Time for a new kitchen and its costing me nearly as much in appliances as the actual kitchen so budgets well and truly busted.

Got some good prices out of Howdens and need to know has anyone used them? Or rather had their kitchens?

Been planning for a while and long story short Howdens are back in the frame because an independent kitchen guy seems to be messing me about.

The guy I had lined up missed appointment to discuss final details and was 45 minutes late when I rearranged it. Now without having ironed out the minute details wants his builder knocking walls down on Thursday! Just feeling that’s too short notice for me as I need to get the details resolved, OK its one or two minor measurements and door handles but could impact the project along with roles and responsibilities.

Its not the biggest job in the world but its going to impact the family and my wallet enormously, especially if the wheels fall off. Mrs Pingu is already worried about water, heating, cooking and I am stressing as I am away a few days.

When I did mine I actually set up a temporary sink in the dining room, but I did go the whole hog and dug out and relaid the floor, all plaster off and new ceiling so it was never gonna be a quick job. Also as im a builder it was done at nights and weekends.

Wife just finalised B&Q to do ours… It’s all been a pleasure so far. I hope it’s not a decision she/we will regret.

We are researching ours now, STW advice is that Howdens are fine just haggle your price. Depending on where you are in the country you could save on worktops, Howdens quoted us £700 just to supply the worktops (no cuts) but worktopexpress will supply and fit for the same price inc hotrods, undermount sink & drainage grooves. I may try to fit ours myself and get the worktop guys in to finish off. Howdens sale is in October, Benchmarkx too, they’ll both price match.

I’ve just finished installing our new kitchen. We got ours from Kutchenhaus and are very happy with it. I’m an electrician so did all the electrical work and fitted all the cabinets and got a plumber friend to install the sink and plumbing to washing machine and dishwasher etc. We went for granite worktops and these were templeted and installed by them. It’s taken three weeks from start to finish including waiting a week for the worktops after templating.

We have a conservatory that we used as a temporary kitchen so not been too bad. I decided on fitting myself due high costs been quoted by kitchen fitters, £2.5k +! Total cost for our kitchen including cabinets, worktops, new appliances and plumber is about £9k. By fitting the kitchen myself we nearly got the granite for free, sort of.

So you have agreed a price and sorted everything out with the kitchen guy.
And the job is due to start on Thursday.

But you can’t decide on the door handles.

so your going to cancel the job and buy from somewhere else.

You sound like a dream customer.

@nealglover?

Is that what I said, I think I mentioned minor details and roles and responsibilities. These would be specifically changing some units, pricing granite and who is doing some making good and minor remedial work separate to the main building work such as small electrics and moving a radiator.

Didn’t really want to bore you but as you don’t seem to be able to read realised I should. Also not really impressed that he couldn’t be bothered turning up for an appointment. Actually thought he might want the job. I guess you see lateness as acceptable and happy to kick off a job then suddenly have to do half it yourself and not get what you wanted.

I am actually a pretty good customer and I treat my customers how I want to be treated like as a priority being on time.

Anyway the post was after kitchen advice not how you incorrectly perceive me as a customer you silly man.

As a tradesman, those are not minor details and can turn out to be a real pain in the ass. That sort of thing is first fix work and should be addressed at the beginning, not just before work commences. Any decent kitchen fitter will give you a price for a complete, finished room, unless you specifically want to get aspects done yourself. I always do this and I’m reluctant to let customers get involved with publishing other tradesmen I don’t know as things usually end up wrong, taking too long or much more expensive

Advice – you don’t need to spend a fortune, so work out a price and then look to spend half it.

My mate spent more on having a kitchen installed than I’m going to spend converting a farm building into an all-inclusive granny-annex.

And you can’t really fault B&Q/IKEA and the like cabinets/worktops etc – and rein back on the accessories.

@TheFunkyMonkey

Exactly, minor in the greater scheme but significant overall. Can’t imagine arguing over granite/laminate in 2 weeks time as it will affect the cost. OK removing a wall cabinet probably won’t realise a discount but adding will increase and if we have not agreed who puts the radiator back its my problem.

Just trying to cover those minor aspects and last minute changes but we are certainly not ready to start.

b r

Its a B&Q thats coming out, was fitted by them and it has served really well but when you engage their installers its silly money. Nothing we fancied at IKEA but some great ideas.

If you go with howdens, you should expect missing items, same for most of the larger companies, I’ve used them all.

. I guess you see lateness as acceptable and happy to kick off a job then suddenly have to do half it yourself and not get what you wanted.

Where did I say that ?

Not so good with the reading either are you.

you silly man.

Thanks.

Its a B&Q thats coming out, was fitted by them and it has served really well but when you engage their installers its silly money. Nothing we fancied at IKEA but some great ideas.

Ok, hadn’t realised as I put mine in. Except for the worktops where we got a local guy/specialist in.

Can’t you just buy it and then get someone else to fit it?

nealglover

Ha ha I didn’t quote you as saying it I suggested you are happy with lateness and not having everything sorted before a job starts. I’m not but if you want to pick an argument carry on I am not really seeing anything constructive from you just comments about me so yes you are a silly man.

You should expect to get around 70% off list price of howdens.

Howdens units, and worktop are ok, but don’t use there apliances. Replaced washing machine, dishwasher and oven, within 4 years of fitting. Fridge is not far off knackard. After sales is also very poor. Buy units off howdens, but find a decent fitter, and you’ll be alright

Kitchen replacement/upgrade is a minefield as you probably know. If you’ve the skill to fit yourself you can save a fortune and frankly you’re likely to do a better job. Electrics and plumbing are specialist jobs but most of the rest is quite straight forward. I’d double check all appliance quotes and specify acceptable brands.

When we did ours we got units and appliances separately (as we had very specifc appliance choices) and oversaw the fitting. We setup a temp kitchen but had benefit of a utility room where we were able to keep plumbing. A few microwave meals / takeouts and we didn’t miss much.

Hi

I’m a kitchen fitter and have fitted hundreds of howdens kitchens, lots of b&q and many others.

Howdens – trade only (or supposed to be), reasonable cabinets, doors etc but as stated appliances or poor. Great for sorting out problems as items are usually stock.

B&Q/wickes etc – off the shelf and the budget stuff, very poor quality, higher end stuff (Cooke and Lewis) good quality but pricey. But………. Customer service is shocking, designers are shocking and fit prices are shocking.

Ikea – these are in a world of there own, not bad for the price but very quirky. No service void behind the units so there is no room for cables/pipes etc behind.

I have used for my own kitchen and many others, a co called diykitchens. The cabinets are colour matched, very high quality and the range of doors are what you’ll see in most high street retailers. (door supplier is PWS). Prices are very good, I’ve had customers that have had quotes for the exact same door from a high street showroom (they all get their units made local) and have saved nearly half of the supply price. Do a search for reviews on them.

The best bit of advice is get a good fitter, he can make a £1500 kitchen look good but a bad one can make a £10k one look s***e.

Regards

Russ

Agree with russ 100%– same here, a good fitter will sort all the probs/issues out. I suppose its the ‘how do i know who’s good dilemma’

Thanks for the feedback guys.

Was in Howdens yesterday and they were a great help.

I do like the http://www.diy-kitchens.com but quite far down the road now.

I could put it in myself but don’t have the time and would lose too much taking the time off work to do it in a reasonable time frame, plus there are old pantry cupboards to knock out.

Kitchen fitter via Howdens is highly recommended. Will be checking out his work.

Not getting their appliances as heard feedback about them being not brilliant. Appliances will be bought separately but even that’s a nightmare ensuring that the American fridge freezer fits the hole.

Joiner/kitchen fitter too:If your fat fridge is going next to a wall you will need at least 80mm beside it to allow the door to open properly.
Howdens: My main issue is that I think the fronts look cheap, drawers + hinges are budget quality and worktops are very low density chipboard with soft laminate on top.
B+Q: Worktops are 3.0m max long, edging poor, service in store shocking and the designers are kids who’s ackne has cleared up making them unemployable to Macdonalds.
Ikea: Like the fronts and the quality drawers and hinges; hate feet that fall off, tapholes to cut, drawers that don’t fit oven housings, archaic wall unit fixings.
Have used DIY Kitchens; any issues were entirely the fault of the customer who didn’t like me charging for planning/ordering the kitchen so decided to do it herself..and yes, we did fall out over who was paying to sort the mess she had caused.

I have just fitted an IKEA high gloss white kitchen, whole project cost 2.5k v quotes of 8k for someone to do it all.

OK not a direct copy but v similar. The units are fine & look good, granite surfaces too. I spent ages, I mean ages, getting the levels correct & its only an L shape, if it were 3 sides I think I’d still be doing it.

Its a modern house & the room was not square (89 degrees the granite man said), I believe none are.

Just spent the day fitting a Costco kitchen at my parents. Absolute bomb proof quality. Really impressive stuff, 10 x better than my howden’s kitchen.