Basic Kitchen wall cupboards

Wickes - I think Miami range. Not impressed by the 1000mm unit (a bit less than 100% rock solid) but the others are possibly suited to your needs and budget.

Conti-Plas boards are cheaper to buy than ready made carcasses. All base and wall units are made to similar basic standard sizes. Make your own units for half the price of ready made.

You'd certainly find some at Howden's ('Technik' range) if you can blag your way in (trade only)

David

Sorry about the blank message - mouse trouble!

I got my cabinets for free from my local Freecycle. Someone was doing up a house and throwing out the old cabinets. They were in quite good condition, too - especially after I'd cleaned them up. Certainly good enough for a garage/workshop.

I dont think so. I made a pair of custom kitchen units earlier this year, both were a lot more expensive (materials) than a complete ready made unit. If I did it again, I would buy a ready made unit, then cut it down to size. Alan.

Howdens do a very cheap range - typical 8 units for £199. They also do 28mm 3 metre worktops at £35. You must know someone who has an account with them? Wickes do a similarly priced range, though it may have to be ordered in store, as they dont often sell them. -

Alan.

Really? I built our carcasses out of Conti-Plas board from Bite and Chew. Cost under a quarter of the price for any of the cheapest units we looked at. Made all the units to standard sizes so we could afford good timber for the doors. Just finished the new doors this spring time, and have just ordered new soft close hinges for them tonight, and the whole kitchen cost about half the total cost of the PogenPol kitchen we copied. I mean. Wanted. :-)

Probably having all the right tools to do the job is half the battle, but it still seems cheaper to make your own carcasses to me.

I've used the Wickes Miami range before and they are surprisingly good for the money. 500mm wall unit £26, 1000mm wall unit £34. Not all branches stock them though, don't know why.

Our local branch (High Wycombe) seems to stock them - but don't actually try to buy. They won't have the one you want, or if they have one, they won't have the two you need. At the same time, if you can face Slough, they seemed to have them stacked a mile high in every variant. (This was true months ago - no idea about current stocks.)

I have to say to BigWallop, I think you'd be pushing it to achieve a similar level of cupboard for the price by making your own out of whatever melamine faced chip you can get. Might just about manage on the flat areas, but by the time you add hinges, screws, glue, handles, etc.

- I doubt it would be worth doing.

(Focus used to do the same basic furniture range including Miami - though they called it something else. But last I saw, they were dismantling all kitchen displays. So you might be lucky, more likely not.)

Yerbut, it don't not work when you compare making your own to buying el cheapo Wickes jobbies.

For a 1000mm wall unit you would need 2 x 2.4m boards, thats £14, then 2 packs of hinges @ £8, so you are up to £22 already without a back, 2 doors,

Makes sense compared to a Phoggenpohl, but not compared to a £34 complete

My experience is quite the reverse. It's often cheaper to buy an end of range etc carcass as a source of 'conti-plas'.

IME units for a workshop are better made out of wbp ply.

They work out at about £15-£20 each.

Denis, that is a good idea - I'm not fond of contiplas at the best of times . I suppose perhaps a wbp carcass for strength with commercial doors on to make it wipe clean.

AWEM

Yeraknowbut, is the quality there? Not to mention the satisfaction. :-)