Kitchen install costs advice wanted.

[mft]

citychap26 said:

So effectively fitting the units is pretty easy... Cutting the work surface is the pain in the butt...

The worktop is basic stuff: cutting holes for the hob, sink, and taps is dead easy with the right tools.

The only tricky bit when I did my worktop was routing the correct shape into two sections of worktop so they fitted together seamlessly in an 'L' shape.

I used a jig similar to this, but it took a few attempts to get it spot on:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/900mm-Kitchen-Worktop-Router...

[stormin]

mft said:

citychap26 said:

So effectively fitting the units is pretty easy... Cutting the work surface is the pain in the butt...

The worktop is basic stuff: cutting holes for the hob, sink, and taps is dead easy with the right tools.

The only tricky bit when I did my worktop was routing the correct shape into two sections of worktop so they fitted together seamlessly in an 'L' shape.

I used a jig similar to this, but it took a few attempts to get it spot on:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/900mm-Kitchen-Worktop-Router...

or use a worksurface joining strip, colour coded to the worktop (£7.50 at B & Q) where you only have to make a straight cut.

[Jon C]

stormin said:

mft said:

citychap26 said:

So effectively fitting the units is pretty easy... Cutting the work surface is the pain in the butt...

The worktop is basic stuff: cutting holes for the hob, sink, and taps is dead easy with the right tools.

The only tricky bit when I did my worktop was routing the correct shape into two sections of worktop so they fitted together seamlessly in an 'L' shape.

I used a jig similar to this, but it took a few attempts to get it spot on:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/900mm-Kitchen-Worktop-Router...

or use a worksurface joining strip, colour coded to the worktop (£7.50 at B & Q) where you only have to make a straight cut.

Please dont use a worktop joining strip, they look cack, trap dirt and spoil the whole thing IMHO.

Fitting a kitchen is easy. I concur with the advice re getting a chippy out to fit the worktops. When your sparks does the electrics, get a few double sockets fitted above the top line of the wall units as well. very handy for wiring in cooker hoods, cupboard lights, etc. Dont be afraid of the plumbing, at that level it is relatively easy. Tiling is wonderfully theraputic.

Have a go, save a fortune, and if you do cock the odd carcass up, just replace it, you will still save a fortune and you will get such a kick everytime you and the missus go in there.

[DonnyMac]

Just got a £20k kitchen for £12k - live in Croydon (one of the nice parts too).

If you want details of a family contact, or see the yet to be installed (next 7 days) product, PM me.

[citychap26]

Hi Donny,

Sent you a mail....

Oh guys, used "no more nails" to hang up the coving looks great. Also use flexible filler to cover the slight gaps between the coving and ceiling - probably not the right way of doing things but it works and looks neat.

Cheers

Sunil

[barney123]

citychap26 said:

Hi John,

I notice you have a glass splash back... How did they cut the glass to fit the switches ?

I'm looking at a maple wood worktop too. Want to have black gloss doors and possibily a red splash back. Colours not to everyones taste but I think it will work.

Cheers

Sunil

Perspex ?

[citychap26]

No I think that most places do glass splash backs.

[Bee_Jay]

citychap26 said:

Hi Donny,

Sent you a mail....

Oh guys, used "no more nails" to hang up the coving looks great. Also use flexible filler to cover the slight gaps between the coving and ceiling - probably not the right way of doing things but it works and looks neat.

Cheers

Sunil

No More Nails - pretty good stuff. Soon you will discover Gripfill and will never look back - pink gripfill is truly amazing. Saw some stuff called "Sticks like Sh*t" in Jewsons, not tried it yet though...

[B17NNS]

citychap26 said:

No I think that most places do glass splash backs.

I would imagine it is similar to granite.

The company will come out and template the job, go away, machine the glass, pop off the sockets, glass on, sockets back on.

[B17NNS]

Bee_Jay said:

Soon you will discover Gripfill and will never look back

+



= good fixing

Edited by B17NNS on Tuesday 30th December 12:26

[citychap26]

Sounds like the right way... Also could be costly but will look the dogs b*ll*cks once finished.

[B17NNS]

In my old kitchen I went with granite in the end (Star Galaxy). Cost was £4k.

I really wanted glass (worktops, splashback and upstand). Quote for the equivalent was £8.5k

[citychap26]

Had a look at the Wickes website, Casablanca looks pretty nice...

The more I think about it, the more I think I should give it a go at fitting, what's the worst that could happen. I fook it up and then get someone in to sort it. The best, I do a decent job of the base units and get a chippy in to sort the worktops.

However if I can get someone in for between 100 - 150 a day to do it might be best ...

There on way on earth I'm paying 3 grand for fitting!

[Jonny_]

I've been generating a few quotes for kitchen units lately, was very surprised to find that B&Q are pretty cheap for units - for everything else (tools, timber, screws, etc) they're a set of robbing sods!

Trouble is, given that I'm at the bottom of the budget scale (looking at £1100 of units to fully kit out a 7'x13' kitchen) it'll probably end up costing more for fitting than for the stuff itself. Considered doing it meself but the potential for ballsing up a grands worth of kit and the specialist tools needed have put me off that idea.

Assuming that I take care of ripping the old trash out, tiling walls & floor and assembling new units myself, what would be a reasonable price to look for to fit the units?

[B17NNS]

Jonny_ said:

B&Q are pretty cheap for units

Think I'm going with B&Q for a house refurb I'm doing at the moment.

Get a few other quotes on a similar style from the others, B&Q are price matching at the moment and their quality is better than Focus & Homebase.

Oh and if you know an old, get them to sign up to the old's discount scheme, get them to buy it and save another 10%.

[D14 AYS]

I fit loads of kitchens and in my opinion all the sheds sell absolute st with the exception of Magnet and Benchmarx,the latter being the best value.

[m4tt]

Howdens Joinery are the same company that made most of the MFI units (I think, but feel free to correct me).

That aside the quality is reasonable, the carcases come pre-assembled just need doors fitting and were about half the price of the same kitchen in MFI. Technically they only deal with trade, but if you either:

1. Say you are trade.
2. Be nice, and spend lots.

Then I have never heard of anyone being turned away.

Oh biggest bonus is that they hold nearly everything in stock so quick delivery is definately possible.

P.s.
Watch out with Ikea kitchens as because of diffent construction methods in Europe they didn't used to have a recess behind the units for services, may have now changed though.

[mr_fibuli]

When I did mine a couple of years ago I priced up all the mainstream places - B&Q, Homebase, Wickes, Ikea etc. Seemed that Ikea was the only one charging the "real" no bs prices for stuff - the other places came to about the same price as Ikea once you took into account all their double extra discount super sale price rubbish.

So I'd compare the individual unit prices you are paying to the Ikea ones to make sure you are not paying a massively inflated non-sale price.

[D14 AYS]

mr_fibuli said:

When I did mine a couple of years ago I priced up all the mainstream places - B&Q, Homebase, Wickes, Ikea etc. Seemed that Ikea was the only one charging the "real" no bs prices for stuff - the other places came to about the same price as Ikea once you took into account all their double extra discount super sale price rubbish.

So I'd compare the individual unit prices you are paying to the Ikea ones to make sure you are not paying a massively inflated non-sale price.

The problem with Ikea is everything is separate so costs add up.

[Deva Link]

Our kitchen is an odd shape so we had units made by a local company - they're really no different from the mid-range sort of stuff you buy anywhere but the company makes them (including the doors) from scratch so odd sizes were no problem. For instance, we have an American side-by-side fridge freezer and they made a double cupboard to go on top of it but the same width as the FF and the right height to line up with everything else.

I reckon it was only marginally more expensive than B&Q etc (where our first kitchen had come from) but being able to get exactly the right sizes of units was invaluable. The units all came fully assembled too - it's surprising how long it takes to put a load of self-assembly units together!