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Ikea kitchen design service

9 replies

princesschick · 09/02/2013 21:04

We're getting toward the end of our renovation and we're running out of cash, so we're going for an Ikea kitchen. We've used the design programme on their website and have a rough design that we're happy with but I'm aware of a couple of key areas that are not going to suit ikea out of the box solutions and will need some degree of customisation - mainly pipes on the wall, boiler and under floor heating manifold to navigate by cutting out bits of sheet material and a deeper work surface to hide the pipes and free standing washing machine.

I'm wondering if it's worth paying for one of their design team to come out to us to measure, suggest and discuss the options as we're probably going to use their installation service and plan on spending more than £2k and if so, this would be refunded anyway. So it seems like a pretty good deal to me.

Has anyone used this service? I'd love to hear your experiences and any suggestions.

TIA x

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princesschick · 11/02/2013 10:27

Just bumping the thread :)

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impty · 11/02/2013 10:50

hi, on phone so excuse bad typing etcSmile
I've had 2 Ikea kitchens. First was fitted by Ikea. So they came and checked design.etc. The company that fitted it had the contract for doing the kitchens and furniture in the shops. They added very.little.to the instore quote and were excellent. I think they are based in Doncaster and cover Yorkshire and the midlands.

I moved to the south of England. This time the ikea kitchen fitter wanted to double the quote. So we went for an independent fitter. Who was also excellent.

In the 2 years between kitchens i noticed that the sink units now come with a metal bracket. it goes across the back just above the pipes and the back board is cut to size. This means the bottom 3rd of the cupboard has no backboard where the pipes are but the pipes only needed slight adjustment rather than moving under the unit. Does that make sense? Anyway looks like Ikea have tried to provide a solution for UK pipes!
The other thing you can do is use breakfast bar depth worktops and move the units away from the wall. We did this in the utility. No change to the pipes.


hth Grin

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princesschick · 11/02/2013 10:55

Great! Thanks Impty. Our local store is the Croydon branch, so I guess they will be quite expensive. I naively assumed that Ikea kitchen fitters would be on an Ikea rate rather than sub contractors. I have a lot to learn. On the positive side, it looks like the kitchen may not be completely out of the question as I had feared. Fab, thank you Thanks :)

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impty · 11/02/2013 11:02

ahhh right. The 2nd fitter we had covered that branchSad but we complained that the quote doubled and got the fee knocked off the kitchen price anyway. Customer service was very good.

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princesschick · 11/02/2013 11:16

So, was it extra items for the kitchen that he wanted to add or was it just the cost for labour that was double? Good to hear that customer service is good at the Croydon branch. We're going to head up after work to discuss all of this - getting quite excited now :) And as DH is really handy (he just has too much other stuff to finish in the house before our baby arrives) it may be that we get them in to fit all of the other corners and that we sort out the awkward bit ourselves.

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impty · 11/02/2013 11:27

No it was labour costs. Ikea charge per unit (i think) but he added things like connecting in the dryer £150. Its a condenser so you plug it in and push it in the spot!! Shock That was just or I remember but you get the idea.

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princesschick · 11/02/2013 11:30

Hmm I see - that's really cheeky - even I can plug in a washing machine and dryer! £150 for 2 minutes Shock. I wonder if loads of other people have complained about him?!

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impty · 11/02/2013 11:33

if you go instore the kitchen staff check your design and add and take away stuff that you will need.

Make sure you have enough worktop etc.

The ikea kitchen fitters come to your home to see the plumbing electric work etc. But you can get any fitter to for this and quote for the work. They'll do it free.

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impty · 11/02/2013 11:33

Mmm i wonder...Grin

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