yartin wrote: ↑Sun Mar 07, 2021 10:23 am
B&poo are much cheaper but they have terrible reviews so not going there. I usually don't bother with wickes or homebase, never trust their quality. I had a quote from howdens but too high and I think can't buy direct so that's out. Wren and magnet are only remaining options and possibly Ikea.
Do they arrive fully assembled including legs & handles?
Will they dispose the packaging or do it yourself?
How long is delivery after submitting order?
Forget B&poo, useless website. Howdens impossible to deal with by a DIYer, making their prices up as they go along puts me off. Ikea stuff is all weird sizes so leave it alone.
Is your last para. aimed at DIYK? In which case......
Fully assembled & glued (you can specify items unglued if you want to dismantle a unit for modification) including leg sockets fitted to base carcases and a simple matter to twist the legs from a separate fittings box into each socket, two seconds. Magic corners & pull-outs like the larder unit you linked to come assembled/fitted. Be aware though, see * below. Handles come separately as they don't know where you want them fitted.
No, they don't want, or will take, packaging away. Loads of plastic sheet, bubble wrap & acres of cardboard means a trip to the recycling centre - the cardboard is very useful though while doing the job so hang on to it.
At the point of placing an order, a delivery date in "week commencing Monday..." is given about 3/4 weeks later (I don't recall exactly) and they stuck to it, mine came on the Thursday of the indicated week. So if you're employing a fitter, book him for the Monday after to be on the safe side. I believe, though I didn't see it or use it, you can specify a delivery day as long as it's after the w/c date.
The same applies to composite or granite worktops, and so far, for me, they are within the lead times stated. I didn't order the tops until I had the bases fixed.
* I encountered a small issue in that the 20yo kitchen inherited with the house turned out, on dismantling, to have had the floor tiled AFTER installation with the plinths/legs 45mm back. It transpired, on arrival, that DIYK legs are 65mm back so leaving a 20mm untiled gap - if straight runs, this could be packed out, but I had ordered curved units which come with shaped plywood** plinth. This piece has 25mm extra on the return length which could allow for packing out but then is not a precise shaped fit so I chose to retile - I can be very pedantic in this regard. Every other kitchen I've DIY'd (four in last 3 years, buy-to-lets) I've tiled the floor completely before commencing the build - the bloke I bought this house off was a cheapskate.
** Although 'door fronts' are solid wood, curved parts are plywood and plinths, decor panels, cornices etc. are mdf, yet all have the same grained finish.