Kitchen, which cost more?

[John_]

Hi all, a friend of mine recently got a couple of quotes for a new kitchen. The kitchen cost around £2.5k with roughly 8 units, basin, gas cooker and electric oven. Not a designer kitchen just in-store b&q type. Got a quote of £1.8k to install from a local kitchen high street shop, but have to be their own kitchen range. B&Q wants £2.5k for install. The kitchen at the moment is empty, just a sink. All old units removed - more or less a blank canvass. Now my question is where does the biggest chunk of the cost go to? As far as I can see, the joinery just need to mount a few units and a work top, nothing complicate as the room is quite square and an L shape kitchen is being fitted. Existing gas pipe is already there and terminated at the point where new cooker going to be. All plumbing is in place as the new sink will be where existing one going to be, should be quite straight forwards. So where does the biggest chunk of the installation go to? The plumber? Gas safe? Or the joiner? They don't run the electric nor do any tiling. Personally I think the quotes are a bit excessive. Is it really that expensive? Still waiting a quote from wickes. That should be interesting.

Slap me if I am barking in the wrong forum.

 

[SafeGasInstall]

yes your having a go at the wrong people but we can take it

i think kitchen fitter easy will fit a kitchen in about 3-5 days (my mate does ) and its down to tolerance of 1mm .

my suggestion is get a quote from a independent trades man not local firm or even Wicks ! ]

If not sure post location and some one trusted from here will pass you details to there mates kitchen fitter !

 

[Orry Clayton]

Materials

Based on the follow 8 units for the "Rockford" at wickes:

3 x 1000mm Base Unit
2 x 1000mm Wall Unit
1 x 500mm Wall Unit
1 x 500mm 3-Drawer Pack
1 x 600mm Under-Oven Housing Unit

It is £689, if you want replacement ends, they are £33 and £34 each then there is plinth (£26 per 2.5m) and cornice (£29 per 3m)

So far that is about 689 + (2*33) + (2*34) + (2*26) + 29 = 904

4100 laminate worktop is 2 @ 65 = 130

Sink (£100), taps(55), copper(20) and misc fittings (30) = 205

cooker & hob = £310

Total for Materials alone: £1549

Labour

Gas fitter to do hob: £170 (1 day)
Kitchen Fitter : £500 (2/3 days)

Round-up

£2,500 is a bit more than above, but without seeing layout, specific items etc couldn't tell you exactly.

I think the latter is a really good price; the biggest cost is the units then all the "extras" such as replacement panels, worktops, plinths etc... Personally I think fitters are undercharging, but with high price of units have no choice, otherwise they'll not get much work.

 

[Gray0689]

I think the op was just saying price for fitting was huge the kitchen itself was not included in them prices
But I may of picked it up wrong

 

[John_]

Wow orry, u work for wickes? thank you for being thorough. The £1.8k I mentioned was just labour, their units also cost around £2.5k. I am just a bit shock when I heard the labour cost for what need doing. Compared to the bathroom I did for him, ripping out the whole bathroom, install new suite, tiling from top to bottom and I charged him 500 quid, mate rate obviously, but my normal price is no where near what kitchen fitters asking. I am in the wrong trade, damn it!!

 

[John_]

Considering the kitchen is empty measuring 2.4m x 2.4m. No need to rip out anything just the sink. No tiling, no electrical work. If they take the rubbish, extra cost. £1800 minimum? Madness!!

 

[Orry Clayton]

Note to self:

Read twice, type once.

======

No I don't work at Wickes, but they have most things priced out on their website.

That's just for fitting? Wow?! I'd get a few prices from local joiners, kitchen fitters, plumbers. You'll find someone local who can fit it for a fraction of price. Then again, as a fitter, I'd rather see them earn a decent amount.

Personally I hate the kitchen shops that over price kitchens, then over price fitting.

£2,500 is way too high for 8 unit L-Shaped kitchen. Think a lot of it maybe shop overheads and sales reps commission.

 

[John_]

I am a little bit disappointed with the local shop actually as it was the first point of call I suggested to my friend instead of B&Q and Wickes. I am hoping that they can be a little more honest so they can compete with the big boys. The guy who came round to measure up and do the quote didn't seem to care, as if stupid was written on the forehead of my friend and mine. He just doesn't seem that bother - he's the boss btw. Yellow pages I think.

 

[SafeGasInstall]

speak to a local trades man they will recommend you some one

 

[Mike Jackson]

Get a local guy with a trade account at Howdens to give a price.

 

[mountainman]

Get a local guy with a trade account at Howdens to give a price.

Oh yes! Top quality furniture and pre-assembled too.

 

[mike-c]

Got my previous kitchen from Mfi. just as they were going out of business. There was not even a single screw missing, all perfect. They even supplied a book showing how to fit the kitchen yourself that was really good, giving all the dimensions of where exactly each unit went. Built up and fitted all units in just over a day then paid a joiner £100 to do all the work top joints. Felt great when it was finished and I would love to do it again some time. It is nice to leave your comfort zone once in a while and tackle a different job for a change.

 

[tamz]

Get a local joiner to price it up on a Howdens kitchen. You can't buy from them unless you have an account or have proof you are trade. As MM said the carcasses come pre assembled so that cuts down on the labour cost and tedium of building them.
Howden joinery and MFI were the same company with Howden the only part making a profit.
I've heard some horror stories of B&Q installs.

 

[thefish]

That is way over priced! Should be able to fit all of that in 4 days maximum with minimum material outlay. Try and find a local independant fitter

 

[glenno1]

Trades are generally 150-200 pound a day so that job looks a bit on the high side imo

 

[tamz]

There is no such rate as £150 - 200 a day. Every company or tradesman charges to suit their costs plus their profit margin plus factors such as customer service. Big companies big overheads, smaller companies and one man bands smaller overheads.
Be it £10 or £1000/day the choice is down to the customer.

 

[PlumbBobBob]

totally agree^^ it is down to the individual what they require to make a decent living to cover overheads with some profit on top

 

[AWheating]

def best to get a local tradesman in.

 

[Destroyer2813]

Spoke to a fitter I know about kitchen got coming up he said grand dry fit only based on 15-16 units tops, cornice and pelmets

 

[glenno1]

Im going kitchen fitting

 

[Avatar]

'kitchen fitters' are some of the biggest cowboy operations out there.

I have seen some shocking kitchens in my time. They get a chippy do the main work so all looks good from the surface . . .

The plumbing is in a terrible state and some smaller operation i know even do illegal gas and electric work.

Project manage it yourself and do it for half the price. Unit from howdens, qualified electrician, plumber and chippy and you are away (and in control!)

 

[JAP&H]

The plumbing is in a terrible state and some smaller operation i know even do illegal gas and electric work.

Good advice from Avatar.

Carried out a gas safety check for a landlord on a property some years ago, combi, hob and ILFE. Let by and tightness tests ok, appliances ok if a little neglected.

Two months later got a call from local CORGI inspector, Transco have capped of installation and reported an 'inappropriate fitting' leaking gas beneath hob. Can I explain?

I was on another job, couldn't remember the exact details of my visit and my copy the paperwork was at home so agreed to meet with inspector and landlord at property.

When we entered the kitchen, all had changed. Between tenants the landlord had renewed the units and work tops. 'Who disconnected and reconnected the hob' the inspector asked the landlord.

'Kitchen fitters own guy' was the answer. No paperwork from any gas company left after work complete. Transco got my name from GSC form two months previous.

To round off the comedy of errors the landlord asked me to locate the gas leak and repair whilst I was there, he was paying of course.

As we tried removing the electric oven to gain access to the gas supply to the hob we both received an electric shock. Turns out the kitchen blokes had cocked up the electrics as well.

 

[Guest123]

Can't you fit the kitchen yourself? I fitted mine and mitred the worktops with a router, hung all the wall cabinets and installed 2 round bowl sinks. It gave good satisfaction when it was finished, but it was straight forward and not rocket science. Biggest cost was a new router at £100, but I use it regularly for cutting out round sinks an mitring bathroom worktops.

 

[Destroyer2813]

If you are DIY minded i would fit the most of it your self and then get someone in to do the tops as mentioned, saw a advert in my local paper for kitchen fitting or just top fitting only

 

[E4gas]

Im going kitchen fitting

Too many power tools needed plus hard graff ,, that's why he wants top dollar