What made you approach us at H Miller Bros?
“We’d just relocated to Manchester from London, and we were having an extension added to our Victorian terrace. It’s the first time we’ve had the budget and capacity to make a space that’s not just basic Ikea, and we wanted something that was going to look lovely and be a step-up in quality from the off-the-shelf melamine stuff we’ve had before.
We’d been following H. Miller Bros online for a while, and we love their wood kitchens. We’d assumed they would be out of our price range, but when their Set Menu kitchen came across our feed, it looked like the perfect thin, so we wanted to know what the deal was.”
What made you decide to go ahead?
“I guess it was a mixture of things. We had a budget of around £50,000, and the final quote came out at a little over £52,000, so a bit more than we had planned. But they just seemed to offer so much more value for money than anything else we’d seen.
From our first meeting with Hugh, we were struck by how knowledgeable and passionate he was about making the best possible project for our space and needs. He asked lots of questions about how we wanted to use the space, and how we wanted it to feel. He seemed to have endless ideas about how to maximise our storage, and the design was just very classy and crafted.
We also liked the way they presented the design options and costs to us. Everything was laid out so we could see how the total cost was made up, there was a full list of appliances (with options) for us to choose from, and lots of choices we could pick to make the space feel personal to us.
I think we just felt like we were in safe hands.”
How did you find the design process?
“I guess it was a mixture of things. We had a budget of around £50,000, and the final quote came out at a little over £52,000, so a bit more than we had planned. But they just seemed to offer so much more value for money than anything else we’d seen.
From our first meeting with Hugh, we were struck by how knowledgeable and passionate he was about making the best possible project for our space and needs. He asked lots of questions about how we wanted to use the space, and how we wanted it to feel. He seemed to have endless ideas about how to maximise our storage, and the design was just very classy and crafted.
We also liked the way they presented the design options and costs to us. Everything was laid out so we could see how the total cost was made up, there was a full list of appliances (with options) for us to choose from, and lots of choices we could pick to make the space feel personal to us.
I think we just felt like we were in safe hands.”
How did you find the design process?
“Surprisingly easy. We were unsure about the what the process would be like when we first approached H Miller Bros. We’re both really busy with work, and we have a 2-year-old who requires a lot of our attention, so we didn’t want an elongated process with endless decisions to make. I’d say this was one of the best parts – we felt we could trust the brothers to bring us the important decisions and take care of the rest.
We went through a couple of design iterations, where we made small amendments, like adding an open shelf rather above the oven for recipe books, and we swapped the fridge for a different brand, but it felt like the design was pretty close from the start.
When it came to signing off the design, they sent us full plans and elevations, so we knew what we were getting and, where everything was going to be. I’m pretty comfortable with 2D drawings because I deal with a lot of them at work, but Tom really appreciated the 3D isometric drawing of the kitchen that Howard made, and it gave him a lot of confidence that everything had been taken into account.”
What was your experience of the installation?
“The installation was fun! I think that was because it was really well planned from way before the team arrived for the fit. Howard sent us services coordination drawings well in advance and liaised directly with our contractor, so all the electrics and plumbing were in the right places before the installation started.
The installation team were friendly and respectful, and started by giving us a walk-through of their plans and schedule. I have to admit that I was relieved by this, as we’ve had some bad experiences in the past. Everything was wrapped in protective blankets, and it was exciting to watch as each cabinet was revealed. The cabinetry went in so quickly - in about 3 days! David, who was in charge of the fit, gave us a walk round at the end, and showed us how everything worked. We were genuinely bowled over by the quality and attention to detail. It was, and is, just lovely.”
How do you feel now it’s all finished?
We’re so happy with the result. We were a bit nervous when we were making the decision to go ahead. It was a little more than we wanted to spend, and we really didn’t want to mess it up, as the kitchen is basically the most important room in our home. But it was totally worth it. The quality is exceptional. We love the design. And everyone involved, from Hugh and Howard, to the workshop team, to the guys who fitted our project on site, were fantastic: full of ideas; went the extra mile; and were easy to work with.
We’re delighted.”
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