Kitchens - Made to measure or flat pack

[Gabe]

I have been led to believe that made to measure kitchen units are an affordable alternative to the flat pack, home assembly type, assuming that you can find the right carpenter.

Does anybody have any experience of this ?

Obviously I would prefer something with a bit more character etc, that has been built individually to fit our home, but have always thought that this would be far to expensive an option. If it helps my original intention was to buy and install a flat pack version myself, so any price comparisons would be a great help. Naturally I do understand that you get what you pay for and that you can spend a fortune in the kitchen if you really want, or can afford to.

Gabe

[Hindhaugh]

Hi

So many variables to this question, certainly in our cottage finding suitable 'off the shelf' units would have been impossible so something 'made to measure' was the only option. If you have the money then you simply call in a specialist company or supply them with accurate sizes and have it built.

My choice was to do it myself, kitchen cabinet construction is far from rocket science and many of the French DIY sheds sell every type of fitting, hinge and board you would ever need - and more! You also need some power tools etc

However...you do need a bit of DIT skill, having served my apprentiship as a joiner and cabinet maker makes the task easy for me but that said it is certainly not difficult compared to many of the tasks you read about on this website. The other advantage is the cost which can be less than 20% of the charge made by companies - but for some people cost is not a problem!

The big advantage is the finished product, cut to go around every pipe and curve, shelves at heights to suit your own items and of course the satisfaction of doing it yourself.

John

[Euge]

Flat pack is normally much cheaper as the factory did most of the work for you. If your kitchen is of any size, all you have to do is work in the sizes buyable.

1)     Draw a scaled drawing of your kitchen.

2)     For the floor units, Measure out from the wall 600mm (do this all the way around your kitchen) this is the normal depth of a kitchen work top, but there is nothing stopping you having a smaller unite space i.e. 550mm, 500mm or what ever (but it can stop you having carrousel swing shelves).

3)     Using drawing 2 (above) you will see where you can practically put units on the floor (remember you have to be able to get in and out of your kitchen) allow a 600mm + gap.

4)     Units come in 300, 400, 500, 600, 1000mm widths (if the depth is 600mm allow an extra 100mm empty space for the corner units to but up to).

5)     If you have a space of less than 300mm left over, position your units to make best use as a bin/towel rail/wine storage space.

6)     Leave 500 or 600mm gape for white goods (measure yours, but 600mm is normally best, in case you have to change white goods in the future).

7)     Floor units (with work top fitted) should be about 900mm high

8)     Wall units come in the same widths as floor units, but go back 300mm.

9)     Worktops come in 600mm depth and you can buy 900mm for breakfast bars.

10) I think it is worth putting the kitchen up you and using a carpenter to fit the worktops (mitre joints look much nicer than those metal strips).

 

Enjoy the saving on getting fitters in, and remember if you mess up one or two of the units, it can still save you hundreds of euros (if not thousands) on what you might have paid.

This was in reply to someone who seemed to want to save a few pounds. The rich out there can squander as much as they can afford and enjoy only having to see the finished product.

Good luck whichever way you go.

If you need any help drop me a line

Euge

[Bobc]

"Flat pack is normally much cheaper as the factory did most of the work for you. If your kitchen is of any size, all you have to do is work in the sizes buyable."

Draw a scaled drawing of your kitchen.

Good advice

"For the floor units, Measure out from the wall 600mm (do this all the way around your kitchen) this is the normal depth of a kitchen work top, but there is nothing stopping you having a smaller unite space i.e. 550mm, 500mm or what ever (but it can stop you having carrousel swing shelves)."

Postformed worktops are 650mm deep - plan aggloméré for tiling are 627mm to allow for the wooden edge trim.

"3) Using drawing 2 (above) you will see where you can practically put units on the floor (remember you have to be able to get in and out of your kitchen) allow a 600mm + gap.

"Units come in 300, 400, 500, 600, 1000mm widths (if the depth is 600mm allow an extra 100mm empty space for the corner units to but up to)."

French unit widths are 340 425 520 640 810 1000 1200

"If you have a space of less than 300mm left over, position your units to make best use as a bin/towel rail/wine storage space."

Good advice

"Leave 500 or 600mm gape for white goods (measure yours, but 600mm is normally best, in case you have to change white goods in the future)."

600mm is the norm

"7) Floor units (with work top fitted) should be about 900mm high"

Base units are available in a range of heights to suit different uses.

"Wall units come in the same widths as floor units, but go back 300mm."

380cm

"Worktops come in 600mm depth and you can buy 900mm for breakfast bars."

650mm depth as above

"I think it is worth putting the kitchen up you and using a carpenter to fit the worktops (mitre joints look much nicer than those metal strips)."

Use a proper worktop jig and router to fit the joints - not metal strips or mitre joints.

"Enjoy the saving on getting fitters in, and remember if you mess up one or two of the units, it can still save you hundreds of euros (if not thousands) on what you might have paid.

This was in reply to someone who seemed to want to save a few pounds. The rich out there can squander as much as they can afford and enjoy only having to see the finished product.

Good luck whichever way you go."

Equally, pay a registered artisan to supply and install your kitchen - if the property qualifies, then you will only pay 5.5% TVA on the work.

Regards,

Bob Clarke
http://perso.wanadoo.fr/grindoux

[Euge]

 

Sorry!!! My post was quoting English size units and worktops. I would be interested to hear if it is cheaper to buy and cart your kitchen from England, or get it locally in France. I also wondered if all French made kitchens offer the same standard sizes as were quoted by the Kitchen sales person correcting my post???

[Bobc]

"Sorry!!! My post was quoting English size units and worktops. I would be interested to hear if it is cheaper to buy and cart your kitchen from England, or get it locally in France. I also wondered if all French made kitchens offer the same standard sizes as were quoted by the Kitchen sales person correcting my post???"

The sizes that I quoted are from Lapeyre www.lapeyre.fr who probably supply the best value for money range of kitchens in France. Other companies such as Espalux www.espalux.fr offer an even wider range of cabinet sizes - at much higher prices.

Given the prices that are available for kitchen units in France, I cannot see the point in buying in the UK and bringing it to France.

From experience, unless you are looking at the the higher end of the market, then most of the product in the UK is pretty poor.

If you have a property in France then put your money in France.

Regards,

Bob Clarke
http://perso.wanadoo.fr/grindoux