Hi I am looking to buy a new kitchen but because of the amount of money I am spending I need to look for a decent supplier. Sofar, I have seen "world of kitchens" and Moben.
Does anyone have any good/bad impressions of either of these? Do you have any other recommendations? As I am going to spend a lot of money I am really, REALLY worried about screwing things up and going for the wrong supplier.
I'd go on recommedation and find a good local company thats been around a while. Forget the nationals, they just sub in contractors on a fixed day rate and charge extornionate amounts for the most basic of things.
I suppose really it all depends on SWMBO, with regards to the speed at which the kitchen is fitted. Whether you pay the cash to some rob dog kitchen company or do your own. My lass, wasn't bothered how long it took, as long as it was done. I had never fitted a kitchen before, it really was a big daunting task to undertake and I learnt many new skills and acquired many new tools (any excuse for a new tool) whilst doing my own. I purchased all my units from B & Q and have been very happy with the quality of them. One tip though if you do it yourself. Check with the supplier of the units that none of what you want to purchase will be going out of production for at least 6 months. I purchased the worktops in December last and when I wanted another in February, was told that they were not making them anymore. They got me one though from one of their other stores. Just had to make damn sure that I didn't cut it wrong or it would have been another £300 for worktops and kitchen blinds etc.
If you don't want to /can't DIY then your best bet will be to find out from friends and neighbours who had a good kitchen done for them and by whom. It's a safe bet that big national chains won't be in the frame.
Also note that quite a number of things which most people would think is part of installing a kitchen is not done by some of the larger companies (tiling , decorating, flooring...)
My experience of the Dolphin/Moben/Sharps group has been of high pressure "sign up before I leave and you can get discount" sales techniques, followed by months of endless sales calls from other members of the group. They (Dolphin) were expensive (initially grossly expensive, followed by just expensive when given the line "I don't normally cover this patch, so I'll knock off all of the other salesman;s commission on this occasion") and were unimaginative in their solutions (no, can't move the toilet, you have a cast iron soil stack - it was plastic!). We then had 6 months of Moben sales calls to sell us a new kitchen, even though I told them on the first call that I'd already changed the kitchen and wouldn't be considering changing it again.
So I won't even use them for comparitive quotes now.
Don't know where you are, but if it's SW London area then Callaghan Kitchens in Teddington seem to be doing good things & their business is growing.
Other than that, the Alno stuff that John Lewis sell appears to be v good quality & although fitting would be subbed out their customer services are IME very good.
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