New Kitchen Cost of Deposit Concern

HalfManHalfBiscuit

Hi,

I am a bit inexperienced with this sort of thing so hence the question.

I have had a few quotes for a new kitchen. We are happy to go ahead with a small company that will manage all the work required. This includes ripping out the old kitchen, a small amount of building work, replastering (including ceiling) and all the usual stuff. The cost is high but I am happy to pay for what should be a fantastic kitchen.

A large deposit has been requested so that the work can be booked in, we are talking around October. 

My concern is that the deposit is nearly a half of the full cost. This seems a lot for work not taking place for a while. I will speak to them and ask them to justify the price of the deposit but just wondered if this is quite normal or if there is anything I can do to protect myself should anything go wrong?

Thanks,
HMHB

Doozergirl

Is this a kitchen company or a building company?   Who is building the kitchen? Is it built to order or from stock? 

There's a difference between paying a large deposit for a kitchen to be specially made for you and paying a large deposit for 'work to be booked in'.  

tacpot12

I would agree with Doozergirl that you should not be paying a large deposit to book into the company's schedule. I would have said that £500 should be enough to prove that you are serious. There is no reason that you should be funding their cashflow with a larger amount. Only give them what you are prepared to lose.

Make sure that your contract with them says under what circumstances they will return the deposit.