Kitchens: Howdens vs B&Q

[chris1982]

Who would you rather get your kitchen units from, Howdens or B&Q? Does anyone have experience with both they could share?
Putting the rigid vs flatpack issue aside, how does the quality compare in the long-run?
If panels are missing (or more likely ruined by me) can they quickly supply replacements?
Thanks.

 

[FRAN1870]

Howdens all day every day .....

 

[foxhole]

Had replacement vinyl wrapped door from B&Q a few years ago, all buckled and split when exposed to heat from toaster and kettle etc.

 

[Doggit]

Just putting in a B&Q kitchen, only because they had the doors the client wanted. Cabinets are average, but the locking cams are crap. I'm gluing the joints for good measure, but I think I should have glued the dowels as well, The B&Q legs are better, as they have a plastic lug that supports the side panel. The 925mm corner unit I've just assembled is pretty much absolute crap, and didn't fit that snugly, it also collapsed when I tried to move it, as the instructions didn't include screwing two pieces together, had to work that trick out myself.

I'm not sure if the B&Q door will fit on the Howdens cabinets, but that's the way I'd go in the future. As an aside, Wren are good, but way overpriced. Homebase stuff looks better than B&Q though.

Sorry, but which panels are you referring to.

 

[nickjb]

Any particular reason to limit it to these two? Ikea are better than either. Good quality, good (and open) pricing and good customer service and warranty.

 

[chris1982]

Thanks all. That is all helpful. We still haven't made up our minds. Howdens and B&Q are just on our doorstep, but Ikea is an hour's drive (from East Kent) and I've heard they don't have space at the back to run a 50mm waste pipe.
We like the look of some B&Q doors and the oak look inside the carcasses, but I am worried they might not pass the test of time. We once lived in a house with an older B&Q kitchen where the decorative film came off the bridging unit above the hob. But on the other hand, reading up the specifications it sounded like the current B&Q carcasses have stronger back panels.
Ideally I would see a range of assembled Howdens units to get a sense for their stability.

 

[chris1982]

I'm not sure if the B&Q door will fit on the Howdens cabinets, but that's the way I'd go in the future.

Just to get this right, you mean you are not sure whether the recessed holes on the door for the hinges line up with pre-drilled holes on the carcass?

Can one get doors that are not having the pre-cut hinge holes?

 

[JohnD]

but surely it is easier to drill new holes in the carcase for the screws, than the big round holes in the doors? You can get a little jig for drilling the carcase at modest cost.

 

[chris1982]

but surely it is easier to drill new holes in the carcase for the screws, than the big round holes in the doors?

Of course, but then you still have a hole in the carcass where it's not really needed. But I think I could live with that.

 

[motorbiking]

I've been very impressed with Wickes. We ruined two doors because the brackets supplied were too short and our screws went through the handle part of the door instead of the carcus. My fault for not checking first, there's for not supplying different brackets. They replaced free of charge. Also we changed the design slightly and needed a few extra bits. They did them at the same volume price discount as per the original. We had a few spares which they also refunded.

We looked at B&Q, but couldn't find what we wanted and the quality didn't look great.

Howdens used to be the trade part of MFI, don't have any experience personally.

 

[foxhole]

The difference between ready assembled and diy can often just be the 16years in a factory screwing them together, not necessarily a better product.

[Thought all legs these days came with side panel support.]

 

[London Mike 49]

We bought our kitchen from http://www.diy-kitchens.com/ and I can honestly say that we are very pleased with the units and the service from this company.
Have a look and price them up against the other companies that charge extra doors and feet etc.

Mike

I do not work for them and I am only a customer.

 

[Doggit]

Just to get this right, you mean you are not sure whether the recessed holes on the door for the hinges line up with pre-drilled holes on the carcass?

Therein lies the problem, not all doors line up on the competitions carcases. The trick as JohnsD says, it to relocate the hinge positions on the frame, not to redrill the recesses hinge holes in the doors. There is an adaptor plate that you can get that repairs damaged hinge holes in the carcase, or having fitted the hinges to the door, you can plug and then redrill the carcase holes.

I've yet to see a door supplied without the forstner style hinge holes, and trying to drill the doors definitely isn't the best way to go.

Ikea kitchen are nice, and good value, but the base units don't seem to have adjustable legs, and they hang from the wall instead. They are also very limited in their widths, and although they're very helpful, it does become a case of that's what we supply, take it or leave it. On the aspect of not taking a waste pipe at the back, you'd drop it down under the carcase, and then run it along the wall.

Howdens are supposed to be trade only, but they seem to sell to anybody; go to the Ramsgate branch Chris.

 

[chris1982]

Thanks for all the advice. I will spend a bit more time researching.

 

[foxhole]

Just bought my new kitchen from Benchmarx, promised to undercut Howdens by 5%.