Kitchen costs

[CeeJay]

We are buying a completely new kitchen from IKEA and had costed it out as per French Euro prices, intending to buy it at their Montpellier store. Having returned to UK for Xmas I decided to cost exactly the same kitchen in Sterling. Due to the currency fluctuations it would appear that if I bought the kitchen in Uk and took it across myself I would save just about £1000.

Needless to say I am buying it here in UK. On a wider note is this the way of things to come? I remember whilst living permanently in UK myself and friends always popped across to Calais to buy bathroom fittings etc because they were so much cheaper, and a better range.........but now?

[Gardengirl]

Friends have just done exactly that last wek! It was an excellent saving.

We bought several things from a well-known store in UK, who arranged for shipping to the south of France earlier this year, on buying our apartment. We also added other items, at extra cost. A shower we particularly liked was dearer in France last year, but the rise earlier this year was just silly, so that was added to the shipment. Having searched for light fittings, we took some out in November. A couple of weeks later we saw them in Leroy's at a higher price. They weren't in the lighting section, but on a display just as you enter, called ma maison; eco lights, too! We seem to have filled the car on each journey, with tools, bathroom fttings etc, but think the next trip will be the last for a while - we've booked the trip for New Year by plane!

On another subject, just got back earlier this evening for Christmas after a month down there; what awful damp weather in UK! We've had mostly blue skies, sunshine and some cold winds, but so pleasant to be out and about down there. Feeling very cold just now. Also had 3 people either barge past me or walk straight in to me in a local M & S section in the local garage while stocking up on milk etc - 5 minute visit - not used to such rudeness!

Jo 

[DerekJ]

We did this ourselves this year. We were originally planning to buy a kitchen from IKEA and started the planning process with IKEA in the UK. After we'd sorted out a plan we priced it at both UK and French prices and it worked out considerably cheaper by sourcing it in the UK. However, after trying to deal with IKEA and actually order, collect (or get delivery) from IKEA we gave up. We found them impossible to deal with.

In the end we bought a kitchen through a local UK company who had supplied us with our UK kitchen and two bathrooms. We took this out with us  and used the van  to go buy the white goods from Darty  in Montauban - hob, oven, fridge/freezer and  dishwasher. We decided to buy thes eelectrical items in France because of the warranty situation.

[Cendrillon]

"On another subject, just got back earlier this evening for Christmas

after a month down there; what awful damp weather in UK! We've had

mostly blue skies, sunshine and some cold winds, but so pleasant to be

out and about down there."

Well garden girl, the weather forecasters tell us we have had the coldest December in the U.K. for 30 years. We too have recently enjoyed the cold, frosty, sunny days with blue skies so I think you returned at the wrong end of the month.[:(]

[Jacqui Too]

I'm definitely buying my sink in the UK, if the pound is at parity then it would be £ 70.70 CHEAPER, almost double in France [:-))]

http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/S59829173

http://www.ikea.com/fr/fr/catalog/products/S59829173

[CeeJay]

What amazing flexibility there is on this Forum..........from the cost of buying goods either in France or UK and then two or three posts later we have the weather forecast!!! Incredible

[Cendrillon]

Some of us are good at multi-tasking[;-)]

Sorry I went off topic.