Homebase Review Is It Still Worth Shopping There After Administration?

What Happened to Homebase

Homebase struggled financially for several years before formally entering administration in November 2024. CDS Superstores, the family-owned group behind The Range and Wilko, moved quickly to buy the Homebase brand, its intellectual property and up to 70 stores, which saved roughly 1,600 jobs. The remaining 74 leasehold stores were put up for sale by administrators Teneo, with a deadline for buyers and a clear warning that unsold stores might close. Many did. Thirteen branches closed in January 2025, including locations in London, Coventry and Bradford, and a further 33 were announced for closure shortly after, among them Sudbury, Cannock and Chester. Affected staff received at least two weeks’ notice of redundancy. The result is a much smaller standalone store footprint than the Homebase of a decade ago. For shoppers, the most practical consequence is simple: the store you remember may no longer exist, so always check the location before travelling.

The New Model: Homebase Inside The Range

The most interesting part of Homebase’s 2026 story is how CDS has folded the brand into its existing network rather than simply running fewer standalone stores. Garden Centres by Homebase now operates inside more than 200 The Range superstores, which means the Homebase garden offer is available in far more towns than the surviving standalone estate could reach on its own. Kitchens by Homebase runs as a franchise showroom model inside The Range, giving shoppers a place to plan and order kitchens without visiting a dedicated kitchen retailer. Powerbase, the own-brand outdoor power tool range, covers mowers, trimmers and similar garden equipment at budget prices. A garden ambassador programme launched monthly Plant of the Month content from April 2026, signalling that gardening is the strategic heart of the new Homebase. For garden buyers in particular, this model makes Homebase more accessible than its closures suggest.

The Shopping Experience: Store by Store

Store-level experiences vary considerably. At Sutton Coldfield, one 2026 customer described arriving earlier than their click-and-collect slot and being served without any problem, calling the store and staff highly recommended. On the same branch’s page, a July 2026 reviewer was angry enough to headline their review “Homebase Absolute Con Artists,” and other complaints involve out-of-pocket costs and click-and-collect issues. Team Homebase responds to complaints by thanking customers, sharing feedback with the store and directing them to an online help-centre form with a case reference, which suggests a structured resolution process exists — but outcomes depend on each individual case. The practical advice for shoppers is to keep every receipt and order number, use click and collect where your local store has good recent reviews, and escalate quickly through the help centre if something goes wrong.

Where Homebase Fits Against B&Q, Wickes and Dunelm

For serious DIY, trade materials and large renovation projects, B&Q and Wickes remain broader and more reliable choices in 2026, with larger store networks and deeper ranges. Screwfix is better for trade tools and fixings, and Dunelm is stronger for soft furnishings and homewares. Homebase’s realistic strengths lie elsewhere: garden plants and outdoor living through the Garden Centres concession in The Range, accessible kitchen design through Kitchens by Homebase, and budget garden machinery through Powerbase. Shop Homebase for those categories, compare kitchen quotes against B&Q, Howdens and Wickes before committing, and don’t rely on it as your main DIY supplier.