How Good is the IKEA Kitchen Planning Service? (2023 Update)

Complete Information to IKEA’s Up to date Kitchen Planning Companies

2023 Replace:We first wrote about IKEA’s planning service again in 2016. That was earlier than COVID, earlier than video chat turned the norm, and earlier than IKEA purchased out Traemand. Briefly, quite a bit has modified, and we wished to replace this put up to mirror the methods wherein IKEA’s companies have modified.

2016:At this time’s visitor put up is by Ray S.

IKEA provides a $199 in-person kitchen planning service. An IKEA kitchen planning skilled visits your private home, takes measurements, and spends 4 hours sitting with you to plan the kitchen you’ll use for the following 20 years.

Is it higher than working with Impressed Kitchen Design on-line?

Our secret shopper, Ray, employed them to seek out out… and boy, did we study quite a bit.

Earlier than you rent IKEA to plan your kitchen, you should learn this weblog put up.

2023 Replace:IKEA now not expenses for his or her kitchen planning service, however you received’t be getting the identical in-home, personalised service. As a substitute, you get a 90-minute appointment both in-store or on-line with an IKEA planning specialist. (Notice: An IKEA planning specialist shouldn’t be an expert kitchen designer.)

You’re anticipated to have your measurements prepared, however for a $49 payment you may rent a technician to carry out the duty for you.

IKEA vs. Impressed Kitchen Design Companies

2016:There are three explanation why somebody would possibly select IKEA’s service over IKD’s.

One-stop-shopping: IKEA handles the entire thing, soup to nuts. They measure and plan your IKEA kitchen in particular person and then you definately purchase the kitchen from IKEA.
The $199 price ticket: IKEA expenses much less for his or her service than the IKD design payment.
Any errors are IKEA’s duty: If IKEA’s service makes an error because of incorrect measurements, they have to pay to repair the error.

Sounds fairly good on paper, doesn’t it?

2023 Replace:IKEA was one-stop purchasing. Somebody would come to your private home, measure, plan, order, and schedule set up. Now, clients are left dealing with a lot of the kitchen reworking course of on their very own.

Throughout the planning appointment, you basically get one-on-one assist utilizing the IKEA on-line residence planner. IKEA staff put the kitchen plan into your account so you’ve gotten entry to the photographs and can buy the objects in your purchasing bag. Measuring prices additional, and the set up service is presently on maintain.

Free continues to be lower than IKD’s design service. However what do you get in your cash? IKEA’s kitchen planning specialists can’t name themselves kitchen designers as a result of they don’t possess that certification. They know easy methods to put a kitchen collectively utilizing IKEA merchandise within the IKEA planner. That’s it.

IKD isn’t sure to IKEA-only provides. Many shoppers come to us as a result of they’re searching for extra from their inside group and cupboard fronts, which is why we are able to provide inside design packages and designs with customized fronts by corporations like Semihandmade.

That was the case with our buyer, Ben. You’ll be able to learn his Houzz evaluation of IKD’s revolutionary design course of right here.

We provide step-by-step measuring directions, present an expert design bundle with 3-D renderings (and, sure, we additionally add it to the house planner to make buy straightforward), and we provide our clients entry to Set up Join, a database of vetted IKEA installers.

(To study extra about how IKEA’s on-line plans evaluate to IKD’s design bundle, click on right here.)

Once more, the measurement service is now not included in IKEA’s kitchen planning appointment – however we nonetheless provide you with peace of thoughts.

IKD provides two design revisions freed from cost, and we provide step-by-step measurement directions. If one thing goes improper, you’re lined by our pre-design measurement assure. If a measurement error ends in extra labor and materials prices to repair, we’ll pay for it.

2016:I discovered 5 issues once I purchased IKEA’s service which might be vital for IKD clients to know.

Navigating IKEA’s Kitchen Planning Service Promotions

My “native” IKEA is an hour away. I like visiting IKEA, however that’s about 100 miles roundtrip. I make that journey possibly a few occasions a 12 months for a brand new bookcase or one thing.

Nonetheless, making the drive is healthier than ready on the telephone with IKEA.

I drove to IKEA a couple of week earlier than the sale was introduced. Though I talked to the gross sales man for some time, he by no means talked about something concerning the IKEA kitchen sale (which was only some days away).

The sale provides a 15 p.c refund on kitchens that value greater than $4,000 and would have been good to know.

2023 Replace:In keeping with one IKEA consultant, most associates aren’t informed concerning the IKEA gross sales greater than every week upfront and are instructed to maintain it underneath wraps. That manner, if any stock modifications they usually should amend the sale it doesn’t require fielding a bunch of disenchanted clients. So, until you’re very charming, you continue to shouldn’t anticipate a heads up relating to IKEA gross sales (irrespective of how a lot you propose to spend on a brand new kitchen).

Nonetheless, today, a real IKEA Kitchen Sale is uncommon. You’re extra more likely to discover a sale that simply options sure cupboard fronts, counter tops, or equipment.

The 4-Hour IKEA Dwelling Planning Service Expertise

2016:The IKEA workers particular person mentioned the four-hour appointment can be spent like this:

Two hours to measure my kitchen
Two hours to plan my kitchen

My fiancée and I’ve a big kitchen, so two hours of measuring time sounded good. However solely two hours for planning? I knew we’d have plenty of questions and concepts to bounce round. I had thought 4 hours can be sufficient time, however now I wasn’t so positive.

Would 4 hours be sufficient time to design the kitchen we deliberate to make use of for the following 20 years?

2023 Replace:When requested what would occur if somebody wanted greater than 90 minutes to design their dream kitchen, the IKEA affiliate really laughed – good-naturedly, in fact. So, no, the design appointments are literally shorter in 2023, however you may all the time make one other free appointment if in case you have extra questions and concepts.

A part of the rationale the affiliate discovered the preliminary query humorous is due to the next level: You’re anticipated to do loads of homework earlier than the appointment.

Understanding the Advantageous Print and Homework for IKEA’s Service

2016:IKEA is fairly clear on what it’ll and received’t do in your kitchen design. They don’t provide you with a kitchen design like IKD will; they offer you a “kitchen cupboard structure.” There’s a very large distinction between these two issues.

I used to be additionally shocked at how a lot written homework I needed to do. Among the questionnaire objects have been subjects I wished to go over with the planning man’s assist, not work out alone.

2023 Replace:Whereas the laborious copy hardly ever makes an look, the pre-appointment guidelines nonetheless applies. You must know all the pieces about your kitchen, from measurements and electrical places to the kind of door fronts and {hardware} you need earlier than displaying up in your IKEA planning appointment.

IKP = IKEA Kitchen Planning Service

IKD additionally has a pre-design kind, however we’re completely happy to reply questions and work via it with you with out the stress of a time restrict.

Pricing Construction of IKEA’s Planning Service

2016:The IKEA workers particular person then requested for my tackle and knowledgeable me the cost can be $249. I believed it was $199?

The gross sales man defined that the service begins at $199. As a result of I lived farther away, it was $249.

In fact, in IKEA’s eyes, that doesn’t actually matter. Proper now, they’re providing the deal that when you purchase that service after which purchase your kitchen earlier than August 1, 2016, they’ll refund you the price of the service – even when it prices greater than $199.

I discovered throughout my appointment that IKEA makes these worth determinations based mostly on zones. However the man who got here to my home really lived shut by. So why did it value extra?

2023 Replace:IKEA has a number of appointment choices now, and when you put them collectively you get virtually the identical service you’ll with IKD. You can begin with a 30-minute plan session appointment and schedule a 90-minute planning appointment from there. You can even schedule a 30-minute plan verification session the place you evaluation revisions or double verify a plan you’ve put collectively your self on the house planner (a service we provide at a reduction). These companies are free via IKEA.

IKEA even provides a brand new inside design service for $99/room. This consists of three digital appointments with an expert designer.

IKD’s course of is all-inclusive and all the time has the identical workforce. As one Houzz reviewer particulars, IKD’s founder, Mike, answered their preliminary questions; design coordinator Florence onboarded the shopper and dealt with questions and issues all through the method; {and professional} kitchen designer Javier created their new, stunning kitchen design.

It’s vital to notice that IKD’s designs are all the time dealt with by licensed design professionals. IKEA’s inside design service does use skilled designers, however the different companies are offered by educated IKEA staff who know IKEA however don’t essentially perceive all of the design pitfalls IKD offers with every day.

There’s additionally the truth that these appointments require understanding what you need from IKEA (and solely IKEA) and coping with a number of completely different planners and designers all through the method. You know the way annoying it’s once you go to the physician, and you need to clarify why you’re there to the receptionist, the nurse, after which the physician? If there’s a follow-up appointment concerned, you’ll in all probability have to elucidate all of it once more.

IKEA’s system is like that, however for inside design.

With IKD, our design coordinator and one assigned skilled designer/IKEA professional handles your design from begin to end. You need to use the distributors you wish to customise your kitchen, and there’s no nickel-and-diming.

If You Don’t Have Wi-Fi, Your Kitchen Planning Will Be Completed With out You

2016:The gross sales man requested if I’d have Wi-Fi obtainable for the house planning coworker to make use of. I mentioned sure, however what would occur if I didn’t?

Principally, the IKEA planner would come and take measurements, then take notes on what I wished – however he’d must ship me my design. The one manner for IKEA to design my kitchen was via the IKEA Dwelling Planner app.

I puzzled if different clients have been okay with settling for that. I arrange my appointment for every week later.

Prime 5 Classes From IKEA’s In-Particular person Dwelling Planning Service

It positive appeared suspicious that no person talked about the sale. I imply, doesn’t the sale make folks wish to purchase?

If two of the 4 planning hours are spent on measurements, how a lot design assist are you actually getting?

In case you don’t do your homework, you’re simply consuming into these 4 hours much more – and there’s a lot of homework.

I wasn’t precisely thrilled that it value me an additional $50 for the service as a result of I dwell an hour away, despite the fact that IKEA’s service particular person was shut by.

The Wi-Fi factor is vital. Even if in case you have Wi-Fi, like I do, what if it’s not working that day? I’d really feel ripped off if I couldn’t even sit subsequent to somebody whereas they designed my kitchen.

How Was IKEA’s Planning Service?

To this point, I haven’t been impressed. The man I talked to was very hands-off and he didn’t precisely encourage confidence. Subsequent week, I’ll write about how the service really went.