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Frequently Asked Questions
FAQ's
Below is a list of the most common questions we are asked.
Along with an answer for each. If there's anything else you want to ask or for us to clarify anything
please just ask - Tel 01202 481177
*What are your cabinets made from?
We have 2 main ranges
*Our Premium range which is our standard almost "off the shelf" product
* Our Bespoke range where you can get any shape, style, size etc. within reason.
They are made from different materials - see these pages for a full break down
Standard Cabinets - Premium Range
*How are your cabinets so cheap?
We get our cabinets built in Bulk, we also buy everything else in Bulk also.
And keep a large stock at our Warehouse!
Doing it this way means we can get the very best prices possible.
Which we can then pass onto you without compromising any of the quality.
FAQs
*Where are your cabinets made?
For years we had our cabinets made in the UK. But reality is that the UK is an expensive place to get things made these days.
Unfotunately cost is probably the biggest single deciding factor on peoples purchasing choice.
We therefore looked all over the world for potential suppliers. And after getting samples from many we ultimately ended up using a large manufacturing company based in China.
We have a representative there that oversees production for us and ensures that the cabinets are made to the high standards we expect and demand.
We are really proud of the product we sell and are confident it cant be beaten.
Just visit any of our showrooms and see for yourself.
We truly believe that the cabinets we offer are the best quality we have ever offered and in our opinion are some of the best in the UK.
See a comparison of the materials we use and our competitors use here
*Great British Design
*High Quality Materials
*Bulk Manufacturing = A great product that can be modified to make it truly your own bespoke kitchen
*Do you have a showroom?
We actually have several places you can see our cabinetry.
The main Showrooms are:-
Ealing in London - 225 Northfield Avenue, London, W13 9QU
Christchurch in Dorset - 19 Bargates, Christchurch BH23 1QD
Eastleigh in Hampshire - Unit 1, Peacock Ind Est, Eastleigh, SO50 4NT
See our showrooms page for details on these locations and opening times
*How do we deliver our kitchens?
We currently use our own vans and drivers to deliver our kitchens.
But as business grows we are looking into alternatives to this also and occasionally may use alternative means of transport.
See where we deliver and costs
Installation
*Can you install our kitchen?
Because of the number of kitchens we provide it is impossible for us to fit them all, so reality for us is that we only fit around 10% of the kitchens we provide.
We use tried and tested professionals to do this for us and can provide quotes for this.
This however often means that they are booked up for 5 - 6 months in advance.
The 90% we don't fit are either fitted by builders or other kitchen fitters - rarely is there a real problem and nothing so far that hasn't been able to be sorted - Just check out our reviews online.
*Can you paint our Kitchen?
Just like the fitting - again because of the number we do we actually don't paint that many ourselves - There are networks of painters that quite openly advertise in most areas of the UK - But if you would like a quote just ask us.
We do however have a lot of experience in what works best with our cabinets and we offer general advice here - Painting Advice
*How do you compare to your competitors?
Being an online company we do find that almost everyone we speak to will be shopping around for a good deal - Why wouldn't you?
We are confident in the products we offer and the prices we charge
We have completed a comparison between us and two other competitors we come across regularly - see our comparison page
Also see a comparison and test between Plywood and MDF here
*How easy is it to put together from Flat packed?
We have worked hard to make sure that what we offer as a Flat Packed Kitchen can easily be put together by the pretty much anyone
If your looking for a DIY kitchen then this is a perfect option - Our Flat packed Kitchen offers quality at a great price
Find out more here Flat Packed V Built cabinets
*Can you provide worktops?
Although we don't provide worktops ourselves we do have worktop trade accounts with suppliers - this allows us to get you really competitive quotes on worktops - so if you would like one just ask
*Do you do appliances?
Easy answer is NO - we cant compete with the likes of John Lewis or AO on appliances and it seems silly to ask you to pay us more money for something you can easily buy online.
We do however have access to Sinks - Especially Belfast style ones as we do sell a lot of them, and also Quooker Taps - if you would like either just ask
*How do I get a quote?
We have tried to make this website as clear as possible and to give you the ability to easily and quickly add a few items to your basket to get a good idea of the cost of your kitchen, if you wanted to order this way then that is fine - but Kitchens can actually be quite complicated - so we do offer a free design and CAD system where we can design the kitchen with you and then fully prepare the quote for you
*What are your payment terms?
The payment terms at Classic Kitchens Direct are quite simple:
- You can book a delivery slot for £1000. We request in normal circumstances that we have the final details no later than 8 weeks before delivery. This gives us 8 clear weeks to build your kitchen - Delays on signing off your kitchen WILL delay delivery of your kitchen
- If you can give us 8 weeks notice for any cancellations, we will refund your £1000 delivery slot payment. The deposit is set at this price and timescale due to the bespoke nature of the kitchen – if you were to cancel your hand-crafted kitchen, it would be very difficult for us to resell the product to another customer.
- At the 8 week stage, we then need your final order along with the remainder of a 50% deposit. We will then begin work on producing your bespoke kitchen furniture to the timescale agreed previously. If there are any setbacks or delays, we will let you know as soon as possible so we can amend the times. For deposits, we accept bank transfers and cards. .
- The other 50% is payable 7 days before delivery.
*How do I plan my kitchen?
Planning your own stunning handmade bespoke kitchen can be a daunting task. However, it can be an exciting way to express your style, refresh an outdated room, and make it much easier and more practical to use.
We have several options:-
- Send us plans or sketches and we will do the hard work for you free of charge
- Use our online planner to make a start – Planner (articadroom.com)
- Use an independent designer (they will charge you for their services)
One thing to be aware of is to give yourself plenty of time as planning can take a while – it also takes a minimum of 8 weeks to build your kitchen, so we request that you give us a completed order at least 8 weeks in advance of needing it.
Caring for your kitchen
*How do I care for my new kitchen?
Your new kitchen has been handmade using traditional cabinet making methods and using the highest-grade materials available. Whilst your new kitchen is very robust and durable we would like to take this opportunity to highlight some basic guidelines for the care of your beautiful new kitchen.
-
Storage
- If you are not yet ready for your kitchen we can sometimes store your kitchen for you. It is imperative that you do NOT store your kitchen on site without heating, without windows or in a room that hasn't been plastered yet. This is a wooden kitchen made from kiln dried wood. In this type of environment it WILL soak in water, expand and cause long term problems. -
Fitting:
We strongly recommend that you do not store or fit your kitchen in an unfinished, unheated room, or a room that isn’t fully dry from plastering or painting. These are wooden cabinets and ideally need to acclimatise to the space before they are fitted. -
Temperature and humidity:
It is important that the room temperature should never be allowed to wildly fluctuate between hot and cold. We advise the ambient temperature of the room be maintained between 18 and 20ºc if possible. This ensures the furniture will not be subject to any extreme levels of moisture. This is of particular importance in new-build houses and where under-floor heating is in use. Under-floor heating should not be turned on and off suddenly, nor should the temperatures be raised or lowered quickly or to a very high temperature as this can result in dimensional changes to the timber. Underfloor heating should never be installed underneath any wooden cabinet as it will dry out the wood and cause ongoing problems. -
Paint:
If we painted the kitchen for you then we have used a special paint designed for use in a kitchen with current guidelines we are ONLY allowed to use water based products. As such they will not be as tough as some older style oil based paints and will require more regular touching up from knocks and scrapes. For the best results we recommend hand painting on site, this means you can use any paint you wish and you can easily touch up as needed to keep your kitchen looking great. -
Cleaning:
For cleaning, we recommend a non-abrasive damp cloth. Do not let water sit on the tops of doors or rails as this will soak into the paintwork and cause damage. -
Dishwashers:
With any kitchen you buy, the manufacturer will always recommend that you do not open the dishwasher door as soon as the cycle has finished. You should let the dishwasher cool beforehand, otherwise steam will pour out and penetrate your kitchen material – this is especially important with a hand-painted kitchen -
Soft Close Drawer Runners:
As with soft close hinges, drawer runners have capacity for adjustment. But again, as you open and close the drawers they can slowly drop. Underneath the drawers you will find rollers to adjust the drawer front back up – see the instruction pack you received when the kitchen was delivered on how to do this