kitchen is quite small (3.2m x 2m) with doors at each end (galley style) so once we have fridge-freezer, washer, dryer, dishwasher and cooker in place there's only going to bee a handful of units, and no corner units.
I've fitted IKEA kitchens before and found them to be perfectly adequate for the money however the base units are 20mm deeper than standard so your either stuck with their worktops which although cheap, only come in short lengths, or I'll need to trim the units down if I source worktops elsewhere. also the wall units are 370mm deep and given how narrow the room is, I really want wall units as shallow as I can get.
been to B&Q and Wickes today but neither felt as good as IKEA units and much more expensive (a Wickes 600mm base unit is £302 against the same size and style in IKEA at £63!!)

just read that lot over and feel I must apologise for adding such a staggeringly dull post but any recommendations much appreciated.

I believe that Howdens are good value. But you need to be in the trade to buy off them – don't know if that's a problem for you.

http://www.howdens.com/

We have a twin galley kitchen just a bit smaller than yours, (1.6m x 2.9m) went with Homebase in the end as they do 1000mm drawerline carcasses, B&Q only do 500mm drawerline carcasses unless you pay extra for the premium stuff.

We did a 1.5 galley style, with shallow wall units mounted at floor level down the back wall which works great for toaster/kettle/bread bin/coffee maker etc etc. Didn't bother with wall units as they make a small kitchen feel smaller, we got the Ikea Grundtal wall shelves and hang all the saucepans and utensils off them, much better than burrowing round in the cupboards for stuff.

We took a design from the Ikea kitchen planner to out local Wren Kitchens showroom and got them to quote for a near identical kitchen. It was within a hundred quid or so of the Ikea quote, plus the Wren units come preassembled.

The joiner/builder who did the work for us was impressed with the units.

Howdens…

If you're near one, have a look at KeenCost. Cheaper than most and ready assembled cabinets. Website isn't interactive though so it's go in and have a look. I've put two of them in now and they're solid enough, and come with decent fittings.
http://www.keencost.co.uk/

There is no way howdens will get close to ikea on price, like for like. They have I cheap snide range, but the quality is rubbish.

For what you're after, ikea is your best bet really down your way

There is no way howdens will get close to ikea on price, like for like. They have I cheap snide range, but the quality is rubbish.

For what you're after, ikea is your best bet really down your way

For what you're after, ikea is your best bet

For what he's after ? …..but he doesn't want 600mm deep base units (that's why he's posted this thread)……B&Q units are 30mm less than that. And in my experience of IKEA kitchens, their base units don't have a service void at the back. B&Q, Howdens, etc will have a 3 inch void so that the unit's depth can be reduced further without losing the back panel.

Howdens = expensive shite.
Ikea = cheap and pretty good…
I have ikea kitchebs in all muy student houses, I bought a howdens one on the rec of my builder last year and already it has got swollen doors becasue the damp has got in, 4 hinges broken not working any more, pull out larder unit bent and its crap.

I went to b&q on a half price kitchen doors and 15% off everything day. No problems with the quality especially once its all bolted together.

they havent got the deal on this BH though.

>becasue the damp has got in

Is that a Howdens fault ? 😉

aren't Wickes kitchens supposed to be good quality ?

I bought a howdens one on the rec of my builder last year

Why did he recommend Howdens ?

Surely he must have known Howdens = expensive shite ?

ikea do shallow base units. you will have to ask in store, ive fitted a few where space is tight. they def do a 300 deep draw unit, and 800 larder from memory. units easy to cut down anyway

Can't go wrong with ikea and for the money u save u can jazz it up with granite
in order to get around the odd cabinet depth.
If u want cheap granite look for AGM based here in the peaks near birchover

>becasue the damp has got in

Is that a Howdens fault ?

Should have explained more clearly, its the doors below the sink, the kids wash up and spill water on the door, my ikea doors all get dirty in these areas, but the howdens one has swollen up and split its plastic coating. The ikea ones are are all sound (solid wood vs plastic coated fibre board )

Builder was looking for profit and ease of fitting, he liked howdens because they came pre- assembelled. He is not my builder any more.

I too have heard good things about BnQ and Wickes.

Ah, I see.

Give b and q a miss too.

V happy with our Wickes kitchen fitted last month – not by them mind, cos they wanted 2k for fitting plus wet and gas work! Solid backs to the units, all soft close, wood doors. We got 50% off plus a further 15% in the sale – then there are numerous deals on appliances so when we upgraded, we got even more off (no, I don't know either).

Howdens=good because they're pre built cabinets, that about it, the bloody salesmen they employ are crap-wont give you a straight cost-its like dealing with a Moroccan carpet salesman, and they still send me junk mail 2 years after attempting to buy there.

Who did surprise me was Vance Miller-kitchens from hell fame/Brits make it in China fame. Had a nosey at his kitchens at his 'showroom' in his mill before Oldham council burnt it down. Didnt appear to be bad quaility and dirt cheap.

Now that IKEA are using Blum hinges and drawers the quality has improved loads. They are the cheapest if you want real wood veneers on your doors. There are still a few issues however: Average quality only worktops in too short lengths; legs that fall off; drawer runners in tall oven housings WTF! Sinks that need tapholes cut in them and are thin and flexy; plumbing kits that fit some mysterious Euro pipe diameter, sink clips with too short screws; decor panels made wrong size…etc
Howdens were MFI units stuck together with associated poor quality hinges and drawers. They are dead cheap at trade price and thus come highly recommended by the trade. I would use them if I thought the customer was on a tight budget..maybe put an Axiom worktop on as the underside of the fore-edge is properably sealed on these.

Are Magnet worth considering?

ikea are crap, andodd sizes nothing fits, i had an oven housing and by the time I'd finished butchering it to fit in the standard sized oven pretty much all that was left was the shitty plastic legs, one of which promptly buckled
when we had our extension built we got possibly the last (Howden supplied) MFI kitchen dispatched and 2 years later all is still good
Fitted two Wickes kitchens in the inlaws house and they where also good
We have cheap B&Q carcasses in our utility room and they do the job

No – Ikea is brilliant. Fitted 3.

So….

ikea are crap.
ikea are great

Welcome to teh internets 🙂

Yeah…IKEA…four letter word!!

I think it's going to be ikea units and I'll spend some time trimming them down but I'll look for better quality laminated worktops separately.

If you know somebody in the trade and can get into Stax trade centers, then they are worth a look. The sell the same sort of kitchens as B&Q and homebase etc, but incredibaly cheap. Strictly trade only though.

http://www.staxtradecentres.co.uk/branches