Howdens quote £4400

lauh88

We've just bought our first home and have ripped out the old (about 30 years old infact) kitchen ready for a new one. Our budget is about £4k with appliances, tiling and electrical work.

We had been looking at Ikea and the one I planned (using their horrendous online tool) was coming out at £2500.

We've got a local builder doing some structural work and windows, and he has introduced us to Howdens for a kitchen quote. I went for the Greenwich White as I was told it's the cheapest shaker style units they do. We are going to buy our own appliances.

We need:
4x 800mm wall units
2x 800mm base units
2x 800mm corner units
2x 600mm base units
1.5 bowl sink & tap
approx 800mm breakfast bar & support leg
solid oak worktops

We've been quoted £3800 with oak-style laminate worktops or £4400 with the solid oak worktops we wanted

Our builder says he gets 10-40% trade discount, are these prices He has quoted £1100 to fit it too. Should we haggle with him or with Howdens? Help appreciated!

suisidevw

So 4.4k with oak worktops and ALL appliances or just sink?

gazman100

It sounds like a lot - I had had a Howden's Greenwich light oak about 18 months ago. Not like for like exactly but for 16 cabinets + sink work top etc came out as £3k.

I would certainly be looking for a second quote, which would be good advice anyway if you're not sure!

beaker141

I used http://www.diy-kitchens.com/ for mine after having a quote from Howdens with the best builders discount applied. Howdens was about 3k dearer and when I discussed the rival quote with Howdens the guy said it looked comparable but he couldn't even begin to price match - despite saying they price match on the email quote.

gazman100

The other thing to bear in mind of course is that your builder might be adding margin on to the kitchen.

LEJC

I suspect that the builder is not passing on all his howdens discount to you.
Typically someone who has a good working relationship with howdens would be getting in the region of 60-80% discount on certain items from them....possibly 90% on the odd few.....




factor in the additional discount and that makes your kitchen fitting quite expensive IMO.

robti

Have a Howdens account and myself and brother still went for ikea kitchens and self fitted them, but as others have said get another quote as it looks like the builders full discount isn't being given ( he might be pricing cheap because of holding back some discount)

lauh88

They had included oven, hob and extractor which we didn't want. They've reduced it by a grand total of £340 inc VAT by removing these.
My boyfriend is going to go in to the branch to see the prices as they won't email them to us. I told Howdens we're also looking at Ikea which is half the price, they tried to put us off saying it's a nightmare to put together but we'd rather save £2000+ by spend a bit of time building the units ourselves!

adamg

OMG he gets 10% discount! That should be in a Christmas Cracker! Try 70% off the greenwich range he is pocketing £1000.00 from you

nubian56

This really makes for interesting reading as I have had a quote from Howdens and plans drawn up to the tune of £4092....I'm only having in reality a larder cupboard a housing for the existing stand alone fridge freezer, integrated dishwasher which I am buying, an oven/microwave housing, 3 sets of draws, boiler housing, integrated bin cupboard, sink cupboard, porcelain sink and tap and 2pullout spice racks either side of hob, I'm flabbergasted to think that someone could be making money from me....had no idea that builder's discount could be as much as 70%....I'm on a very strict budget having just moved house with everything to do.....am really cheesed off now....help anyone?

Chris_1066

I'm just in the lengthy process of choosing a complete new kitchen and have looked at Howdens and Magnet so far. The discount structure from both companies reminds me of double glazing prices ... jack up the price then add MASSIVE discounts. I spec'd out a kitchen with Howdens and was quoted approx £4500 exc appliances but inc the sink. I then asked Magnet to price up a near identical kitchen ... their starting price came out at £14,500 !!! It's a ridiculous sales strategy. After much discussion and haggling it came down to £4750 plus appliances at £2000. I have the quote from Howdens and there's a discount of 70% on most items however like Magnet the starting prices is very high.

I like the idea of rigid cabinets and ex-stock delivery with Howdens however I'm not so keen on their worktops? BTW Magnet were very good on prices for appliances although they don't do Neff.