Kitchen Q & As

What's the difference between fitted and unfitted kitchens?

At Crick House there is no constructional difference at all, it's all down to the design, which in turn is entirely up to you. If you would like your kitchen to appear to be made up from individual pieces with gaps between, possibly different height and depths or even styles, we would class this as unfitted. If you prefer all the cabinets to appear as one without breaks and gaps and with unbroken worktops, then we would term this as fitted.
The line of course is not definitive, you could have for instance freestanding cabinets with fillers set back between the cabinets sides, thus avoiding the need to clean between them, yet still appearing separate.

Is wood a suitable material for worktops?

It most certainly is! Wood adds character and warmth to the kitchen. Most hardwoods when correctly finished will give years of faithful service. At Crick House we build all our own tops and unlike many companies, we finish them for you too.
Our most popular woods are Maple and Oak.

What's a “freestanding kitchen”?

The term these days is usually used to describe unfitted kitchens where it is possible to move items around and even take them with you when you move. At Crick House all our kitchens are freestanding whether they are unfitted or fitted!

I like the idea of an unfitted kitchen but my house is an odd shape and the kitchen very small, should I go for a mass-produced fitted kitchen?

It's a common misconception that somehow unfitted kitchens cannot make the best use of space.
At Crick House we will take detailed measurements and templates of your kitchen to ensure the furniture fits neatly into all those awkward places the kitchen is then design specifically for you to maximize the use of space. Whereas mass-produced kitchens come in fixed sizes and depths, so if the required size cabinet is not available, a filler is used wasting even more valuable space.

Do you do electrical and plumbing works?

No, we are specialist cabinetmakers and prefer to stick to what we know best. All our cabinets are designed to make connections to services quick and simple. We will provide drawings for your tradesmen and if you wish we would talk to them direct. Over the years we have supplied many kitchens to builders and plumbers for their own houses, so we must have got it right!

I live in Devon , do you come out that far?

Although we are a small family business we have shipped our furniture to all parts of the world, so Devon is no problem to us.

How do I go about planning my kitchen with you?

A visit to our showrooms is a must if you can make it.
All we need to get started is a rough plan of your room showing the doors and windows, you will probably have some preferences as to where some things should go and maybe even some existing pieces you want built into the design. Make a note of these and anything else you think may be useful to us, styles materials etc. Sizes need only be rough at this stage; if you decide to proceed we will firm up on the critical measurements with a detailed survey. You will get back from us an outline plan showing each cabinet and a complete costing. You could if you like use the plan as a shopping list and precede with only some of the items, returning at a later phase for some more.

I love your traditionally made cabinets but would like some modern accessories like pullout wire larders and carousels, is this possible?

Absolutely! Although the exterior may be traditional you can have any modern space or labour saving device available.

How do you deal with the corner space when cabinets meet a right angle?

The principle is no different from fitted kitchens. We will provide access into the corner from either or both cabinets. You can then have a normal shelf or if you prefer a carousel or even a “magic corner”

If I bring my plans along can you give me a ballpark price?

By all means bring your plans along and we can talk them through with you. The process of raising a quotation though takes up to 7 days. We do not have a “price list” or a fixed rate per metre. Because every kitchen is so is unique we have to prepare the drawings before we can price them.
Our quotations are very detailed; there are no hidden extras or surprises later on. We pride ourselves on being open and honest with our clients, giving exceptional value for an exceptional product.

I have visited your showrooms and although I am sold on Crick House, I haven't seen the style I like, do you do any others?

Each and every piece of furniture is made exclusively for you, we do not have set styles, which means you can have whatever style you wish. It is often helpful in the design stage if you build a scrapbook of ideas, snip out articles and photos from magazines, draw sketches and even take digital photos. We will then draw all these design elements together in your kitchen plans

I would like you to make me a painted kitchen, what colours can I have?

Absolutely any colour you like. You choose a colour from any manufacturer, we'll paint it.
Unlike some kitchen companies we paint your kitchen in our own workshops not in your house! This speeds up the delivery process resulting in less disruption for you.

Our building works are running behind schedule will this affect the kitchen delivery?

Not necessarily, it depends upon whether we are able to take critical measurements before the works are finished. For instance, if a cabinet is to fit snugly between two walls and those two walls are not plastered when we are due to start making your furniture, then we have two options,
1. Arrive at a cabinet length by estimating the plaster thickness and allow a small margin of error. Although this means the delivery will not be held up, the cabinet may not fit as snugly as you would have liked.
2. Wait until the building works have finished and then take the actual measurements. This option may well delay the delivery.
From our long experience it is far better to go for option 2. You have probably waited some time for your dream kitchen; a little longer wait is a small price to pay for getting it right!

Why is your lead-time (around 12 weeks) so long?

All our furniture is hand made in our own cabinet shops; this is a very lengthy process and cannot be rushed. Because we offer such excellent value for money we are always very busy. It's well worth the wait.

I would like to have some granite tops in my new kitchen, is the additional costs justified?

I believe it is. Granite worktops are expensive, at least twice the cost of wood, its in areas like around your cooker that they come into their own and more than justify the cost. They are virtually indestructible (polished rock!), maintenance free, heat & cold proof and look great.
Granite is an ideal material for tops either of Agas, in fact we strongly advise against wood in these situations.

I would like a kitchen made from natural materials, is this something you can do?

This is something we feel very strongly about. All our furniture is made from real wood, no man-made board (chipboard, mdf etc) is used unless it is absolutely necessary and even then you will make the final decision. All our timber comes from responsible and well-managed producers.
Much of our hardwood arrives still with the bark on so we truly do build your kitchen from scratch. We are more than happy to keep back a piece of the original tree for you as a keepsake.
We also have a full range of environmentally friendly finishing materials if would you prefer these.

Can I buy my Kitchen in stages?

Of course. Although our plans may show several items, you are welcome to buy them in as many phases as you wish. This is the main reason for showing each cabinet separately. The price will be the same whether you buy the items separately or all together.
In some cases it may be preferable to defer some items particularly if you have more building works planned or even if you are not sure if something will work.
We can even design your furniture to be used for a while in one room before being finally moved to your new kitchen.

You have asked me for my room sizes, I have to say I am not very confident, is there another way?

We only ask you to supply rough sizes in the early stages as a way of getting you an outline quote. From experience, an inch or so either way will not affect the overall price and in any case were you to order from us we would visit for a full survey. Although we do not employ salespersons to call on you, we do have a member of our technical team who is more than happy to visit you and take sufficient sizes to provide you with a quotation. There is no charge for this service for those living in Oxfordshire and the surrounding counties, for those living further away we may ask for a contribution towards the cost.

What specifically do your guys do at the delivery and what should I arrange?

All the furniture has been designed and built to fit in your kitchen; delivery is usually quite straightforward and apart from connecting up the services, is in most cases, completed within the day. We ask you to remove the old kitchen and arrange for the plumbing and electrical works to be prepared ready for your new kitchen. We will if required, supply plans for this. If you are planning to lay a new floor this should also be completed prior to delivery.
We will fit all cabinets and worktops. Including wall cabinets, plate racks, shelves etc
In some cases to facilitate access into your kitchen, our team will need to reassemble larger cabinets before fitting them.
If required, we will make any slight adjustments to the cabinets and worktops.
Although we do not perform the plumbing or electrical works ourselves, we have made our cabinets as “tradesman friendly” as possible so the final connections are usually very simple to complete. In most cases it is not necessary to have tradesmen present at the delivery, connections can be made in the days following the delivery.
We are more than happy to speak direct to your tradesmen to ensure all goes well on the day of delivery.
If you have specified granite tops, we will in almost every cases fit these at the delivery (although for difficult locations we may have to template the area first and then return with the tops). This is in marked contrast to most kitchen companies who keep you waiting for up to four weeks for your granite worktops!
Our delivery & setup charge covers all eventualities apart from any changes that have been made to your kitchen without our knowledge. So please keep us informed of any works that have taken place after our site survey.
It is not unusual to encounter some “snags” that may require a further visit.
Apart from the connection of services we plan to leave you at the end of the day with a kitchen ready for use!

If I order my kitchen from you, can you guarantee that it will be delivered within your lead time?

No. Our lead time is an estimation only, based on experience - how long all the preceding orders will take before we can start on your order. Any unforseen time lost (or gained) in our production cycle can have an effect on your order. We use “week commencing” as a guide. Only once your furniture is built and being finished can we set an exact delivery date.

Our builders have let us down and we will not be ready when you are due to deliver. What happens now?

We can put back the delivery and store your furniture for a while - although we must ask for payment in full at this stage.
We would ask you to keep us informed in advance if you think a delay is possible. Our facilities for storage are limited.

You have quoted for “Oak where seen” with pine carcasses. Can I have carcasses from other wood?

Of course! If you would like your furniture made entirely from solid oak - inside and out - that's no problem. It will, of course, raise the price but we'll be happy to give you a quote.

Are you like most other kitchen companies in that payment must be received in full before you start work on my kitchen?

No. Apart from your initial deposit of 30% we will not ask you for final payment until your furniture is made and ready for delivery.

I find it very daunting when you say I can have whatever I want. Can you help me plan my kitchen?

We have a wealth of experience in helping you plan your kitchen. We will guide you through the process in easy stages giving you the benfit of our experience at every step. We can even give you help and advice regarding flooring, choice of appliances, colour schemes, sourcing materials and even the best takeaways to use while you are without a kitchen!