For many homeowners in Aberdeen, from the grand Victorian houses in the West End to the modern family homes in Bridge of Don, Wickes is a familiar name for kitchen renovations. As a prominent high street retailer, they offer a convenient and accessible option. However, discerning property owners are increasingly looking beyond the surface-level appeal and discovering the significant limitations of a standard retail kitchen. The typical 15mm thick carcasses, often paired with flimsy 3-6mm hardboard back panels, simply don’t offer the durability required for a long-term investment. These materials are prone to damage and wear, a particular concern in both bustling family homes and rental properties across the city.

Furthermore, the retail model often involves promotional pricing tactics that can be misleading. The initial quote may seem attractive, but the final price can escalate once essential components are added. Wickes’ reliance on standard-sized units also presents a major challenge for many Aberdeen properties, especially the city’s iconic granite tenements and period conversions in areas like Rosemount and Ferryhill, where non-standard dimensions are common. This lack of flexibility can lead to awkward gaps, wasted space, and a less-than-perfect finish. When you also factor in the typical 6-8 week lead times, the inconvenience for homeowners undertaking a major renovation project becomes substantial, causing delays and disruption.

This is where SJB Trade Kitchens emerges as a superior alternative for the savvy Aberdeen homeowner. We provide a significantly higher quality product without the inflated retail markup. Our kitchens are built using robust 18mm Egger or Kronospan board for the carcasses, and crucially, feature solid 18mm back panels as standard. This rigid construction ensures exceptional strength and longevity, providing a kitchen that is truly built to last. This level of quality is usually associated with high-end bespoke kitchen suppliers, but we make it accessible to everyone at a trade price point, representing a genuine long-term value investment for your property.

The difference in quality extends to the hardware we use. While Wickes often relies on its own-brand drawer systems, we fit premium Blum Antaro soft-close drawers as standard. This is a detail that makes a huge difference to the daily use and feel of your kitchen, providing a smooth, silent, and reliable operation for years to come. It’s this commitment to quality components that sets an SJB kitchen apart. For homeowners in Aberdeen looking for a kitchen that combines durability with a premium feel, the superiority of our materials and hardware is clear, ensuring your new kitchen is a joy to use every single day.

One of the most significant advantages of choosing SJB is our transparent and consistently low trade pricing. We are typically 30-50% cheaper than other trade suppliers like Howdens, and this value is passed directly to our customers in Aberdeen. There are no confusing sales or promotional gimmicks, just honest, year-round low prices. This transparency allows for better budget management and eliminates the uncertainty often associated with retail kitchen purchases. You can be confident that you are getting the best possible price for a superior quality product, allowing you to invest more in other areas of your renovation or simply save money.

Beyond the superior quality and price, SJB offers a level of flexibility that high street retailers cannot match. Because every kitchen is made to order, we can create fully bespoke unit sizes. Whether you have an awkward alcove in a Footdee cottage or require extra-deep units for a large family home, we can tailor the dimensions to your exact requirements at no extra cost. This bespoke service, combined with a rapid delivery time of just 10 working days to Aberdeen, provides a level of service that is simply unmatched. You get a custom-fit kitchen, delivered quickly and efficiently, allowing your project to proceed without unnecessary delays.

At the heart of SJB is a personal service delivered by owner Steve, who brings over 20 years of industry experience to every project. He works directly with every customer, offering expert advice and guidance from the initial design to the final delivery. This direct-to-expert approach ensures a seamless and stress-free experience, a stark contrast to the often impersonal service of large retail chains. Aberdeen homeowners can benefit from his wealth of knowledge, ensuring they get a kitchen that is not only high quality and affordable but also perfectly suited to their home and lifestyle, whether it’s a contemporary apartment in the city centre or a traditional granite-built house.

When renovating your Aberdeen home, the quality of your kitchen cabinets is paramount. Wickes typically uses 15mm carcasses, which are adequate but lack the robustness for a truly long-lasting kitchen. SJB, in contrast, constructs all units from 18mm Egger or Kronospan board, providing a noticeably more solid and durable foundation. This difference is even more critical when it comes to the back panels. Wickes often uses thin 3-6mm hardboard, which can be prone to warping and damage over time. SJB kitchens feature full 18mm solid back panels, the same high-quality material as the rest of the carcass. This creates a truly rigid and exceptionally strong cabinet that will withstand the rigours of daily use for many years in any Aberdeen household.

The quality of the hardware is another key differentiator. While Wickes kitchens come with their own-brand drawer systems, SJB fits premium Blum Antaro soft-close drawers and hinges as standard. Blum is a world-renowned manufacturer of kitchen hardware, and their products are engineered for smooth, silent operation and exceptional reliability. This might seem like a small detail, but it has a significant impact on the daily experience of using your kitchen. For homeowners in Aberdeen, from the city centre to the suburbs, this commitment to superior hardware ensures a kitchen that feels as good as it looks, and functions flawlessly for its entire lifespan.

Finally, SJB offers two major advantages that Wickes simply cannot match: transparent trade pricing and exceptional flexibility. Our prices are consistently 30-50% lower than trade suppliers like Howdens, offering incredible value without the need for seasonal sales or promotions. Furthermore, because every kitchen is made to order, we can create units in any height, width, or depth you require. This is a huge benefit for Aberdeen properties, which often feature non-standard dimensions. Instead of being limited to off-the-shelf sizes, you can have a kitchen that is perfectly tailored to your space. And with delivery to Aberdeen from just 10 working days, compared to the 6-8 weeks often quoted by Wickes, your renovation project can proceed on schedule, without the lengthy delays that are all too common with retail kitchen suppliers.

Every SJB kitchen starts with a detailed CAD design so you can see exactly how your finished kitchen will look before a single unit is ordered. Here is what that looks like in practice.

“Steve is absolutely epic! Really nice guy. 100% genuine and to be trusted. Really easy to work with. Couldn’t do enough and always on hand.

The kitchen was amazing quality and the kitchen looked exactly like the images he produced on his computer. The units came ready built which saved a lot of time! Even if you’re not a joiner it was really easy to assemble and fit.

The kitchen is great quality and a VERY competitive price! 100% recommended! Thank you so much!”

— Scott, verified SJB Trade Kitchens customer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

What Our Customers Say

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Already have a Wickes quote? Upload it using the form below and Steve will come back with a like-for-like price comparison — usually within 24 hours. Call 0161 509 4221 or email info@sjball.uk.

SJB Trade Kitchens is an independent kitchen specialist. All competitor names are used for comparative purposes only based on publicly available specifications. SJB Trade Kitchens is not affiliated with Wickes, Howdens, Wren Kitchens, Magnet, or DIY Kitchens.