New Kitchen

[Phil_D]

Aiming at getting a new kitchen in before the end of March so just been getting some CAD stuff drawn up at a couple places. The 2 places I’ve been to so far are family owned companies as I usually feel you get a better level of service in those kinds of places.

Haven’t visited any of the big hitters yet, but which ones are worth visiting? Obviously want to avoid anywhere with sub par stuff or anyone that have a reputation for overcharging etc..

I’m not after solid wood door the doors/carcasses but I’ve seen some vinyl covered doors with wood grain that are actually painted over the top which seem decent and a lot better than the usual vinyl stuff, couldn’t tell the difference between that and he painted ash door fronts even close up.

My second question is I’ve already got a Belfast sink that will be going in, in a perfect world I’d have an wooden (probably oak) worktop. I understand the drawbacks of maintenance and possible moulding with a Belfast sink if I’m not careful but I’ve seen a product called Rustins Plastic Coating which from what I’ve heard pretty much seals the wood for life and even makes it resistant to heat - anyone know anything about this?

 

[eLuSiVeMiTe]

Never tried it. Maintenence on timber tops isn't too bad. Mop up spills quickly and use trivets.
If you know any builders get a quote from Howdens and make sure he beats me down on price.
benchmarx joinery I haven't used but along the same lines.

Don't like wren and B&Q are always a mare to deal with.

 

[addjunkie]

Wicks and magnet are not too bad, howdens stuff good too.

With oak tops, over oil them before fitting, and follow the advice above....my biggest grip is the dogs claws when he rears up to eye up the postie. Couple of marks on the edge, but they rub out and get reoiled.

 

[Burdekin]

Ikea.

We have Oak and also rubber wood, both easy and not much maintenance. Always just used Danish oil.

 

[kcchan]

We’ve just had a kitchen from howdens and it’s being fitted st the moment. They were decent on price and the quality of the units is good. They only deal with trade so go in with a builder. Also, ask for all extras in the quote and then you can always decide what you do or don’t want and can see the price of things. You can go in after and take stuff off and also shop around. We wanted a Belfast sink but decided to go for a nice ceramic 1.5 sink for ease instead but again we shopped around for those bits. For example. Howdens quoted nearly £1000 for 7m of 40mm oak but the sales rep told us about a site called worktop express which we got out worktops for £400.

We managed to get a £5k kitchen (excluding appliances) down to £3500 by shopping around for ancillaries. Their integrated bins are £300! So we’ll just get a regular bin.

Hope that helps

 

[kcchan]

One thing I heard/noticed about Ikea carcasses is that the gap in the back for pipework etc isn’t as deep as most.

My boss at work bought Ikea carcasses and he said that in places, the whole back of the cabinet had to come out and that he’s had to remake the back of some of them.

 

[Burdekin]

Never had any issues with IKEA kitchens, put in a few and personally don't bother going elsewhere as I know they are good and the price for the quality is spot on.

 

[eLuSiVeMiTe]

We’ve just had a kitchen from howdens and it’s being fitted st the moment. They were decent on price and the quality of the units is good. They only deal with trade so go in with a builder. Also, ask for all extras in the quote and then you can always decide what you do or don’t want and can see the price of things. You can go in after and take stuff off and also shop around. We wanted a Belfast sink but decided to go for a nice ceramic 1.5 sink for ease instead but again we shopped around for those bits. For example. Howdens quoted nearly £1000 for 7m of 40mm oak but the sales rep told us about a site called worktop express which we got out worktops for £400.

We managed to get a £5k kitchen (excluding appliances) down to £3500 by shopping around for ancillaries. Their integrated bins are £300! So we’ll just get a regular bin.

Hope that helps

Sound advice regarding appliances and worktops. Used wtex a fair bit and the quality is good.

Don't rate ikea. Chipboard used is low density in comparison to howdens.

 

[brewdexta]

I'm just fitting out our utility and kitchen, decided to make all the carcasses out of birch ply so can't help you there but hear good things about Howdens.

I hate flimsy plastic legs and shredded wheat baseboards that are supposed to clip to the rickety plastic feet, blutack is more effective. So I'm welding up a 25mm box frame with adjustable feet for the full run of the cabinets with captive nuts to bolt the ply baseboards to. I can level it up end to end and set the distance from the wall for the full length then just drop the cabinets on top and screw down from underneath with the angle drill.

I may even install runners and put storage drawers down there for stuff you don't use much like the humongous roasting tin only used for the Christmas turkey, the pasta roller and latest Jamie Oliver gadget that gets used twice etc.

 

[Cobbler]

I bought kick board storage drawers from IKEA & modified them to fit our units. Bit of a fiddle but makes use of wasted space. Should be easy to do if making from scratch.

 

[moose]

Howdens are a part of B&Q?

 

[Burdekin]

Sound advice regarding appliances and worktops. Used wtex a fair bit and the quality is good.

Don't rate ikea. Chipboard used is low density in comparison to howdens.

Ikea cabinets are medium density MDF.

 

[eLuSiVeMiTe]

Ikea cabinets are medium density MDF.

Really. When did they make that change.

 

[Burdekin]

Just had a look and am wrong, not mdf.

Materials

• Frame: Particleboard, Melamine foil, Polypropylene plastic

• Back: Fibreboard, Acrylic paint

 

[eLuSiVeMiTe]

Just had a look and am wrong, not mdf.

Materials

• Frame: Particleboard, Melamine foil, Polypropylene plastic

• Back: Fibreboard, Acrylic paint

Put a decent kickboard and ikea kickboard over tressles and apply weight in the middle. There awful, snap so easily in comparison. Broken a few as I'm not used to them being so flimsy when cutting.

 

[Kent]

Aiming at getting a new kitchen in before the end of March so just been getting some CAD stuff drawn up at a couple places. The 2 places I’ve been to so far are family owned companies as I usually feel you get a better level of service in those kinds of places.

Haven’t visited any of the big hitters yet, but which ones are worth visiting? Obviously want to avoid anywhere with sub par stuff or anyone that have a reputation for overcharging etc..

I’m not after solid wood door the doors/carcasses but I’ve seen some vinyl covered doors with wood grain that are actually painted over the top which seem decent and a lot better than the usual vinyl stuff, couldn’t tell the difference between that and he painted ash door fronts even close up.

My second question is I’ve already got a Belfast sink that will be going in, in a perfect world I’d have an wooden (probably oak) worktop. I understand the drawbacks of maintenance and possible moulding with a Belfast sink if I’m not careful but I’ve seen a product called Rustins Plastic Coating which from what I’ve heard pretty much seals the wood for life and even makes it resistant to heat - anyone know anything about this?

Wood worktops are always best oiled and kept up.
Cad is a quick 3d imaging tool, proper kitchen desigers use drawing boards

 

[MCKDAVID]

"... proper kitchen desigers use drawing boards"

aye maybe 25 years ago, doubt you'd find anyone still using a drawing board these days, certainly not those dependent on it for a living anyway...except maybe to read the newspaper on in the morning.... (assuming anyone still does that too...)

 

[eLuSiVeMiTe]

"... proper kitchen desigers use drawing boards"

aye maybe 25 years ago, doubt you'd find anyone still using a drawing board these days, certainly not those dependent on it for a living anyway...except maybe to read the newspaper on in the morning.... (assuming anyone still does that too...)

I do....
Dont use cad enough to be quick, spend most of my time working out how to do what i want. easier to just draw my designs. usually bespoke cupboards/wardrobes ect.
Sometimes i just make it up as i go along

 

[Kent]

"... proper kitchen desigers use drawing boards"

aye maybe 25 years ago, doubt you'd find anyone still using a drawing board these days, certainly not those dependent on it for a living anyway...except maybe to read the newspaper on in the morning.... (assuming anyone still does that too...)

FYI,
I taught kitchen design for the second biggest in volume. I also worked within one of the best high end firms.

You won't get hand drawn perspective from BQ but you can expect it from all the top names in the quality end.

Now to explain further drag and drop cad looses much of the design thought process and although I have never done cars I am darn sure all the high end stuff start thier design with hand drawings.

I was one of the first out in the field with digital cameras and cad imagining when I owned my conservatory company. This was about 20 years ago or more now, so I do respect what it can do (back then it was mostly crash out into dos). But more importantly I realise what it can't do.

The diy sheds depend almost totally on cad based design. Go ask the fitters if you meet them how many they find do not actually fit in the spaces provided etc.

 

[MCKDAVID]

difference between a quick sketch / layout and a full on design. I agree, for most small jobs, fag packets and a scrap of paper is fine.. can't remember the last time I saw someone with a proper board and rotring pens...

most of the time I make it up as I go along too, glad I'm not paying for it...