How did you choose a kitchen provider?

2 years ago

Hi everyone, we've recently moved into a new house and looking at redoing the kitchen. So far I've found the process of deciding on which kitchen company to use very painful. I wondered what processes you've gone through, how many different ones did you speak to before making a decision. What made the decision process easier?

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Comments (7)

Daisy England
2 years ago
Was easy for me. I’m a partner in a kitchen company. I know the products we buy are of a good quality and the doors we buy are also available in made to measure sizes so if I want to change the fascias in the future or slightly amend anything then I can.

Don’t get taken in with finance free. It’s not. It’s included within your price. Look at independents.
PRO
The Kitchen Lady UK
2 years ago
Hi Hu,

I think the biggest thing to consider when getting a new kitchen is getting the layout right.

A lot of the large retail companies/smaller franchises work on selling and operating at certain margins. They also work with limited set sizes, so although you can walk in, likely get an appointment on that day and walk out with a price and a couple of pictures - you will be put through a variety of corporate sales techniques and are more than likely going to walk out with a kitchen that doesn't work in the long run, as well as a heavily inflated price tag which no doubt will alter as and when you shop around with the other outlets.

I am somewhat biased in saying this but equally our business wouldn't exist without the demand - your best option is to seek independent design and layout advice. We work with our clients, your needs and come up with layouts that work for you/your family. Not a one size fits all put into different spaces. We are able to offer you a more comprehensive layout and design experience where you get high quality renders, access to all elevations and most importantly labelled floor plans WITH measurements - something that the big companies don't give out until you've put down a hefty deposit and are a few weeks away from install. We are also on hand all the time...before, during and after should you fancy a chat, need a question answered or you would like to ask us some advice relating to anything from accessories, lighting, splashbacks etc.

When you focus on the design and get that bit right you find the rest falls into place, we can suggest suppliers for you to use; anything from off the shelf kitchens from the big companies, to online based companies that we work closely with and even bespoke cabinet makers. We offer quote sourcing for you too if it makes the process much less stressful, taking the hassle of having to worry about quantities and plan checking.

But most importantly, before you even begin to start the design process we offer a complimentary hour long zoom/phone call so you can be sure that we are the right people for you and we can discuss ideas before you commit to anything - and speaking of commitment we offer anything from design by the hour or set packages - so we are fully flexible and it's more about you and providing you with what you need than us.

Have a browse of our website, we are completely honest and upfront about everything - no hidden costs, and pricing can be found on our website. There's a whole wealth of information on there but if anyone can help, it's us.

All the best with your kitchen planning, I won't waffle on anymore than I have but if you would like a cuppa and a chat let us know.

Charlie @The Kitchen Lady UK

www.thekitchenladyuk.co.uk
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Lynsey
2 years ago
Hi there, we’ve just been through this process. I think first of all budget is the biggest consideration - how much you want to spend will dictate your options. Next up is do you want to go bespoke, or for a showroom kitchen? Or you could even go flat pack as a cheaper option. We visited three retailers based on liking the designs - Wickes, John Lewis and an independent kitchen company. Our final choice was the independent based really on what they were offering for the price - we could get quartz worktops with them, whereas it was almost double the price to upgrade to that type of worktop at JL - they were only offering laminate for what we wanted to spend. Wickes had a nice kitchen in our budget, but we were put off by the customer service and “hidden extras” in quote. Two great tips we picked up: integrating a fridge freezer is expensive - approx £1,000 at JL - but we’ve gone for this as our layout is open plan and we’re prepared to pay, and fancy cupboards like pull out pantries add £££s - £1,000 for one of them at Wickes. Wherever you go, have a good read through the quote which breaks down these costs. Designer will often suggest them and add them to layouts without mentioning the costings.
Ellie
2 years ago
I came up with a plan myself. I then went to a couple of local independent shops hoping for advice/ideas. They couldn't do better than what I had planned. I had 2 out to my house to measure/design - they produced ugly kitchens, nothing like what I had told them I was looking for.

I found they all just wanted to sell as many units, fit as many into the space without thinking of the look of it.

I designed my own and ordered online at diyKitchens
janaoa1977
2 years ago
We just did our kitchen. I did a basic design myself on diy kitchens planner and then asked Wren and Magnet to come up with something similar. I have to say I found Wren to be of poor quality and Magnet was very expensive and I didn’t like their sales techniques and limited styles. We were then recommended an independent kitchen guy and the styles offered were much better and quality too. The price we paid for a much superior kitchen was the same as quoted by Wren.
Lisa D
2 years ago
Customer service and design has tipped it for us. Space was tricky so getting a good design was part of the brief… Wren failed and wanted us to design it, then two local companies seemed good on customer service, but one cracked the design, so we chose them. It’s such a large time investment going to their showrooms and looking at stuff. I guess if design had been simple I’d have gotten full quotes from all.
HU-982752995 thanked Lisa D
PRO
Ian Dunn Woodwork & Design
2 years ago
Hi there,

Our advice would be to take into consideration 3 main things: the style of the kitchen you have in mind, the layout of the space, design and appliances you might want, and if you would like a kitchen that's bespoke to your space and lifestyle. Once you have an idea of these, have a close look at a couple of companies' portfolios and estimated project budgets (you can usually find good information here on Houzz or on their websites), as well as the partnerships with brands that they might have (as they might offer you really good deals on appliances and products).

Hope it helps!

IDW&D

How did you choose a kitchen provider?

Comments (7)

Daisy England

The Kitchen Lady UK

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Ellie

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