I’m planning mine now. Anyone else had one done recently?
(I’ve been looking through but not found one mentioned.)
1 Like
I’ll be following this, Lila, as eventually I would also like to re-jig my kitchen. (Sorry, no recent experience!)
So far I’ve ordered a new boiler which is to be installed mid-April. I thought I’d better get that done before starting on the other work.
I’m going to Homebase tomorrow with my plans and notes to talk to one of their kitchen advisors. Not going to order anything there yet.
Have you got a Magnet near you?
Far superior to most other high street suppliers.
Have you spoken to any fitters yet? Some won’t fit certain kitchen packs.
No, Magnet is even further than Homebase.
I have advertised on My Builder https://www.mybuilder.com/
They’ll fit what I want or I won’t hire them.
Ok, that’s a shame.
Why, may I ask, have you opted for that site to find a builder?
We(reputable builders)don’t hold much respect for those sites.
I won’t say any more, other than be very careful.
Because I’ve been using them for years and so far mostly been happy with their work.
However, I’ve ordered nothing yet so am open to other suggestions.
You’ve obviously chosen well, in the past.
My personal advice would be to visit showrooms, plumbers and joinery merchants and ask for their recommendations.
If you need any advice during the fitting please don’t hesitate to ask.
I would always recommend the same company that supplies also to fit with such as kitchens, then any problems later on cannot be blamed on the fitter by the supplier, or the supplier by the fitter. We have just refitted ours using a local company that both supplied to our spec and used their own professional fitting team to install. If we have any problems in the future then, we only have one phone number to find.
I had Magnet to fit a kitchen a few years ago they drove me to despair :twisted:
…failed to turn up as arranged to measure the kitchen when I had taken time off work.
…wrong measurements taken so big gaps everywhere,
…they gouged huge holes in the wall for cabling and didn’t repair them,
…the waste pipe under the sink was too short leaving a gap so the kitchen flooded,
…didn’t seal the sink and draining board insert so it leaked,
…set fire to the kitchen wall with a blow lamp,
…work surface wrongly cut so had to wait for the delivery of another one,
…Plugs put on the wrong way around and one for the washing machine directly under water pipe ,
…diarrhoea all over my loo.
…cigarette ends thrown everywhere inside the house.
In the end I ordered them out and contacted the manager insisting he came out which he did.
He sent someone else to finish off the job.
The first two men left some tool which I packed up and placed in the garage having informed the manager. One day they came to my house and walked into my kitchen without knocking to get their tools :shock:
The excuse for all this, apparently the company was busy and good fitters difficult to find :twisted:.
My advice to anyone having a kitchen fitted is to ask for testimonials and request permission to view an example of their work.
My son and neighbour had the same local company to ft their kitchens a couple of years ago and they were excellent so much so my neighbour’s daugher who lives in London had them to go down there and fit her kitchen and they made a lovely job there too.
These people live on their reputations Meg and are often very good, but like you advised earlier always try to get testimonials or preferably personal recommendations. 
Howdens are trade-only but will plan your kitchen for free and may even help find a builder for you.
My new Howdens kitchen was installed by a local builder - the quality of the materials was excellent and the finish impressive.
Yes, I’d try to do that, but the things I want aren’t always available at the same site.
Yes, if you actually know anyone who recommends anyone!
I don’t want anyone else planning my kitchen, I’m planning it, and would only expect builders etc. to tell me if my plan won’t work, and if not, why not.
I’m thinking of dividing the job up into separate parts, and getting each part done according to my plan.
That would certainly take longer but it isn’t urgent.
Anyway I am going to see the Homebase person today so will see what they recommend.
Were moving into a new house soon where the kitchen is already finished. And one thing we will be changing is the hob & cooker, as theyre are both electric and were used to using gas.
My kitchen was already done when I bought this house nearly 8 years ago (the previous owners had bought it just to do it up and resell). The first thing I wanted to do when I first viewed the house was to rip out the kitchen and start again, but it seemed too expensive as it was all new.
Yes, I think I’d prefer a gas oven but it depends what can be done.
My advise would be use local tradesmen to do any work in your home.
We had a new main bathroom ( tiler-plumber-electrician) -window handle gear boxes replaced - door locks sorted out- new windows in the conservatory- oven cleaned- the plumber put in a new boiler and radiators or replaced with heated towel rails-new carpets and now waiting for new electric garage doors to be fitted.
Each and every one is a local tradesman and did an excellent job, they have to as local recommendations is how they get most of their business.
Using some national company is full of risks , the so called tradesmen come from anywhere and a lot I suspect arn’t properly qualified. They also don’t have to rely on recommendations as they get their work from the goods suppliers, ie shops
The “My Builder” website also depends on local recommendations. You put in your postcode so only get replies from those willing to travel to that area, then you look up what they’ve done before.
And Homebase would be in trouble (breach of contract) if they sent someone inadequately qualified.
I think the chap who did my shower-room was fairly local, they wouldn’t want to have to travel too far.