Buying a Kitchen From Wren, IKEA, Howdens or Magnet? Why Fitting Matters More Than You Think
When choosing a new kitchen, most people pay a great deal of attention to the brand — Wren versus IKEA versus Howdens versus Magnet. Yet far less attention is paid to who will actually be fitting it. This is a bit strange, because it is during the fitting process that what most determines the final result takes place.
Brand of Kitchen Equipment Is Only Half the Battle
Hours are spent in showrooms comparing options, reading reviews and deliberating over door styles, worktop materials and appliance brands. The discussion about installation usually takes place almost as a formality at the end of the sales process — sometimes as a separate line in the quote — without detailed explanation of exactly what this work entails or why the price varies so much depending on the options.
A kitchen design exists on paper or as a 3D visualisation in the showroom. But the kitchen you actually live with is what will be installed in your home by those wielding the tools that week.
Why Professional Installation Is So Important
Kitchen units are designed to be fitted to fairly strict tolerances. If the first unit is assembled with a margin of error of a few millimetres, by the time you have set up a row of eight or nine units, this error accumulates and becomes noticeable — gaps appear, the doors do not close properly, and the worktop is not level.
Most kitchen brands, including those in the more affordable price range, now produce high-quality products. Cabinet construction, hinges, soft-close mechanisms — all of these have improved significantly over the last decade, even in budget ranges. This means that the difference between a kitchen that looks expensive and one that looks cheap increasingly comes down to the quality of the installation, rather than the product itself.
A thorough installation of a standard-sized kitchen takes nearly a week, and sometimes longer, when you factor in plumbing, gas work, tiling and rectifying any defects. Some fitters try to squeeze this process into two or three days. The kitchen gets fitted all the same — it is just that each stage does not receive the attention it actually needs.
Common Problems During Kitchen Installation
These issues keep cropping up time and time again, regardless of the kitchen manufacturer.
Incorrect measurements. One of the most common causes of problems. In older houses, the actual room dimensions often differ from those on a drawing more than you might expect.
Uneven walls and floors. The most common issue we see in London. Victorian and Edwardian houses simply do not have straight walls or level floors. Skipping the alignment and filling work to save time is one of the most common compromises made during a rushed installation.
Poor panel alignment. Almost imperceptible on the first day, but increasingly obvious with each passing day. Doors that are a few millimetres out of line draw attention in a way that, once noticed, is hard to stop noticing.
Gaps around filler panels. Incorrectly cut or poorly fitted filler panels are one of the most common signs of a rushed job.
Badly installed skirting boards. A small detail that has a significant visual impact. Skirting that is not properly secured or cut to length makes an otherwise attractive kitchen look unfinished.
Tall units not aligned. Tall cabinets — cupboards, built-in ovens, fridge units — are heavier and less tolerant of misalignment. If they are not levelled and secured properly, the doors swing open slightly on their own.
Misaligned appliance doors. The doors of built-in appliances must be precisely levelled. If this has not been done properly, the appliance doors will protrude or be recessed compared to the cupboards on either side.
Problems with worktop templates. Particularly relevant for stone and quartz worktops. If the cupboards are not perpendicular and level when the template is made, the worktop inherits this error.
Poor finishing around pipes and sockets. Silicone joints and cut-outs around utilities are often where the greatest corners are cut on quality.
Delays due to missing parts. A good fitter checks the delivered components against the order before starting work, rather than discovering a missing panel halfway through.
Wrong sequence of works. When plumbing, electrical, tiling and fitting works are not properly co-ordinated, this leads to knock-on delays and sometimes rework.
Uneven gaps and clearances. A small, even gap should run along the top, bottom and sides of every door and drawer front. When it varies from cabinet to cabinet, even by a few millimetres, the whole run looks slightly off — even if most people could not explain exactly why.
Wren, IKEA, Howdens and Magnet: Different Brands, Same Need for Careful Fitting
One might assume that more expensive brands are somehow protected from installation errors, while cheaper ones are inherently more complicated. In reality, this is not the case.
Wren kitchens are well designed but have specific fitting requirements, particularly in ranges such as Infinity, where a mistake can result in units feeling less secure than they should. IKEA’s METOD system is based on a hanging rail that does not forgive even the slightest error — the first suspended unit sets the standard for all subsequent ones. Howdens kitchens are often fitted by general builders rather than specialist kitchen fitters, which means the finishing touches specific to the kitchen are sometimes given less attention. Magnet occupies a similar space to Wren, with flat-pack construction and comparable installation requirements.
Every brand requires careful and professional installation. None of them are entirely trouble-free, but none are particularly complicated either, provided the fitter genuinely knows what they are doing.
There is one more point worth noting, which applies to any brand: the difference between a simple linear layout and one with an island, a peninsula or internal corners. Corners and islands create far more opportunities for measurement errors and alignment problems. If your kitchen has any of these features, it is worth asking the fitter directly how they deal with aligning corners — their answer will usually reveal a great deal about their experience.
What a Skilled Kitchen Fitter Should Check Before Starting
Before installation begins, ask or check for yourself:
- Has the room been inspected in person, rather than simply measured from a drawing?
- Has the level of the walls and floor been checked, with a plan for levelling where necessary?
- Has the kitchen been checked against the order for damage or missing parts?
- Is there a clear plan for the sequence of works?
- Has the rough-in work for plumbing and electrical wiring been carried out before cabinets are fitted?
- Is tiling being carried out after, rather than before, the cabinets are fitted?
- Has the worktop template been made only after the level of the cabinets has been confirmed?
If the answer to most of these questions is yes, you are probably in safe hands. If nobody has mentioned any of this, it is worth asking before signing the contract.
Our Kitchen Installation Services
We provide a full kitchen fitting service throughout London, including:
- Removal of old kitchens
- Fitting of cupboards and base units
- Installation of worktops
- Fitting of built-in appliances
- Plumbing and water connections
- Gas connection (Gas Safe registered)
- Tiling and finishing work
We tailor the scope of work to your actual needs. Whether you require a full turnkey service or just specific elements, we are here to help.
Kitchen Brands We Install
Our team fits kitchens from Wren, IKEA, Howdens, Magnet, Benchmarx, Wickes, B&Q, Homebase and DIY Kitchens, as well as from German and Italian manufacturers including Nobilia, Häcker, Schüller, Nolte, Leicht, Rotpunkt and Pronorm. We also install kitchens from Symphony, Mereway, Masterclass, Crown Imperial, Second Nature, Daval and Neptune, as well as bespoke and independent designs.
Areas of London We Serve
Our installation work covers West, South-West, Central, North and East London. We regularly carry out projects in Chiswick, Ealing, Acton, Hammersmith, Fulham, Kensington, Chelsea, Richmond, Kew, Putney, Wandsworth, Clapham, Battersea, Wimbledon, Hampstead, Islington, Camden, Notting Hill and Maida Vale, as well as across Greater London as a whole.
Get Help Fitting Your Kitchen
If you are planning to fit a kitchen — regardless of which brand you have already chosen or are considering — get in touch and we will discuss exactly what is needed for your specific space.
