first house multi questions

[crackthatoff]

We should be getting the keys to our first house on fri so : -

1) which is the cheapest place for kitchens, at b&q i have seen a solid oak design with my specified top for a grand, kitchen only 10ft by 6 ft. going to do the flooring and tiles myself and as my mate has a plumbers merchants I'll get the oven,hob,extractor and sink from him. the washer,fridge and freezer will be in a different room.
I did the kitchen fitters flooring free over crimbo so the fitting cost should be minimal.
I should have around 2k to play with, so is something half decent doable?

was going to ask about electric, gas and broadband suppliers but for now the kitchen will do!

any advice would be appreciated thanx!

Edited by crackthatoff on Wednesday 10th February 13:16

[V8mate]

Check out Homebase and Wickes for kitchens too. All will have a rolling array of offers.

[Engineer1]

Ikea is good for kitchens as well, if you are being budget conscious and can look nice if well fitted, the only thing is they don't have a services back on the cupboards, but they do have some nice touches like the wall mount cupboards can also be used as base units allowing for better use of space in tight kitchens.

[Hugo a Gogo]

ikea kitchens are quite good, cheap enough, and always upgradable and 'addable-to'

their work tops are crap though, IMO

Edited by Hugo a Gogo on Wednesday 10th February 13:33

[BoRED S2upid]

Are the Jan sales still on? if so then go for it, Wicks, Homebase B&Q all very similar styles and prices. Can't go wrong with such a small kitchen.

[Buzz word]

I'm also in my first house and I am currently on my second room for decorating and my main observation about decoration is always allow for mission creep. You could take the units off the wall find the walls are rubbish and want to skim them. More sockets needed? kitchen falls under part P so would want a sparky. If you fit gas appliances they will need to be done by a pro. Just be careful if money is tight as you don't want any nasty surprises.

For the suppliers try 'money supermarket'. I found them good for deals on the fuel bills. For broadband I went to 02 as I am a customer already it's super cheap. If your not they can be cheap if you get a pay as you go sim as all they do is send you a text code to register. My dad did that and offsetting the sim cost he is saving money over his current provider by month 6.

[Wings]

http://www.howdens.com/

They have three set of prices, public, trade and the one where you go to walk away.

[crackthatoff]

Wings said:

http://www.howdens.com/

They have three set of prices, public, trade and the one where you go to walk away.

ahh, thought about howdens my dad has a trade account there from when he bought his kitchen. I'll definately give them a go then !

[VxDuncan]

Really would be very careful with the costs as suggested. Think of B&Q - the proportion of the store given over to kitchens and flooring. Then think of the proportion of the store given over to tools, paint, fixings, sundries etc etc. Think of your budget in much the same way... The units themselves will only make up a proportion of the total cost, possibly with a similar ratio...

Fitting a kitchen you've got (at a quick run through)
Floor and wall tiles
Tile adhesive
Grout
Tile spacers
Tile edging strip (stupid price!)
decent fixings for units
Battens
Sockets, switches etc (assuming like for like)
Under cupboard lighting
All the extra crap round the units (plinths etc)
Taps
Isolator valves
Waste fittings and pipe
Filler
Paint for Walls
Paint for skirting and other wood work
Misc. screws and plugs
etc. etc...

Then there's tools, even if you have basics:
Tile cutting saw
Trowel for spreading tile adhesive
Tile file
Blowtorch
Solder
Heatmat
Pipe cutter
Pipe bender
etc. etc.

I'd guess a good £500 for that lot, not inc. tiles. And that's if you don't have to skim the walls or level the floor, and don't find anything scary...

[x type]

Having a wickes kitchen fitted as we speak by a relative of mine , went for them as the price seemed good and her indoors liked them

wouldn't have another one the quality isn't up to much ,bit rough around the edges , shelves are not held up by much ,just little pins , don't think it will last like my old mfi one which was 23 yrs old

Be careful if you buy their take out range, they have some on display which look nice , the cupboards have coloured end panels to match the doors on the display ones

The base and wall units are all white apart from doors

You have to buy these coloured panels as extras to the kitchen bases or your end panels are white which look a bit naff ,luckily for me I only had to buy 2 panels for mine

I paid around £1400 for the kitchen units ,it was an extra £600 if I wanted all coloured endpanels

[52classic]

Another vote for Howdens mainly because their budget ranges are particularly good.

It's the speciality bits like end panels, plinths & cornice, taps & stuff which mount up to make the kitchen seem expensive.

Edited by 52classic on Thursday 11th February 11:37