Kitchens

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runboy

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I will be moving house in the coming months and the new place needs a new kitchen. Can anyone give any recommendations to the high street stores - MFI, B&Q, even the Co-op?[21]

I have to start somewhere so some personal experiences would be a good start.

Cheers.

Steve - 2002 1.4SE petrol, Silver, black/black interior, Then an identical replacement 2003 A2. Now a Toyota Corolla 1.6 T-Spirit
 
We have just had our kitchen gutted and fitted with a Wickes 'Shaftesbury' kitchen. A builder fitted them and he was impressed with the quality of the units - for a start the backs are solid timber and not hardboard. As an idea of cost for two single and a double wall unit, two corner units, a single 500mm wide unit, built in oven unit, worktops, kick boards, pelmets, gas hob £1,500 - extras were oven, sink and dishwasher. MFI wanted £4,000 for the same number of units! Our builder warned us off Ikea as apparently their units are difficult to fit and alter. They also have no recess at the back of the base units so running pipes and cables can be difficult.
 
Might be worth going to a kitchen manufacturer direct,

Sombody like

Moores
Symphony
Price

We use all there units at work in social housing projects but i think you will find a reduced cost of supply as opposed to the high street.

If you need any numbers give me a shout and i can post them up for you.

also let me know which part of this island you inhabiat.
 
daveyjp-thanks. Someone else mentioned Wickes kitchen units to me so that is interesting. Do you know if they do a design service?

jon.od-I looked in the Co-op at their kitchen range and it looked fine and the chap there did at least appear alive (unlike some shops) then when I was going through the brochure I realised it was Symphony. We have a Wimpey house and they are Symphony too. Not bad units really, sort of middle-of-the-road type stuff. I'm over in sunny Norfolk.

Steve - 2002 1.4SE petrol, Silver, black/black interior, Then an identical replacement 2003 A2. Now a Toyota Corolla 1.6 T-Spirit
 
Wickes do a full design and pricing service, as do MFI (they use the same programme). We went to MFI first, took the plans and the extortionate costs then took the plan to Wickes. The guy at Wickes was much better at the design and said the MFI design wouldn't work - problems opening the dishwasher due to the location of the washer or something! Redid the design and priced it up, ordered and delivered within 4 weeks - all 49 boxes (and this was a small kitchen!!).
 
I just finished fitting an IKEA kitchen to my flat, but I would not recommend it if you don´t have lots of free time... the kitchen is nice, but fitting was difficult... but it was half the cost of a regular kitchen.

Bye, Frido.

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[img=left]http://homepage.mac.com/frido/a2pic.gif[/img=left]
A2 1.4 TDI 2003 S-Line, cobalt blue, CC, DIS, SatNav+, TV, Apple iPod
now parents' car: A2 1.2 TDI 2002 silver, CC, DIS
My A2OC pics Homepage
 
I may give then a looksee. I have tried on 3 occaisons to get an appointment with B&Q but they just don't want to know-obviously awash with business. Problem is I need the full service-design, supply and fit. If I buy the units my self how do I find a reliable fitter? I can see night school classes looming!!!!

Steve - 2002 1.4SE petrol, Silver, black/black interior, Then an identical replacement 2003 A2. Now a Toyota Corolla 1.6 T-Spirit
 
Wickes don't do a fitting service - but they do have a list of tradesmen who have been recommended by customers. We had our own builder, so didn't need to use it. I wouldn't have liked to do ours and there is no way I would have done the whole thing in a week! Building all the units, altering the ones which needed altering, new electrics, plumbing, gas supply, tiling. I ordered an extra end piece and door to box in a water heater and the builder had the whole cupboard built in half an hour. Top tip on the electrics - get the fitters to attach the sockets inside the units adjacent to your appliances. Makes unplugging them a dream!
 
I've fitted an IKEA kitchen myself too. It was my first kitchen ever, so I have no comparison in terms of how difficult it was to put toghether. I thought it wasn't too hard.
Materials are good, well put together, good choice of widths, materials/looks/handles/electric sockets/lights/racks etc etc. Kitchen top came as two separate parts of the L-shape that I have, but they came together very well. Sink lies flat with the top, which looks great and is even more practical.
As daveyjp mentioned, the cabinets do not have space for horizontal pipes. I rerouted those to the space below the cabinets.

I tend to be wary of any non-DIY kitchen, mainly because of the prices.

Oh, one thing: if you pick up your 'thousand-piece-kitchen' at the delivery station of IKEA, make sure you check your order! And bring something to distract you while you're waiting for 90 minutes or so :( That's IKEA for you too...

If you care for some pictures: I've got a few, if it's anything to go by...

Edo

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(2003 Silver 1.4 Tdi Exclusive(SE), 95bhp/235Nm chiptuned by ABT, black interior, sport seats, heated mirrors, JVC KD-SH909RB cd-receiver, Infinity Kappa 63.1 + Vifa on-dash tweeters, 12" Subwoofer on 300w Amp)
 
I live in an Ikea free zone! But thanks for the info. I will stop by Wickes today and have a look. I just can't believe the problems I have had trying to give £k's of business to someone. I think I will start my own kitchen business!

Steve - 2002 1.4SE petrol, Silver, black/black interior, Then an identical replacement 2003 A2. Now a Toyota Corolla 1.6 T-Spirit
 
Runboy. A tip, work out how many electrical sockets you need, then double it. I have 14 in the kitchen and fitted 12 when I did my son's kitchen. I should have fitted 15 in mine, there is one missing where we could use it.
 
Steve,

I helped a friend fit a Wickes Kitchen two weekends ago. Seemed very good quality, and full design plans were very good.

Kaine
 
hollyrescue-so you are responsible for a dimming in the lights when you power up your kitchen! I know what you mean though and I will ensure we have a full complement of sockets.

Kaine-I had a look at the Wickes stuff last night and it looked fine-good range and the design service chap appeared helpful. The bedroom furniture looked good, as did the fireplaces, back doors and garage doors. In fact I was amazed at how much stuff Wickes did!

Steve - 2002 1.4SE petrol, Silver, black/black interior, Then an identical replacement 2003 A2. Now a Toyota Corolla 1.6 T-Spirit
 
Husband of Midwife here.

While she is off helping women pop I have to put a new bathroom in. I have already attacked the kitchen thats done.

Why is it you women have always to find something else to do. Why can't you just enjoy your A2 and go out for a drive and be done withit?

Just on the kitchen front I went to a local kitchen firm they worked it all ou and I fitted it about £2000 for 8 base and 7 deep wall units. Also look at the draws and make sure they have metal runners they slide lovely.

And please don't put any more ideas in her head I want a rest!
 
quote:Originally posted by midwifetwin

And please don't put any more ideas in her head I want a rest!
Click to expand...

Now what can we talk about next? Home Cinema Installation? Full House Audio Distribution? Or how about a loft conversion?

hehe

Kaine
 
The house I'm moving to has a garage with adjoining workshop - at the time this seemed like a good idea for me and a kit car but I have a terrible feeling that it will be used as the house DIY base.
Once the kitchen, bathroom, new bedroom, dining room, utility room & cellar are all up to scratch I might get a chance to work on the car - provided I'm not drawing my pension by then.

Don't drink drive! Not only is it socially unaceptable, it also harms A2's.
Was a 1.4SE petrol. http://www.audi-a2.co.uk/uk14.htm http://www.audi-a2.co.uk/safety.htm
New A2 - Ebony Black, Red Leather, CC, Symphony + all the previous options we had.
 
I have reservations about the Wickes bedrooms, many of the displays have splits in the shelf rails where the fixings have been put in (ended up ordering 2 bedrooms worth from MFI - Cheaper even without the sale). Haven't looked closely at their kitchens yet, have fitted 2 MFI ones and it isn't the units that take the time, it is re-routing the piping and re-locating the sockets.

Also MFI's drawers are better made than they were last time we bought one, the chipboard one piece wrap around drawer carcase has finally gone.

Ian

2002 1.4 Petrol SE, silver with climate control.
Why are NEARLY all the A2s in Lichfield silver ? ? ?
 
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