Homebase vs IKEA Kitchen?

Hello,having fitted both ikea and Homebase I’d definitely recommend Homebase kitchen due to the fact ikea kitchens don’t have a service void in the base units so all pipe work etc is exposed

I don’t think there’s ever a need for a service void. All cables should be chased into the wall and capped and protected anyway. Plumbing should go directly outside onto an external wall, I’ve never had a kitchen in 15 years that’s need a service void. Ikea give you so much more in terms of storage and options but they do have many failings in terms of design. Rails to hang units on, non standard worktop depths and a weird plinth height complicate matters further. All kitchens conform to same regulations in terms of quality anyway.

have fitted both these types of kitchens and as budget kitchen goes the ikea one gives better value for money ,they don't have a huge life span but will freshen up your kitchen on a budget and you can get replacement doors fairly easily

The quality of the kitchen units are very similar so from a customer perspective there is little difference other than picking one with the design and features you like / want. From a fitters perspective the Homebase kitchen would often be an easier one to replace an existing kitchen because it’s design and construction is very similar to many other retailers. Ikea have a different cabinet design and worktop depth (among other things) so would potentially be more time consuming to fit.

Iam kitchen fitter for more than 8 years i recommend wickes kitchens , ikea kitchens are terrible and very cheap wood aswell the back panels are very slim , and takes a lot of time to assemble the units , im not sure about home base kitchens i have checked some pictures and looks like they are better than ikea but i can see from some pictures that home-base cabinets got loads of holes and that looks odd every time you need to open the cabinet and see it

I would not recommend going for an IKEA kitchen. It poses a number of issues both for the fitter and the customer. Cabinet sizes are not standard and you can't get some popular cabinet sizes and thus have to make do with the ones they offer. For example, if you have a 1meter space to fill you will need to have a 40 and 60cm because they don't do the popular and practical 50cm unit and thus are limited by your options. Service void is another issue and, yes, you do often have water pipes and drainage running behind units. Quality and build is poor, they are now designed to be hung on rails but if the wall isn't flat or straight that's another problem. If you install without rail they are awkward and difficult to adjust legs due to an inappropriate 8cm gap for the feet. Leg adjustments are limited so problem if uneven floors. I could go on and on and have stopped fitting IKEA kitchens. Their old Faktum range was comparable to other high street suppliers but the the new metod range.... I frankly don't understand the 'metod' in the madness!!!!! You could pick up a good quality kitchen from b&q for a similar price.