Replacing kitchen doors and worktops versus respray for early 2000s kitchen

[Callipygion]

I would really like my early 2000s kitchen updated but a full refit is unfortunately out of budget. I have seen an advert for Joe’s Doors, for replacement doors and worktops, which looks good, so wondering if anyone has used them, or a similar company? How much did it cost and could you recommend? Or should I look into a respray instead? Any pointers gratefully received. Thank you.

I bought mine online from kitchen doors workshop, custom sizes.
i got a local carpenter type bloke to fit them.
its quite a large kitchen- the doors cost around £370 a few years ago and it was a days labour so around £180
really pleased with it.
i had a quote from dream doors which was £3.5k!

Thanks for that info. I didn’t think of doing that.

I’ve had a quote for a respray just come through at just under £3k, I have a lot of doors too and a long cornicing thing that continues over my window with lights in. I am waiting for a visit from the replacement doors people for their quote.

Definitely price up your own, did you find the kitchen doors website?
you could probably just paint the cornice bit yourself- Universal paint is great for stuff like that.

You can removing the cornicing etc and replace with new too - they're pretty easy to find in b&q/wickes etc

Ours was super straightforward- I had to go out for the day because the bloke kept talking at me, and when I came back- all done.

There is a Facebook group called Joe's Doors Slammed Shut you might want to take look at. (I have no personal knowledge; Facebook served the group to me when I was also looking for replacement doors.)

We’ve just booked Joe’s Doors to do our kitchen. They were £5k cheaper than a local company that does the same thing.
They are going to add quartz worktops, and change all the side panels, plinths and cornices and we get a new sink and taps for free.
Cost doesn’t include a splash back because we like the one we have.
And they’ll fit a new hob and oven if we buy them ourselves.
It’s being done in June.

We painted ours ourselves using ronseal kitchen cabinet paint, replaced the knobs (which made an enormous difference). Lots of tutorials online, hard work but saves a fortune.

No scratches or dings yet and did it last autumn.

Sounds like what I want! Do you mind me asking how much yours is costing and how many cupboard doors you have?

I have thought about that, but I have quite a lot of cupboards, a big cornice thing and a few side panels. Plus I detest painting (it’s all the prep work really) and I always end up making a terrible mess!

A bit of a wildcard - we got our kitchen doors vinyl wrapped by a local
guy a year ago. Very easy, cheaper than replacing the doors. 12 cupboards, 4 drawers, plinths and ends was just under £2k. Guy came on day 1 to take away doors, took them away to cover, came back day 4 to refit and do the in situ bits.

Ours was solid oak but in an orangery tone that looked quite dated. However it is really good quality and was hand made to my height.
The layout also works perfectly.
I took the doors off last summer, bought a sander, then painted in a soft pastel. Changed the worktops and tiling for less than £1k and it looks fabulous.

15 cupboard doors and it’s just under £10k. That includes a new sink and tap, and the worktop, handles, side panels, plinths and cornices, and the trim under the high cupboards. .

I'm a big fan of a cheap kitchen upgrade. I think too many people rip out a quality kitchen and put in a brand new kitchen which initially looks great, but is poor quality and falls apart after a few years.

I had my kitchens doors and bench tops replaced but left the main cupboards behind.. I took one of the new doors to a hardware shop who colour matched them and then painted the visible cupboards beyond the doors to match. New hardware and a cheap tile backsplash, and for less than 5k I ended up with a lovely upgraded kitchen. I was quoted 15-20k to have a new one put in.

I was hoping to get it done for around that budget. Was yours done recently and who did you get to replace your doors and worktops or did you do that yourselves. I need someone to do mine, it’s too much for me - I have 24 doors (including fridge, freezer & dishwasher fronts), 8 drawers and metres of trim, top & bottom of upper cupboards.

I had mine sprayed, and we changed the surfaces, sink and splashbacks too. It was a great (an expensive) kitchen in its day; I just no longer liked the colour / look.

Please do not use Joe's doors, we did order 24446 and paid a lot of money for an appalling job. You have to pay upfront, they really don't care once they have your money and we are now going through trading standards and small claim court. Please go somewhere else as your money will be wasted with this company

I had a quote initially for 3k for 19 cupboards and 10 drawers to respray. We are now also having the utility done so 25 cupboards and 14 drawers in total plus a flyover. Plus wrapping the worktops and covering the tiles, as well as adding a new cupboard and changing the old build in fridge to a larder. This came to 8k, they have taken all the cupboard doors away and will come back on Monday to fit them and do all the other stuff. We had to empty drawers but not cupboards.

That’s terrible, I hope you get your money back. I decided not to use them. They were coming to just give me a quote supposedly and phoned the day before to check my husband would be there as well - they already asked that on the booking and I had said no it would be just me. They were obviously coming for the hard sell, not just to give a quote, so I said no he’s not available (I’m actually a widow!) and they were saying oh we like both householders there etc, so I said cancel the appointment then. The bloke actually still turned up the next day but I sent him away, I didn’t like the look of him at all. Bad vibes,

I just had a couple of quotes from Dream Doors and Joe's to replace doors and change worktop. We have 16 cupboards in total. The quotes were £6.5k and £8.5k respectively. It seemed extortionate to me for what needed doing.

Try Nora Kitchens? They gave me a quote of £9k but I have more doors than you (24 + 8 drawers) and have a really long cornice and edging along bottom of cupboards and side panels. They were going to change all those (which I couldn’t face having done). If it’s just doors &worktops it should be much cheaper. They seemed really nice and no hard sell.

I’m going for a respray and new worktops, I have decided, only I’m having trouble finding a worktop that tones with my tiles at the moment 😫

Have your ordered samples? I found the way they looked online and the colour they actually were quite different. I spent looking for the right combination of worktop, cupboard and tiles and actually ended up going with something completely different to what I expected. They are coming back on Monday as I mentioned and I’m equal parts nervous and excited to see what it will look like in real life!

Yes, I’ve been ordering samples as shops have very little choice in 38 mm laminate. They look ok online but when putting the sample beside my beige/cream tiles, they’re actually grey, which is no good. I have a couple of maybes, but I’m not 100% sure about either, and 2 to yet arrive. Fingers crossed, and good luck with yours!

I find there is almost too much choice. If I just had to choose between two options that would be easier. Then choosing the new handles! Can the company you are using suggest anything? I was able to and have a look at some examples of their work, kitchens they had got when people were getting rid of them and done half up so you could see the difference. They also had books and books of worktops and colours, and they did a sample of my paint for me in the finish that it will be. That was only available if they had used the colour before though.

That’s exactly what I said! There’s too much choice! The chap doing my worktops is a small local trader, a general carpenter not strictly a kitchen fitter, and he hasn’t offered any samples though he’s sent me some links to things online, and I’ve been in a few diy/plumbing stores & kitchen showrooms to look at what they have.

I’ve got a different firm doing the painting and they will match to Farrow & Ball, Greene something or other, Dulux etc, so it is a case of paint charts and choosing something. I got a test pot of a F&B, I just want a cream/off white to go with the tiles (who’d have thought they now do so many shades!!). I have painted up a bit of board with it and have that beside my tiles to supposedly help. I’m being driven bonkers by it all, as I want to change my sink and hob too at the same time, so that’s doing my head in as well. I keep thinking “I wish I hadn’t started all this!” I need a lie down! Argh.