An Honest Guide To Buying A Kitchen
November 15, 2019
“Half Price Quality Kitchens – Plus A Free Dishwasher!”
Sounds great doesn’t it?
Unfortunately, it really is too good to be true. What’s not mentioned in that headline is the cost of supplies, worktops, flooring, all the way through to installation. At each step of the process you’ll find yourself exposed to yet another hidden cost and as the price quickly rises, the gripping offer that drew you in is now just a distant memory.
When you take on the project of a new kitchen there are many considerations to weigh up, and the last thing you want is to be targeted by some of the bigger company’s classic ways of putting you out of pocket. We’ve rounded up some of the most important things you should consider before you buy a new kitchen so you can enter the game with a few tips and tricks up your sleeves.
Setting the right budget
Every great project starts with the allocation of a budget and of course you don’t want to be over-ambitious, but you wouldn’t want to sell yourself short either. A good rule of thumb is that you should aim to spend around 20% of the value of your house on a new kitchen, the heart of the home. You may be shocked or possibly even a little intimidated by this sum but look what happens when you start to break it down:
- 35% spent on cabinets for optimal storage
- 20% for worktops that align with your kitchen’s style
- 20% for reliable, lifelong kitchen appliances
- 15% is kept for backsplashes and flooring
- 5% electrical induced costs
- 3% for plumbing
- 2% on quality painting
Before beginning the design process, Ream will always discuss your budget to ensure all these features are incorporated. We are completely transparent and always advise on what is more or less affordable to ensure that you are always covered. It’s worth getting the budget right the first time. If you don’t plan correctly you will only find yourself falling victim to hidden costs further down the line.
Get An Accurate Quote
You’ve been promised a kitchen for £999 so why wouldn’t you get that kitchen for that price?
The price you see on the TV adverts is usually only inclusive of around 8 units, which is unlikely to be as many as you will need. So you’ll ask for extra units, to which the answer will be yes, but for the following price, at which point you’re left to pick up your jaw from the floor.
Installation Costs
When you’ve come to terms with the added units you’ve been forced to pay for you’ll be patiently waiting for the company to organise when to fit the kitchen in your home. Unfortunately, fitting leaves an almighty dent in your bank account, unless of course you’re experienced and can fit it yourself. These are some of the tasks that will impact the price of installation:
- Your old kitchen needs to be ripped out and disposed of.
- Appliances to be removed which requires an experienced plumber or electrician on site.
- Flooring and tiling will need to be professionally fitted.
- You may need new skirting boards which will incur an additional cost
Fitters will be paid for their work at an average cost of around £350-400 a day. Now you see why the installation process can significantly bump up the price of your new kitchen.
Ream Client Kitchen Walderslade
Things To Watch Out For
A ‘free’ consultation is great when it is actually free.
Ream Interiors offer a free consultation that some companies will charge a fee of £50 and upwards for. What’s even better, we will follow your consultation up with a free planning service where we will take the time to understand your specific requirements.
