Howdens kitchen quotes seem completely crackers
Discussion
Howdens have been and done a survey of our kitchen with a view to quoting for supply of a new kitchen. Not got to the sit down and fine tuning and more importantly price stage yet. The kitchen would be probably needed in the next month.
Yesterday we popped in as we are firstly doing the utility area. I have an overall aperture of 1810mm and wanted a base unit for a sink and then I am going to have the tumble dryer and washing machine also in the space but not built in. So it’s base unit(500mm) 450x450 sink, door, 3m laminate top and plinth, end panel and two dividing panels for between WM and TD.
Total £587.46 a range of discounts from 40% to 48.8%.
Now in the cold light of the day after this seems a huge amount for what is effectively one cabinet and door a sink and a counter top. The discounts applied appear to be more akin to smoke and mirrors and seem to have no real correlation with anything. Surely they could say the cabinet is £10k normally so you are getting 99.999999% discount!
Is the selling of kitchens just the wild west with some questionable selling practices?
Yesterday we popped in as we are firstly doing the utility area. I have an overall aperture of 1810mm and wanted a base unit for a sink and then I am going to have the tumble dryer and washing machine also in the space but not built in. So it’s base unit(500mm) 450x450 sink, door, 3m laminate top and plinth, end panel and two dividing panels for between WM and TD.
Total £587.46 a range of discounts from 40% to 48.8%.
Now in the cold light of the day after this seems a huge amount for what is effectively one cabinet and door a sink and a counter top. The discounts applied appear to be more akin to smoke and mirrors and seem to have no real correlation with anything. Surely they could say the cabinet is £10k normally so you are getting 99.999999% discount!
Is the selling of kitchens just the wild west with some questionable selling practices?
Wait until you go to Wren.
'Best take yer sh*ttin' pants boy'
On a more serious note, as Howdens dont sell direct to the public, the prices are not normally quoted until you have the design done. Your installers account will show the prices per unit eventually if you ask for them.
We used Howdens for our first quote. Then we took that to Wren for as close as a like for like quote. Suffisit to say I walked out of there. The initial price came through and I got out of my chair without a word, until someone sais they'd 'have a word with their manager' and then mysteriously the price came down by 50%.
If I hadn't balked at the price they were serious about charging me it. On that basis, and the still laughable 'best discount mate' price I walked out. I still wonder why anyone puts up with this crap. So I stuck with Howdens.
'Best take yer sh*ttin' pants boy'
On a more serious note, as Howdens dont sell direct to the public, the prices are not normally quoted until you have the design done. Your installers account will show the prices per unit eventually if you ask for them.
We used Howdens for our first quote. Then we took that to Wren for as close as a like for like quote. Suffisit to say I walked out of there. The initial price came through and I got out of my chair without a word, until someone sais they'd 'have a word with their manager' and then mysteriously the price came down by 50%.
If I hadn't balked at the price they were serious about charging me it. On that basis, and the still laughable 'best discount mate' price I walked out. I still wonder why anyone puts up with this crap. So I stuck with Howdens.
Edited by TimmyMallett on Tuesday 14th July 10:53
It’ll depend on your discount rate. They’re not really kitted out for walk ins who are incredibly price sensitive, the advantage is you could probably have walked out with that unit and worktop - If you are a jobbing builder this is well worth it, plus their discount will be better I suspect.
If you want absolute price for DIY goto Ikea or DIY kitchens.
If you want absolute price for DIY goto Ikea or DIY kitchens.
Unfortunately it works. At least 3 friends have had Wren kitchens over the last 12 months and it's all they've talked about - how they negotiated the price down massively, got an absolute bargain and are now personal friends with the sales person - do I want their number, they'll have a word and make sure they do us a great deal.
Mikebentley said:
Howdens have been and done a survey of our kitchen with a view to quoting for supply of a new kitchen. Not got to the sit down and fine tuning and more importantly price stage yet. The kitchen would be probably needed in the next month.
Yesterday we popped in as we are firstly doing the utility area. I have an overall aperture of 1810mm and wanted a base unit for a sink and then I am going to have the tumble dryer and washing machine also in the space but not built in. So it’s base unit(500mm) 450x450 sink, door, 3m laminate top and plinth, end panel and two dividing panels for between WM and TD.
Total £587.46 a range of discounts from 40% to 48.8%.
Now in the cold light of the day after this seems a huge amount for what is effectively one cabinet and door a sink and a counter top. The discounts applied appear to be more akin to smoke and mirrors and seem to have no real correlation with anything. Surely they could say the cabinet is £10k normally so you are getting 99.999999% discount!
Is the selling of kitchens just the wild west with some questionable selling practices?
Don't supposes you have your own company(VAT Number/Bz ban account)?Yesterday we popped in as we are firstly doing the utility area. I have an overall aperture of 1810mm and wanted a base unit for a sink and then I am going to have the tumble dryer and washing machine also in the space but not built in. So it’s base unit(500mm) 450x450 sink, door, 3m laminate top and plinth, end panel and two dividing panels for between WM and TD.
Total £587.46 a range of discounts from 40% to 48.8%.
Now in the cold light of the day after this seems a huge amount for what is effectively one cabinet and door a sink and a counter top. The discounts applied appear to be more akin to smoke and mirrors and seem to have no real correlation with anything. Surely they could say the cabinet is £10k normally so you are getting 99.999999% discount!
Is the selling of kitchens just the wild west with some questionable selling practices?
Just join as a trader and you'll get 85% discount
M
Mikebentley said:
..
Total £587.46 a range of discounts from 40% to 48.8%.
...
Is the selling of kitchens just the wild west with some questionable selling practices?
As has already been mentioned - not really set up for non-trade, but if you find a friendly installer or at least someone with a trade account there you can easily expect 80% off those prices and other offers on top - e.g. worktops for a £1, free sink and taps, etcTotal £587.46 a range of discounts from 40% to 48.8%.
...
Is the selling of kitchens just the wild west with some questionable selling practices?
JQ said:
Unfortunately it works. At least 3 friends have had Wren kitchens over the last 12 months and it's all they've talked about - how they negotiated the price down massively, got an absolute bargain and are now personal friends with the sales person - do I want their number, they'll have a word and make sure they do us a great deal.
'Say I sent you, they'll sort you out'Is my least favourite phrase of all time.
It's not just Wren, it's all that sales tactic. When I got our windows replaced, I played off 2 companies against each other and quotes eventually dropped by 50%. So you were just going to overcharge me by 50% then? Thanks.
Thanks for replies so far. I aM self employed Sole trader and am taking trade account paperwork in today. I have seen an old “trade “ quote that my FiL had previously and it was discounts between 70/80% across the quote.
The manager did say I tell my staff never lose business because the price is too much. The margins must be enormous.
The manager did say I tell my staff never lose business because the price is too much. The margins must be enormous.
Your discount at 40% is terrible. My good friend works there and gets put through another friends account over 90% discount rate. My kitchen came in under £5k in january, with plenty expensive moving units and the grey oak cabinets etc (Not including fridge and cooker, or flooring and I didnt go expensive solid worktops just normal ones)
Even then I cut stuff off like the glass cooker back. £120 yet currys do a black one for 60, and same with the hood. Got it cheaper in currys. Then the fitter saved a couple end panels, and trims that got me a further £100+ refund and a free dishwasher.
Even then I could easily have got a cheaper kitchen from ikea, but I'm impressed I like it. Anything branded you can elsewhere is more expensive at howdens.
Get the price, and I bet wren, bnq, homebase etc will all match. Vice versa
Even then I cut stuff off like the glass cooker back. £120 yet currys do a black one for 60, and same with the hood. Got it cheaper in currys. Then the fitter saved a couple end panels, and trims that got me a further £100+ refund and a free dishwasher.
Even then I could easily have got a cheaper kitchen from ikea, but I'm impressed I like it. Anything branded you can elsewhere is more expensive at howdens.
Get the price, and I bet wren, bnq, homebase etc will all match. Vice versa
Edited by hotchy on Tuesday 14th July 12:19
3 years ago we went to Howdens and it was exactly like other places. They did a plan and quote as normal. We ended up with a Leekes kitchen as it was interest free. About the same end price and good units. Price match led to savings on the cooker/ washing machine, dishwasher too. Only trouble was with missing things. Kitchen supplier was great, all there and on time. Leekes had missed out a sink! Last minute express delivery needed. No problems since and happy with the choice.
We got a quote from a local kitchen independant but no cheaper for same design and white goods.
We got a quote from a local kitchen independant but no cheaper for same design and white goods.
Kitchens are an absolute racket, a licence to print money, and anyone who pays anything like the 'going rate' is a mug.
A friend of mine manufactures, supplies and installs kitchens and he was explaining it all to me a few years ago. In his words:
"Kitchen sales are all smoke and mirrors. It's all total bulls
t designed to rob you of as much money as possible, while reducing the ease at which you can compare one kitchen with other kitchens from different sellers"
He went on to explain that there are only a certain number of cabinet door manufacturers, so even if you go for a cheap as chips kitchen or a much more expensive one, the chances are that the doors and many other components will come from the same manufacturer.
I'm building a couple of houses at the moment, one of which is for myself, so I need a kitchen.
I went to a local 'well respected' kitchen showroom and got a quote for my new kitchen and utility room to be fitted out. It's a pretty big Island kitchen with higher model NEF appliances, LED lighting etc. Utility room to have matching cabinets and worktops the same as the kitchen. They designed it all for me, and then quoted me £36,000 after 'heavily discounting' all the appliances, boiling water tap, worktop stone etc.
After I had finished laughing, I went to my mate mentioned above, and he priced up their exact design, exact materials and exact appliances for £12,000 and said there was still plenty of profit in it for him at that price.
It's all a joke.
The above doesn't apply to handmade kitchens obviously, and they will always be more expensive as there is more work involved, but to me, these 'top end' solid wood handmade kitchens aren't worth their silly asking prices at all.
The materials and quality in modern MDF kitchens now are so good, and as long as they are well fitted and finished, and with good quality worktops, they will look and last as good as anything.
I've even been told by kitchen manufacturers that MDF is better than solid wood as wood as it doesn't swell, crack or warp like solid wood.
A friend of mine manufactures, supplies and installs kitchens and he was explaining it all to me a few years ago. In his words:
"Kitchen sales are all smoke and mirrors. It's all total bulls
t designed to rob you of as much money as possible, while reducing the ease at which you can compare one kitchen with other kitchens from different sellers"He went on to explain that there are only a certain number of cabinet door manufacturers, so even if you go for a cheap as chips kitchen or a much more expensive one, the chances are that the doors and many other components will come from the same manufacturer.
I'm building a couple of houses at the moment, one of which is for myself, so I need a kitchen.
I went to a local 'well respected' kitchen showroom and got a quote for my new kitchen and utility room to be fitted out. It's a pretty big Island kitchen with higher model NEF appliances, LED lighting etc. Utility room to have matching cabinets and worktops the same as the kitchen. They designed it all for me, and then quoted me £36,000 after 'heavily discounting' all the appliances, boiling water tap, worktop stone etc.
After I had finished laughing, I went to my mate mentioned above, and he priced up their exact design, exact materials and exact appliances for £12,000 and said there was still plenty of profit in it for him at that price.
It's all a joke.
The above doesn't apply to handmade kitchens obviously, and they will always be more expensive as there is more work involved, but to me, these 'top end' solid wood handmade kitchens aren't worth their silly asking prices at all.
The materials and quality in modern MDF kitchens now are so good, and as long as they are well fitted and finished, and with good quality worktops, they will look and last as good as anything.
I've even been told by kitchen manufacturers that MDF is better than solid wood as wood as it doesn't swell, crack or warp like solid wood.
Edited by anonymous-user on Tuesday 14th July 13:02
TimmyMallett said:
'Say I sent you, they'll sort you out'
Is my least favourite phrase of all time.
It's not just Wren, it's all that sales tactic. When I got our windows replaced, I played off 2 companies against each other and quotes eventually dropped by 50%. So you were just going to overcharge me by 50% then? Thanks.
Yep.Is my least favourite phrase of all time.
It's not just Wren, it's all that sales tactic. When I got our windows replaced, I played off 2 companies against each other and quotes eventually dropped by 50%. So you were just going to overcharge me by 50% then? Thanks.
Windows and doors are another prime example.
My neighbour just got a quote for all external doors/windows in her new house. After shopping around, the best quote she got was £28,000. She just said to them "I've only got £20,000 to spend" and they just said "OK, thats fine, when do you want them fitted?"
I think that probably says it all.
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