Howdens quote Ј4400

A question about : Howdens quote Ј4400

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 Ј4k 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 Ј2500.

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 Ј3800 with oak-style laminate worktops or Ј4400 with the solid oak worktops we wanted

Our builder says he gets 10-40% trade discount, are these prices He has quoted Ј1100 to fit it too. Should we haggle with him or with Howdens? Help appreciated!

Best answers:

• So 4.4k with oak worktops and ALL appliances or just sink?
• 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 Ј3k.
  I would certainly be looking for a second quote, which would be good advice anyway if you're not sure!
• I used https://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.
• The other thing to bear in mind of course is that your builder might be adding margin on to the kitchen.
• 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.
• 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)
• They had included oven, hob and extractor which we didn't want. They've reduced it by a grand total of Ј340 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 Ј2000+ by spend a bit of time building the units ourselves!
• OMG he gets 10% discount! That should be in a Christmas Cracker! Try 70% off the greenwich range he is pocketing Ј1000.00 from you
• This really makes for interesting reading as I have had a quote from Howdens and plans drawn up to the tune of Ј4092....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?
• 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 Ј4500 exc appliances but inc the sink. I then asked Magnet to price up a near identical kitchen ... their starting price came out at Ј14,500 !!! It's a ridiculous sales strategy. After much discussion and haggling it came down to Ј4750 plus appliances at Ј2000. 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.
• howdens sales men are on commission haggle them to death and you'll end up saving more!
• I have just had Howden's kitchen fitted and my builder passed on the whole discount - 70-80%. I checked this with my brother, who also has Howden's account. He said Howden's ask builder how much of the discount does he want to pass on to his customer; obviously a great way for him to make extra cash while seeming to be generous giving you 40%. Get another quote.
  All these so called discounts/half price offers etc are just a con. Goods are never sold at full price.
• Try imperial kitchens in Wallasey . trevor will often fit better quality ,offer different ideas and include solid timber worktops as standard . even if you don't use them it will give you a better idea of what your paying for . howden's are decent product but prices shouldn't depend on who you talk to in there .
• You all make it sound like a criminal offence that the builder isn't passing on ALL his discount.
  He is in business for goodness sake....
• I am the opposite with discount . I have a cash account at eurocell and gap . Other workmates and family builder friends all know my account ref code and the more they use it to buy plastics and get my discount the more i spend at the end of the year and gets me a bigger discount . ( and a bottle at xmas ) think its about 40% on everything and more on the odd stuff .but my discount is my profit when it comes to pricing a job .or my price is down and my discount is the difference i make as an extra
• You could of course try Leaveitasitis.com they are currently giving 100% discount, run a by now pay now offer, and they don't charge for fitting..... but the offer ends on Sunday.
  It's all cobblers. Marketing hype. Inflated pricing and kidology.....
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  MFI was Marketing For Idiots.
• We're in the same situation, however we're doing all the work ourselves since family are in the trade.
  In all honesty, I would get your builder to continue with the building works, however don't give him 100% commitment that he will be fitting your kitchen.
  Everyone here recommends places like Howdens or Benchmarx, and whilst they're better than the likes of B&Q, there isn't much in it.
  Go an find a local kitchen fitter - https://www.kitchenfittersforum.com/ is a good place to start.
  You will get a much better deal out of it, as they will probably be a tad cheaper and you may very well end up with a better quality kitchen.
  Ikea, Benchmarx, Howdens etc all use foil wrapped kitchens. Think of it as the MDF going through a machine which essentially vacuum wraps different colour plastics on it.
  We are going independent and are getting a lacquered kitchen for not much more!
  As an example:
  Benchmarx Quote: Ј9,000 all in
  Howdens Quote: Ј9,000 all in
  Magnet Quote: Ј15,000 all in