3 top tips when buying a kitchen an from Independent kitchen showroom
Buy your appliances from an independent kitchen showroom rather than online
Most Independent kitchen showrooms charge the same as online for appliances. However, buying from the showroom offers lots more advantages such as:
- An independent kitchen showroom will take full responsibility for making sure all the appliances will fit correctly are are the correct electrical ratings. Consumers often make mistakes when buying appliances online. These mistakes can be costly, stressful and delay completion of the kitchen. Examples of common mistakes are:
- Getting a double oven, microwave or combi with the wrong aperture
- Buying an induction hob with the wrong power rating
- Sourcing a hob that’s too deep for the worktop
- Buying appliances with different sized control panels to fit side by side each . This means they won’t line up, spoiling the overall look of the kitchen
- buying a dishwasher with the wrong aperture
- Buying an integrated fridge or freezer with the wrong aperture
- Most independent kitchen showrooms who sell AEG appliances will offer you a free 5 year guarantee on the appliances. However, if you buy them online, you’ll only get a 2 year guarantee.
- The showroom have the appliances on display so you can touch & feel them.
- Showroom staff will offer help and guidance on the features and benefits of the appliances. Plus, they’ll usually recommend the appliances they feel best suit your requirements.
Buy your Granite, Quartz or Corian worktops from an independent kitchen showroom rather than a third party
Independent showroom’s work on much lower profit margins than the big chains on granite, quartz & Corian worktops. So, unlike the big chains, who are usually much more expensive than third party suppliers, Independent showrooms are usually little more than £200 or £300 more than third party suppliers.
When you buy granite, quartz or Corian worktops from a third party, lots of things can and do go wrong. Again these can be costly to resolve, stressful and delay completion of the kitchen. Examples of these problems are:
Shading differences
Sometimes, quartz worktops will arrive with noticeable shading differences between runs which look unsightly. Unfortunately, when this happens, many quartz suppliers will refuse to replace the worktops. Instead, they’ll inform you that shading differences are common & that their terms & conditions state that they can’t be held liable for shading differences. However, if you’d bought your worktops from an independent kitchen showroom & this happened, they’d normally replace them without any fuss.
Faults in the stone
Sometimes quartz or granite worktops can have faults. Again, when this happens, many quartz or granite suppliers will refuse to replace the worktops. Their argument will be that the faults are not faults, but instead are natural markings which is common. They’ll then tell you that their terms & conditions state that they cannot be held liable for them. Again, if you’d bought your worktops from an independent kitchen showroom & this happened, they’d normally replace them without any fuss.
Low quality quartz or granite that stains & chips
When you buy quartz worktops from a showroom, they’ll usually offer you either a good quality brand of quartz or an unbranded quartz they know is decent quality. This means your quartz worktops will contain a very high quartz content & will therefore be very unlikely to stain or chip. However, when you buy your quartz from a third party supplier, many will offer you either an inferior quality brand of quartz, or, a low quality unbranded quartz. Both will contain a much lower quartz content & be more likely to satin or chip. Some unscrupulous suppliers will even quote you for a good quality brand but supply you with a low quality unbranded quartz. Although this is fraud, most consumers will never know.
Risk of damage to the kitchen
Sometimes, when a company installs granite or quartz worktops, they’ll accidenteley hit one of the doors or panels on the units. If this happens, you’ll need to pay for a replacement. This can cost anywhere between £100 & £700. Plus, you may also have to pay someone to come back to remove the old door or panel & fit the new one. However, If you’d bought the granite or quartz from an independent kitchen showroom, they’d be liable for the cost of the replacement door or panel.
Get the showroom to fit your kitchen rather than your builder
If you want to ensure you get the kitchen fitted to the highest standard & as quickly & stress free as possible, it’s best to use the showroom’s fitters rather than a builder. Builder’s may tell you they’re expert kitchen fitters, but they rarely are. In fact, when problems do arise with kitchen projects, it’s usually when a client’s builder is fitting the kitchen.
The good news is that most independent kitchen showrooms charge less than the chains for fitting & similar to what builders charge. Therefore, it shouldn’t cost you any extra to get your kitchen fitted properly by expert kitchen fitters rather than a builder.
Our free service recommends the best value Independent kitchen showrooms.
Showrooms offer free, no-obligation quotes & are within 30 minutes drive.
Read what our customers say about our service below:
“The kitchen your guys came up with is far more competitive than anything I have had quoted so far and the quality is in a different league”
Samantha Michaels, Watford, Herts
“Kitchenfindr recommended a showroom who were much better value than most of the other showrooms I’d previously looked at”
Hannah Malone, Esher, Surrey
“If you’re looking for a good value kitchen supplier, these are the people to speak to first!”
Natalie D R, Stanmore, Middx