Buying guide
UK kitchen companies compared
Which type is right for your project?
Compare Wren, Magnet, Wickes, Howdens, B&Q, IKEA, DIY Kitchens, Harvey Jones, Tom Howley, deVOL and Mastercraft by what they supply, who fits it and what you will still need to arrange.
The key difference: kitchen companies are not all quoting for the same job. Some supply cabinets only. Others fit the furniture but leave services and room preparation for you to arrange. A smaller number design, make, fit and manage the whole room. The right choice depends on the result you need and how much responsibility you want one company to take.
- You have a builder you trust and want them to run the job: a trade supplier such as Howdens, or a supply-only manufacturer such as DIY Kitchens, is designed for exactly that.
- You want to plan and fit it yourself, or arrange your own trades: IKEA's modular system, or the in-stock ranges at B&Q and Wickes, keep costs visible and let you do as much as you like.
- You want a showroom, a designer and a fitting service in one place: Wren, Magnet and Wickes offer fitted retail kitchens, with differing rules about what "fitted" includes.
- You want bespoke furniture from a workshop and are happy to run the building work separately: Harvey Jones, Tom Howley and deVOL sit in this part of the market.
- You want one company to design and make the kitchen, then take on the fitting, electrics, plumbing, plastering, flooring and any structural changes as one project: that is the service Mastercraft Kitchens is built around.
Compare the main differences
Each entry summarises what the company states publicly. "Not clearly stated" means the company's website did not set this out at the time of checking; it does not mean the service is unavailable. Confirm directly with each company before ordering. Scroll sideways on smaller screens.
| Company | Type of service | Made-to-measure cabinetry | Who fits the kitchen | Plumbing, electrics and building work | Best suited to |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Mastercraft Kitchens | Bespoke design, own UK manufacture, installation and management of the wider renovation | Yes. Cabinets made to the room in width, height and depth, with factory cut-outs for pipes, pillars and alcoves | A Mastercraft-managed fitting team, with the wider project coordinated by Mastercraft | Electrics, plumbing, plastering, flooring and structural work carried out as part of the agreed project | Complete kitchen renovations where one company coordinates everything |
 Wren Kitchens | Showroom-led manufacturer and retailer with UK factories | Standard-size ranges, made to order in 50mm width steps (150 to 1,000mm), four depths and eleven heights | Optional "dry fit" installation contracted with Wren and carried out by Wren's subcontracted fitters | Not included. Connections, tiling, plastering and similar are quoted separately by the fitter; structural work is excluded | A UK factory-built kitchen with long interest-free terms and a large showroom network |
 Magnet | Showroom-led manufacturer and retailer selling to consumers and trade | Standard sizes from 150 to 1,000mm; paint-to-order colours available | Optional in-house installation service, or use your own fitter | Gas, plumbing and electrics offered with installation, plus removal of the old kitchen. Plastering, flooring, decorating and structural work not clearly stated | A fitted retail kitchen with services connected, bought through a showroom |
 Wickes | National DIY and trade retailer with a showroom "Bespoke" range and in-stock "Lifestyle" range | Standard sizes, with base units from 150 to 1,000mm | Optional installation on Bespoke ranges by local approved installers, project-managed by Wickes | Plumbing, gas, electrics and tiling stated; disposal of the old kitchen included. Plastering, decorating and structural work not clearly stated | A mid-market showroom kitchen with services included, or a low-cost kitchen to fit yourself |
 Howdens | Trade-only supplier with UK factories and local depots | Standard modular sizes; paint-to-order doors and template-and-fit worktops | Not offered. Your own builder or fitter buys the kitchen on their trade account and fits it; your contract is with them | Not offered by Howdens. Arranged by your tradesperson | Projects where you already have a trusted trade professional running the job |
 B&Q | National DIY retailer selling own-brand kitchens in store and online | Standard flat-pack sizes from 150 to 1,000mm | Optional installation by B&Q-approved independent installers, with a B&Q two-year workmanship guarantee | Not clearly stated on the company's website | Seeing the product in store, then fitting it yourself or using a retailer-arranged installer |
 IKEA | Modular flat-pack system designed for self-installation, with optional services | Fixed modular grid in 20, 30, 40, 60 and 80cm widths | Optional "dry fit" installation by independent contractors, contracted with IKEA Limited | Excluded. Electrical, gas and plumbing work, and painting, tiling, plastering and flooring, are outside the service | Self-planned modular kitchens at fully published prices |
 DIY Kitchens | Online supply-only manufacturer with one Yorkshire showroom | Partly. Fixed widths with minor size amendments on some units; doors not resized; painted to any colour | Not offered. You or your own fitter | Not offered | Confident self-managers with their own fitter who want a rigid, well-specified cabinet at a published price |
 Harvey Jones | Showroom-led bespoke furniture maker with its own Cambridgeshire workshop | Yes. Height, width and depth of any cupboard can be adjusted | Optional Harvey Jones installation and in-situ hand-painting, overseen by installation managers | Not clearly stated on the company's website | Fully bespoke in-frame cabinetry, hand-painted in the home |
 Tom Howley | Showroom-led bespoke furniture maker with installation, made in Glossop | Yes. Furniture made to fit any given space | Tom Howley installation teams with field installation managers | Excluded by contract: structural, building, decorating, electrical, plumbing and heating work | A single furniture-and-fitting contract, with a separate builder for everything else |
 deVOL | Leicestershire workshop manufacturer with walk-in showrooms | Partly. Real Shaker is modular in standard sizes; Classic English is fully bespoke | deVOL's own fitters, or "delivery only" for your builder to fit | Not clearly stated on the company's website | Distinctive workshop-finished furniture with published guide prices |
Company logos and trade marks belong to their respective owners and are shown only to identify the companies compared. This guide is not endorsed by any other company listed.
About this comparison
This guide is published by Mastercraft Kitchens, which is included in the comparison. Each company has been reviewed using the same criteria and the information available from its own public website, brochures, terms and guarantee pages. We have not awarded an overall score or ranking, because the companies operate different service models and a league table would not be a fair way to compare them. Information was last checked on 5 September 2026. Specifications, prices, finance offers and services change; please confirm current details directly with each company before ordering. If you represent one of the companies listed and believe something is out of date, please contact us and we will review it.
How we researched the comparison
For each company we looked for the same set of facts: what type of business it is, whether it designs and measures in the home, whether it makes its own cabinetry and where, how the cabinets are built, whether sizes are standard or made to measure, who carries out the installation and who your contract is with, whether the old kitchen is removed, whether plumbing, electrics, plastering, flooring and structural work are part of the service, guarantees, finance, published pricing, coverage and lead times.
The primary sources were each company's own website, brochure, terms and conditions, guarantee documents and installation pages. Where a company did not set something out publicly, the entry says so rather than guessing. Independent sources were used only for a small number of verifiable facts, such as company registration details.
We have deliberately left customer review scores out of the main comparison. Scores on review platforms change daily, cover very different numbers of reviews, and in several cases combine kitchen customers with people buying unrelated products from the same retailer. They are a useful thing to look at when you are choosing, but they do not describe what a company does or does not include in its service, which is what this page is about.
Mastercraft's own entry has been checked against the same criteria, using the same public pages a customer would see. A full record of the pages consulted is listed under Sources.
First, choose the type of service you need
Most confusion when comparing kitchen quotes comes from comparing companies that are not selling the same thing. It helps to place each company in one of five groups before looking at prices.
Trade suppliers
Sell only to builders, joiners and fitters with a trade account. You buy through your tradesperson, who designs the job with the depot, agrees the price with you, fits the kitchen and holds the contract. Example: Howdens.
Supply-only manufacturers
Sell cabinets, doors and worktops directly at published prices, usually online. No designers, no home measure, no fitting. You or your fitter take on everything after delivery. Example: DIY Kitchens.
Modular and DIY retail
Standard-size units sold from stores and online, often flat-packed, with optional installation by independent contractors. Connections and decorative work are typically outside the service. Examples: IKEA, B&Q, Wickes Lifestyle.
Showroom-led fitted retail
National showroom chains with designers, standard-size cabinets (sometimes UK-made in the company's own factory) and an optional fitting service. What "fitting" includes varies considerably between brands. Examples: Wren, Magnet, Wickes Bespoke.
Bespoke furniture makers
Design-led workshops making made-to-measure or semi-bespoke cabinetry, often hand-painted, with their own fitting teams. Building work, plumbing and electrics are usually excluded or not described, so a separate builder is normally needed. Examples: Harvey Jones, Tom Howley, deVOL.
Complete project companies
Design and manufacture the kitchen, then take on the fitting and the associated building work (electrics, plumbing, plastering, flooring, structural changes) under one agreed project. Example: Mastercraft Kitchens.
The strongest fit for each type of project
Rather than rank eleven companies that do different jobs, the fairer question is which is the strongest fit for a particular kind of project. These groupings are based on what each company states about its own service.
A complete kitchen renovation: Mastercraft Kitchens
Most relevant when the project involves more than replacing cabinets. Mastercraft designs the kitchen at home, makes it to measure in its own UK workshop, fits it through a Mastercraft-managed team, and carries out the electrics, plumbing, plastering, flooring and any structural work as part of the same project, with Mastercraft coordinating the job from start to finish.
Trade-led projects: Howdens
If you already have a builder or fitter you trust and want them to run the whole job, Howdens' depot model is designed around that relationship: UK-made rigid cabinets from local stock, with design help available to your tradesperson and a 25-year cabinet guarantee.
Supply-only buyers: DIY Kitchens
For someone who is confident planning their own kitchen and has a fitter lined up, DIY Kitchens offers rigid, pre-assembled 18mm units with Blum hardware, published prices and painting to any colour, delivered to mainland UK. Design, measuring, fitting and associated trades remain for you to arrange.
Modular self-planned kitchens: IKEA
A fixed modular system with every component price published, free planning tools, a low-cost home measure and a 25-year guarantee on METOD. Installation is optional and is a dry fit only, so plumbing, electrics and decoration are yours to arrange.
Nationwide showrooms and fitted retail: Wren, Magnet and Wickes
All three offer showroom design and an optional fitting service. Magnet and Wickes state that gas, plumbing and electrics can be part of installation; Wren's standard service is a dry fit with connections quoted separately. None describes made-to-measure cabinet sizes or structural work.
Premium furniture-led design: Harvey Jones, Tom Howley and deVOL
For buyers whose priority is the furniture itself: in-frame construction, hardwood drawers, hand-painting and a strong house style. Each fits its own furniture (deVOL also offers delivery only), but building work, plumbing and electrics are either excluded by contract or not described, so budget for a separate builder.
Compare each kitchen company in detail
Every company below is described in the same format, using only what it states publicly. Where a company's website does not set something out, we say so. The "How this differs from Mastercraft" line is there to help you compare like with like, not to suggest one company is better than another for every project.
Mastercraft Kitchens
Made-to-measure design, UK manufacture, installation and renovation management. Nationwide home design service; online since 2005; no retail showrooms.
- Type of company
- A design-led kitchen company that designs in the home, makes cabinetry to measure in its own UK workshop, fits through a Mastercraft-managed team and carries out the surrounding building work under one project.
- What it offers
- Free, no-obligation home design visit with laser survey, 3D visuals and itemised quotation. Rigid, pre-assembled cabinets in full 18mm Egger board construction including the back panel, made to the room in width, height and depth, with colour-matched interiors. Blum soft-close hinges and drawer systems, quality-tested and supplied under Mastercraft's Signature hardware label, with a lifetime guarantee on hinge and drawer hardware. Doors in painted, in-frame, shaker, timber, handleless and gloss styles, with colour matching to Farrow & Ball and Little Greene shades. Worktops in laminate, timber, quartz, granite, Corian and stainless steel, supplied and fitted. Electrics, plumbing, gas, plastering, flooring, tiling and decorating carried out as part of the project, along with structural work such as wall removals with the calculations needed for building regulations. Removal of the existing kitchen and appliances by Mastercraft's fitters, with the customer arranging a skip or off-site disposal. Free delivery. 25-year carcase guarantee, lifetime guarantee on hinge and drawer hardware, five years on doors, trims and end panels, and twelve months on installation. The remaining product guarantee is transferable if you sell your home, subject to the published terms. Aftercare and adjustments after completion.
- Most suitable for
- A complete kitchen renovation where you want a single company responsible for the design, the furniture and the building work, and where made-to-measure cabinetry matters because the room is awkward, period or open-plan.
- Important points to compare
- Ask what the itemised quotation includes and excludes for your particular room. Skip hire or off-site disposal of the old kitchen is arranged by the customer; the fitting team removes the old kitchen and appliances and fills the skip. Confirm the appliance brands quoted. Published guide pricing starts from around £15,000 fully fitted, with most projects between £18,000 and £35,000; larger bespoke kitchens and projects involving structural or wider building work are priced individually. Deposits can be paid by credit card. Confirm the current specification, exclusions and expected timescale for your own project.
- How this compares
- Of the companies reviewed, Mastercraft is the only one whose public information clearly brings together made-to-measure manufacture, a Mastercraft-managed fitting team and electrical, plumbing, plastering, flooring and structural work within one service. A Mastercraft quotation should therefore be compared with the combined cost of a competitor's furniture, fitting and separate trades, not with the furniture alone.
Sources checked 5 September 2026: Home, Quality, Installations, Structural work, Guarantee information, Pricing, FAQs.
Wren Kitchens
Showroom-led manufacturer and retailer. Factories in Barton-upon-Humber, Howden and Scunthorpe; over 100 UK showrooms.
- Type of company
- A vertically integrated retailer that designs in its showrooms, manufactures in the UK and delivers with its own fleet. Sells to consumers; separate trade terms exist.
- What it offers
- Showroom design with 2D and 3D plans, a free home measure by a Wren surveyor and an online planner. Three cabinet ranges: Vogue (flat-pack, 15-year guarantee), Infinity and Easy-Fit (rigid, 20 years) and Infinity Plus (rigid, 18mm walls, 8mm back panel, 25 years). Cabinets are made to order in 50mm width increments from 150 to 1,000mm across four depths and eleven heights. Spectrum colour-matching across 1,950 colours on selected Infinity Plus ranges. Worktops and appliances sold. Optional installation is a "dry fit" contracted with Wren and delivered by Wren's subcontracted, vetted fitters, with a five-year workmanship guarantee. Interest-free credit up to seven years on selected ranges; Wren acts as a credit broker.
- Most suitable for
- A UK factory-built kitchen from a large showroom network, with long finance terms, where you are comfortable arranging or separately paying for connections, decoration and any building work.
- Important points to compare
- Wren's standard installation covers assembly and positioning of cabinets, worktops and appliances without final connections to gas, water or electrics. Removal of the old kitchen, plumbing, electrics, tiling, plastering and flooring are supplementary works quoted separately by the fitter under a separate agreement; structural work is excluded. Installation prices follow a price list that is not published online. Hinge and drawer hardware brands are not stated. Deposit protection is not clearly stated.
- How this differs from Mastercraft
- Wren's cabinets are made to order in fixed increments rather than to measure, and its fitting service stops short of connections and building work. To compare fairly, add the fitter's supplementary quote and any builder's costs to the Wren price.
Sources checked 5 September 2026: wrenkitchens.com (The Wren Way, Kitchen unit warranty, Installation terms, Kitchen fitting and installation service, Finance, Delivery information, Spectrum, Infinity Plus range, Infinity brochure PDF).
Magnet
Showroom-led manufacturer and retailer, founded 1918. Factory in Darlington; national showroom network; sells to consumers and trade.
- Type of company
- A long-established fitted-kitchen retailer that makes its cabinets in its own UK factory and sells through showrooms, with an optional in-house installation service.
- What it offers
- Dedicated in-store designer, virtual design, a measurement check at home and a guide-price tool. Pre-built 18mm rigid cabinets with a lifetime guarantee, or 16mm Simply Ready to Assemble flat-pack cabinets with a 15-year guarantee. Standard widths from 150 to 1,000mm; 21 collections with over 290 finishes and paint-to-order colours. Worktops, appliances, flooring and lighting sold. Installation service is TrustMark accredited, with DBS-checked, insured fitters; it includes a pre-fit technical survey, dismantling and removal of the old kitchen, and gas, plumbing and electrical work by Gas Safe engineers and registered electricians. Two-year workmanship guarantee and a home visit one year after installation. Interest-free credit over two years (three on larger orders); Magnet acts as a credit broker.
- Most suitable for
- A fitted retail kitchen where you want services connected and the old kitchen removed by the same company, bought through a national showroom network.
- Important points to compare
- Plastering, tiling, flooring installation, decorating and structural work are not clearly stated as part of the installation service, so ask what is and is not included. Whether fitters are employed or subcontracted, and who your installation contract is with, is not clearly stated online. Made-to-measure cabinet sizes are not described. Hardware brands are not stated. Deposit protection is not clearly stated. Magnet's own process guide suggests the deliver-and-install stage usually takes two to four months.
- How this differs from Mastercraft
- Magnet offers standard-size cabinets with an installation service that goes further than most national retailers on connections. Mastercraft adds made-to-measure manufacture and takes the plastering, flooring and structural work into the same project.
Sources checked 5 September 2026: magnet.co.uk (Home, Installation, About us, How to buy, Fitting a kitchen the Magnet way, Finance, Cabinet finishes, Kitchen cabinets buying guide, Kitchen owner's manual PDF), magnettrade.co.uk terms.
Wickes
National DIY and trade retailer, around 230 stores. Showroom "Bespoke" kitchens with installation, and in-stock "Lifestyle" kitchens for self-assembly.
- Type of company
- A listed home-improvement retailer with two kitchen tiers: designed, showroom-led Bespoke ranges with an optional project-managed installation service, and lower-cost flat-pack Lifestyle ranges to take away or have delivered.
- What it offers
- Free design appointment with a home visit, precise measurement and a 360-degree design. Bespoke ranges: 18mm cabinets with 12mm back panels, Blum soft-close hinges and Blum full-extension drawer boxes as standard, around 200 cabinet options in fixed sizes, 20-year guarantee on cabinets, hinges and runners and 10 years on doors. Lifestyle ranges: 15mm cabinets, 3mm back panels, 10-year cabinet guarantee. Installation on Bespoke ranges only, by local approved installers, with a full technical survey first, Wickes managing the project, responsible disposal of the old kitchen, and plumbing, gas, electrics, lighting and tiling stated as available. Two-year workmanship guarantee. Up to four years' interest-free credit on Bespoke kitchens.
- Most suitable for
- A mid-market showroom kitchen with services included, or a low-cost kitchen to fit yourself, from a store network across the country.
- Important points to compare
- Plastering, decorating and structural work are not clearly stated. Whether your installation contract is with Wickes or the installer, and whether the Bespoke cabinets arrive rigid or flat-packed, is not clearly stated online. Where the cabinets are manufactured is not stated. Made-to-measure sizes are not offered; "Bespoke" refers to the designed range. Deposit protection is not clearly stated.
- How this differs from Mastercraft
- Wickes provides a designed, standard-size kitchen with a managed installation that covers connections and tiling. Mastercraft makes cabinets to the room and takes on plastering, flooring and structural work within the same project.
Sources checked 5 September 2026: wickes.co.uk and kitchens.wickes.co.uk (Kitchens, Your home our guarantee, Your trust our installers, Why Wickes, Lifestyle kitchens, Bespoke kitchen finance, Wickes Kitchen Brochure PDF), Wickes Group plc full-year results 2025.
Howdens
Trade-only supplier, established 1995. UK factories in Yorkshire and Cheshire; more than 850 local depots.
- Type of company
- A kitchen and joinery supplier that sells only to trade account holders. Homeowners buy through their builder, joiner or fitter, who agrees the supply-and-fit price with them and carries out the work.
- What it offers
- Free design and home survey through depot designers, booked via your tradesperson. Cabinets designed and made in Howdens' own UK factories in 18mm MFC, available ready-assembled (rigid) or flat-pack, in standard modular widths. More than 100 kitchen designs across J-pull, shaker and slab styles, with paint-to-order doors. Laminate, timber, quartz and Slab Tech worktops, with template-and-fit service on solid surfaces. Lamona own-brand appliances plus AEG, Bosch, Neff and others. 25-year cabinet guarantee, five years on doors. Kitchens supplied from local depot stock. Trade account holders receive local, confidential trade pricing.
- Most suitable for
- A project where you already have a trusted builder or fitter who will design with the depot, buy the kitchen on their account, fit it and manage the associated work.
- Important points to compare
- Howdens does not fit kitchens, does not remove old kitchens and does not carry out plumbing, electrics, plastering, flooring or structural work; all of this is arranged and priced by your tradesperson, who holds the contract with you. No consumer prices or consumer finance are published. There is no installation guarantee from Howdens. Cabinet hinge and runner brands are not stated. Deposit protection is not clearly stated. Ask your tradesperson for a fully itemised quote covering supply, fitting, connections, decoration and waste.
- How this differs from Mastercraft
- With Howdens the coordination, fitting and building work rest with your builder, and the cabinets are standard sizes. Mastercraft carries out the design, manufacture, fitting and building work itself, with cabinets made to measure, under a single agreed project.
Sources checked 5 September 2026: howdens.com (How to buy, Trade accounts and services, Our pricing, Manufacturing, Guarantee terms and conditions, Aftersales, Delivery FAQs, Kitchens, Awards, Account terms and conditions PDF).
B&Q
National DIY retailer, around 300 stores, part of Kingfisher plc. Own-brand GoodHome kitchens.
- Type of company
- A DIY retailer selling flat-pack own-brand kitchens in store and online, with free planning appointments and an optional installation service delivered by approved independent installers.
- What it offers
- Free in-store or online planning appointment with 3D design and a tailored quote; you supply the measurements. GoodHome cabinets with 18mm panels and ABS front edging, flat-packed with cam-and-dowel assembly, in standard widths from 150 to 1,000mm. Three collections (Essential, Signature, Select) in shaker, slab and handleless styles. GoodHome worktops, sinks, taps and Bamia appliances, plus bespoke stone worktops templated and fitted. 25-year guarantee on Caraway cabinets, Soto drawers, Kombu hinges and GoodHome worktops. Installation by B&Q-approved installers who are paid by B&Q, with a transferable two-year workmanship guarantee. FlexiPlan finance with up to four years interest-free on larger orders.
- Most suitable for
- Seeing the product in store at a published unit price, then either fitting it yourself or using an installer arranged through the retailer.
- Important points to compare
- Removal of the old kitchen, plumbing, electrics, plastering, flooring, decorating and structural work are not clearly stated as part of the installation service. The installation scope, exclusions and contract party are not published online. Cabinets are flat-pack; where they are manufactured is not stated. Made-to-measure sizes are not offered. Lead times and deposit protection are not clearly stated. A £75 delivery charge applies to in-store kitchen orders over £1,000.
- How this differs from Mastercraft
- B&Q supplies standard-size flat-pack cabinets with an optional fitting service whose scope should be confirmed in store. Mastercraft manufactures rigid, made-to-measure cabinets and takes on the fitting and building work as one project.
Sources checked 5 September 2026: diy.com (Kitchens, Services and Installation, Planning appointment, Our kitchen guarantees, Fitted kitchens collections, Cabinet units, Become an approved installer, Kitchen finance, Delivery, Workmanship guarantee terms PDF), kingfisher.com.
IKEA
Modular flat-pack system, 22 UK stores plus planning and collection points. Designed for self-installation with optional services.
- Type of company
- A global furniture retailer whose kitchens are built on fixed modular systems (METOD, ENHET, KNOXHULT) with every component priced online, sold for self-assembly with optional paid planning, measuring and installation services.
- What it offers
- Free planning appointments in store or online, free online planners, and a £35 home measuring service. METOD frames in particleboard with melamine foil and fibreboard backs, flat-packed, on a fixed grid of 20, 30, 40, 60 and 80cm widths. Over 30 door styles. Own-brand UTRUSTA hinges and MAXIMERA soft-close drawers. Custom-cut laminate, acrylic and quartz worktops. 25-year guarantee on METOD, 10 years on ENHET, five on KNOXHULT. Optional installation by independent contractors, contracted with IKEA Limited, with a £50 survey deducted from the price and a five-year workmanship guarantee; most installations take five to seven days. Interest-free loans from £1,500 to £15,000.
- Most suitable for
- A self-planned modular kitchen at fully published prices, where you are happy to assemble or project-manage, or to arrange your own trades around a dry-fit installation.
- Important points to compare
- IKEA's installation service explicitly excludes electrical, gas and plumbing work, appliances not supplied by IKEA, and decorative work such as painting, tiling, plastering and flooring. Removal of the old kitchen is an optional extra. Stone worktops are not fitted by IKEA installers. You are responsible for the accuracy of your measurements unless you buy the measuring service. Made-to-measure cabinets are not offered. Where the cabinets are manufactured is not stated on the UK site. Deposit protection is not clearly stated.
- How this differs from Mastercraft
- IKEA offers a fixed modular system at transparent prices with a dry-fit service. Mastercraft makes each cabinet to the room and carries out the connections, decoration and building work within one project, so the two prices cover very different amounts of work.
Sources checked 5 September 2026: ikea.com/gb (Kitchen installation, Kitchen planning, Kitchen measuring, Services terms and conditions, Guarantee, Delivery, Finance options, METOD kitchens, product pages, Kitchen guarantee PDF).
DIY Kitchens
Online supply-only manufacturer (Ultima Furniture Systems Ltd), family-run since 1982. Yorkshire factories; one showroom near Pontefract.
- Type of company
- A manufacturer selling rigid, pre-assembled kitchen units directly to the public and trade online at published prices. Design, home measuring and installation are not part of the service.
- What it offers
- Free online planner and a £29.99 paid planning service. Rigid, glued-and-dowelled 18mm Egger MFC cabinets with 8mm solid backs, colour-coordinated inside and out, delivered fully assembled with doors and drawers fitted. Blum Clip Top soft-close hinges and Blum Tandembox drawers as standard. Over 900 made-to-order units in fixed widths (base 150 to 1,200mm), with reduced-depth options and minor size amendments on some units. Nine door families including in-frame and solid wood, painted to match any colour reference with a sample door. Laminate and stone worktops (stone templated and fitted by a third-party partner), and AEG, Neff, Bosch and CDA appliances on a supply-only basis. 25-year unit guarantee, five years on Innova doors. Standard lead time around two to three weeks, longer for bespoke paint. Delivery to mainland UK at £99 plus VAT, ground floor only.
- Most suitable for
- A confident self-manager, or someone with their own fitter, who prioritises cabinet specification and price transparency over service.
- Important points to compare
- No installation, removal, plumbing, electrics, plastering, flooring or structural work is offered, and no fitters are recommended. Doors are not available in non-standard sizes, so cabinets are not fully made to measure. Full payment is taken at checkout; no finance is offered. Made-to-order units cannot be returned once production starts, and damage must be reported within ten working days. Deposit protection is not clearly stated.
- How this differs from Mastercraft
- DIY Kitchens supplies a well-specified rigid cabinet and nothing else. Mastercraft supplies a made-to-measure cabinet together with the design, fitting and building work, so a DIY Kitchens price needs a fitter's and builder's quote added before it is comparable.
Sources checked 5 September 2026: diy-kitchens.com (About, Why DIY Kitchens, Showroom, Planning service, Delivery information, Terms and conditions, Kitchens, Kitchen units, Quartz worktops) and advice.diy-kitchens.com (FAQs, General information, Carcase specification, Unit widths, Choosing a kitchen fitter).
Harvey Jones
Showroom-led bespoke furniture maker, founded 1977. Own Cambridgeshire workshop; 22 UK showrooms.
- Type of company
- A designer and manufacturer of made-to-measure in-frame cabinetry, hand-painted in the home, with an optional nationwide fitting and painting service overseen by installation managers.
- What it offers
- Free initial consultation in a showroom or at home, and a site visit by an installation manager before production. Fully hand-built, six-sided rigid in-frame cabinets with no flat-pack elements, hardwood door frames on butt hinges, and solid oak or walnut dovetailed drawer boxes on soft-close under-mount runners. Height, width and depth of any cupboard can be adjusted. Seven collections, hand-painted in situ in any colour with two coats of water-based paint over an undercoat, and repaintable later. Appliances, worktops, sinks and taps can be supplied. Installation typically four to six days plus three to five days of painting. Ten-year cabinetry guarantee when Harvey Jones installs and paints the kitchen. Initial payment of 25 per cent of the quote.
- Most suitable for
- Fully bespoke, hand-painted in-frame furniture with a coordinated supply of appliances and worktops, where a separate builder handles the room.
- Important points to compare
- Removal of the old kitchen, plumbing, electrics, plastering, flooring, decorating and structural work are not clearly stated on the website, so confirm what is and is not included in writing. Who your installation contract is with is not clearly stated. The ten-year guarantee applies only when Harvey Jones fit and paint the kitchen; full terms are held in showrooms. No pricing, finance or lead times are published. Hardware brands and carcass panel material are not stated. Deposit protection is not clearly stated.
- How this differs from Mastercraft
- Both make cabinets to measure. Harvey Jones paints in the home and describes furniture and fitting only; Mastercraft's public information covers the electrics, plumbing, plastering, flooring and structural work as part of the same project.
Sources checked 5 September 2026: harveyjones.com (FAQs, Our installation, Our cabinetry guarantee, Quality kitchens, Hand-painted kitchens, Bespoke kitchens, Our workshop, Kitchen costs and pricing, Showrooms, Terms and conditions).
Tom Howley
Showroom-led bespoke furniture maker with installation, part of BHID Group. Glossop workshop; 19 UK showrooms plus regional designers.
- Type of company
- A designer and manufacturer supplying and installing bespoke kitchens, worktops and appliances under a single contract, with building and services work expressly excluded.
- What it offers
- Free design visit at home or in a showroom, followed by a site survey. Furniture handmade in Glossop from timber using mortise-and-tenon and dovetail joints, designed to fit any given space, with solid brass hinges and handles. Six collections in 24 exclusive paint colours, finished in the workshop and hand-finished in situ after installation. Granite, Silestone, marble and timber worktops, and premium appliances from brands such as Miele, Sub-Zero and Wolf, supplied and fitted as standard. Dedicated installation teams and field installation managers. Ten-year guarantee on Tom Howley-made furniture covering materials, workmanship and design, with twelve months on the painted finish. Regulated finance through a third-party lender. Payment in three stages: 15 per cent on order, 50 per cent at sign-off and 35 per cent before delivery.
- Most suitable for
- A single furniture-and-fitting contract with published payment terms and finance, where you have a builder to prepare the room and complete everything around the furniture.
- Important points to compare
- Tom Howley's terms state that it will not carry out structural alterations, building, decorating, electrical, plumbing or heating work, and that the premises must be ready for installation on the agreed date. Removal of the old kitchen is not clearly stated. Third-party components including appliances, stone and "moving components" carry the manufacturer's guarantee rather than Tom Howley's. Carcass material, whether fitters are employed or subcontracted, pricing and lead times are not published. Colour matching outside the 24-colour palette is not clearly stated. Deposit protection is not clearly stated.
- How this differs from Mastercraft
- Tom Howley provides made-to-fit furniture with its own installation, but requires you to arrange and pay for the building and services work separately. Mastercraft includes that work within the agreed project.
Sources checked 5 September 2026: tomhowley.co.uk (Why Tom Howley, Our workshop, Master craftsmen, Experienced installation teams, Design visit, Colours, Appliances, Showrooms, Terms and conditions, Finance terms and conditions, About us), bhid.co.uk.
deVOL
Founder-led workshop manufacturer, established 1989. Leicestershire workshops; walk-in showrooms at Cotes Mill, two in London and one in Bath, plus New York and Los Angeles.
- Type of company
- A design-led manufacturer with a modular Real Shaker range in standard sizes and a fully bespoke Classic English range, factory-painted, fitted by its own team or supplied for your builder to fit.
- What it offers
- Free showroom design appointments of two to three hours for UK projects; you provide a dimensioned room plan and details of any structural work and permissions. Rigid cabinets delivered fully assembled: Real Shaker in prime birch ply with rock maple frames and solid oak dovetailed drawers; Classic English in birch ply with tulipwood tongue-and-groove backs, made entirely bespoke. Further ranges include Haberdasher's, Sebastian Cox and Heirloom. Sprayed then hand-brushed finish in the workshop; Shaker in twelve colours with custom matching at a surcharge, Classic English in any colour. Worktops templated, cut and fitted during installation. Published guide prices, for example £12,000 to £40,000 for Real Shaker and £30,000 to £70,000 for Classic English, with itemised catalogue prices including VAT. Lead time described as around three to four months, with advice to get in touch six months ahead.
- Most suitable for
- Distinctive, workshop-finished furniture with transparent guide pricing, where you are comfortable coordinating your own builders and trades.
- Important points to compare
- Removal of the old kitchen, plumbing, electrics, plastering, flooring, decorating and structural work are not clearly stated; the design brief asks you to report the status of structural work rather than offering it. The guarantee covers manufacturing and finishing but its length in years is not stated, and it excludes defective or poor installation, which matters if you choose delivery only. Kitchen contract terms are not published online (the published terms relate to the online shop). Appliance supply, hardware brands, finance and deposit protection are not clearly stated. Several operational details on the website come from older blog posts, so confirm current arrangements.
- How this differs from Mastercraft
- deVOL's Classic English range is fully bespoke and its Shaker range is modular; both are fitted or delivered only. Mastercraft makes every cabinet to measure and adds the electrics, plumbing, plastering, flooring and structural work within one project.
Sources checked 5 September 2026: devolkitchens.co.uk (Kitchens, Design service, FAQs, Shaker kitchen and catalogue, Classic bespoke kitchen, Showrooms, Our story, Shop terms, Delivery, and blog posts on cupboard materials, the Shaker and Classic English ranges, design appointments and overseas projects).
How to compare kitchen prices like for like
Kitchen quotes are rarely for the same thing. Before comparing two figures, work out which of the three levels each one covers.
1. Cabinet-only price
What you pay for the furniture: cabinets, doors, drawers, plinths, cornices and end panels. Supply-only and trade quotes usually stop here. Worktops, appliances, sinks and taps are sometimes included and sometimes not, so check the list line by line. A low cabinet-only price tells you very little about the finished cost of the room.
2. Fitted price
Cabinet-only plus the labour to assemble and fix the furniture and fit the worktop. This is where most national retailers' "installation" sits, and the detail matters: a dry fit positions everything but does not connect the gas, water or electricity; a wet fit does. Removal of the old kitchen, tiling, plastering and flooring may be added by the fitter as separate items, sometimes under a separate contract, so ask for them to be written into the quote.
3. Complete project price
Everything above plus the building work that makes the room right: removing walls or chimney breasts, moving services, re-plastering, new flooring, lighting circuits, decorating and making good. A complete project quotation should identify this work and make clear who is responsible for carrying it out. If you are getting a complete project price from one company, the fair comparison with another company is their fitted price plus your builder's quote for the remaining work, plus the time you will spend coordinating the two.
A practical test: ask each company to confirm in writing what would happen if a wall turned out to be uneven, a pipe was in the wrong place, or the floor needed levelling. The written answer will show where responsibility sits when the unexpected happens.
What to ask before you choose a kitchen company
- Who am I contracting with for the fitting? The kitchen company, a subcontractor, or my own tradesperson? Who do I call if something goes wrong during installation?
- Is the price cabinet-only, fitted or complete? Ask for removal of the old kitchen, worktops, appliances, sink and tap, plumbing, gas, electrics, plastering, tiling, flooring and decorating to be listed as included or excluded.
- Are the cabinets made to measure or standard sizes? If standard, how will gaps, awkward corners, pipes and alcoves be dealt with, and who pays for fillers and adjustments?
- Are the cabinets rigid or flat-pack, and what are they made of? Ask for panel thickness, back panel thickness and the hinge and drawer-runner brand.
- Who measures the room, and who is responsible if the measurements are wrong? Several companies' terms make the customer responsible unless a paid measuring service is bought.
- Where is the furniture made? Some companies state their UK factory or workshop; others do not say.
- What guarantees apply, and to what? Cabinets, doors, paint finish, appliances and workmanship are often covered for very different periods, and some guarantees only apply if the company installs the kitchen itself.
- Is my deposit protected? Ask whether your payment is covered by an independent deposit protection or insurance-backed scheme, request written evidence and check when each stage payment becomes due.
- What is the lead time from order to a finished room, and how long will the house be disrupted?
- Who manages the project day to day, and will the same person see it through from design to completion?
When Mastercraft is the right fit
Mastercraft Kitchens is most relevant when your project involves more than replacing cabinets. Its public information describes bespoke design in your home, cabinets made to the width, height and depth required for the room in its own UK workshop, installation through a Mastercraft-managed fitting team, and the electrics, plumbing, plastering, flooring and structural changes carried out as part of the same agreed project, with Mastercraft coordinating the work from beginning to end.
That model is not the right answer for every buyer. If you already have a builder you trust and simply need well-made cabinets, a trade or supply-only company will suit you and cost less at the cabinet stage. If you want a walk-in showroom on a retail park, Mastercraft does not run one; it works from design visits in the home instead. And if your priority is a particular workshop's house style, the premium furniture makers above each have a distinctive look worth seeing.
Where Mastercraft is the strongest fit is the renovation that would otherwise need a kitchen company, a builder, an electrician, a plumber, a plasterer and a floor fitter, each with their own quote, schedule and responsibility. Taking that coordination into one project, with made-to-measure cabinetry designed for the finished room rather than adapted to it, is the service it is built around. Published guide pricing starts from around £15,000 fully fitted, with most projects between £18,000 and £35,000, and larger bespoke kitchens and wider renovation work priced according to the design and agreed scope.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a fitted kitchen and a complete kitchen renovation?
A fitted kitchen normally means the furniture is assembled and fixed in place, with the worktop fitted. Depending on the company, connecting the gas, water and electrics may or may not be included. A complete renovation also covers the room itself: removing the old kitchen, moving services, plastering, flooring, lighting, decorating and any structural changes such as taking down a wall. Ask which of these your quotation covers.
Which kitchen companies make cabinets to measure?
Among the companies compared, Mastercraft Kitchens, Harvey Jones and Tom Howley state that their furniture is made to the dimensions of the room. deVOL's Classic English range is fully bespoke while its Real Shaker range is modular. Wren makes to order in 50mm width increments. Magnet, Wickes, Howdens, B&Q, IKEA and DIY Kitchens work from standard sizes, although DIY Kitchens offers minor amendments on some units and several companies offer paint-to-order colours.
Can I buy a Howdens kitchen without a builder?
Howdens states that it sells only to the trade and that a builder is essential to purchase its products. Homeowners buy through a tradesperson who holds a Howdens trade account, and the supply-and-fit price is agreed between the homeowner and that tradesperson. Howdens says its depot staff can help you find a trade professional but does not directly recommend tradespeople.
Do Wren, Magnet and Wickes include plumbing and electrics in their installation?
Their published information differs. Wren describes its standard installation as a dry fit without final connections to gas, water or electrics, with those works quoted separately by the fitter. Magnet states that its fitters can handle gas, plumbing and electrical work, using Gas Safe engineers and registered electricians. Wickes states that its approved installers can take care of plumbing, gas, electrics, lighting and tiling on its Bespoke ranges. In every case, ask for the scope to be confirmed in writing, and ask about plastering, flooring and decorating, which are not clearly stated by any of the three.
Is a supply-only kitchen cheaper?
The cabinet price is usually lower, but it is only part of the finished cost. You will need to add a fitter, any plumbing and electrical work, worktop fitting, removal of the old kitchen, plastering, flooring and decorating, plus the time to coordinate them. Compare the total cost of the finished room, not the cabinet price alone.
Why has this page not ranked the companies from best to worst?
Because they sell different things. A trade supplier, a flat-pack retailer, a bespoke furniture workshop and a complete project company cannot be scored against one another fairly. Instead, this page describes what each company states it offers and suggests the type of project each is best suited to, so you can compare the ones that match your own.
How often is this comparison updated?
The information was last checked on 5 September 2026 and we aim to review it at least every six months. Companies change their ranges, services, guarantees and offers regularly, so always confirm current details directly before ordering. If you spot something out of date, please let us know.
Planning a complete kitchen renovation?
Mastercraft designs in your home, makes every cabinet to measure in its own UK workshop, and takes on the fitting and building work as one project. A design visit is free and without obligation.
Arrange a design visitSources and update policy
All information was taken from the following company websites and documents on 5 September 2026. Where a company's page did not set out a fact, the entry above says "not clearly stated". Independent sources were limited to Companies House and, for Wickes, the group's published annual results. We welcome corrections from any company listed; please contact us.
- Mastercraft Kitchens: mastercraftkitchens.co.uk (home, quality, installations, structural work, guarantee information, pricing, FAQs, contact)
- Wren Kitchens: wrenkitchens.com (The Wren Way, kitchen unit warranty, installation terms, installation service, finance, delivery information, Spectrum, Infinity Plus range, Infinity brochure)
- Magnet: magnet.co.uk (installation, about us, how to buy, fitting the Magnet way, finance, cabinet finishes, buying guide, owner's manual) and magnettrade.co.uk terms
- Wickes: wickes.co.uk/kitchens and kitchens.wickes.co.uk (guarantee, installers, why Wickes, Lifestyle kitchens, finance, kitchen brochure); Wickes Group plc full-year results 2025
- Howdens: howdens.com (how to buy, trade accounts, our pricing, manufacturing, guarantee terms, aftersales, delivery FAQs, awards, account terms)
- B&Q: diy.com (kitchens, installation, planning appointment, kitchen guarantees, collections, cabinet units, approved installer, kitchen finance, delivery, workmanship guarantee terms); kingfisher.com
- IKEA: ikea.com/gb (kitchen installation, planning, measuring, services terms, guarantee, delivery, finance, METOD, kitchen guarantee PDF)
- DIY Kitchens: diy-kitchens.com and advice.diy-kitchens.com (about, why DIY Kitchens, showroom, planning service, delivery, terms, FAQs, carcase specification, unit widths)
- Harvey Jones: harveyjones.com (FAQs, installation, cabinetry guarantee, quality, hand-painted kitchens, workshop, pricing, showrooms, terms)
- Tom Howley: tomhowley.co.uk (why Tom Howley, workshop, installation teams, design visit, colours, appliances, showrooms, terms and conditions, finance terms, about us); bhid.co.uk
- deVOL: devolkitchens.co.uk (kitchens, design service, FAQs, Shaker and Classic English ranges, showrooms, our story, shop terms, delivery, blog)
- Companies House: find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk
Company names and trade marks belong to their respective owners and are used here for identification only. This page expresses Mastercraft Kitchens' understanding of publicly available information at the date of checking and is not endorsed by any other company listed.
