I've just started to turn my attention to the kitchen and intend on fitting
it all out from scratch. It's a complete mess and I'm looking at selling up
probably next year so don't want to splash the cash but also don't want to
install flimsy cheap units.

Can anyone recommend a good supplier ?, the easiest option is to go to B&Q
and buy off the shelf but are the cabinets flimsy ?, anyone got experience
with B&Q kitchens.

Any recommendations of where not to cuts costs ?, i.e. cheap hinges etc ?

Any advice would be much appreicated.
Ian.

Ian wrote:

I've just started to turn my attention to the kitchen and intend on fitting
it all out from scratch. It's a complete mess and I'm looking at selling up
probably next year so don't want to splash the cash but also don't want to
install flimsy cheap units.

Can anyone recommend a good supplier ?, the easiest option is to go to B&Q
and buy off the shelf but are the cabinets flimsy ?, anyone got experience
with B&Q kitchens.

Any recommendations of where not to cuts costs ?, i.e. cheap hinges etc ?

Any advice would be much appreicated.

There really is very little difference between carcases from the
different sheds. B&Q ones are very similar to Wickes. Hardly anyone does
15mm carcases anymore, most suppliers do 18mm only.

MFI stuff is again almost identical to the shed stuff, and very
similarly priced. But MFI are evil.

The only real difference is the doors, and that's more a matter of
personal preference than quality.

In order to get something significantly different from the shed carcases
you'd have to start looking at hand made stuff.

So my advice is this: Pick nice doors and handles, decent worktops, and
18mm carcases. Fit nice splashbacks. Take time fitting pelmets, cornices
etc, and lining everything up right. Spend some time thinking carefully
about layout - what is next to what, and does it make cooking easier.

--
Grunff

Cheers... think it's a trip to B&Q then.... luckily the kitchen is laided
out well so I'm just swapping like for like other than the cooker which will
be changed for a nice steel (Reasonsible priced but expensive looking in my
opinon) one, with matching hood, hob and splash back.

I'm going to do the carcases, work tops, sink, appliances first and then
choose the doors and handles last. I have a habit of buying stuff and then
by the time I get round to fitting it I've gone off it!

Thanks again.


"Grunff" wrote in message
...
Ian wrote:

I've just started to turn my attention to the kitchen and intend on
fitting
it all out from scratch. It's a complete mess and I'm looking at
selling up
probably next year so don't want to splash the cash but also don't want
to
install flimsy cheap units.

Can anyone recommend a good supplier ?, the easiest option is to go to
B&Q
and buy off the shelf but are the cabinets flimsy ?, anyone got
experience
with B&Q kitchens.

Any recommendations of where not to cuts costs ?, i.e. cheap hinges etc
?

Any advice would be much appreicated.

There really is very little difference between carcases from the
different sheds. B&Q ones are very similar to Wickes. Hardly anyone does
15mm carcases anymore, most suppliers do 18mm only.

MFI stuff is again almost identical to the shed stuff, and very
similarly priced. But MFI are evil.

The only real difference is the doors, and that's more a matter of
personal preference than quality.

In order to get something significantly different from the shed carcases
you'd have to start looking at hand made stuff.

So my advice is this: Pick nice doors and handles, decent worktops, and
18mm carcases. Fit nice splashbacks. Take time fitting pelmets, cornices
etc, and lining everything up right. Spend some time thinking carefully
about layout - what is next to what, and does it make cooking easier.

--
Grunff

"Ian" wrote in message
...
Cheers... think it's a trip to B&Q then.... luckily the kitchen is laided
out well so I'm just swapping like for like other than the cooker which
will
be changed for a nice steel (Reasonsible priced but expensive looking in
my
opinon) one, with matching hood, hob and splash back.

Stainless Steel looks great when new, but give it five minutes and it's
covered in finger prints, which are a pain to get off, burnt on food is also
difficult to remove without damaging the finish. You can't beat a good
quality enamelled cooker for still looking good years after you bought it.

Ash

Ash wrote:

"Ian" wrote in message
...
Cheers... think it's a trip to B&Q then.... luckily the kitchen is laided
out well so I'm just swapping like for like other than the cooker which
will
be changed for a nice steel (Reasonsible priced but expensive looking in
my
opinon) one, with matching hood, hob and splash back.

Stainless Steel looks great when new, but give it five minutes and it's
covered in finger prints, which are a pain to get off, burnt on food is also
difficult to remove without damaging the finish. You can't beat a good
quality enamelled cooker for still looking good years after you bought it.

Induction hob?
Almost no burnt on food at all...

Then you've got a roaring open fire.
Really hard to damage the finish on one of those

I used B&Q cabinets and quite satisfied with them, very sturdy.
the only thing wrong was that the 800 base unit is intended only as a pan
storage box with 3 wide drawers. I had to mark my own hings holes to fit it
with
2 x 400 wide doors.

Arthur

"Ian" wrote in message
...
I've just started to turn my attention to the kitchen and intend on
fitting
it all out from scratch. It's a complete mess and I'm looking at selling
up
probably next year so don't want to splash the cash but also don't want to
install flimsy cheap units.

Can anyone recommend a good supplier ?, the easiest option is to go to
B&Q
and buy off the shelf but are the cabinets flimsy ?, anyone got experience
with B&Q kitchens.

Any recommendations of where not to cuts costs ?, i.e. cheap hinges etc ?

Any advice would be much appreicated.
Ian.

In article , Arthur wrote:
I used B&Q cabinets and quite satisfied with them, very sturdy.
the only thing wrong was that the 800 base unit is intended only
as a pan storage box with 3 wide drawers. I had to mark my own
hings holes to fit it with 2 x 400 wide doors.

They do a regular 800mm base with centre mullion too, but only to
order.

--
Tony Bryer SDA UK 'Software to build on' http://www.sda.co.uk
Free SEDBUK boiler database browser http://www.sda.co.uk/qsedbuk.htm

"Tony Bryer" wrote in message
...
In article , Arthur wrote:
I used B&Q cabinets and quite satisfied with them, very sturdy.
the only thing wrong was that the 800 base unit is intended only
as a pan storage box with 3 wide drawers. I had to mark my own
hings holes to fit it with 2 x 400 wide doors.

They do a regular 800mm base with centre mullion too, but only to
order.

--
Tony Bryer SDA UK 'Software to build on' http://www.sda.co.uk
Free SEDBUK boiler database browser http://www.sda.co.uk/qsedbuk.htm



Useful to know. Thanks, Tony.

Arthur

I used B&Q cabinets in a remodel of my kitchen last year with no
complaints - particularly liked the ability to order on the web, and have
delivery for only the delivery price of the most expensive component. Be
careful about the large side-panels though, build in enough time to get them
to send you two or three deliveries, the corners on most of the large panels
they delivered were mashed through handling (they are heavy, and don't like
landing on the corners). But B&Q reacted well every time I complained, and
I was left with a ton of spare panels (with bashed corners), which came in
handy for miscellaneous fill ins.

I got my doors however from http://www.discountkitchenfactory.co.uk/ as
these were solid birch, not the veneer from B&Q. I also got a higher
quality worktop from them as well.

If you know someone in the building trade - take a look at Howden Joinery -
they sell at trade prices much of the MFI range (same company) - this is the
route my brother took, with very effective low cost result. (I got my steel
rod handles from them for just over £1 each!)

Good luck
Paul R
"Ian" wrote in message
...
I've just started to turn my attention to the kitchen and intend on
fitting
it all out from scratch. It's a complete mess and I'm looking at selling
up
probably next year so don't want to splash the cash but also don't want to
install flimsy cheap units.

Can anyone recommend a good supplier ?, the easiest option is to go to
B&Q
and buy off the shelf but are the cabinets flimsy ?, anyone got experience
with B&Q kitchens.

Any recommendations of where not to cuts costs ?, i.e. cheap hinges etc ?

Any advice would be much appreicated.
Ian.




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On Wed, 25 Aug 2004 20:12:15 +0100, "Ian"
wrote:

I've just started to turn my attention to the kitchen and intend on fitting
it all out from scratch. It's a complete mess and I'm looking at selling up
probably next year so don't want to splash the cash but also don't want to
install flimsy cheap units.

Can anyone recommend a good supplier ?,

Take a look here.: http://www.keencost.co.uk/


Best described as somewhere between "simple" and "basic".

I did a utility room out with their stuff 3 years ago and still going
strong. Our local branch assembled the cabinets for us FOC.

DG

I've just started to turn my attention to the kitchen and intend on
fitting
it all out from scratch. It's a complete mess and I'm looking at selling
up
probably next year so don't want to splash the cash but also don't want to
install flimsy cheap units.

Can anyone recommend a good supplier ?, the easiest option is to go to
B&Q
and buy off the shelf but are the cabinets flimsy ?, anyone got experience
with B&Q kitchens.

Any recommendations of where not to cuts costs ?, i.e. cheap hinges etc ?

Any advice would be much appreicated.
Ian.

Ian, do not, under any circumstance, buy anything from that company.
They buy cheap, sell expensive and try to give you only 12 months guarantee,
contrary to the sale of goods act.

Find a local kitchen supplier and pin them down to a cost and quality
contract, even if you are contemplating DIY. That way, you will have a local
contact that you can take to a small claims court for a smaller amount than
Buy and queue (wriggly snake comes to mind here), if anything goes wrong. I
doubt it will go this way with a local contractor, as he will want to get
referenced work from what he does for you.

HTH

Dave

Sorry, but I must express my own experience. In fitting my DIY kitchen, any
time I had a problem (like dented sink unit or bashed in corners of panels)
B&Q resolved the matter at their cost without any delay or issue.

The ONLY negative was when I had half fitted the sink into the worktop
cutout, and found I was a couple of clips short. B&Q couldn't help
(although I could have returned the sink!) and the manufacturer took a week
to send me some - in stepped Howden Joinery, who gave me a pack of clips at
no cost, which solved my problem.

So I personally would not slate B&Q, and I am entirely happy with the
quality of their carcases and fittings (I bought my doors and handles
elsewhere).

Paul R
"Dave" wrote in message
...
Ian, do not, under any circumstance, buy anything from that company.
They buy cheap, sell expensive and try to give you only 12 months
guarantee,
contrary to the sale of goods act.

Find a local kitchen supplier and pin them down to a cost and quality
contract, even if you are contemplating DIY. That way, you will have a
local
contact that you can take to a small claims court for a smaller amount
than
Buy and queue (wriggly snake comes to mind here), if anything goes wrong.
I
doubt it will go this way with a local contractor, as he will want to get
referenced work from what he does for you.

HTH

Dave




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"Paul R" wrote in message
...
Sorry, but I must express my own experience. In fitting my DIY kitchen,
any
time I had a problem (like dented sink unit or bashed in corners of
panels)
B&Q resolved the matter at their cost without any delay or issue.

Yes, I can agree with you on that. Their returns policy is probably beyond
reproach. However, they do not understand the concept of the sale of goods
act, as do none of the other high street stores.

My gripe, is what they sell and the quality of it.

Having seen the company from the inside, I have never bought anything from
them since. No further comments on that.

The ONLY negative was when I had half fitted the sink into the worktop
cutout, and found I was a couple of clips short. B&Q couldn't help
(although I could have returned the sink!) and the manufacturer took a
week
to send me some - in stepped Howden Joinery, who gave me a pack of clips
at
no cost, which solved my problem.

This is where Buy and Queue fall down. They offer the product but
can't/won't offer the individual minor parts that you may require. This is
caused by their buy to price policy, which results in Chinese contractors
supplying them with kits that does not allow them to give you the odd screw
that may be missing.

So I personally would not slate B&Q

Oh, I would, without question.

and I am entirely happy with the quality of their carcases and fittings

For the price you pay, I can not doubt you.

(I bought my doors and handles elsewhere).

Were they better and or cheaper?


Dave

Solid birch doors for about the same price as B&Q veneered.
Steel bar handles at less than one third the B&Q price.
See my earlier entry in this thread for details.
Paul R

"Dave" wrote in message
...

"Paul R" wrote in message
...

** trimmed**

(I bought my doors and handles elsewhere).

Were they better and or cheaper?


Dave




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On Sun, 29 Aug 2004 22:17:54 +0000 (UTC), Dave wrote:

This is where Buy and Queue fall down. They offer the product but
can't/won't offer the individual minor parts that you may require. This is
caused by their buy to price policy, which results in Chinese contractors
supplying them with kits that does not allow them to give you the odd screw
that may be missing.

For a retailer to offer that granularity of service would cost rather more
though. I don't think that a quid for the "Assembly Spares Pack" they sell
is a bad compromise.

Fair comment - BUT this pack wouldn't have resolved the problem I had with
missing steel sink clips!
Paul R

"nog" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 29 Aug 2004 22:17:54 +0000 (UTC), Dave wrote:

This is where Buy and Queue fall down. They offer the product but
can't/won't offer the individual minor parts that you may require. This
is
caused by their buy to price policy, which results in Chinese
contractors
supplying them with kits that does not allow them to give you the odd
screw
that may be missing.

For a retailer to offer that granularity of service would cost rather more
though. I don't think that a quid for the "Assembly Spares Pack" they sell
is a bad compromise.


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Thank you all for your responses. Going hit the yellow pages tomorrow and
see what I can come up with! like the sound of Howden Joinery though.

Cheers.....

"Ian" wrote in message
...
I've just started to turn my attention to the kitchen and intend on
fitting
it all out from scratch. It's a complete mess and I'm looking at selling
up
probably next year so don't want to splash the cash but also don't want to
install flimsy cheap units.

Can anyone recommend a good supplier ?, the easiest option is to go to
B&Q
and buy off the shelf but are the cabinets flimsy ?, anyone got experience
with B&Q kitchens.

Any recommendations of where not to cuts costs ?, i.e. cheap hinges etc ?

Any advice would be much appreicated.
Ian.