A new kitchen is being planned and looking around much of the carcasses
seem similar. Around us we have Wickes, B&Q, Homebase and Howarth Timber.

Howarth seem marginally better but does anyone have any views overall
please?



--
Ermin

Ermin wrote:
A new kitchen is being planned and looking around much of the carcasses
seem similar. Around us we have Wickes, B&Q, Homebase and Howarth Timber.

Howarth seem marginally better but does anyone have any views overall
please?

According to the Which? report (yes, I know):
https://www.which.co.uk/reviews/fitt...kitchen-brands
scores out of 5 for quality and durability of cupboards:

DIY Kitchens: N/A
Ikea: 5, 5
John Lewis: 5, 5
Howdens: 5, 4
Independents: 5, 5
Magnet: 4, 4
Wickes: 4, 4
Benchmarx: 4, 4
B&Q: 3, 3
Homebase: 3, 3
Wren: 4, 3

Theo

On 13/09/2018 12:49, Ermin wrote:
A new kitchen is being planned and looking around much of the carcasses
seem similar. Around us we have Wickes, B&Q, Homebase and Howarth Timber.

Howarth seem marginally better but does anyone have any views overall
please?



Some years ago when I only needed to source carcases I was surprised to
find that B&Q prices were good and their quality seemed to be better
than Wickes (normally my first port of call). Also they had a very good
range of sizes. IIRC I thought their doors were rubbish though.

On Thu, 13 Sep 2018 06:49:11 -0500, Ermin wrote:

A new kitchen is being planned and looking around much of the carcasses
seem similar. Around us we have Wickes, B&Q, Homebase and Howarth
Timber.

Howarth seem marginally better but does anyone have any views overall
please?

About 5 years ago Howdens were better than the sheds.
One major benefit is that they hold the stock already assembled on site.

Use to be that if B&Q et. al. delivered the wrong or faulty components or
missed something out you had to wait another 6-8 weeks for the missing
bits to arrive.

A long time back (around 2006) we used Kitchen George in Reading and they
were pretty damn good - again all cupboards pre-assembled and stock held
on site. However they seem to have ceased trading so Dover/Rochester seem
the only places you can get them now.

I assume Ikea have readily available supply, but have never used their
kitchen units.


Cheers



Dave R


--
AMD FX-6300 in GA-990X-Gaming SLI-CF running Windows 7 Pro x64

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newshound wrote:

I was surprised to find that B&Q prices were good and their quality seemed to be better
than Wickes (normally my first port of call). Also they had a very
good range of sizes.

Just ordered new units and doors to refurb parents' kitchen, looked at
B&Q plus Wickes, the full range of sizes from B&Q are only in the
Cook&Lewis range, not the cheaper IT Kitchens, but not much difference
in quality that I noticed.

Wickes were too cagey about giving a price-list for their "showroom"
range, would only give one for their "take away" range, so they didn't
get a look-in after all ...

On 13/09/18 12:49, Ermin wrote:
A new kitchen is being planned and looking around much of the carcasses
seem similar. Around us we have Wickes, B&Q, Homebase and Howarth Timber.

Howarth seem marginally better but does anyone have any views overall
please?



Not quite shed, but seven years ago we were recommended a custom kitchen
place run out of an trading estate, that had a CNC operated factory
chopping and facing MDF boards with heat applied and shrunk glossy white
film.

It looked great for the first few years, but is now turning a lot beige
(think smoking room, but we don't smoke) compared with an Ikea MDF
cupboard in the room that is still the original coated brilliant white.

I'll be ripping out all and replacing with Ikea one day, if the Kitchen
ever gets promoted above being a place to order, unpack, cut and plate
delivered takeaways and microwave wonders...

OTH, I purchased a cheap wall cupboard carcase through eBay a few years
ago. Adding to the Which table Theo posted, I'd like to add

eBay: 1, 1

i.e. Don't go there...

--
Adrian C

Interestingly local shops suggest Wicks or wren.
Brian

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This newsgroup posting comes to you directly from...
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Blind user, so no pictures please
Note this Signature is meaningless.!
"Theo" wrote in message
...
Ermin wrote:
A new kitchen is being planned and looking around much of the carcasses
seem similar. Around us we have Wickes, B&Q, Homebase and Howarth
Timber.

Howarth seem marginally better but does anyone have any views overall
please?

According to the Which? report (yes, I know):
https://www.which.co.uk/reviews/fitt...kitchen-brands
scores out of 5 for quality and durability of cupboards:

DIY Kitchens: N/A
Ikea: 5, 5
John Lewis: 5, 5
Howdens: 5, 4
Independents: 5, 5
Magnet: 4, 4
Wickes: 4, 4
Benchmarx: 4, 4
B&Q: 3, 3
Homebase: 3, 3
Wren: 4, 3

Theo

On 13/09/2018 12:49, Ermin wrote:
A new kitchen is being planned and looking around much of the carcasses
seem similar. Around us we have Wickes, B&Q, Homebase and Howarth Timber.

Howarth seem marginally better but does anyone have any views overall
please?



You might try taking a look at https://www.diy-kitchens.com/ Don't know
how their prices compare to the sheds but the units look to be of good
quality and they seem prepared to give prices for everything.

On Thu, 13 Sep 2018 12:57:25 +0100, Theo wrote:

Ermin wrote:
A new kitchen is being planned


According to the Which? report (yes, I know):

haha!

Thanks Theo and all others who have replied. I'll have a closer look at
the local ones in the light of what has been said.




--
Ermin

David Wrote in message:
On Thu, 13 Sep 2018 06:49:11 -0500, Ermin wrote:

A new kitchen is being planned and looking around much of the carcasses
seem similar. Around us we have Wickes, B&Q, Homebase and Howarth
Timber.

Howarth seem marginally better but does anyone have any views overall
please?

About 5 years ago Howdens were better than the sheds.
One major benefit is that they hold the stock already assembled on site.

The major disadvantage is that they won't deal with Joe Public.

--
--
Jim K


----Android NewsGroup Reader----
http://usenet.sinaapp.com/

"Ermin" wrote in message
o.uk...
A new kitchen is being planned and looking around much of the carcasses
seem similar. Around us we have Wickes, B&Q, Homebase and Howarth Timber.

Howarth seem marginally better but does anyone have any views overall
please?



don't have anything to do with ieeka .....

On 13/09/2018 12:49, Ermin wrote:
A new kitchen is being planned and looking around much of the carcasses
seem similar. Around us we have Wickes, B&Q, Homebase and Howarth Timber.

Howarth seem marginally better but does anyone have any views overall
please?



I used a local furniture maker/restorer. Surprisingly she was
competitive on price, and the quality far exceeded anything in the sheds.
https://www.sallyclarkefurniture.co.uk/

Bill

"Theo" wrote in message
...
Ermin wrote:
A new kitchen is being planned and looking around much of the carcasses
seem similar. Around us we have Wickes, B&Q, Homebase and Howarth
Timber.

Howarth seem marginally better but does anyone have any views overall
please?

According to the Which? report (yes, I know):
https://www.which.co.uk/reviews/fitt...kitchen-brands
scores out of 5 for quality and durability of cupboards:

DIY Kitchens: N/A
Ikea: 5, 5
John Lewis: 5, 5
Howdens: 5, 4
Independents: 5, 5
Magnet: 4, 4
Wickes: 4, 4
Benchmarx: 4, 4
B&Q: 3, 3
Homebase: 3, 3
Wren: 4, 3

but it isn't just, about that is it

Most fitters will tell you not to buy Ikea because they are hard to fit (not
having a void at the back for pipe work, I understand)

and when I looked at the choices in the Benchmarx catalogue, I thought "is
that it!" and put it in the bin.

and have you seen the joke prices of appliances at Magnet?

tim







Theo

"David" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 13 Sep 2018 06:49:11 -0500, Ermin wrote:

A new kitchen is being planned and looking around much of the carcasses
seem similar. Around us we have Wickes, B&Q, Homebase and Howarth
Timber.

Howarth seem marginally better but does anyone have any views overall
please?

About 5 years ago Howdens were better than the sheds.
One major benefit is that they hold the stock already assembled on site.

but they'll only sell to you if referred by a trader

and as I found out, only if that trader is registered at that branch

I went to the one literally 2 minutes from my property and give them my
referrals name and (after playing with the computer) they said "he's
registered at XYZ branch" so I said are XYZ branch, 5 miles away, going to
come to a property 300 years from this branch?

As it was a Saturday, the planning people weren't in, so I gave them my
number to call back

they have declined to do so.

tim

"David" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 13 Sep 2018 06:49:11 -0500, Ermin wrote:

A new kitchen is being planned and looking around much of the carcasses
seem similar. Around us we have Wickes, B&Q, Homebase and Howarth
Timber.

Howarth seem marginally better but does anyone have any views overall
please?

About 5 years ago Howdens were better than the sheds.
One major benefit is that they hold the stock already assembled on site.

Oh

and the price that you get from Howdens depends upon how much of the
discount the trader passes on to you

and how much he keeps for himself

tim

In message , Andy Burns
writes
newshound wrote:

I was surprised to find that B&Q prices were good and their
quality seemed to be better
than Wickes (normally my first port of call). Also they had a very
good range of sizes.

Just ordered new units and doors to refurb parents' kitchen, looked at
B&Q plus Wickes, the full range of sizes from B&Q are only in the
Cook&Lewis range, not the cheaper IT Kitchens, but not much difference
in quality that I noticed.

According to the lady from B+Q this morning, Cook and Lewis doors and
decor panels have to be ordered separately and come from Italy (Brexit
anyone?). Finish looked very good to me.

Wickes were too cagey about giving a price-list for their "showroom"
range, would only give one for their "take away" range, so they didn't
get a look-in after all ...




--
Tim Lamb

On 13/09/2018 12:49, Ermin wrote:
A new kitchen is being planned and looking around much of the carcasses
seem similar. Around us we have Wickes, B&Q, Homebase and Howarth Timber.

Howarth seem marginally better but does anyone have any views overall
please?



Any comments on Benchmarx kitchens, part of the Travis Perkins Group ,
trade only like Howdens.

Tim Lamb wrote:

According to the lady from B+Q this morning, Cook and Lewis doors and
decor panels have to be ordered separately and come from Italy.

It was 3 week delivery when I ordered, I was told that's largely
dependant on delivery vehicle slots rather than stock availability.

On Thu, 13 Sep 2018 06:49:11 -0500, Ermin wrote:

A new kitchen is being planned and looking around much of the carcasses
seem similar. Around us we have Wickes, B&Q, Homebase and Howarth Timber.

Howarth seem marginally better but does anyone have any views overall
please?


I'm going to be in the same boat so keeping an eye on this but Howdans
name has come up a couple of times in discussion with neighbours.

--
AnthonyL

"AnthonyL" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 13 Sep 2018 06:49:11 -0500, Ermin wrote:

A new kitchen is being planned and looking around much of the carcasses
seem similar. Around us we have Wickes, B&Q, Homebase and Howarth Timber.

Howarth seem marginally better but does anyone have any views overall
please?


I'm going to be in the same boat so keeping an eye on this but Howdans
name has come up a couple of times in discussion with neighbours.

I just don't like the fact that I can't just go into my local store and have
them design and price up a kitchen for me

My nearest store is 200 yards away from me

But that isn't the one that going to supply my new house.

So I can't go there. I have to make a 6 hour round trip to sit in a
different store.

tim

Bill



How do you objectively judge "Quality"?

I used a local furniture maker/restorer. Surprisingly she was
competitive on price, and the quality far exceeded anything in the
sheds. https://www.sallyclarkefurniture.co.uk/

Bill



I really don't see haow a small manufacturer can invest in the sort of
machinery to accurately produce such stuff. Okay for bespoke maybe.

On 13/09/2018 16:59, Ermin wrote:
On Thu, 13 Sep 2018 12:57:25 +0100, Theo wrote:

Ermin wrote:
A new kitchen is being planned


According to the Which? report (yes, I know):

haha!

Thanks Theo and all others who have replied. I'll have a closer look at
the local ones in the light of what has been said.




diy-kitchens.com/

Not flat pack rubbish.

On Thursday, 13 September 2018 12:49:14 UTC+1, Ermin wrote:
A new kitchen is being planned and looking around much of the carcasses
seem similar. Around us we have Wickes, B&Q, Homebase and Howarth Timber.

Local community centre has a Howdens kitchen and it seems nice and substantial. I don't expect they paid for a luxury range, but probably not the cheapest.

I got a Wickes Dakota. It's horrible. And despite warning not to stack doors vertically they do, with the result they come out of the packaging bashed. They also have a very limited range of sizes. (This is their take-away range not the designer stuff.)

Owain

wrote in message
...
On Thursday, 13 September 2018 12:49:14 UTC+1, Ermin wrote:
A new kitchen is being planned and looking around much of the carcasses
seem similar. Around us we have Wickes, B&Q, Homebase and Howarth
Timber.

Local community centre has a Howdens kitchen and it seems nice and
substantial. I don't expect they paid for a luxury range, but probably not
the cheapest.

I got a Wickes Dakota. It's horrible.

what's horrible about it

(I'm off to see the Wickes designer tomorrow)

And despite warning not to stack doors vertically they do, with the result
they come out of the packaging bashed.

well that's just a delivery problem that ought to be sorted before
installation

They also have a very limited range of sizes. (This is their take-away
range not the designer stuff.)

As do many on the list

tim

On Friday, 14 September 2018 09:04:34 UTC+1, tim... wrote:
I got a Wickes Dakota. It's horrible.
what's horrible about it

The 'melamine' is the thinnest possible laminate with no edge sealing or protection. It chips very easily when drilling through for handles. Actually, it just chips very easily. It doesn't even look proper white. The 'matching' plinth and cornice are a different shade of white and a different texture. The drawer sides and back are so shallow that stuff falls over them and out of or behind the drawers. The drawer runners are very basic and the drawer fronts don't adjust well to line up. The unit backs are hardboard and not even one continuous sheet on the wall units, but two with an H joining strip.

Owain

On 13/09/2018 21:41, DerbyBorn wrote:


I really don't see haow a small manufacturer can invest in the sort of
machinery to accurately produce such stuff. Okay for bespoke maybe.


Sally Clarke has a large workshop full of machinery. And a massive
amount of skill and experience. Better to have your furniture made that
way than mass produced by machines set up and controlled by unskilled
labour.

Bill

On 13/09/2018 21:30, DerbyBorn wrote:
Bill



How do you objectively judge "Quality"?


I'm not going to waste my time writing an essay to answer that question.

Bill

wrote in message
...
On Friday, 14 September 2018 09:04:34 UTC+1, tim... wrote:
I got a Wickes Dakota. It's horrible.
what's horrible about it

The 'melamine' is the thinnest possible laminate with no edge sealing or
protection. It chips very easily when drilling through for handles.

I'm looking for a handleless style.

Actually, it just chips very easily. It doesn't even look proper white.

I won't be looking for white.

The 'matching' plinth and cornice are a different shade of white and a
different texture.

well that just sound like a bad match that should/could have been rejected.

The drawer sides and back are so shallow that stuff falls over them and
out of or behind the drawers.

OK, I'll look at that

The drawer runners are very basic

they always are.

and the drawer fronts don't adjust well to line up. The unit backs are
hardboard and not even one continuous sheet on the wall units, but two with
an H joining strip.

ISTR my MFI cupboards were like that

never caused a problem.

I will be adding glue to the back to make it more robust though.

thanks

tim

"Tim Streater" wrote in message
.. .
In article , tim...
wrote:

wrote in message
...
On Friday, 14 September 2018 09:04:34 UTC+1, tim... wrote:
I got a Wickes Dakota. It's horrible.
what's horrible about it

The 'melamine' is the thinnest possible laminate with no edge sealing or
protection. It chips very easily when drilling through for handles.

I'm looking for a handleless style.

I wouldn't touch such with a bargepole as you can never tell where to
push/pull/slide to get the ****er open.

well if trying to open them from 6 foot away what do you expect

tim

"Tim Streater" wrote in message
.. .
In article , tim...
wrote:

"Tim Streater" wrote in message
...
In article , tim...
wrote:

wrote in message
...
On Friday, 14 September 2018 09:04:34 UTC+1, tim... wrote:
I got a Wickes Dakota. It's horrible.
what's horrible about it

The 'melamine' is the thinnest possible laminate with no edge sealing
or protection. It chips very easily when drilling through for handles.

I'm looking for a handleless style.

I wouldn't touch such with a bargepole as you can never tell where to
push/pull/slide to get the ****er open.

well if trying to open them from 6 foot away what do you expect

Even close up you can't tell.

I think after a few weeks use, I'll remember

"Tim Streater" wrote in message
.. .
In article , tim...
wrote:

"Tim Streater" wrote in message
...
In article , tim...
wrote:

"Tim Streater" wrote in message
et...
In article , tim...
wrote:

wrote in message
...
On Friday, 14 September 2018 09:04:34 UTC+1, tim... wrote:
I got a Wickes Dakota. It's horrible.
what's horrible about it

The 'melamine' is the thinnest possible laminate with no edge
sealing or protection. It chips very easily when drilling through
for handles.

I'm looking for a handleless style.

I wouldn't touch such with a bargepole as you can never tell where to
push/pull/slide to get the ****er open.

well if trying to open them from 6 foot away what do you expect

Even close up you can't tell.

I think after a few weeks use, I'll remember

We had some cheap units in the utility room with the aluminium channel
at the bottom of the doors and no handles. Ripped my fingers to shreds.

I wasn't looking for that design

tim

On 13/09/2018 12:49, Ermin wrote:
A new kitchen is being planned and looking around much of the carcasses
seem similar. Around us we have Wickes, B&Q, Homebase and Howarth Timber.

Howarth seem marginally better but does anyone have any views overall
please?


I used B&Q carcasses, a Wickes solid wood worktop and ebay oak doors
(doors appear to be where the bulk of the markup happens). No complaints
drawers are a bit lightweight but seem sturdy.

A friend/fitter rates Ikea - I saw one he did recently and it looked
very good, in a gloss black/white sort of way.

--
Cheers, Rob

In article ,
says...


and have you seen the joke prices of appliances at Magnet?


I have a namesake who is a kitchen fitter. He tried to get the
email address I already had, so was offered an alternative
with the name appended with a '2', which he obviously
accepted!

He deals with Howdens who often forgot the '2', so I got his
estimates showing his 80% discount on retail prices ...

Perhaps Magnet's prices have a similar mark-up?

--

Terry

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This email has been checked for viruses by AVG.
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On 13/09/2018 12:49, Ermin wrote:
A new kitchen is being planned and looking around much of the carcasses
seem similar. Around us we have Wickes, B&Q, Homebase and Howarth Timber.

Howarth seem marginally better but does anyone have any views overall
please?

IKEA. I've installed three at different properties and all have worked
and lasted well for 12+ years so far.

--
F

On Friday, 14 September 2018 14:43:07 UTC+1, tim... wrote:
I'm looking for a handleless style.

So was I, but then I realised most of them jam your fingers against the underside of the worktop when opening.

Bar handles have the advantage you can hang tea-towels on them.

The 'matching' plinth and cornice are a different shade of white and a
different texture.
well that just sound like a bad match that should/could have been rejected.

Intrinsic to the style, rather than a manufacturing defect (they use the same plinth for other white styles, but not all whites are the same ...)

The drawer runners are very basic
they always are.

The ones I got off ebay to make my own drawer for the wasted space under the built-in oven were better.

Owain

"Terry Casey" wrote in message
...
In article ,
says...


and have you seen the joke prices of appliances at Magnet?


I have a namesake who is a kitchen fitter. He tried to get the
email address I already had, so was offered an alternative
with the name appended with a '2', which he obviously
accepted!

He deals with Howdens who often forgot the '2', so I got his
estimates showing his 80% discount on retail prices ...

Howdens don't have retail prices as they wont sell to consumers

they just have some made up price and then their final Trade price.

It seems (I have no personal experience) that the fitter can charge any
price he likes between the two at a level that he thinks he can "get away
with"

I doubt that anyone gets away with "full price", there's too much
competition. No-one who has other offers of 4-5K is going to pay 15K for
Howdens.

Perhaps Magnet's prices have a similar mark-up?

Their price are retail and, the last time I looked they don't discount
appliances. The price you see is the price you pay, even when there's sale
on.

Wickes "price matched" their appliances. Quite surprised me how much that
took off their headline price.

tim

tim... wrote:
Howdens don't have retail prices as they wont sell to consumers

they just have some made up price and then their final Trade price.

It seems (I have no personal experience) that the fitter can charge any
price he likes between the two at a level that he thinks he can "get away
with"

I doubt that anyone gets away with "full price", there's too much
competition. No-one who has other offers of 4-5K is going to pay 15K for
Howdens.

It's telling that Wren's price comparison:
https://www.wrenkitchens.com/kitchen-comparison

claims the average Howdens price is a discount of 76% over list price and
uses that as its baseline. So that's a ballpark to use when calculating the
'real' cost of a Howdens kitchen.

Theo

On 16/09/2018 09:08, tim... wrote:

I doubt that anyone gets away with "full price", there's too much
competition.Â* No-one who has other offers of 4-5K is going to pay 15K
for Howdens.

It cost us 4k for the appliances and we got them cheaper than AO, etc.

dennis@home wrote:
On 16/09/2018 09:08, tim... wrote:

I doubt that anyone gets away with "full price", there's too much
competition.? No-one who has other offers of 4-5K is going to pay 15K
for Howdens.

It cost us 4k for the appliances and we got them cheaper than AO, etc.

Was that like for like, or Lamona it's-not-Beko-in-disguise-honest?

Theo