Flatpack Kitchen Recommendations

[KateP]

Hi Everyone,

I have just moved into a new (old!) house and wanted to buy and fit a flatpack kitchen. I have no experience of doing this but I am fairly handy otherwise.

Has anyone any previous experience of buying/installing a flatpack kitchen. Which company would you recommend?

I live in the Perth area so a local company would be preferable.

Many Thanks

[ozwinner]

Have you got a brother in Cobram Vic? :confused:

Welcome also.

Al :confused:

[KateP]

Hi Al,

Thanks for the welcome. No, I've not got a brother in Cobram Vic.

[Marc]

I'll confess to have built (what a nerve call this building) a new kitchen buying it flat packed by Ikea.

It was so easy that my 13 year old daughter helped me. However it was not as cheap as I hoped it to be. (May be because I chose the more expensive one?)

I would recomend Ikea because of the nice design, because everything fits spot on and because they have good customer service in the shop. As for their help on the phone forget even to ring. You get a call centre in India and they don't have the foggiest shadow of a left handed clue, of what you are talking about say if you happen to have a problem to fit something. Get the phone to the shop and you are OK.

[ozwinner]

No, I've not got a brother in Cobram Vic.
Owwhh.
Only these a fella here on this BB called DanP.
I thought ya might be related.

Al :D

[KateP]

Hi Marc,

I can't believe I have found a DIY forum where you don't have to wait days for a reply!

I was considering IKEA but was a little reluctant as apparently the sizing is non-standard. I don’t know enough about the subject to know whether this is in fact a problem or not.

I have heard some really good reports about IKEA kitchens though so maybe it’s worth investigating further.

Thanks for the advice

[Snorkelling]

IKEA make adequate DIY kitchens but if you have to make a join in the bench top, spend a little extra and have one made professionally as the join that IKEA have in their bench tops are crap. A guy who used to own a unit in the building where I live installed an IKEA kitchen, I saw it recently and it looked VERY cheap. Shop around for a properly made bench top made by a cabinetmaker.

[mrsxtro]

I too have put in an Ikea kitchen. It was a relatively easy, if monotonous, process to build all the cupboards. It came together very nicely and looks great. I'm not sure how well the cupboard front finish will hold up though under the onslaught of my 5 children! It has been in only 8 months so I will withhold judgement for now. The Ikea site has a planning tool which is really easy to use and will give you a 3D view of your future kitchen. Our kitchen ended up costing approx. $6000 for cupboards, benches, sink, taps etc. $3000 for appliances and approx. $1000 for plumber and electrician. I'll ataach a couple of photos for you.
Have fun dreaming! A new kitchen is just so exciting!
-mrsxtro

[Snorkelling]

Maybe try doing a cutting list and take it to a cabinetmaker who specialises in cutting board like Mr. Play and Wood or someone like this. You can specify any instructions and then make it as you would an IKEA kitchen. This way you wouldn't be limited to the packs that IKEA has. If you need help with a cutting list, post another reply.

[leeton]

I just did a quick search on google...came up with this
http://www.diykitchens.com.au/
know nothing about them...but may give you some ideas...or a starting point.
Good luck
Leeton

[KateP]

Many thanks for all your suggestions.

:)

[Thommo]

Hi KateP,

Have you got a quote from a cabinet maker, I think you will find that they are not that dear. Shop around and get them to price cut.

we did and got a kitchen quoted by one company 12,000 and we ended up paying only 6,000. ( my wife is very good at haggling prices )

All the best Thommo

[Sturdee]

IKEA make adequate DIY kitchens but if you have to make a join in the bench top, spend a little extra and have one made professionally as the join that IKEA have in their bench tops are crap.


About 10 years ago I built all my own kitchen cabinets ( and saved enough to pay for all my tools I have ever bought :D ) but for the bench tops I bought them from IKEA.

Yes, there is a join in them at a corner, and with the supplied cover strip, it is neat and no problem. So from personal experience I disagree with your opinion that they are crap.

BTW at the time that I did the kitchen I checked with a couple of cabinet makers for a preformed top and the IKEA top and using the IKEA saved me about $ 1500 at the time.

Peter.

[PaulS]

THis place does them, they will produce all the bits and you can put it in.
Had a mate use them, turned out good. Don't know about price but give them a bell
Paul

http://www.kitcraft.com.au/

[Flyboy]

Check out lamikits.

http://www.lifetime.net.au/lamikits.htm

I found they have a greater range and are a fair bit cheaper than Ikea.
Cheers

[shep]

gday all

I have just put a new kitchen, in all of the quotes i got were around $6500 to $7800 the second most expencive quote was for a flatpack kitchen for $7400 from kitset kitchens.as i just wanted a basic melamine kitchen i thought i would be able to talk the misses into letting me kick the triton out of the shed and get a decent table saw and do it my self. however the boss found a fella working out of his back yard who built our kitchen and instaled it for $3650 he did a better job then any of the bigger fellas. the kitchen we ended up with was bigger with more draws and a bigger pantry then any of the other quotes plus a carbon fiber bench top (7.4mtr of bench top so not a small kitchen) stainless splash back.
mate, shop around because there are a lot of people out there that are good tradesman who aren't out to make millons.
cheers
shep

[RufflyRustic]

I'd love to see some photos of your kitchens, if possible. I'm seriously thinking of getting Mr P&W to cut the ply for me and I'll do the rest. As this is not a task to take lightly, I'm building my skills and tools first, before attempting to remodel the kitchen myself.

Great site links too. - Thanks

RufflyRustic

[Wildman]

I have just put in a flatpack from Pro Cut components in Bayswater (Melbourne) and it was mostly exactly what I wanted and easy to install and adjust. My only issue is that the drawer runners are not very strong, fine for cutlery drawers, but I ordered some pot drawers and have had to fix them twice as they cannot take the load. I am still looking around for heavy duty (60KG+) drawer runners that I can retro fit to the existing drawers. I have also used Novaloc but their cupboard backs are not solid (4mm masonite) and they ship assembled not flatpacked, so make sure you can transport them (they dont deliver).

So my advice is to shop around, make sure you get solid back carcasses and compare the quality of the hinges, drawer runners and legs used as that is where costs are cut. Also the range of handles included in the unit price is generally fairly limited, so make sure you dont get stung by unexpected handle extra costs. Also make sure you are getting high moisture resistance particle board (green stuff) as otherwise they wont last in the kitchen, most of them are, but some dodgey manufacturers are still trying on plain melamine.

Cheers
Ben

[Trav]

Also look at www.kitset.com.au. I didn't use them in the end (we canned the whole kitchen plan and bought a new house), but I was leaning towards them over the others.

Good luck

Trav

[Trav]

There is also a guy here called Arms who runs a flatpack kitchen business. He may also be able to help.

Trav

[KateP]

Many thanks for all your invaluable advice. I'll certainly shop around before making any rash decisions. If anyone knows of any good cabinet makers in the Perth/Fremantle area that would be great. I'm new to the area so don't have anyone who can recommend good local tradesmen.

Cheers

[grinner]

Hi Kate

We are having our new kitchen installed as I type this. We got a quote from Kitset and Ikea and a local cabinet maker. We ended up going with the cabinet maker as he was only a few hundred dollars more expensive than Kitset, and Ikea was maybe $1000 cheaper again.

The advantage I see with the cabinet maker is that he is able to custom make all of the cabinets to fit the space, where as with the flatpacks you have to work to their sizes. Also the he is the one that has to make the kitchen level and straight on my unlevel floor and wonky walls.

Grinner

[vGolfer]

Also look at www.kitset.com.au (http://www.kitset.com.au/). I didn't use them in the end (we canned the whole kitchen plan and bought a new house), but I was leaning towards them over the others.

Good luck

Trav
I've taken a look at the Kitset showroom and the kitchens look really tacky IMHO.

[eemgee]

KateP,
Bunnings have a flatpack kitchen that is made in China but looks reasonable,
I decided to make everything myself, although I have yet to do the bench top
which has to have a join which I'm not too keen on tackling.
Still yet to decide on type of doors, but it looks like to be raised panel which I will tackle.

[elcheapo]

I have bought a kitchen from Bunnings. It is called Flatpax and it looks great. With benchop of black granite look a like stuff, high gloss white cupboards and kick board cost less than $2000. Looks terrific, maybe not a real long term kitchen, only time can tell me that!

They have many drill holes already but not all so you need a drill. But the legs are easy adjustable so with a spirit level not too hard to get it all level.

I bought European appliance Ariston who is a company that has tradionally built for other brand names, Blanco I think? but now make their own stuff. So same people making Italian appliance but better price.

I bought double sink, mixer tap for about $300. So far then I have paid just over $4000 for everything including plumber but have no splashback yet. Any suggestions welcome!

Back to platpax kitchens though. You need to measure, double measure then measure again. The distance between wall cabinets and floor cabinets. From wall to wall and everything in between.Leaving enough room for oven to be able to breathe behind (I have the cupboards slightly away from the wall because of this). I almost screwed up but went and imagined myself in the new kitchen and found the fridge was in the way so changes had to be made. You have to put some time into planning, that is probably what kitchen design companies do well and why they charge so much, very critical.

[hotboost]

Ikea sounds the go. We dont have one here in Sa , yet. So I got the local cabinet guy to make some standard carcases and I did the straight easy ones . ie overheads and under sink.

Next time I will do the lot , dust the old triton off as long as you have some one to give you a hand to manage the big sheets . make all you carcases 560 wide for your 600mm benchtops
just cut and screw save yourself a **** load seeing a sheet is about $45.00

and just buy your doors nice to suit once all in place

job done