This is not a claim that SJB kitchens are the same as Tom Howley kitchens. The two propositions should be assessed on their own specifications, scope and service. Tom Howley describes British workshop manufacture, traditional joints and premium timber on its own website, but its public pages reviewed for this guide do not establish a complete cabinet substrate or thickness schedule, or the in-frame status of every collection. Read Tom Howley’s workshop description and ask for the details relevant to your chosen design.
What you are comparing: design confidence and project scope
A premium kitchen decision is rarely only about the door style. Compare the layout development, cabinetry, fillers and end panels, drawer and hinge specification, paint finish, worktops, appliances, delivery, fitting, VAT and aftercare. A beautifully presented design can still leave important scope questions unanswered.
Tom Howley’s customer journey includes showrooms and design visits, while its terms explain that quoted goods prices are subject to VAT and that structural, building, decorating, electrical, plumbing and heating work is excluded. That means a quote needs to be read as a project scope, not as a simple like-for-like cabinet price. There is no reliable public Tom Howley entry price to use as a benchmark here.
What SJB brings to the alternative route
SJB designs and supplies kitchens nationally, with one point of contact to help bring the brief together. The selected painted ranges offer different ways to achieve a calm, tailored-looking room: Mornington Shaker has a classic Shaker profile; Mornington Beaded adds a decorative internal bead; Mornington Vale gives an in-frame-style appearance; and Crathorne is a narrower Shaker with visible ash grain.
The construction should be understood clearly. The painted timber-framed doors in these ranges use solid ash frames with ash-veneered MDF centre panels where specified; they are not solid wood throughout. SJB’s cabinets are MFC, with the specified hinges and drawer system set out in your quote. Mornington Vale is a mock or in-frame-look door with lay-on construction, not a true in-frame kitchen. If true in-frame construction is non-negotiable, say so at the start: this SJB route is intended for people who are comfortable comparing a different construction honestly.
A personal design journey, without assuming the same service
The SJB process starts with your room, priorities and practical constraints. You can begin your kitchen journey with SJB by sharing a plan, uploading an existing quote or drawing the room. Include your preferred style, appliances and worktop ideas, budget basis, timescale, postcode and who will measure and fit. We can then discuss the specification and the responsibilities that sit around it.
Installation and building works depend on the order scope. Customers typically arrange their own fitter, so this is not presented as a Tom Howley-style managed installation service. It can suit a homeowner, self-builder or project team who wants a carefully developed design and clearly supplied kitchen, while retaining control of the fitting route. Confirm delivery timing, measurement responsibility, fitting arrangements, paint information and warranty scope before ordering.
How to make a fair comparison
Start with the design you actually want rather than comparing brand names. Then place both proposals into the same checklist:
- Which cabinets, doors, panels, fillers, handles and internal accessories are included?
- What do the hinge, drawer and cabinet specifications say, and which details remain to be confirmed?
- Are worktops, sinks, taps, appliances, delivery, fitting and VAT included or separate?
- Who measures, coordinates trades and resolves issues during installation?
- What care guidance, warranty terms and exclusions apply to the painted finish and the rest of the project?
If you already have a Tom Howley proposal, you can upload it for an itemised specification-and-inclusions comparison. That is not a promise of savings or equivalent quality; it is a way to identify differences before you commit. The official Tom Howley terms and conditions and workshop information are useful reference points, but they do not replace a project-specific quotation.
Is SJB the right alternative for you?
SJB may be a good fit if you want a painted Shaker-led room, personal help with the layout and finish, national supply, and the flexibility to use your own fitting route. It may not be right if you require a particular Tom Howley collection, true in-frame construction, or a fully managed installation and building service under one contract. Being clear about that distinction is part of making a sound kitchen decision.
Explore the wider painted kitchen collection or kitchen comparisons and buying guides, then share your plans when you are ready. SJB is independent and not affiliated with Tom Howley. Product and service details should be confirmed in your own quotation.
Specification sources: Tom Howley workshop, terms and conditions, and showroom and design journey. These are official Tom Howley pages; SJB is not affiliated with Tom Howley.
