Kitchens

wclarke20

Hi,
I've been pricing kitchen recently with many different companies. The price is out of our budget for what we want but I was wondering for alternative options for achieving the same kitchen. I have the plans and was thinking of buying the doors and units separately and getting a local guy to fit them.

has anybody gone this route or have any advice if it's even worth it?

chilired

wclarke20 wrote: »

Hi,
I've been pricing kitchen recently with many different companies. The price is out of our budget for what we want but I was wondering for alternative options for achieving the same kitchen. I have the plans and was thinking of buying the doors and units separately and getting a local guy to fit them.

has anybody gone this route or have any advice if it's even worth it?

Do you mind me asking where your based and what type kitchen you have in mind?

fealeranger

wclarke20 wrote: »

Hi,
I've been pricing kitchen recently with many different companies. The price is out of our budget for what we want but I was wondering for alternative options for achieving the same kitchen. I have the plans and was thinking of buying the doors and units separately and getting a local guy to fit them.

has anybody gone this route or have any advice if it's even worth it?

What I done was get the plan that both of us liked and got a carpenter who was into the fitting business to price it with what doors, handles, cabinet styles you want. We got an excellent price for the kitchen size we are getting. He will measure up and he will have his own suppliers for doors and handles so you should not worry too much about this. I would not be picking my own doors if I were you but the choice is your own. Pick a colour and show the fitter and he can get a sample to show you. Most kitchen suppliers will not sell doors seperatly as we did try this too. It is all or nothing with them. Some include installiation, some give a list of fitters or get your own but either way the fitting price will be extra, at least this was what I got from 4 well known kitchen suppliers. Fitting varied from €600-€1400. This was a high gloss kitchen.

chilired

fealeranger wrote: »

What I done was get the plan that both of us liked and got a carpenter who was into the fitting business to price it with what doors, handles, cabinet styles you want. We got an excellent price for the kitchen size we are getting. He will measure up and he will have his own suppliers for doors and handles so you should not worry too much about this. I would not be picking my own doors if I were you but the choice is your own. Pick a colour and show the fitter and he can get a sample to show you. Most kitchen suppliers will not sell doors seperatly as we did try this too. It is all or nothing with them. Some include installiation, some give a list of fitters or get your own but either way the fitting price will be extra, at least this was what I got from 4 well known kitchen suppliers. Fitting varied from €600-€1400. This was a high gloss kitchen.

I have worked for a long established Dublin based kitchen company for the past 6 years and am an experienced carpenter joiner by trade. I would be more than happy to take a look at kitchen or wardrobe plans for anyone looking for a cheap kitchen! High gloss doors, plinths, cornice and pelmet doesn't make an kitchen expensive the accessories like pull out corner mechanisms, pull out larders, expensive taps and sinks, granite/quartz countertops, off standard cabinetry that require doors to be manufactured off standard...All this brings the price of a kitchen up! We can also supply doors on there own.. With or without handles.

Dublin_Mom

We just installed a new kitchen, and bought the carcasses and doors from Woodworkers, in Mt tallant avenue in Terenure. Solid wood painted door, thicker than average carcasses, complete with legs and hinges. Hubby very handy so he fit it himself (note it is a lot of work though even for someone really good at DIY like him) The worktop also from Woodworkers is solid bamboo on the island and wood laminate around sink etc. Kitchen looks fantastic (still need to out cornice and pelmet on, Woodworkers does that also) but we reckon we installed for way less than half the price quoted by the most reasonable kitchen fitter (and we had been to them all!) Also way better quality door and excellent service from the folks in woodworkers. With whom I have abs9olutely no connection by the way.

wclarke20

Thanks all,
I am based in Meath, not far from Dublin.
Its a straight forward kitchen, cream, 'country' style with an island in the middle.
Have a dresser and window seat too.

I dont want to bring unwanted cost on myself, standard sized doors etc. The only pricey extra i have is a solid wood curved piece on the island.

Some of the prices back from the manufacturers are crazy. I have some pics from the kitchen designer of what we have in mind. Not sure I should put them up though.

New build in sight

So happy I have seen this thread!

We too are finding it hard to believe teh prices we have been quoted, we have a plan that we designed ourselves and all the kitchen places we priced agreed with out plan, so we know it works, but the prices we have been quoted are insane!

We were quoted from 1 place 8k more than another! So it just goes to show shopping around pays off!

The kitchen i want is fairly standard except i want inframe doors, with a shaker style door with a small bevelled edge.

I might try that woodmakers place, that sounds great.

Has anyone else any recomendations on reasonably priced good quality kitchens. We have our worktop picked already, and even the cupboard handles picked, all i need is someone to make the cabintery!

Thanks all! if needs be, feel free to PM me.

fealeranger

chilired wrote: »

I have worked for a long established Dublin based kitchen company for the past 6 years and am an experienced carpenter joiner by trade. I would be more than happy to take a look at kitchen or wardrobe plans for anyone looking for a cheap kitchen! High gloss doors, plinths, cornice and pelmet doesn't make an kitchen expensive the accessories like pull out corner mechanisms, pull out larders, expensive taps and sinks, granite/quartz countertops, off standard cabinetry that require doors to be manufactured off standard...All this brings the price of a kitchen up! We can also supply doors on there own.. With or without handles.

You are correct about pull out corner mechanisms, pull out larders, expensive taps and sinks, granite/quartz countertops, off standard cabinetry that require doors to be manufactured off standard...All this brings the price of a kitchen up. This is why you must compare like with like. Get your drawing and specify what you want in the line of larders and cabinetry that require doors to be manufactured off standard. Off Standard doors on our kitchen made the kitchen nearly €2000 dearer than normal rectangular/square. We encountered one company who did not do the corner round cabinets but we let them price the same kitchen with the normal square shape and they were €3500 dearer than everyone else:eek:. We did encounter that PVC High gloss, laquered High gloss and normal hardwood timber finish made the kitchen more expensive or cheaper. We tried 4 kitchen companies to get the doors seperate but no joy. Our fitter sourced what we were after in the end.

Dublin_Mom

New build in sight wrote: »

So happy I have seen this thread!

We too are finding it hard to believe teh prices we have been quoted, we have a plan that we designed ourselves and all the kitchen places we priced agreed with out plan, so we know it works, but the prices we have been quoted are insane!

We were quoted from 1 place 8k more than another! So it just goes to show shopping around pays off!

The kitchen i want is fairly standard except i want inframe doors, with a shaker style door with a small bevelled edge.

I might try that woodmakers place, that sounds great.

Has anyone else any recomendations on reasonably priced good quality kitchens. We have our worktop picked already, and even the cupboard handles picked, all i need is someone to make the cabintery!

Thanks all! if needs be, feel free to PM me.

One other thing I liked about woodworkers.ie is that the cabinets are all Irish made. There seems to be quite a lot of imported kitchens and I wanted something Irish made. The door is called the Malham ivory (you can see it on the website) and they also do shaker panels. If you don't want to fit yourself perhaps they might have some recommendations for fitters ? I know one kitchen supplier we visited was looking for 900 euro for the fitting - not sure if this is representative of the costs elsehwere but this was a ballpark figure I had.

The most expensive price we got was a place down in Wicklow. 13K - it was lovely bwith bells and whistles and fancy bits, but 10K more thsn we spent in the end.....

New build in sight

Dublin_Mom wrote: »

One other thing I liked about woodworkers.ie is that the cabinets are all Irish made. There seems to be quite a lot of imported kitchens and I wanted something Irish made. The door is called the Malham ivory (you can see it on the website) and they also do shaker panels. If you don't want to fit yourself perhaps they might have some recommendations for fitters ? I know one kitchen supplier we visited was looking for 900 euro for the fitting - not sure if this is representative of the costs elsehwere but this was a ballpark figure I had.

The most expensive price we got was a place down in Wicklow. 13K - it was lovely bwith bells and whistles and fancy bits, but 10K more thsn we spent in the end.....

Really??? This sounds very promising, i am going to call them tomorrow, yes well we had quotes here in the midlands, and from places in Dublin too that ranged from 9k to 17k!! That didnt even include the worktops or handles as i have these picked myself. I have someone that could fit it for me no problem but it was sourcing the wood and the frames etc that concerned me.
I will let you all know how i get on with them tomorrow. Wish me luck!

I saw your door on their website and thats the one i liked also but i want in frame which they appear to do too, so fingers crossed.

chilired

fealeranger wrote: »

You are correct about pull out corner mechanisms, pull out larders, expensive taps and sinks, granite/quartz countertops, off standard cabinetry that require doors to be manufactured off standard...All this brings the price of a kitchen up. This is why you must compare like with like. Get your drawing and specify what you want in the line of larders and cabinetry that require doors to be manufactured off standard. Off Standard doors on our kitchen made the kitchen nearly €2000 dearer than normal rectangular/square. We encountered one company who did not do the corner round cabinets but we let them price the same kitchen with the normal square shape and they were €3500 dearer than everyone else:eek:. We did encounter that PVC High gloss, laquered High gloss and normal hardwood timber finish made the kitchen more expensive or cheaper. We tried 4 kitchen companies to get the doors seperate but no joy. Our fitter sourced what we were after in the end.

That's a crazy difference in price to be honest €3500!! in the difference, some companies still think they can charge Celtic tiger prices and get away with it!
My average kitchen price for let's say a 3 bed semi 3.2mtrs x 2.5mtrs choice of high gloss door, choice of colour on 18mm thick cabinets fully assembled (not flat pack) choice of approx 20 handles, decent sink and tap choice of approx 30 laminate worktops, extractor fan, fully fitted excluding electrics and plumbing delivered in 2 weeks fitted in one day : €3,400

chilired

New build in sight wrote: »

Really??? This sounds very promising, i am going to call them tomorrow, yes well we had quotes here in the midlands, and from places in Dublin too that ranged from 9k to 17k!! That didnt even include the worktops or handles as i have these picked myself. I have someone that could fit it for me no problem but it was sourcing the wood and the frames etc that concerned me.
I will let you all know how i get on with them tomorrow. Wish me luck!

I saw your door on their website and thats the one i liked also but i want in frame which they appear to do too, so fingers crossed.

Be very carefull putting an inframe door and frame onto a carcass yourself it will have to be attached secretly with either dowling or a cregger or some other secret way, also make sure you get a good hinge for the inframe set up!
The advantage if buying from a kitchen manufacturer this will be done for you!

Mindful

OP, have you checked out Ikea? Lovely kitchens, great prices, and afaik they can fit them reasonably cheap for you too

Heroditas

Mindful wrote: »

OP, have you checked out Ikea? Lovely kitchens, great prices, and afaik they can fit them reasonably cheap for you too

I always think it's risky going somewhere like there because you need to ensure the dimensions are totally correct and spot on.
At least with other kitchen fitters/suppliers, they send someone out to take the measurements.

BoardsMember

Slightly off-topic, or on-topic with regard to IKEA recent direction of thread.

When designing the extension with the architect, would it be prudent to take into account standard sizes of kitchen components, so that when shopping for kitchens you can shop in the knowledge you wont be incurring costs for non-standard costs. Is this something that architects might do anyhow?

Mindful

Heroditas wrote: »

I always think it's risky going somewhere like there because you need to ensure the dimensions are totally correct and spot on.
At least with other kitchen fitters/suppliers, they send someone out to take the measurements.

That's a valid point, though its not all that difficult to take correct measurements.

wclarke20

I sourced a catalogue from a buddy which has kitchen doors, over mantles, pelmuts etc. I also have the drawings from a kitchen designer which I am going to give him. Hopefully he can price it up and fit it which id expect to be less than any of the kitchen companies.

I have looked at IKEA kitchens but herself is of the opinion that they wont last as long as other kitchens.

Im sure there are many other former kitchen makers / joiners out there who would gladly take on such a job for a fraction of the showroom prices. It's just difficult to find these people.

Happyman42

I'd be asking any kitchen company that are pricing where they are sourcing their carcasses, a lot of them are buying from B&Q or similar anyway.
If the kitchen is relatively straight forward and standard, it's isn't a huge problem for a competent DIY'er. There isn't a whole lot of rocket science involved.
Loads of companies out there supplying doors and fittings for standard carcasses.

Heroditas

Mindful wrote: »

That's a valid point, though its not all that difficult to take correct measurements.

True, but it does make the process a lot easier if something goes wrong.
To use that awful expression: expect the unexpected.
A classic example was my own kitchen when we got it done up a few years ago.
The guys came out and took all the measurements and drew up a new design.
However, when they came to rip out the existing units, they found that the plasterboard hadn't been fitted to part of the wall where the old units were sitting, and as a result, the dimensions were out by a few cm. In essence, the original builders had created an alcove to ensure their own standard kitchen design fitted by not sticking plasterboard up on one portion of one of the walls.
Luckily they were able to adjust the design to get the kitchen to fit but if we hadn't gone with a proper kitchen company and had gone to the likes of IKEA or someone like that, we would have been left with a hall full of units and an contracted fitter scratching their head wondering where to start.

Curious Geroge

OP, did you get anything in the end. We're under construction at the moment, the high gloss high gloss acrylic kitchen seems to be pricing rather high at 15k plus appliances for what is an L shaped kitchen and center island. Everything seems to be german too, is it possible to buy off a german supplier and get it shipped ?

BryanF

Curious Geroge wrote: »

Everything seems to be german too, is it possible to buy off a german supplier and get it shipped ?

its a long way for a guy to come to fix a problem with you kitchen? will you be paying up front?

john_cappa

Curious Geroge wrote: »

OP, did you get anything in the end. We're under construction at the moment, the high gloss high gloss acrylic kitchen seems to be pricing rather high at 15k plus appliances for what is an L shaped kitchen and center island. Everything seems to be german too, is it possible to buy off a german supplier and get it shipped ?

A decent carpenter will be able to make a bespoke one cheaper. It will every bit as good and better IMO.

Curious Geroge

Not to start a new thread on the same topic but we're in the middle of a new build and looking/talking to kitchen suppliers. We're quiet surprised at the cost of the kitchen itself (~10k) with a corian or granite worktop avg ~4k + applicances and lighting on top. Would anyone have recommendations for acrylic kitchens in the west (or anywhere really). Any experience of getting them in from aborad and having a good fitter do the fitting ?

eagleleyes

Has anyone ever used Kitchens4u in The Ward in Dublin? Got a great quote from them but don't know anyone with any experience of their work

breffnij

eagleleyes wrote: »

Has anyone ever used Kitchens4u in The Ward in Dublin? Got a great quote from them but don't know anyone with any experience of their work

Any joy with these eagleleyes? I leave nearby so wondering if any good? Also considering route of carpenter/ fitter as we've a large kitchen and getting quote some mad prices too.

lavenderlady

Hi Just wondering if anyone in Meath- Dublin area had any luck with a budget kitchen. At build stage and prices are crazy!! Interested in any feedback or any local companies/Joiner /Fitter
Thanks

BryanF

Recommendations by PM thanks