Kitchens..... Schreiber and Homebase....

[Stephen]

Hi All,

The next big project is to replace our kitchen.

I'm doing the floor tiling, the wall tiling, electrics, and plumbing myself.

We have been to Homebase and looked at Shreiber Kitchens

We were given two quotes, supply only as I can get my own kitchen fitter and a supply and fit quote using homebase supplied permanent/contractors.

Digging around the net it appears that Schreiber and Homebase have an exclusivity agreement... i.e. Shreiber supply only to Homebase and only Homebase sell Shreiber kitchens along with hygena etc.

Now we have never used homebase before for a big project, and we have never had a Shreiber kitchen before.

So we have several questions:

What are Homebase like with kitchen projects? What are Shreiber like with kitchen products? Whats the standard of workmanship like, i.e are they exact, pay attention to detail or do they do it as quick as possible and dissappear if we go for supply & fit? Will there be buck passing between fitter and Homebase/Shreiber if we have supply only? Whats aftercare like from Homebase? Whats aftercare like from Shreiber? ARe Homebase or Shreiber potential future victims of liquidation/administration given teh current recession? (we plan to use a credit card anyway for extra protection)

We've already found that we can source appliances cheaper ourselves than getting them from Homebase, saving £1200.

Homebase quoted £15 quid each for the door handles, we have found the same ones elsewhere for less than £2 each!

In addition, Homebase supply laminate worktops only up to 3m long, we need a 4.2m long one if we wish to avoid joints, so we were quoted for Maia worktops (the seams can be fused apparently), it appears to be like corian sheet on a chipboard former rather than solid corian. This was almost £2k. Searching on the net indicates that we can get worktops up to something line 4.8m long! (we were trying to avoid worktop joints/seams)

We've been told its 4 weeks for delivery after placing & paying for order. That troubles me a bit as if somethings missing or we need an extra panel etc, we could have to wait a further four weeks for snagging works to be sorted out.....

We had been to Been & Queued (atrocious product knowledge and poor customer service), been to Howdens (the units were of questionable build and looked cheap & nasty)

We have not tried Wickes yet.

I have fitted kitchens before, I've been pleased with Sheraton, but unfortunately the local Independent kitchen retailer has stopped doing kitchens and only focusses on bathrooms now.

We are going to another independent to get a quote for Sheraton.

Incidentally, Homebase are doing a 60% off all kitchen materials provided we pay a deposit of £250 by 8.00pm Tuesday 7th January. Apparently they can adjust the final order should we make changes, and will hold the offer open on the final supply or supply and fit quotes. (there is no discount on labour though on the supply & fit)

I look forward to hearing from those of you who have direct & recent experience of Homebase and Shreiber.....

[Tony Bryer]

When I did my last UK kitchen, the tops came from Stantons, Byfleet

. The choice of colours was amazing and they did all sorts of special finishing, not just standard mason mitres and BB ends. Also worth noting that they did 650mm deep tops which give a bit more space for appliances under. No doubt there are similar firms everywhere if you know where to look.

[Geoff Pearson]

I've used IKEA twice and been entirely happy; not liked a friend's Howdens and doubt B&Q for this kind of thing. Schreiber is not a real company - it comes and goes - like Grundig and Bush.

[harryagain]

IME Homebase is an expensive hole. This is a DIY group. Fit them yourself. A few years back, with the exception of the doors, I made the whole lot myself. Wasn't difficult.

[A.Lee]

Schreiber are pretty good quality, slightly above Magnet and Howdens, but they are far more expensive. Homebase are terrible to deal with as regards kitchens. No matter what measurements you give them, they will order at least one wrong part, and unlike Magnets et al, who will give you the piece then, or next day, Homebase have to order the part, and quote 3 to 4 weeks for it. As you have seen, their prices are not at all competitive. I'd recommend having a good look around at other suppliers.

[The Medway Handyman]

I think Homebase just own the Schreiber brand name - could be made by anyone now.

No doubt very expensive, they charge ridiculous prices for most things.

The fitters will be paid a small proportion of the price you are charged & may well rush the job to earn some extra money.

Very common ploy with all the DIY sheds.

I've always found their take away stuff OK, albeit a limited range/choice.

Next week it will be 65% off, providing you stand on one leg whilst playing a tin whistle.

[pcb1962]

My 5 year old Howdens kitchen is more solid than anything I've seen in the sheds

[Capitol]

Homebase shelves are too thin and won't take heavy loading. Shelf supports can be problematic. Upward folding doors are a pain as they block access to the top of the cabinet and can't be reached by many women. I've found Wickes and B & Q to produce solid cabinets at low cost. I always tile kitchen surfaces, with a suitable non standard grout mix on 1" WBP, they stay waterproof for > 20 years and can take any hot dish up to red heat! The only problem is the occasional cracked tile when a cast iron pan is dropped on them (once every 12 years). Spare tiles are convenient! Changing a sink outline is also easy, just a bit of retiling/ply adjustment.

[dennis]

My 25 yo schriber units are still solid. They aren't flat pack and arrived assembled.

I suspect that if you glue the flat pack stuff it will be just as solid.

[Andrew Gabriel]

+1 although I was surprised more recently how much it's gone up.

It belonged to GEC, when I worked there 30 years ago. I remember our local management getting a right bollocking for ordering the office furniture from somewhere else. GEC ceased to exist some ~10 years ago, and I suspect the Schreiber name was sold off well before that.

[tim......]

I'm struggling to work out how the depth of worktop can have any effect on the space for appliances underneath

Surely that's dependent upon the height of the pillars that you stand it on?

tim

[polygonum]

Could you be thinking of thickness rather than depth? Your description would be spot on for vertical thickness. But 650mm seems rather more likely to be back-to-front depth.

[Tony Bryer]

Depth as in front to back, width if you prefer. 600mm can make it hard to get a w/m to go back flush depending on the plumbing and machine.

[Muddymike]

I agree. At least they are fully built and much sturdier then ant flat pack. I'm 100% happy with Howdens cabinets.

Mike

[pcb1962]

My Howdens were not flat-pack

[GB]

Don't most people fitting put the back of the cabinet flush against the wall?

[GB]

+1 on quality and finish. Price a couple of years ago was okay. I'd get worktops and plinths elsewhere.

I've had three from Magnet recently, and they were very good. Not sure about price, though.

+1. Horrid finish. (Apologies to all who have them, and no doubt disagree.)

[GB]

I've never had a cabinet fail, flat pack or not. By the time you've screwed them to the wall, each other, and the worktop, they are really over-engineered. Hinges, drawer bases, and drawer runners: now that's another different thing entirely!

[Tim Streater]

(about Howden's)

We got some Howdens a couple of years ago for the Utility room. Finish seems OK to us, did you have some specific issues? As things stand, I'd expect to look at going back to them (at least as one contender) for when we rip out the m**ble tops.

[GB]

I hated the foil-wrapped doors. The Ikea doors are *vastly* nicer, with a real wood veneer. They've lasted well, too.

I may only have been looking at the cheaper end of the Howdens range, but I was also looking at the cheap end of the Ikea range.