Non-discounted kitchens!

WatlingA5

Just that - we're looking for companies that do NOT come up with daft discounts but simply have a straightforward price list.

The only national one we've found so far is John Lewis, whose name immediately gives a perception of "ooh! expensive". But are they? We haven't had time to try to compare them against the likes of Wickes and Howdens with their screaming "discount/sale" prices (we're in the middle of moving house), but would like to hear from people who have used the various companies. Do you think you paid a fair price for the end result? Did you compare against smaller local companies?

The JL list puts the various styles into price bands with examples for a set number of comparable cabinets, so it should be easier to compare.

Thanks in advance

CKdesigner

Hi WatlingA5

Excellent post!

Any company, without exception, that shouts about discounts on kitchens is there for the sole purpose to sell boxes. They are not about quality products, good design or real customer service. (That's going to start the usual augments! But its true!)

You can't really fault John Lewis, but in general terms I don't think you will get much of an inspired kitchen design from too many of their designers.

I think what you are looking for you will get from an independent kitchen specialist. I'm certainly not saying all independent kitchen specialists as by the very nature of 'independent' we are all different!

Try local first, recommendations always worth seeking, visit showrooms, look closely at the quality of displays. See what appliance brands they do, is the showroom filled with lots of makes or just one or 2? If the kitchen specialist has DIRECT accounts with either / some or all of Gaggenau, Miele or Siemens then you shouldn't go far wrong.

Purchasing a new kitchen is a huge investment and its not always about price, its about people, and you have to be very confident you can trust your kitchen person / company to deliver what you want and exactly what they promise.

Good luck

CK

vansboy

Ikea have what you want.

They offer occasional small incentives, but possibly the interest free credit, which seems pretty much permanent, is the main one.

Also if you go to their website, you can use the free on line kitchen planner/designer tool, to create your own layout. You get to see your kitchen and change it as many times as you like.

As well as this, it also prices the whole thing for you, so you can see which each individual unit costs.

It's a little bit fiddly at first, but once you get going, it;s really useful.

I'll be on my fourth kitchen from them, for my next project.

VB

uk_messer

Big discounts don't mean you're not getting quality. Wickes do some decent stuff but have to follow suit with such marketing tactics because people go for it. The worst offender has to be Magnet with their double up the prices and then have 50% off.

The end price and quality is all that matters, whether independent or national. Avoid the hard sell direct sales people like Moben. But you probably already know that.

cddc

Wickes are trying to move away from this, as are B&Q, but it isn't easy as people like the sense that they may be getting a bargain even if they are not!

To be honest, if you buy a kitchen out of sale from the likes of Wickes and Homebase you are going to going to be overpaying for it...buy in sale and you are paying what it is worth...

The worst offenders of the lot are Howdens. An 80% discount off an imaginary list price simply is not credible...hence the number of threads on here where people are trying to work out whether they are getting a fair price or not.

It is hugely ironic that the second worst offenders are now Wren, who arrived on the scene trumpeting transparent pricing, and have gradually moved so far away from that it is unreal!

Why do companies do this....because, sadly, it works!

Ikea are probably the nearest to a transparently priced kitchen of the mainstream sheds, though these days B&Q and Wickes pricing is far more credible than it was...

adamg

uk_messer wrote: »

Avoid the hard sell direct sales people like Moben.

quite easy nowdays

ryder72

adamg - you would have thought that. Just last week I came across someone who paid £28k for units and worktops from Wren and proudly said it was 50% off. £56k for Wren crap that probably isnt works £6k

cddc

ryder72 wrote: »

adamg - you would have thought that. Just last week I came across someone who paid £28k for units and worktops from Wren and proudly said it was 50% off. £56k for Wren crap that probably isnt works £6k

:eek:28k for a Wren kitchen.....:eek: They must either have a palatial 40+ units or otherwise they must have been royally stitched up:eek:

ryder72

cddc - even at 40 units, its £700/unit.

My sentiment for the couple went from feeling sorry to wondering 'just how stupid are you'!!! And they didnt even get a second quote.

I hinted that they could have got it cheaper at one of the shed and he said he wouldnt buy that sort of quality.:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

cddc

ryder72 wrote: »

cddc - even at 40 units, its £700/unit.

My sentiment for the couple went from feeling sorry to wondering 'just how stupid are you'!!! And they didnt even get a second quote.

I hinted that they could have got it cheaper at one of the shed and he said he wouldnt buy that sort of quality.:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

I assume that price probably included Neff appliances, maybe a big range cooker, and a solid surface worktop of some description and included fitting.. so nowhere near £700 per unit, but even so!

Wren showrooms are very good, the one near you being a prime example, and they make their offer look quite compelling at face value against the competition. You can see why people get suckered!

They will regret it when their units turn up with no doors and when they try to claim on that warranty though!

londonTiger

cddc wrote: »

It is hugely ironic that the second worst offenders are now Wren, who arrived on the scene trumpeting transparent pricing, and have gradually moved so far away from that it is unreal!

Why do companies do this....because, sadly, it works!

I think it's a proven method that works. People want to feel they're getting a bargain and "beating the retailer" with an unbeleivable sale price.

Most people who buy based on cost savings aren't too fussed about whether it's solid wood or veneered. Or whether it's solid granite or some artificial build.