Share your kitchen renovation experience. Looking at Freedom versus more custom

[Arcadia]

Thanks for the replies everyone. It's very helpful.

[Now we're 3]

Hey Taurean what is/are rectified tiles? We are finalising our new kitchen design at present and are leaning towards tiles rather than glass spashbacks. Because of the shape of our kitchen I think glass will work out to be horrendously expensive and would need to go from worktop/hob to ceiling so would be large area to have as glass.

Arcadia we are going custom. Love the fact that is will be made to fit and being honest has come in quoted as less than the Freedom type quotes. We didn't get them to quote but had used a kitchen wholesale who operate in the same way .......... will see what my boss can do let me phone him, offer only good for tonight blah blah blah. Just felt as though she was quoting towards the $ amount we had said we had in our budget rather than asking us what we wanted giving quote for that and then negotiating as to what we need to drop or change to meet our price. Would totally recommend the guy we are dealing with but we're in Sydney so wouldn't work for you.

[Taurean]

Hey Taurean what is/are rectified tiles? We are finalising our new kitchen design at present and are leaning towards tiles rather than glass spashbacks. Because of the shape of our kitchen I think glass will work out to be horrendously expensive and would need to go from worktop/hob to ceiling so would be large area to have as glass.

Hi hon! Firstly, how exciting! New kitchen!! Be sure to share the before and after pics!

Rectified tiles have a really sharp edge allowing them to be laid very closely together, often giving the illusion they are one big tile - kinda That's why they make a good alternative for a splash back. They look amazing in bathrooms too. They do cost a fair bit more than normal tiles (to buy and lay) but they are cheaper than glass so it's well worth a look.

[YoYo]

We just did an ikea kitchen for about $6k. We were lucky it squeezed in, and we had a carpenter friend help us put it together. He even customised a couple of cupboards. We paid him about $3k but it was worth every cent.

Instead of expensive splash back, we used those huge floor porcelain tiles, which cost us $200 as opposed to $2k for a splashback.

BB - ikea bench tops come in sized lengths and widths so you'd have to measure up and see their sizes.

[krysalyss]

We just bought our Ikea kitchen today. It cost about $6K. DH is putting it in himself but he is very handy.

[Taurean]

Hopefully this pic works. This is a Bunnings kit kitchen, installed by my dad and DH. The benchtop was ordered through Bunnings too but installed by professionals. It a very similar product to Freestyle (by Laminex, a resin based, stone look-alike) and it looks brilliant.

Unfortunately the batch of white cabinets we got have an issue with discolouration but Bunnings are aware of it and we're currently in the process of getting it replaced, at no charge of course. I wouldn't not recommend them based on that though, especially as they have many other colours to choose from too.

Dad did the tiling for the splash back. It was a cheap and effective alternative to glass. We are putting tiles (rectified tiles) in as our splash back in the house we are currently building too. We had glass in the last house we built which looked lovely but it is pricey.

Bunnings Kitchen.jpg

[Amy_jellybean]

Tauren what brand of rangehood is that?I need an Island one like that for our current Renno

[Taurean]

Tauren what brand of rangehood is that?I need an Island one like that for our current Renno

Will find out for you. It's funky, isn't it

[Taurean]

Tauren what brand of rangehood is that?I need an Island one like that for our current Renno

Sorry for the delay, it's a Baumatic range hood from Harvey Norman and ironically, I've just found it in the Good Guys catalogue I'm flipping through!!

[Amy_jellybean]

Awesome thanks heaps love!