Further to my previous thread, does anyone have any experience of the
kitchen design services offered by places such as B&Q and,
particularly, Ikea? I'm just wondering if anyone has found one that's
particularly useful or if they're just exercises in coming up with the
most obvious possible design while selling the largest amount of
"storage systems" and add-ons.

I've downloaded the kitchen planner thingy from Ikea (and actually
thought it was a pretty nifty piece of software) but I'd like someone
else with some experience to run their eye over it, as it's not
something I've done before and I may have made some huge mistakes or
missed some great opportunities. The only slight issue is that the
kitchen's going into an extension that's currently being built,
although I do have the plans, obviously. When I mentioned this to the
B&Q lady on the phone, she seemed a bit put off - she suggested that I
should wait until it was finished and just come in and see what range I
fancied in the meantime. I asked what the lead time would be for
delivery and she said 5-6 weeks, so I'm left wondering what she thinks
I would do in the month or so it would take for the kitchen to be
delivered... It all seems a bit different from the last time I bought a
kitchen (about 4 years ago), when the B&Q planner came out to my house
and went through everything with me and did the whole 3D rendering
thingy (I know it's probably just a gimmick but it was fun at the
time!).

Cheers

Helen

In article .com,
writes:
Further to my previous thread, does anyone have any experience of the
kitchen design services offered by places such as B&Q and,
particularly, Ikea? I'm just wondering if anyone has found one that's
particularly useful or if they're just exercises in coming up with the
most obvious possible design while selling the largest amount of
"storage systems" and add-ons.

I've downloaded the kitchen planner thingy from Ikea (and actually
thought it was a pretty nifty piece of software) but I'd like someone
else with some experience to run their eye over it, as it's not
something I've done before and I may have made some huge mistakes or
missed some great opportunities. The only slight issue is that the
kitchen's going into an extension that's currently being built,
although I do have the plans, obviously. When I mentioned this to the
B&Q lady on the phone, she seemed a bit put off - she suggested that I
should wait until it was finished and just come in and see what range I
fancied in the meantime. I asked what the lead time would be for

I suspect they will need to inspect and measure the room, or
refuse any liability for the kitchen not fitting in. Finished
rooms often end up different size (particularly smaller) than
plans say, windows/doors moved slightly, etc.

delivery and she said 5-6 weeks, so I'm left wondering what she thinks
I would do in the month or so it would take for the kitchen to be
delivered...

Go to IKEA where you collect it half an hour later.
I've no idea what their planning is like -- I always do my own.

--
Andrew Gabriel

Andrew Gabriel wrote:

In article .com,
writes:
missed some great opportunities. The only slight issue is that the
kitchen's going into an extension that's currently being built,
although I do have the plans, obviously. When I mentioned this to the
B&Q lady on the phone, she seemed a bit put off - she suggested that I
should wait until it was finished and just come in and see what range I
fancied in the meantime. I asked what the lead time would be for

I suspect they will need to inspect and measure the room, or
refuse any liability for the kitchen not fitting in. Finished
rooms often end up different size (particularly smaller) than
plans say, windows/doors moved slightly, etc.

delivery and she said 5-6 weeks, so I'm left wondering what she thinks
I would do in the month or so it would take for the kitchen to be
delivered...

Go to IKEA where you collect it half an hour later.
I've no idea what their planning is like -- I always do my own.

I'm pretty sure I will be going to Ikea, no matter what happens but I'm
a bit dubious about buying it off the shelf. I may sound like an idiot
in search of a village but do you actually have to go and pick it from
the warehouse and put it through the tills or can you just take a list
of what you want to the kitchen department and have it delivered? I'm
sure it can't be the case but I've got visions of me and my husband
struggling along with eight trolleys at the checkout, then trying to
pile it all on the roof rack, footwells, our laps, etc....

You can probably see why I need all the advice I can get

In article .com,
writes:

I'm pretty sure I will be going to Ikea, no matter what happens but I'm
a bit dubious about buying it off the shelf. I may sound like an idiot
in search of a village but do you actually have to go and pick it from
the warehouse and put it through the tills or can you just take a list
of what you want to the kitchen department and have it delivered? I'm
sure it can't be the case but I've got visions of me and my husband
struggling along with eight trolleys at the checkout, then trying to
pile it all on the roof rack, footwells, our laps, etc....

It works like this at the Brent Cross (North Circular Rd) sto
A list is created in the kitchen department. You can either
pay for it there (cards only) or at the main checkout (any
form of payment IKEA accept). Once you have paid, it is
ready for collection 30-60 minutes later from their external
warehouse, a mile up the road. I usually go to the resturant
for a meal and/or continue browsing around the store, and
then head up to the external warehouse. Don't bother getting
there early -- there's absolutely nothing to do there except
sit in a cold waiting room.

IKEA will deliver, but I don't know how that works. There are
also a few companies just nearby which have setup specifically
to order the parts for you, collect them, and deliver to you
(sorry, I don't have any names).

--
Andrew Gabriel

In article ,
(Andrew Gabriel) writes:

It works like this at the Brent Cross (North Circular Rd) sto

Should have said Brent Park ^^^^^^^^^^^

--
Andrew Gabriel

"Andrew Gabriel" wrote in message
.. .

Go to IKEA where you collect it half an hour later.
I've no idea what their planning is like -- I always do my own.

Designer son was planning units for his completely gutted kitchen. I went to
Ikea (Leeds) with him because he invited me. Even though he was confident
about what he wanted (he doesn't design kitchens and knows the pitfalls of
thinking you know everything!) he showed one of the staff his plan and what
he thought he wanted.

She was very professional and explained that some items weren't compatible
with each other, guiding him to alternatives which were.

I was surprised, he said that's what good designers did and that he trusted
Ikea (whereas I hadn't - for no good reason).

By asking advice he save himself a lot of wasted time and disappointment.
And he's very pleased with his kitchen, that surprises me too because he's a
perfectionist.

--
Andrew Gabriel

In article .com,
wrote:
Further to my previous thread, does anyone have any experience of the
kitchen design services offered by places such as B&Q and,
particularly, Ikea? I'm just wondering if anyone has found one that's
particularly useful or if they're just exercises in coming up with the
most obvious possible design while selling the largest amount of
"storage systems" and add-ons.

Only one I've been involved with didn't actually check the room, and the
main drain came up through the floor where an appliance was going to go.
Moving that would have been prohibitive, so the plan became pretty useless.

--
*Why does the sun lighten our hair, but darken our skin?

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

A related question:

I've used the Ikea PC design software to design our kitchen and although the
units are held in stock (in theory), I want to have it delivered. If I go to
Ikea and buy the kitchen from the kitchen dept will I still need to go to
the warehouse and pick the items myself. before handing them over to Ikeas
delivery dept?



wrote in message
oups.com...
Further to my previous thread, does anyone have any experience of the
kitchen design services offered by places such as B&Q and,
particularly, Ikea? I'm just wondering if anyone has found one that's
particularly useful or if they're just exercises in coming up with the
most obvious possible design while selling the largest amount of
"storage systems" and add-ons.

I've downloaded the kitchen planner thingy from Ikea (and actually
thought it was a pretty nifty piece of software) but I'd like someone
else with some experience to run their eye over it, as it's not
something I've done before and I may have made some huge mistakes or
missed some great opportunities. The only slight issue is that the
kitchen's going into an extension that's currently being built,
although I do have the plans, obviously. When I mentioned this to the
B&Q lady on the phone, she seemed a bit put off - she suggested that I
should wait until it was finished and just come in and see what range I
fancied in the meantime. I asked what the lead time would be for
delivery and she said 5-6 weeks, so I'm left wondering what she thinks
I would do in the month or so it would take for the kitchen to be
delivered... It all seems a bit different from the last time I bought a
kitchen (about 4 years ago), when the B&Q planner came out to my house
and went through everything with me and did the whole 3D rendering
thingy (I know it's probably just a gimmick but it was fun at the
time!).

Cheers

Helen

Andrew Gabriel wrote:
In article .com,
writes:
Further to my previous thread, does anyone have any experience of the
kitchen design services offered by places such as B&Q and,
particularly, Ikea? I'm just wondering if anyone has found one that's
particularly useful or if they're just exercises in coming up with the
most obvious possible design while selling the largest amount of
"storage systems" and add-ons.

I've downloaded the kitchen planner thingy from Ikea (and actually
thought it was a pretty nifty piece of software) but I'd like someone
else with some experience to run their eye over it, as it's not
something I've done before and I may have made some huge mistakes or
missed some great opportunities. The only slight issue is that the
kitchen's going into an extension that's currently being built,
although I do have the plans, obviously. When I mentioned this to the
B&Q lady on the phone, she seemed a bit put off - she suggested that I
should wait until it was finished and just come in and see what range I
fancied in the meantime. I asked what the lead time would be for

I suspect they will need to inspect and measure the room, or
refuse any liability for the kitchen not fitting in. Finished
rooms often end up different size (particularly smaller) than
plans say, windows/doors moved slightly, etc.

delivery and she said 5-6 weeks, so I'm left wondering what she thinks
I would do in the month or so it would take for the kitchen to be
delivered...

Go to IKEA where you collect it half an hour later.
I've no idea what their planning is like -- I always do my own.

Or goto a B&Q depot where everything is in stock (never been let down
by the one in Slough yet).

MBQ

In article . com,
wrote:
Go to IKEA where you collect it half an hour later.
I've no idea what their planning is like -- I always do my own.

Or goto a B&Q depot where everything is in stock (never been let down
by the one in Slough yet).

Are you sure? The one in Wandsworth has certain kitchen things to order
only.

--
*No word in the English language rhymes with month, orange, silver,purple

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
In article . com,
wrote:
Go to IKEA where you collect it half an hour later.
I've no idea what their planning is like -- I always do my own.

Or goto a B&Q depot where everything is in stock (never been let down
by the one in Slough yet).

Are you sure? The one in Wandsworth has certain kitchen things to order
only.

Well, I don't know if it's policy but everything I needed was in stock
at the Slough Depot. maybe I was just lucky. It was a couple of years
ago, as well.

MBQ