Hi,
This isn't a post asking for information just thought I would post my
personal recommendations about kitchen suppliers.
Ok I have installed 3 kitchens so far one MFI, one renovated kitchen, and 1
Ikea kitchen.

Personally the hassle and cost of the renovation one means I will not be
doing that again, The kitchen was simply a replacement of worktop, sink
doors, and plugs, with handles etc. the hassle of working around the old
carcases and other things meant I would not be trying this again, also the
cost worked out about 800 with new oven.

MFI after we finally had the kitchen delivered after numerous phone calls
and a few missing parts. The kitchen itself was like any other flat pack,
not what I would consider easy to construct. Cost wise worked out about 2000

Finally the IKEA kitchen, for a flat pack it was soooo easy to install one
quick look at the pictures then all the carcases were built, most things
were planned to make construction an ease. (Although do have two metal bars
that I have no idea where they go) Delivery was well within the quoted time.
And cost wise for a large good quality looking kitchen worked out around
1400.

So personally If I will do another kitchen it will be an Ikea one. I'm sure
most people have had bad experiences with them but for the cost and quality
you cant really complain, and the ease of construction just helps make my
mind up.
Olly

Oliver Ciaravella wrote:

MFI after we finally had the kitchen delivered after numerous phone calls
and a few missing parts. The kitchen itself was like any other flat pack,
not what I would consider easy to construct. Cost wise worked out about 2000

If you can blag yourself a trade account at a Howden's outlet (which
isn't that hard to do!) you'll find they sell the same kitchens that MFI
do, but at lower prices and with the units already built!

David

"Oliver Ciaravella" wrote in message
...
Hi,
This isn't a post asking for information just thought I would post my
personal recommendations about kitchen suppliers.
Ok I have installed 3 kitchens so far one MFI, one renovated kitchen, and
1 Ikea kitchen.

Personally the hassle and cost of the renovation one means I will not be
doing that again, The kitchen was simply a replacement of worktop, sink
doors, and plugs, with handles etc. the hassle of working around the old
carcases and other things meant I would not be trying this again, also the
cost worked out about 800 with new oven.

MFI after we finally had the kitchen delivered after numerous phone calls
and a few missing parts. The kitchen itself was like any other flat pack,
not what I would consider easy to construct. Cost wise worked out about
2000

Finally the IKEA kitchen, for a flat pack it was soooo easy to install one
quick look at the pictures then all the carcases were built, most things
were planned to make construction an ease. (Although do have two metal
bars that I have no idea where they go) Delivery was well within the
quoted time. And cost wise for a large good quality looking kitchen worked
out around 1400.

So personally If I will do another kitchen it will be an Ikea one. I'm
sure most people have had bad experiences with them but for the cost and
quality you cant really complain, and the ease of construction just helps
make my mind up.
Olly

I work for IKEA, and they do try extremely hard to make kitchens easier as
time goes on, they're always lookign for new approaches etc, and methods to
ensure your kitchens easy to build.

I've had one too, with my discount, and it was easy peasy; never MFI again,
they genuinly made kitchens seem like a struggle/hard.

Anyway, you save loads with IKEA, some feel you need ot watch what you buy,
as some of the cheaper items can be of rubbish quality. Having looked at
lots of them, they all seem fine though :-)

Good tip, was thinking of Magnet but I'm definately going check out
IKEA aw well now.

Yeah was looking at Howden's got some letter headed paper from a decorator
but didn't think I would be able to set up an account.

"selfbuilder" wrote in message
ups.com...
Good tip, was thinking of Magnet but I'm definately going check out
IKEA aw well now.


Only reason I do not touch IKEA kitchens is the lack of space behind the
units.

I do around 3-4 kitchens per year in old (~100 years) tenement flats, and
with the non-square walls, and "interesting" waste/electric/water supply
arrangements I am always grateful for the extra 5-6cm at the back of the
units to play with.

Hence almost always using MFI (well, Howden), although the next one
(arriving next week) is a B&Q as I liked their particular design for the
flat that I am doing up at the moment (I buy electricals/taps/sinks
separately anyway).

HTH.

On Sun, 06 Mar 2005 17:24:34 GMT, Lobster
strung together this:

If you can blag yourself a trade account at a Howden's outlet (which
isn't that hard to do!) you'll find they sell the same kitchens that MFI
do, but at lower prices and with the units already built!

I was going to suggest that. I've never had a problem with Howdens
kitchens. Good price, easy to fit, service space.
--

SJW
Please reply to group or use 'usenet' in email subject

On Sun, 6 Mar 2005 18:05:13 -0000, "Oliver Ciaravella"
strung together this:

Yeah was looking at Howden's got some letter headed paper from a decorator
but didn't think I would be able to set up an account.

Make some up, or find someone with an account that will get the stuff
for you. Some people will be happy to supply stuff for you to boost
their trade account discount.
--

SJW
Please reply to group or use 'usenet' in email subject

Oliver Ciaravella wrote:
Yeah was looking at Howden's got some letter headed paper from a decorator
but didn't think I would be able to set up an account.

Nor did I; just went in and told them I was just setting up my own
business as a kitchen fitter or something and that was it. (For those
of a certain age, it was a bit like Cleese in Monty Python's "Why do you
want to join the Secret Service? Can you keep a secret? Yes? Fine,
you're in!)

It's probably down to the individual behind the counter on the day as to
how your approach is received. I don't get much bother now at most
places (other than Travis Perkins - spit); if I get turned down I look
incredulous and say "well I've always got trade from Howden's, why on
earth not?" and that normally does the trick! There are clearly
'degrees' of trade discount though, and I know I don't get the same
concessions that the bulk users do.

David

I did an Ikea kitchen at home and unless I win the lottery I'd do another...

Nicholas

--
Nicholas Buttle - Quality Joinery and Cabinet Making
http://www.nbjoinery.net


--
"NotMe" wrote in message
...

"selfbuilder" wrote in message
ups.com...
Good tip, was thinking of Magnet but I'm definately going check out
IKEA aw well now.


Only reason I do not touch IKEA kitchens is the lack of space behind the
units.

I do around 3-4 kitchens per year in old (~100 years) tenement flats, and
with the non-square walls, and "interesting" waste/electric/water supply
arrangements I am always grateful for the extra 5-6cm at the back of the
units to play with.

Hence almost always using MFI (well, Howden), although the next one
(arriving next week) is a B&Q as I liked their particular design for the
flat that I am doing up at the moment (I buy electricals/taps/sinks
separately anyway).

HTH.

The bloke that delivered my ikea kitchen said he deliverd them to new builds
costing 300-500K

Oliver Ciaravella wrote:
The bloke that delivered my ikea kitchen said he deliverd them to new builds
costing 300-500K

Bloody hell, it's amazing what some people will pay for a kitchen, innit?

The houses cost 300-500K not the kitchen but i presume their was sarcasm
there somewhere
"Lobster" wrote in message
...
Oliver Ciaravella wrote:
The bloke that delivered my ikea kitchen said he deliverd them to new
builds costing 300-500K

Bloody hell, it's amazing what some people will pay for a kitchen, innit?

In message , Goo Goo
writes
"Oliver Ciaravella" wrote in message
...
Hi,
This isn't a post asking for information just thought I would post my
personal recommendations about kitchen suppliers.
Ok I have installed 3 kitchens so far one MFI, one renovated kitchen, and
1 Ikea kitchen.

snip

So personally If I will do another kitchen it will be an Ikea one. I'm
sure most people have had bad experiences with them but for the cost and
quality you cant really complain, and the ease of construction just helps
make my mind up.
Olly

I work for IKEA, and they do try extremely hard to make kitchens easier as
time goes on, they're always lookign for new approaches etc, and methods to
ensure your kitchens easy to build.

I've had one too, with my discount, and it was easy peasy; never MFI again,
they genuinly made kitchens seem like a struggle/hard.


IKEA kitchens are fine, and of reasonable quality. The problem with them
comes in dealing with he organisation. If they don't have the right
thing, it's damaged etc. it can be a PITA getting it sorted.
--
Chris French, Leeds

I too installed an Ikea kitchen last year and can second the recommendation,
though without being able to compare with others (except on cost and
appearanmce in shop).

Their 'modular' system, with frames, doors, hinges, shelving etc coming in
separate packs made for a *daunting* pile of stuff on delivery, and boy was
there a lot of packaging to get rid of. But it was all there - every nut &
bolt, and assembled cleanly.

BTW as noted elsewhere, beware there is no space at back of Ikea base units
for services.

Cheers,

DIYSOS

MFI after we finally had the kitchen delivered after numerous phone calls
and a few missing parts. The kitchen itself was like any other flat pack,
not what I would consider easy to construct. Cost wise worked out about
2000

Come on, the MFI ones were absolutely standard flatpack very easy to
assemble.

Finally the IKEA kitchen, for a flat pack it was soooo easy to install one
quick look at the pictures then all the carcases were built, most things
were planned to make construction an ease.

Except that there is no service channel, making them about 10 times more
difficult to install. They're fine if you have no taps, washing machines,
sinks, or hobs in your kitchen, though.

Christian.

I was going to suggest that. I've never had a problem with Howdens
kitchens. Good price, easy to fit, service space.

The main problem is that they don't supply the coloured end panels. They
expect you to bolt on chipboard to the standard white carcasses, which looks
pants in comparison to the proper replacement panels supplied by MFI. Not a
problem if white is appropriate, though.

Christian.

Come on, the MFI ones were absolutely standard flatpack very easy to
assemble.
yeah but in comparison to how easy it could have been such as just push and
click (as in the ikea ones)

Except that there is no service channel, making them about 10 times more
difficult to install. They're fine if you have no taps, washing machines,
sinks, or hobs in your kitchen, though.

Didnt think this was a problem, i had to reroute all my pipe work along the
floor and as this was the 1st time i did plumbing it was a breeze. the
result is you get far deeper cupboards with full length draws

Except that there is no service channel, making them about 10 times
more
difficult to install. They're fine if you have no taps, washing
machines,
sinks, or hobs in your kitchen, though.

Didnt think this was a problem, i had to reroute all my pipe work
along the
floor and as this was the 1st time i did plumbing it was a breeze.
the
result is you get far deeper cupboards with full length draws


You had to reroute water pipes? That sounds daunting to a DIY newbie
like me.

I would have thought the "refurb" job -- replacing doors & worktop --
to be the easiest. That's what I am thinking of doing for my first ever
kitchen units job.

Bruce

Plumbing really isnt daunting, if your doing a kitchen, rip the old one out
then you have good access to the pipes. Turn The the water off, buy a pipe
cutter (Wish I got one to start with), dont mess around with a hacksaw. Then
either go for the pre soldered joints or push fit ones. Pre soldered joints
are so easy to do two dry pipes rub down put bit of flux on each rub down
the inside of the fitting then push the two pipes together apply heat then
allow to cool. It really is that easy. working on old pipes is alittle more
tricky making sure there is NO water as I found once. If you dont feel up to
soldering just get the push fit pipes there easy just make sure you push
them in hard enough.

A new fitted kitchen wont cost massively more and the look will be 1000%
better than a revamped one.

On 07 Mar 2005, Bruce wrote that Oliver wrote

Didnt think this was a problem, i had to reroute all my pipe work
along the floor and as this was the 1st time i did plumbing it
was a breeze. the result is you get far deeper cupboards with
full length draws


You had to reroute water pipes? That sounds daunting to a DIY
newbie like me.

I would have thought the "refurb" job -- replacing doors & worktop
-- to be the easiest. That's what I am thinking of doing for my
first ever kitchen units job.

I go with Oliver on this: on the face of it, you might think that a
refurb is simplest and that starting from scratch is more daunting, but
refurb almost always means discovering that the original fitter did
something non-standard, and you wind up facing a complex task to fit
the new stuff in with the old.

I've fit 4 (I think - might be 5) kitchens for us and my sister-in-law
over the past 20 years; the first time I couldn't have been any more
familiar with the job than you are at this point. (It wasn't
difficult: I'm methodical, and learned a lot by constant reference to
"how-to" books and such-like.)

Whilst all of the installations I've done were full replacements, the
two easiest jobs were undoubtedly where the whole room had been
stripped back to bare walls: minor plumbing -- extending the pipework
for the dishwasher and stuff -- and setting-out the electric points was
a *lot* easier than trying to work around existing installations.

--
Cheers,
Harvey

In article ,
Harvey Van Sickle writes:
Whilst all of the installations I've done were full replacements, the
two easiest jobs were undoubtedly where the whole room had been
stripped back to bare walls: minor plumbing -- extending the pipework
for the dishwasher and stuff -- and setting-out the electric points was
a *lot* easier than trying to work around existing installations.

Same here. You start with a blank sheet and plan exactly where you
want to put all the sockets, lights, plumbing, etc.

When removing the old kitchen, I save one base unit and appropriate
length of worktop and move it into the dining room, to support
microwave and kettle, with fridge standing next to it, so there's
a sort of emergency kitchen area available which will keep you going
whilst real kitchen is out of service.

--
Andrew Gabriel

DIYSOS wrote:

BTW as noted elsewhere, beware there is no space at back of Ikea base units
for services.

I found this to be an advantage. My small kitchen occupies a corner
(1000mm x 1900mm). Any corner unit from the Wickes range would have
wasted at least 200mm. That's too much to waste when space in this flat
works out at something like £7,000 M^2.

I am quite please with IKEA you can buy all the bits separately so it
was quite easy to make up something to fit. And the quality is as good
as any other pack of chipboard, especially once you glue the joints and
bolt it to the wall.


--
David Clark

$message_body_include ="PLES RING IF AN RNSR IS REQIRD"

Lobster typed:

I don't get much bother now at most
places (other than Travis Perkins - spit);

TP do (or at least did) a Cheque account, you only need a letter headed
invoice and bank approval.
Doesn't mean you cant then pay cash, but you are a account customer.