New Kitchen Project
Discussion
One of the only things we have never done is a new kitchen. Our current one is an old Howdens one so is still pretty decent however at 20 years ish now, we feel we should invest in a new one. Ours in the centre of our house so the effort should be worthwhile. But I am petrified.
I know I am going to have to accept a few weeks of disruption, mess and no facilities but with two kids and with us busy with work I do not relish it. Then there is the obvious question of what kitchen and who to fit. I am told source the kitchen (Wren, Magnet etc) and pay a local trader to fit. So far looks like a kitchen for our space will be around 12 - 15k and fitting to be around 4-5k. I wouldn't want to go north of 25k though. Is this approach the better one to take?
Then there is the issue of flooring. Our current floor runs right across the space and will need changing. I can't work out how our existing kitchen gets removed entirely, then work is paused while a different flooring company do their work, then the new kitchen is installed by presumably the same people who remove the old one?
We have some design appointments with 2 companies so I anticipate the hard sell, marketing push and all that goes with that. I am told to expect 3 hours and a virtual tour - I really don't buy into all that but I guess it is a necessity. We would be looking to take up the interest free finance with the supplier anyway. Reading some reviews online particularly of Wren concerns me, there are some real horror stories on Google. I wouldn't want to go Wickes or B and Q, so Howdens, Magnet - anyone else?
I know I am going to have to accept a few weeks of disruption, mess and no facilities but with two kids and with us busy with work I do not relish it. Then there is the obvious question of what kitchen and who to fit. I am told source the kitchen (Wren, Magnet etc) and pay a local trader to fit. So far looks like a kitchen for our space will be around 12 - 15k and fitting to be around 4-5k. I wouldn't want to go north of 25k though. Is this approach the better one to take?
Then there is the issue of flooring. Our current floor runs right across the space and will need changing. I can't work out how our existing kitchen gets removed entirely, then work is paused while a different flooring company do their work, then the new kitchen is installed by presumably the same people who remove the old one?
We have some design appointments with 2 companies so I anticipate the hard sell, marketing push and all that goes with that. I am told to expect 3 hours and a virtual tour - I really don't buy into all that but I guess it is a necessity. We would be looking to take up the interest free finance with the supplier anyway. Reading some reviews online particularly of Wren concerns me, there are some real horror stories on Google. I wouldn't want to go Wickes or B and Q, so Howdens, Magnet - anyone else?
Wickes were fine for us.
As for disruption.
Set up a kitchenette (microwave, kettle and the fridge somewhere convenient. Can litterally be on a camping table in the hall.
Plan to eat out most nights or batch cook things that can be microwaved easily.
Places like Toby carvery etc are cheap enough on a tuesday night.
As for disruption.
Set up a kitchenette (microwave, kettle and the fridge somewhere convenient. Can litterally be on a camping table in the hall.
Plan to eat out most nights or batch cook things that can be microwaved easily.
Places like Toby carvery etc are cheap enough on a tuesday night.
Just had a magnet kitchen fixed 2 weeks ago.
We like you did the rounds and wren were by far the most expensive and high pressure. They were dismissed at the first hurdle.
B&Q were a close second to Howdens…. The Howdens were excellent to deal with and the quality of the ready made units were exceptional.
Fitting was done by a local carpenter. We had 3 quotes that were drastically different for exactly the same work.
We had a separate plumber and tiler and electrician.
Can’t recommend howdens enough. Throughout the process.
We like you did the rounds and wren were by far the most expensive and high pressure. They were dismissed at the first hurdle.
B&Q were a close second to Howdens…. The Howdens were excellent to deal with and the quality of the ready made units were exceptional.
Fitting was done by a local carpenter. We had 3 quotes that were drastically different for exactly the same work.
We had a separate plumber and tiler and electrician.
Can’t recommend howdens enough. Throughout the process.
I did a massive kitchen refit last year. I pulled out the old one in January and finally finished in December - ten months without a kitchen!
But, to be honest, it’s not that bad if you can get the basics together. A portable induction hob, air fryer, microwave and kettle and you’re good to go. That being said, we decamped to the utility room on the other side of the house so we had a sink and I managed to rig up plumbing for the dishwasher. I know not everyone can do that and without running water it’s difficult.
DIY Kitchens were the original plan as they’re nice quality without the bulls
t. But we ended up pushing the budget a level up and went with Handmade Kitchens of Christchurch, who are excellent. For the flooring I’m a big fan of LVT, something you might want to consider.
But, to be honest, it’s not that bad if you can get the basics together. A portable induction hob, air fryer, microwave and kettle and you’re good to go. That being said, we decamped to the utility room on the other side of the house so we had a sink and I managed to rig up plumbing for the dishwasher. I know not everyone can do that and without running water it’s difficult.
DIY Kitchens were the original plan as they’re nice quality without the bulls
t. But we ended up pushing the budget a level up and went with Handmade Kitchens of Christchurch, who are excellent. For the flooring I’m a big fan of LVT, something you might want to consider. We had our Howdens kitchen fitted about 15 years ago. It is still serviceable but I need to get the floor restrained and can do that myself.
We had a young child at the time and basically set up a mini kitchen in the conservatory (microwave, kettle etc.). Careful selection of meals (mainly ready meals) kept us going with takeouts and a lot of pre prepared salads. Washing up done in the bathroom but tried to eat out the ready meal containers...... (How very uncouth!!)
We found a contractor (carpenter) who subbied out all the trades....so he had all the stress of fitting the sparks, plumbers, hiring floor sanders and decorators in..... They did a great job....
We had a young child at the time and basically set up a mini kitchen in the conservatory (microwave, kettle etc.). Careful selection of meals (mainly ready meals) kept us going with takeouts and a lot of pre prepared salads. Washing up done in the bathroom but tried to eat out the ready meal containers...... (How very uncouth!!)
We found a contractor (carpenter) who subbied out all the trades....so he had all the stress of fitting the sparks, plumbers, hiring floor sanders and decorators in..... They did a great job....
I'd go DIY Kitchens all day long. They have a planner where you can get a rough price.
The likes of Wren will entice you in with zero percent finance but will try their hardest to rip you off and I think the kitchen is worse quality than Howdens and DIY.
Can you separate the finance and the kitchen purchase with a zero percent credit card?
If it helps removing a kitchen is normally very easy so maybe you could do that, floor down and kitchen fitter to install the new one.
The likes of Wren will entice you in with zero percent finance but will try their hardest to rip you off and I think the kitchen is worse quality than Howdens and DIY.
Can you separate the finance and the kitchen purchase with a zero percent credit card?
If it helps removing a kitchen is normally very easy so maybe you could do that, floor down and kitchen fitter to install the new one.
I only use DIY now after having a Howdens account for 25 years. I got fed up of having to fight Howdens on price every time I wanted a kitchen so tried DIY and never went back, I’ve had around 10 kitchens off them now. The units from all of the well known brands are pretty similar, but DIY just shade it and are cheaper 9 times out of 10.
I have just planned this, it’s about £5k for the units but excluding worktops and appliances, it’s for a flip so I won’t be going overboard on appliance but it will have quartz worktops, it will be around £11k once fitted, that doesn't include electrics or plumbing as they are all new anyway.
I have just planned this, it’s about £5k for the units but excluding worktops and appliances, it’s for a flip so I won’t be going overboard on appliance but it will have quartz worktops, it will be around £11k once fitted, that doesn't include electrics or plumbing as they are all new anyway.
I have not used these, and I've no idea of price, but handy things.
https://www.temporarykitchenpod.co.uk/
https://www.temporarykitchenpod.co.uk/
A decent fitter shouldn’t leave you without a sink for too long even if it’s a bodge just to keep you with water to wash up and fill a kettle. A decent fitter makes all the difference to how smoothly things go, to keeping other trades on the ball and in making a cheaper kitchen look superb. A crap fitter will make an expensive kitchen look like a dogs dinner and vice versa. To me, it’s more important to find a good fitter than a good kitchen.
As for disruption, we just sat aside a small area in the lounge with a decorating table with a microwave, a hot plate and we moved the fridge in there. Was workable in the short term and helped by using a load of disposable cups, cutlery and plates to keep washing to a minimum and a few cheeky takeaways when we simply couldn’t be bothered.
As for disruption, we just sat aside a small area in the lounge with a decorating table with a microwave, a hot plate and we moved the fridge in there. Was workable in the short term and helped by using a load of disposable cups, cutlery and plates to keep washing to a minimum and a few cheeky takeaways when we simply couldn’t be bothered.
I'm currently doing my kitchen now, or at least i'm waiting for an electrician. Once the first fix is done i'll be fitting the kitchen myself, gone for Ikea. We used it in the utility room and it looks pretty good.
We have the luxury of moving the kitchen to the other side of the room so whilst i've removed all the worktops/ cabinets we've left the oven in place whilst the work goes on. Makes the new electrical installation a little troublesome but it's not that bad. And then we're using the utility for the washing up/storage in the short term with a large table in the kitchen as a worktop.
We have the luxury of moving the kitchen to the other side of the room so whilst i've removed all the worktops/ cabinets we've left the oven in place whilst the work goes on. Makes the new electrical installation a little troublesome but it's not that bad. And then we're using the utility for the washing up/storage in the short term with a large table in the kitchen as a worktop.
Something which didn’t really occur to us is the quartz supplier templates the worktops and won’t do that until the units are in place.
We were having classic kitchen / diner extension refurb done and the builder was fitting the Howdens kitchen. He told us it would be fitted in two days - which was correct, all the kitchen fitter does is plonk units in place. It was another couple of weeks to get the worktops templated made and fitted. Then the hob and sink fitted.
We were having classic kitchen / diner extension refurb done and the builder was fitting the Howdens kitchen. He told us it would be fitted in two days - which was correct, all the kitchen fitter does is plonk units in place. It was another couple of weeks to get the worktops templated made and fitted. Then the hob and sink fitted.
So it looks like Howdens will be the supplier and we have found a local builder/fitter who can do everything and project manage everything. Once the plans are drawn up he will review and we will discuss a price. Our area is likely to be fairly sizeable as we are extending the kitchen across two rooms to include our current dining area.
Problem is that I wanted to use the finance option for the kitchen itself (and pay the fitter with my own money). But Howdens don't do finance. So what's the best option as loan rates are ridiculous?
Problem is that I wanted to use the finance option for the kitchen itself (and pay the fitter with my own money). But Howdens don't do finance. So what's the best option as loan rates are ridiculous?
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