FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions - 2
(and Answers too)

12) Is a flatpack kitchen always cheaper than bespoke?

• Not at all, this is a myth. Flatpack units are mass produced in set standard sizes, unit for unit flatpack is going to be cheaper, it has to be due to its inferior quality, but in the form of a kitchen, it is a practice of certain Companies and particularly builders to upload the price by charging excessively for fitting, so what may appear cheap is not cheap at all.

We have sometimes been known to beat the more popular "sheds" with a far superior product, with us you are putting the money into the kitchen, not extra for the fitters wages.

13) What quality of fittings do you use in the cabinets?

• We only install fittings such as hinges/plates, wall unit sprung (lift-up) hinges and drawer boxes from one manufacturer and that is Julius Blum GmbH. This company is known as the worlds top of the range 'ultimate' fitting manufacturer, they are made in Switzerland and are far superior to all other makes. It is our policy to offer you the best product but at the lowest price manageable, we give extended guarantees and can only afford to offer our low prices if we do not have to return to repair or replace faulty fittings.

14) I′ve just been offered FREE credit, appliances & fitting, bet you can′t beat that?

• The consumer is now getting wise that NOTHING is FREE - you should simply ask yourself, would you give away a new dishwasher or do a job for free - unlikely, so why would you receive a kitchen or appliances or fitting at no cost, the simple answer is you don′t.

It is easy to mis-use or juggle figures, you might think it is free, but the difference in price has been added in there somewhere.

15) I have been offered a kitchen at 50% OFF, can you match that?

• Marketing is a clever game, the best marketing managers earn a fortune and earn their employers millions of pounds. Remember, nothing is ever FREE.

This is a quote found in the House Builders Update: Dec 2005 (and still applies today) -

"So are there bargains to be had this time of the year?
Are these 50%, 60% or even 75% off offers what they appear?
I dont think so. In fact I know so.

These kitchens are always at least 50% off. I think that on one day of each year they suddenly advertise kitchens at the full price in some obscure store like Runcorn, and then every store in the chain can claim to be at least 50% cheaper than this".

Look close, count the units, feel the quality, has your kitchen plan been drawn full of large units, just to fill up the space?
How well has it been designed?
Has there been any thought about where you are going to store your kitchen items and the ease of use?

In the overall price, are you really getting a so called ′FREE gift′, or have you been overwhelmed with sales talk?
It is very easy to hide ′FREE′ items into the cabinet costs and you are none the wiser.
Remember the large outlets found in "sheds" in the retail parks are very wealthy, this has not been achieved by giving things away.

If you look closer and compare with others, you will find that the price offered, in the so called sale is probably already priced too high!
Often even the reduced price is still inflated and not a bargain at all.

If you have been offered a massive discount to sign on the dotted line today, or the salesman has rung his 'company' (normally his wife or mother) to confirm the large discount he is offering is acceptable, either throw him/her out or leave the premises quickly - as you are being talked into a con, even if it is legal!

REMEMBER, nothing is ever FREE, these are all companies out to get your money - they are not charities.

16) How dangerous is the glue used in cabinets?

• Some press reports have suggested there is a danger with formaldehyde, a glue component used in chipboard. Quality manufacturers use E1 graded board that complies with the German Ministry of Health Safety limits, which is the toughest in the world. E1 graded board gives off less formaldehyde than that excreted by a human person and a small fraction of the amount that is given off by a cigarette.

As we only use quality board for our cabinets, you will find that our kitchen furniture, is one of the safest products to be found in the house.

17)

a) Is there a set rule to determine the colour of my kitchen worktop against the floor and wall tiles?

b) Should my worktop be lighter or darker than the tiles?

c) My doors are mid oak and the tile I′ve picked is lighter than the worktops, is this acceptable?

• Kitchen design, should be about what you find attractive and beautiful in both form and function. If you fall in love with a tile, worktop, cabinet door, appliance or someone else′s kitchen thats ok and a good starting point on ideas and colours. There are no rules of thumb regarding the light and dark relationship among cabinets, worktops and floors, but the materials you choose will dictate the mood and aesthetic of your kitchen. A general guide to get good colour relationships works as follows:

1. Consider a worktop that′s noticeably darker than the floor. This will create an attractive contrast, particularly if your doors and floor have similar tones.

2. If you′ve had your eye on a neutral-colored worktop and floor, then think about creating an interesting wall tile effect to help add visual interest.

3. Darker appliances, integrated into a neutral kitchen, are another way to add decorative contrast.

4. When choosing colours, don′t overlook the size of your kitchen and its lighting - both natural and artificial. Both types of lighting will impact significantly on the colour choices and overall room aesthetic.

5. Remember how you choose colours and even the sheen level of colours, can have a significant effect on the size and claustrophobic effect your finished kitchen will offer.