For many homeowners in Leicester, Wickes is a familiar name on the retail parks, a go-to for DIY supplies and home improvement projects. When it comes to a significant investment like a new kitchen, their in-store displays can seem like a convenient option. However, savvy homeowners undertaking renovations, whether in the Victorian terraces of Clarendon Park or the spacious family homes in Oadby, are increasingly looking beyond the high street for better quality and value. They are discovering that the standard retail offering often involves compromises on materials and construction that don’t stand the test of time, prompting a search for a superior alternative that delivers a truly long-lasting result without the inflated retail price tag.

The main limitation of many high-street kitchen retailers lies in the construction of the units themselves. Wickes, for instance, typically uses 15mm thick carcasses, often with flimsy 3-6mm hardboard backs. For a busy family home in Evington or a high-specification new build, this level of construction can be a false economy, leading to issues with rigidity and durability over time. These units are designed for mass production and ease of transport, not for maximum longevity. Furthermore, the reliance on promotional sales events and complex discount structures means the true price can be opaque, and the quoted 6-8 week lead times can cause significant delays to a Leicester renovation project.

This is where SJB Trade Kitchens presents a compelling alternative for discerning Leicester customers. We provide 18mm rigid kitchen units as standard, constructed from high-quality Egger or Kronospan board. Crucially, our units also feature solid 18mm back panels, creating a genuinely robust and durable cabinet that is built to last. This superior construction ensures your kitchen can handle the demands of modern life. Every kitchen is made to order and delivered pre-built, saving your fitter time and ensuring a perfect, solid installation. This commitment to quality construction is the foundation of the SJB difference, offering a professional-grade product direct to the public.

Beyond the superior build quality, SJB offers significant advantages in both price and speed. We operate on a transparent trade pricing model, which is consistently 30-50% more affordable than a trade account at Howdens, and represents far greater value than the retail prices at Wickes. There are no confusing sales or short-term offers, just honest, low prices all year round. For homeowners in Leicester and the surrounding areas, this means a higher-specification kitchen for their budget. Even more impressively, we can deliver a complete, made-to-order kitchen directly to your home in Leicester from as little as 10 working days, a stark contrast to the typical 6-8 week wait from high street retailers.

Leicester’s diverse housing stock, from period properties with awkward alcoves in Aylestone to modern apartments in the city centre, demands a flexible approach. This is another area where SJB excels. While Wickes is largely restricted to standard unit sizes, we offer fully bespoke sizing at no extra cost. If you need a unit with a custom height, a reduced depth, or a specific width to fit a chimney breast, we can make it for you. This made-to-order flexibility ensures a truly seamless, integrated finish that looks and feels custom-built, maximising every inch of your space without the need for unsightly filler panels. It’s a level of customisation that retail kitchens simply cannot match.

The final touches and the service experience are just as important. Every SJB kitchen is supplied with premium Blum Antaro soft-close drawer boxes as standard, a name synonymous with quality and reliability in the kitchen industry, and a significant upgrade from the own-brand systems often found in retail kitchens. Furthermore, when you deal with SJB, you deal directly with the owner, Steve, who brings over 20 years of industry experience to your project. He provides a personal, expert service from the initial quote to the final delivery, ensuring you get the perfect kitchen for your Leicester home without the pressure or upselling common in a retail environment.

When planning a new kitchen for your Leicester home, the difference in quality between SJB and a high street retailer like Wickes is clear. It starts with the core construction. SJB uses 18mm Egger or Kronospan board for all carcasses, providing a solid and durable foundation. Unlike Wickes, which typically uses flimsy 3-6mm hardboard for back panels, we use full 18mm solid backs. This creates a completely rigid, long-lasting unit that won’t bow or flex, ensuring your kitchen investment stands the test of time. All our units are delivered pre-built, saving on fitting time and guaranteeing a professional, solid installation every time.

The quality components don’t stop at the cabinets. Every SJB kitchen comes with premium Blum Antaro soft-close drawer boxes as standard. Blum is the industry leader for a reason, renowned for its smooth operation and exceptional reliability. This is a significant upgrade compared to the own-brand hardware systems you’ll find in most Wickes kitchens. It’s a detail that makes a huge difference to the daily use and feel of your kitchen, ensuring a touch of quality every time you open a drawer. For homeowners in Leicester, this means getting a premium kitchen specification for a fraction of the expected price.

Perhaps the most significant advantages for our Leicester customers are speed, flexibility, and price. While Wickes often quotes lead times of 6-8 weeks, SJB can deliver a fully bespoke, made-to-order kitchen in as little as 10 working days. And because every kitchen is made to order, we can create units in any height, width, or depth you require. This is perfect for Leicester’s varied housing stock, allowing you to achieve a perfect fit in period homes or new builds without the need for chunky filler panels. All this is available at a transparent trade price, offering far better value than the fluctuating retail prices and promotional offers at Wickes.

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

Frequently Asked Questions

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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.