Q)= howdens kitchen quality & hardy inside ???

vegasvisitor

We currently have an MFI hygena kitchen (might be called Nebraska - it's the white one with the strip panelled doors and matt silver handles that Howden's also do). Last time we bought from MFI and were happy with the price. We paid about £800 for all our units - there's about 9 of them, plus 2 large worktops, sink etc. Thinking about moving and might consider the same kitchen since we think we still want a white one.

My friend bought hers from Howden's (same kitchen) and said it cost her about £3k. She wasn't very specific, so I don't really know what it included but I know she bought a sink from B&Q, but also she has new doors too, and they might be part of that £3k, so might the joiner's fees etc for all I know. I think I'll ask her again, but I just wondered, are Howden's really 3 or 4 times the price of MFI as she has suggested? This is assuming I find a tradesman with the correct discount etc too.

CKdesigner

Hi

I really don't understand what is so magical about Howdens? As confirmed in the posts by Doozergirl and Welsh Totster Howdens maskerade as a 'trade only' supplier, that's rubbish as demostrated they will sell to just about anyone, so therefore that makes them a retailer. They have very dubious trading policies by issueing 'trades people' with 2 invoices, one with whatever negotiated discount and the other with a 'retail' costing for them to fleece their customer! They sell their own brand Lamona appliances as 'quality' to match the likes of Neff and Siemens, and as anyone will know they are basically lying.

Think of it this way, purchasing a new kitchen is one of the most important purchases you could ever make, far more important than a new car. So how can you trust a company that operates like Howdens? And before you say its all dependent on budget, well its not. Wether we sell a kitchen for £5,000 (and yes, we do actually sell kitchens for £5,000 on occasion) or £100,000 we look after those customers and give them proper advice.

CK

*Chattie*

I don't understand what is so magical about you promoting the kitchens you sell?

More than happy with my Howdens kitchen and my contract was with my fitter not Howdens and he funnily enough is a "true kitchen professional".

CKdesigner

*Chattie* wrote: »

I don't understand what is so magical about you promoting the kitchens you sell?

More than happy with my Howdens kitchen and my contract was with my fitter not Howdens and he funnily enough is a "true kitchen professional".

Actually I am not promoting the kitchens we sell. I am suggesting that there are better more proffesional and trustworthy kitchen suppliers to choose from. I am sure if your 'true kitchen proffesional' was honest he would agree.

CK

Welsh_Totster

But no one on this post has yet criticised Howdens kitchens, so far everyone besides you seems to be happy with them and youre the only other person on the thread that supplies kitchens. Just get over the fact that there are a lot of people out there pleased with the kitchens they've had from Howdens, That's the whole point of consumer choice.... the fact that there is a choice, so if people want to come to you or go to Howdens/Magnet then thats up to them!

CKdesigner

*Chattie* wrote: »

I don't understand what is so magical about you promoting the kitchens you sell?

More than happy with my Howdens kitchen and my contract was with my fitter not Howdens and he funnily enough is a "true kitchen professional".

If you had read my posts properly you would see I am suggesting that people would generally be better off going to independent kitchen specialists rather than national companies.

Thankfully their are plenty of people that do understand the importance of a kitchen specialist and that means that our fitting schedule is fully booked until the Autumn.

CK

CKdesigner

Welsh_Totster wrote: »

But no one on this post has yet criticised Howdens kitchens, so far everyone besides you seems to be happy with them and youre the only other person on the thread that supplies kitchens. Just get over the fact that there are a lot of people out there pleased with the kitchens they've had from Howdens, That's the whole point of consumer choice.... the fact that there is a choice, so if people want to come to you or go to Howdens/Magnet then thats up to them!

Hi Welsh Totster

The OP asked for an opnion on the quality of Howdens/Magnet kitchens against Hardys Inside. If the OP had just asked for opinoins on Howdens the reponses given would have been fine but as no one else has even heard of Hardys Inside I thought I had better even out the posts.

CK

*Chattie*

CKdesigner wrote: »

Actually I am not promoting the kitchens we sell. I am suggesting that there are better more proffesional and trustworthy kitchen suppliers to choose from. I am sure if your 'true kitchen proffesional' was honest he would agree.

CK

Probably best that you call yourself a designer or specialist rather than a professional as at least you can spell that.

Doozergirl

CKdesigner wrote: »

Hi

I really don't understand what is so magical about Howdens? As confirmed in the posts by Doozergirl and Welsh Totster Howdens maskerade as a 'trade only' supplier, that's rubbish as demostrated they will sell to just about anyone, so therefore that makes them a retailer. They have very dubious trading policies by issueing 'trades people' with 2 invoices, one with whatever negotiated discount and the other with a 'retail' costing for them to fleece their customer! They sell their own brand Lamona appliances as 'quality' to match the likes of Neff and Siemens, and as anyone will know they are basically lying.

Think of it this way, purchasing a new kitchen is one of the most important purchases you could ever make, far more important than a new car. So how can you trust a company that operates like Howdens? And before you say its all dependent on budget, well its not. Wether we sell a kitchen for £5,000 (and yes, we do actually sell kitchens for £5,000 on occasion) or £100,000 we look after those customers and give them proper advice.

CK

There's nothing magical about Howdens. I'm not sure who says there is I'm not sure how my posts demonstrate that they will sell to anyone? I own a limited company and my trade very much fits with Howdens products and have a need for their products on a regualr basis. You do need an account and if a branch is accepting anyone that walks in off the street, they simply won't get the same sorts of prices as a true trade customer. My experience of people on this board buying Howdens is that they are either using a friend with an account or a builder to buy their kitchen.

No one at my branch of Howdens professes that Lamona is anyway equal to Neff and they also accept that their prices on appliances aren't competitive. If any tradesperson could get away with selling a kitchen to a customer at the full RRP then more fool the customer because you could pick up a kitchen almost anywhere for less than the price that is supposed to be the RRP. I have no idea why they operate that model but anywhere you go to buy a kitchen you can knock down the price that you are offered - everyone is negotiable, Howdens are not different in that respect.

People need to look at more than one kitchen and decide which presents the best value for money for their needs.

You talk like they are cowboys - they aren't. You get a half decent kitchen at a half decent price and it gets delivered within days. That fits with some people's requirements. I will happily buy from Howdens over any of the high street 'big brand' offerings because the price is keener if negotiated well and you don't wait forever for the thing to arrive with it half missing. If something is missing then you can get it delivered within a day or just go and get it yourself. A really decent sized kitchen with soft close units would come in at less than £3000 if someone else isn't skimming a load off the top. So we are talking about a financial gap between your product and Howdens as well as the quality one. They sit in a different marketplace to your kitchens as long as no-one is taking ridiculously high margins.

Welsh_Totster

No probs CK.