co.uk/html/cabi...
Solid wood and came in cheaper than the initial quote from B&Q (c£10k IIRC for a 5m x 3m kitchen).
Did have to paint it myself, mind
smn159 said:
I used these a couple of years back when I did ours
http://www.handmadekitchens-direct.co.uk/html/cabi...
Solid wood and came in cheaper than the initial quote from B&Q (c£10k IIRC).
Did have to paint it myself, mind
Some of the very best kitchens are hand painted on site. http://www.handmadekitchens-direct.co.uk/html/cabi...
Solid wood and came in cheaper than the initial quote from B&Q (c£10k IIRC).
Did have to paint it myself, mind
TheGreatSoprendo said:
Interesting thread. A new kitchen is our next project and despite me having been a homeowner for 20 years, I’ve never actually replaced a kitchen in a property.
My list of potential suppliers is the same as the OP’s list, plus DIY kitchens (the latter look favourite based on this thread!).
There are a few comments in the thread about suppliers starting high with their quotes and coming down (e.g. Wren) and also a couple of people mentioned a 30%ish discount being pretty standard with Wickes. To help me understand what I might end up paying, post haggling, what sort of discounts are typically on offer from each supplier?
Howdens
B & Q
Wickes – 30%?
Wren
Magnet
DIY kitchens
The discount is a marketing ploy, I was designing a kitchen for someone recently who was only interested in the size of the discount. I offered 75%.My list of potential suppliers is the same as the OP’s list, plus DIY kitchens (the latter look favourite based on this thread!).
There are a few comments in the thread about suppliers starting high with their quotes and coming down (e.g. Wren) and also a couple of people mentioned a 30%ish discount being pretty standard with Wickes. To help me understand what I might end up paying, post haggling, what sort of discounts are typically on offer from each supplier?
Howdens
B & Q
Wickes – 30%?
Wren
Magnet
DIY kitchens
She paid exactly the same as a customer who wanted a kitchen competitively priced.
All the big supplier have a list price that is massively inflated. It is the sales persons job to sell for the highest price possible, and possibly earn a higher commission.
They all have a base price, that you have to work to get as a buyer.
TheGreatSoprendo said:
Interesting thread. A new kitchen is our next project and despite me having been a homeowner for 20 years, I’ve never actually replaced a kitchen in a property.
My list of potential suppliers is the same as the OP’s list, plus DIY kitchens (the latter look favourite based on this thread!).
There are a few comments in the thread about suppliers starting high with their quotes and coming down (e.g. Wren) and also a couple of people mentioned a 30%ish discount being pretty standard with Wickes. To help me understand what I might end up paying, post haggling, what sort of discounts are typically on offer from each supplier?
Howdens
B & Q
Wickes – 30%?
Wren
Magnet
DIY kitchens
I know I'm like a broken record but I'll save you the time, I've done it all before My list of potential suppliers is the same as the OP’s list, plus DIY kitchens (the latter look favourite based on this thread!).
There are a few comments in the thread about suppliers starting high with their quotes and coming down (e.g. Wren) and also a couple of people mentioned a 30%ish discount being pretty standard with Wickes. To help me understand what I might end up paying, post haggling, what sort of discounts are typically on offer from each supplier?
Howdens
B & Q
Wickes – 30%?
Wren
Magnet
DIY kitchens
DIY are both cheaper and better regardless of the discount of all the above - even in Howdens super discount week they are far more expensive.
The only "drawbacks" to DIY is the lack of designers / showroom and that mistakes take 2 weeks to rectify (Howdens & Magnet can rectify most problems immediately but if it's not in stock it can take many weeks)
Hashtaggggg said:
I was designing a kitchen for someone recently who was only interested in the size of the discount. I offered 75%.
She paid exactly the same as a customer who wanted a kitchen competitively priced.
.
As an indi, if someone asks you for a huge discount are you tempted to fit at a lower std?She paid exactly the same as a customer who wanted a kitchen competitively priced.
.
Edited by PositronicRay on Monday 15th October 15:41
Neil - YVM said:
Some of the very best kitchens are hand painted on site.
I know where you're coming from IE bespoke handcrafted.... oak from Lord XXXX estate, crafted by pygmies... However a CNC machine will cut to tighter tolerances than a hand made one and a machine will spray a finer finish than a painter on site with a brush, it's BS for the wealthy to bragg about how much they've spent.
V8RX7 said:
I know I'm like a broken record but I'll save you the time, I've done it all before
DIY are both cheaper and better regardless of the discount of all the above - even in Howdens super discount week they are far more expensive.
The only "drawbacks" to DIY is the lack of designers / showroom and that mistakes take 2 weeks to rectify (Howdens & Magnet can rectify most problems immediately but if it's not in stock it can take many weeks)
Thanks DIY are both cheaper and better regardless of the discount of all the above - even in Howdens super discount week they are far more expensive.
The only "drawbacks" to DIY is the lack of designers / showroom and that mistakes take 2 weeks to rectify (Howdens & Magnet can rectify most problems immediately but if it's not in stock it can take many weeks)
Looks like a long schlep up to Doncaster might be in order at some point.
V8RX7 said:
I know where you're coming from IE bespoke handcrafted.... oak from Lord XXXX estate, crafted by pygmies...
However a CNC machine will cut to tighter tolerances than a hand made one and a machine will spray a finer finish than a painter on site with a brush, it's BS for the wealthy to bragg about how much they've spent.
On the other hand, the supplier that I used only offered unfinished cabinets, plus I have a tin of paint to touch up if needed However a CNC machine will cut to tighter tolerances than a hand made one and a machine will spray a finer finish than a painter on site with a brush, it's BS for the wealthy to bragg about how much they've spent.
V8RX7 said:
I know where you're coming from IE bespoke handcrafted.... oak from Lord XXXX estate, crafted by pygmies...
However a CNC machine will cut to tighter tolerances than a hand made one and a machine will spray a finer finish than a painter on site with a brush, it's BS for the wealthy to bragg about how much they've spent.
You sound quite bitter about handmade kitchens.However a CNC machine will cut to tighter tolerances than a hand made one and a machine will spray a finer finish than a painter on site with a brush, it's BS for the wealthy to bragg about how much they've spent.
And have you had a bad experience with wealthy people ?
PositronicRay said:
Hashtaggggg said:
I was designing a kitchen for someone recently who was only interested in the size of the discount. I offered 75%.
She paid exactly the same as a customer who wanted a kitchen competitively priced.
.
As an indi, if someone asks you for a huge discount are you tempted to fit at a lower std?She paid exactly the same as a customer who wanted a kitchen competitively priced.
.
Edited by PositronicRay on Monday 15th October 15:41
smn159 said:
V8RX7 said:
I know where you're coming from IE bespoke handcrafted.... oak from Lord XXXX estate, crafted by pygmies...
However a CNC machine will cut to tighter tolerances than a hand made one and a machine will spray a finer finish than a painter on site with a brush, it's BS for the wealthy to bragg about how much they've spent.
On the other hand, the supplier that I used only offered unfinished cabinets, plus I have a tin of paint to touch up if needed However a CNC machine will cut to tighter tolerances than a hand made one and a machine will spray a finer finish than a painter on site with a brush, it's BS for the wealthy to bragg about how much they've spent.
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