How good are Howdens kitchens?

[Jameshow]

Howdens provide a complete service. Design deliver site visit chat spares all at the end of my road (literally!) It's way ahead of diy kitchens tbh. The cabinets are neither here nor there tbh. The whole service is better at a cost. As someone that occasionally uses them the problem is there far to free with selling to the public. Constant calls "I've brought a kitchen from howdens can you fit it"i get trade you know" guess what the money the trade may have made goes straight to howdens as they just apply much less discount. Also I increase my fitting cost or won't do it.

How do they get trade if not in the trade?!

 

[johnnyb]

Firstly kitchens in general are not easy to fit. There just not. I've fitted loads for people that were "doing it ourselves" the last one they paid £10k and made a complete hash of it. Maybe someone who's a really competent diy could do it maybe not. Don't be fooled. Btw I think it's s#£t work not joinery at all. But not easy really. Even fitters can struggle at times if the designer has an off day.
Howdens sell kitchens to anyone trade or not.

 

[johnnyb]

I refuse to just fit worktops btw. Because it relies on the installation being right. Most kitchens worth doing have stone anyway. Laminate is rental stuff. Cheap howdens worktops are a mare tending to bow across the width.

 

[Doug71]

How do they get trade if not in the trade?!

Howdens let you open an account if you have any kind of business, it doesn't have to be a business related to one of the trades or anything at all to do with kitchens.

They also seem to let people open accounts if they are doing a large renovation etc.

 

[Doug71]

I refuse to just fit worktops btw. Because it relies on the installation being right. Most kitchens worth doing have stone anyway. Laminate is rental stuff. Cheap howdens worktops are a mare tending to bow across the width.

Most diy kitchen installers don't really seem to understand what level, plumb and straight are so yes best avoiding any "I've fitted the kitchen, can you do the worktops?" type jobs.

 

[johnnyb]

Let's say level has a large tolerance. I once refitted one and the guy said"its 2 inch to long" I fitted it level and it was an inch to short! True dat.

 

[Dave Moore]

When I fitted my the kitchen in my last house my wife said ‘I’ve looked on YouTube and this is how it needs fitting’. Needless to say I ignored her when she told me the method and fitted it in a much easier and accurate way.
Regards,
Dave

 

[flying haggis]

We, ok i, fitted a DIY kitchens kitchen a few years back and can't fault it. If anyone is considering one and can get to the showroom it's worth the journey, we travelled from near Norwich to the showroom and it's huge!! Couldn't fault their customer service either and despite the factory having great problems getting a new spraying machine to talk to the rest of the factory the all the units arrived as promised ( with several doors arriving later but not a problem as it took me a time to fit it myself)

 

[newbiegirl]

about average but their appliances are not so good. very helpful staff to help design layout

Only just seen this post but for whst its worth be aware their fridge freezers are ok but if door seal gets damaged no replacement available you have to buy new door!!!!

 

[niall Y]

I don't think this is a problem limited to Howdens. We have had a similar problem with our fridge. The supplier had to swap ours for a totally new one, under guarantee, as there were neither seals nor spare doors available. This was due to supply issues, not helped by ships avoiding using the Suez Canal.

 

[newbiegirl]

I don't think this is a problem limited to Howdens. We have had a similar problem with our fridge. The supplier had to swap ours for a totally new one, under guarantee, as there were neither seals nor spare doors available. This was due to supply issues, not helped by ships avoiding using the Suez Canal.

Thanks Niall good to know, happily not needed one yet!

 

[boschboy]

had this kitchen fitted 18 months ago not had any problems

 

[jetsetwilly]

Don’t have much to add, have found Howdens OK (and easy to open a self-build account) but in the mid range I prefer IKEA for the thing that the trades hate - the lack of a rear service void. I’ve never had huge kitchens so the extra storage volume (10-15%) more than offsets any fitting challenges for me. It doesn’t suit fitters who want to stick to their processes, but fitting is one day (well ok, week if you’re me!); using could be decades.