Kitchen design services

[hemulen27]

Further to my previous thread, does anyone have any experience of the kitchen design services offered by places such as B&Q and, particularly, Ikea? I'm just wondering if anyone has found one that's particularly useful or if they're just exercises in coming up with the most obvious possible design while selling the largest amount of "storage systems" and add-ons.

I've downloaded the kitchen planner thingy from Ikea (and actually thought it was a pretty nifty piece of software) but I'd like someone else with some experience to run their eye over it, as it's not something I've done before and I may have made some huge mistakes or missed some great opportunities. The only slight issue is that the kitchen's going into an extension that's currently being built, although I do have the plans, obviously. When I mentioned this to the B&Q lady on the phone, she seemed a bit put off - she suggested that I should wait until it was finished and just come in and see what range I fancied in the meantime. I asked what the lead time would be for delivery and she said 5-6 weeks, so I'm left wondering what she thinks I would do in the month or so it would take for the kitchen to be delivered... It all seems a bit different from the last time I bought a kitchen (about 4 years ago), when the B&Q planner came out to my house and went through everything with me and did the whole 3D rendering thingy (I know it's probably just a gimmick but it was fun at the time!).

Cheers

Helen

[Andrew Gabriel]

I suspect they will need to inspect and measure the room, or refuse any liability for the kitchen not fitting in. Finished rooms often end up different size (particularly smaller) than plans say, windows/doors moved slightly, etc.

Go to IKEA where you collect it half an hour later. I've no idea what their planning is like -- I always do my own.

[hemulen27]

I'm pretty sure I will be going to Ikea, no matter what happens but I'm a bit dubious about buying it off the shelf. I may sound like an idiot in search of a village but do you actually have to go and pick it from the warehouse and put it through the tills or can you just take a list of what you want to the kitchen department and have it delivered? I'm sure it can't be the case but I've got visions of me and my husband struggling along with eight trolleys at the checkout, then trying to pile it all on the roof rack, footwells, our laps, etc....

You can probably see why I need all the advice I can get :)

[Andrew Gabriel]

It works like this at the Brent Cross (North Circular Rd) store: A list is created in the kitchen department. You can either pay for it there (cards only) or at the main checkout (any form of payment IKEA accept). Once you have paid, it is ready for collection 30-60 minutes later from their external warehouse, a mile up the road. I usually go to the resturant for a meal and/or continue browsing around the store, and then head up to the external warehouse. Don't bother getting there early -- there's absolutely nothing to do there except sit in a cold waiting room.

IKEA will deliver, but I don't know how that works. There are also a few companies just nearby which have setup specifically to order the parts for you, collect them, and deliver to you (sorry, I don't have any names).

[Andrew Gabriel]

Should have said Brent Park ^^^^^^^^^^^

[Mary Fisher]

Designer son was planning units for his completely gutted kitchen. I went to Ikea (Leeds) with him because he invited me. Even though he was confident about what he wanted (he doesn't design kitchens and knows the pitfalls of thinking you know everything!) he showed one of the staff his plan and what he thought he wanted.

She was very professional and explained that some items weren't compatible with each other, guiding him to alternatives which were.

I was surprised, he said that's what good designers did and that he trusted Ikea (whereas I hadn't - for no good reason).

By asking advice he save himself a lot of wasted time and disappointment. And he's very pleased with his kitchen, that surprises me too because he's a perfectionist.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Only one I've been involved with didn't actually check the room, and the main drain came up through the floor where an appliance was going to go. Moving that would have been prohibitive, so the plan became pretty useless.

[Jerry L]

A related question:

I've used the Ikea PC design software to design our kitchen and although the units are held in stock (in theory), I want to have it delivered. If I go to Ikea and buy the kitchen from the kitchen dept will I still need to go to the warehouse and pick the items myself. before handing them over to Ikeas delivery dept?

[manatbandq]

Or goto a B&Q depot where everything is in stock (never been let down by the one in Slough yet).

MBQ

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Are you sure? The one in Wandsworth has certain kitchen things to order only.

[manatbandq]

Well, I don't know if it's policy but everything I needed was in stock at the Slough Depot. maybe I was just lucky. It was a couple of years ago, as well.

MBQ