How do I bathroom / kitchen / extension? etc.

We just had a Howdens guy round to look at the kitchen design.

He asked "how much do you want to pay?"

This really isn't a customer-friendly pricing strategy. Luckily we've got a DIY Kitchens design we like, and a DIY Kitchens showroom opening 15 minutes from here on Monday, so that's at least a negotiating point.

Daft question, but why's that an issue? No point him speccing a £xxk kitchen if you're looking at a different price point.

It's just a poorly worded way of ascertaining a realistic budget I guess. Could have been better if the sales person had proposed e.g. three ballpark options and asked which one was most appropriate/realistic for the customer

There is an awful lot of wiggle room in Howdens pricing

If there isn't a transparent and fixed pricelist without magic discounts then it is sometimes part of a salesperson working out how hard they can shaft you.

That boils my piss. When I sat down with a Wren kitchen designer the first thing I said was I’m not here to do a dance or a negotiation and if you say “I’ll just go and speak to my manager to see what I can do” I’ll not be sat here when you get back.
With Howdens I would just ask for the price the same as having a trade card as there’s plenty of other places to buy a kitchen.

Because - I probably should have explained this better - this was after we'd chosen the design, carcasses, layout, worktop, etc.

As an opening question before you think about design it's definitely useful. But after you've already explained what you want it sounds like "how much profit can we squeeze from you?"

Anyone care to recommend a website, app or software (ideally free) where I can enter room dimensions to come up with a bathroom design?
When we did the kitchen, there seemed to be a huge number of companies that wanted to come out and measure and sell you their stuff. Doesn't seem to be the case so much with bathrooms!

I paid £1600 to get 5 ceilings skimmed, one hall skimmed and a kitchen re boarded.

Seems a bit steep but usually plasters up here are £100/150 a wall

That's not really what happened with me, I went in and went I want this that and the next thing and they said the price was X.

Saying that the guy who was there kitchen designer in my local one is a fuckin clown and has made a cunt of a few things so double check it.

Our builder has a very good relationship with Howdens and says the way it works is:

1. Howdens name their price
   
2. The builders say it's too dear
   
3. They reduce it to what the builders want
   
   

A transparent pricing structure would be better - it seems like Howdens' is set up to allow builders to choose how much they can rip off customers by.

Seems to work for them. 3.2 bn sales and 340m EBITDA in 2023.

We'll most likely end up adding to that as well despite the frustration.

It is good quality, convenient and popular with builders.

Has anyone been up to the big Howdens showroom/expo in Northampton?

The convenience is not to be understated.
Missing / replacement hinges, shelves, panels etc that can be collected from the warehouse…

When I did a quote from Magnet, I was quoted a 2.5 month delivery/installation lead time.

Home.by.me

Didn't quite work like that and my dad's got an account. They basically said what do you want I said I have this, they designed it and at the end said the price was X or Y if I built it myself.

There really wasn't much of a debate, the days of trademans saving fortunes over the customer price is gone from experience.

Fitting it though its fine apart from the cockups Howdens have made and just like most other kitchens I work in that are 10's of thousands.

Yesterday I managed to get a second hand Smeg double oven in good condition for only £200.

Today I managed to break one of its doors trying to get it into storage during a storm.

it seems like Howdens' is set up to allow builders to choose how much they can rip off customers by

Yep exactly that. But in their defence if you do the admittedly annoying negotiation dance they can be very good for the money.

I do hope your answer to his initial question was 'as little as possible'.

I wonder if it varies from branch to branch, because while my experience of them isn't extensive from what I've experienced/heard the more typical experience is they pick a price out of the air, then if it's high you need to negotiate it down. But if you use a builder who's used to dealing with them they'll know what they should be paying.

the days of trademans saving fortunes over the customer price is gone from experience

It's definitely gone with Howdens as it's trade only :P

Probably not the right thread but i need an idle daydream crushed…
There’s a cheap flat in town, former commercial converted to residential in 2001. Neighbouring unit still a commercial office. If I wanted to buy this flat, convert the downstairs back into a shop (office for my company) and have the upstairs as an overflow space for meetings/Airbnb at weekends(sub 90 nights/year), would what I need to worry about?

I get discounts from my suppliers as I have been loyal to them for a long time (and therefore give them a small but reliable amount of sales).
I do not pass that savings on to my customers, i charge them the standard rate for my supplies.
I take that as profit and therefore pay slightly more tax on it.
I am an intermediary in the supply chain and want to get a slight payment for my time and effort.
It has taken time, money and energy as a skilled professional to get to the point where i am paid for my work, and for the years graft where i did not.
I do not go into Sainsbury's and demand that i pay them the same for a tin of beans as they pay their suppliers, and I expect that most DIY heroes don't either, although i would enjoy seeing them try.
I'm also aware that many tradesmen will use this mechanism to unjustifiably add cash to their mattress; but the practice is not set up to "rip off customers".
It's how you run a business and earn a living, and pay the wages of those who work for you.

Every thread is golf club now

But what is the difference in price quoted for a couple walking into howdens on a weekend and picking a kitchen and a tradesman with an account on the Monday? It’s not 10% is it…

Don’t start that in here, I had it out with someone a while ago about this exact thing and trade prices 😂

The question is wrong. Howdens only supply trade.