New Kitchen - need a budget

[nigele2]

Have a small kitchen (2.5 x 3.7 metres). I'm going to work with a builder knocking down some walls and clearing out the old. Then I'll tile and do the flooring myself. Then I'll let a professional fit the kitchen and appliances. Just three thoughts. If anyone can assist I'd be very grateful:

From the clean prepared kitchen thinking about it in squares 60x60cm it will need 9 floor units and 10 ceiling down units. One tailor made floor to ceiling cupboard to accommodate spoil pipe and offer storage. Integrated within the units: washing m/c, sink single drainer, hob, extractor, oven, fridge, freezer. All appliances to be new. Am I deluding myself that units, appliances and fitting can be done on a maximum £13000 budget? Or should I leave it till I have some more dosh?

Is it a good idea to tile walls that will be hidden by units? Or is it OK to tile the gap between the lower and upper units?

Why do lower units have legs? Why do they not just go down to the floor?

Sorry bit naive questions but for the first time in my life I have a bit of time and a bit of money so am looking forward to giving DIY a go - but I don't have the confidence to fit a kitchen on my own.

Cheers

 

[steveb1964]

From the clean prepared kitchen thinking about it in squares 60x60cm it will need 9 floor units and 10 ceiling down units. One tailor made floor to ceiling cupboard to accommodate spoil pipe and offer storage. Integrated within the units: washing m/c, sink single drainer, hob, extractor, oven, fridge, freezer. All appliances to be new. Am I deluding myself that units, appliances and fitting can be done on a maximum £13000 budget?

We have a bigger kitchen and were quoted £8500 for a solid wood oak kitchen (second nature), appliances and fitting so 13k should be more than enough

Or is it OK to tile the gap between the lower and upper units?

Why do lower units have legs? Why do they not just go down to the floor?

Just tile the gaps, don't waste time and money tiling behind the units.

So they can be adjusted.

 

[ivixor]

13k is double what I would spend.

Assembling kitchen units is not a big deal if you have ever assembled flat pack furniture (who hasn't?).

 

[mypetearthling]

we've just done our kitchen (excluding floor, washing m/c, dryer, fridge freezer) Came to just under £3500. We did fit it ourselves but its quite a big room, 3.5x5m approx.
13 units in main kitchen.
Induction hob
Double oven
cooker hood
6 unit utility room
dishwasher
all worktops
stainless steel cover panels (exposed sides of units)

For £13,000 you'll easily get the lot included.
Have a look for bundle deals for your appliances, quite often you can save by buying the hob, oven and hood together. Some places do 3 for 2 on appliances or cashback/vouchers to spend instore.
Remember to keep a bit of your budget to one side, think of it as £12,000 for instance, then if something goes wrong you can sort it out
Avoid the DIY sheds for planning, they have a tendency to get the measurements wrong!
A good kitchen planner will be able to give you a CAD drawing of how the finished room should look, but if you want to play around with the design yourself pop onto Ikea's website and use their free planning tool, it's really handy!
http://www.ikea.com/ms/en_GB/rooms_ideas/splashplanners.html


K

 

[nigele2]

Thank you, all three of you for taking time out to reply. It is appreciated.

It seems I could spend far less than I had thought I took as a guide a pricelist for fitting where it offered a price per unit; for example:

Cupboards & carcases fitting inc. trims --- £50 per unit
Decor end panels --- £25 each
Custom made cupboard carcase - made onsite --- £200 per unit
Custom made cupboard doors and fronts -- from £70 per unit

It was on that basis and looking at individual appliance prices I came up with £13000 all in.

From what you are saying if I get a good plan drawn up by a designer, order all from one supplier getting bulk discounts (sort of thing), get a good electrician and plumber to do their bits, I should be able to tackle the rest with a few good tools and a lot of patience?

So can I order the non standard parts from a designer's plan and will they come cut to size so I am literally assembling?

Best presumably if a find a supplier who will do the design as well then the bits should fit. Any recommendations (I'm between Basingstoke and Newbury)?? As long as a piece of string I guess.

 

[gregers]

personally do as much basic stuff as you can,but have a chippy on stand by to do the more difficult bits,as he should have all the tools needed.

 

[nigele2]

Tx Gregers - you've obviously seen my previous MFI constructions. Seriously good point on tools as I can see buying them to use once or twice does seem a bit crazy.

Well I had a chat to the builder who is going to knock the walls down and do some outside stuff and he offered to go through Howdens to get a design and quote.

And I have chosen "Not just Kitchen Ideas" Woking to visit to do a design and full quote. Mainly because they have a large showroom not too far away.

Hoping that will give me enough to make a decision on design.

Looks like after discussion with 'she who must be obeyed' that we need a cream/off white/ivory matt finish; medium coloured wood surfaces, vinyl stone/slate coloured floor, and expensive rustic wall tiles (now I am going to just tile the visible spaces between units).

I've done scaled drawings with a few ideas but might not show those to the visiting designer and see what she comes up with. Howdens aren't visiting so I'll let them have a copy.

If anyone has any thoughts at this stage I'd appreciate them but if not I'll report back later.

 

[foxhole]

When you get a visit you need to remember they are selling, so will fit as many units into you kitchen as they can, regardless of what you ask for.

 

[nigele2]

Well everything is racing along. I have discussed my crude kitchen and lounge plan with a retired builder and my current builder. The first thing was their ability to spot the issues: access to boiler, draining board overhang, access measurements, recalculation of radiators required, air flow, ....... Just shows there is a lot more to it than playing with 3D graphic tools - as much fun as that is

But a question: I have an opportunity to pay trade prices for the units and appliances. Does anyone know what in percentage terms this might mean?

I note Howdens say they are trade only. Presumably they leave mark up room so the builder can earn a buck - and why not. Just wanted to know if the industry has a sort of rule of thumb.

Well I can't start until 3rd September so despite the excitement at least that restriction will make sure I do my home work first

foxhole good point but we are so restricted on room they can squeeze as much in as they like. Although I guess they will try and get as many expensive gismos as possible so thanks for putting that in mind.

cheers

 

[mypetearthling]

If you can get appliances at Trade price, then provided they are brands you trust, go for it!
In terms of percentages, it will usually depend on the terms agreed between the supplier and the builder, often based on the amount they spend there every year
In terms of units, I would avoid Howdens cheaper ranges, they tend to be less than great quality Remember if you intend to put any type of solid surface worktop (Granite etc) then 18mm units are necessary. If you still need the unit made to measure I'd stick with the local company who are doing an on site visit, this will be invaluable in terms of the advice they can give you.
If you are really pushed for storage space then you can maximise the space by adding some tall wall units, sitting on top of the worktop to create a 'dresser' style unit, or using tall units to house the oven, giving extra cupboard space above and below.
Don't forget to post pictures as you go along, and keep us up to date


K

 

[nigele2]

Tx again Mypetearthling

If we went Howdens I think it would be the Tenby but I'm having trouble getting the full spec. thickness, board quality, etc. Presumably that will all come with the quote.

They are doing a full design, but without visiting, based on my drawings. I must say the questions they came back with seemed to show that they knew what they were doing. I'm assuming they wouldn't suggest a surface that the units wouldn't support? I've just given them an idea of surface (medium wood) and floor (slate/brick effect) at the moment.

I certainly will post first the details of the two quotes and get the 'before pictures' prepared.

just hope both quotes make the decision tough for the right reasons.

 

[nigele2]

many tx jay. My confidence is building that I may get a trip to New Zealand out of this budget yet

I had a visit from a kitchen designer yesterday. The lady measured up, chatted about requirements, pushed for ideas, made a few suggestions several of which were different and practical.

Said I would have to visit the showroom to see the plan and get any idea of cost (not made clear previously). I asked here what an average price might be. She dug in insisting it was impossible as it would depend on range, gizmos, even the rate of VAT

I asked her how many kitchens she had sold in the last two years. She offered dozens. I then said that she must therefore be able to give a rough middling budget for such a kitchen. Very reluctantly through gritted teeth she let slip: labour might be 1700 to 2000 but B&Q would be 3000 to 4000. That seemed odd as I had not mentioned B&Q at any stage and am not even considering them as a supplier.

She then added that kitchens cost between £8000 and £50000 but I could see she had lost the plot at this point.

I feel from what I gleaned they would do a good job, they would use employees and thus the job would be one stop from my point of view. I felt they would offer a very personalised service - not cheap but quality. They are local.

Sadly their brochure arrived in the post after the visit. The accompanying letter said you really should read the brochure before the visit but in truth there was little in it.

Is that behaviour typical?

I cannot compare with Howdens because there I am going through a mate/builder so they will shortly send me a fully costed plan based on my drawings and information supplied by my mate/builder who has fitted several kitchens of identical dimensions (he owns and is landlord of the houses either side. I should add my mate is just offering me his discount at Howdens; he is not doing the job).

Well I'll report back but I'm not sure I'll even bother going to see the lady's plan. All she had to say was "for an all in budget I'd say allow £9000 middle and we could work up or down from there" or something similar. I mean if that was twice what I wanted to spend why waste mine and their time????

ps I'm not certain but I think she was put on the back foot when it became evident that my spanish wife speaks little English (she speaks more than she let on ). The old sell to the woman tactic was out of the window

 

[nigele2]

Many thanks Admin. I hadn't thought about bandits. Sorry being naive.

But feeling well looked after

 

[JohnD]

they would use employees

All the salesmen say that.

It's usually lies.

Ask for some Reference Sells of kitchens she has sold to other people in the area that are willing to have you go and visit, to look at the end result and get the homeowners opinion. If she can't or won't, ask yourself why not.

Otherwise you are just buying promises and claims.

 

[nigele2]

Well homing in on the Howdens. However I note lots of issues with the Lamona Induction hob (the only one they seem to offer) so started thinking of buying separately the appliances. Bigger choice and all that. But that raised some further thoughts:

If I buy appliances from elsewhere will I get loads of problems fitting them into the integrated units or is everything pretty standard these days?

When you get Howdens or anyone else's worktops do they come with holes in for the sink and hob (if that is how you ordered them)?

Can you get sound ratings of the appliances? We will end up with kitchen/lounge open plan so appliance noise could be an issue.

Many tx for any thoughts