To not buy new kitchen over a tap

[Kubricklayer]

DW and I are close to pulling the trigger on a £30K kitchen. Spent last month back and forth agreeing specifics.

A few days ago DW saw on their FB page a deal for new customers in Feb to get a free £1K Quooker tap if they spend min £15K on a kitchen.

We then sent an email to chase up our kitchen stuff and asked if we’d get the tap since the sale will likely go through in Feb.

They said it’s for new inquiries and as we inquired late Dec we wouldn’t qualify for the tap.

At this point in time we’ve not paid a deposit, or signed anything and they’ve spent significant time designing our kitchen. All that effort will be for nothing if we decide to walk away.

Surely it’d be worth throwing this tap in so not to risk losing the sale? I’m not fussed about the tap tbh but part of me is a bit annoyed because we’re spending over double the money needed to qualify for the free tap and the sale will now be finalised in Feb, the qualifying month.

would you push back and insist on getting the tap if you were in my position?

A Quooker isn't a fad, they've been about for decades. I've had one for 10 years here and a year in a previous house. They are brilliant. Instant tea in the morning and boiling water straight onto the veg pan.

Its a small local family run firm, not a big chain. Their flex on margins is unlikely to be huge. The OP is free to say Quooker or bust, they may well say bust (or claw the value back somewhere else in the fitting).

@Kubricklayer 30k for 7m*7m for a midrange quality kitchen with an island seems quite low. Does this include appliances and fitting, all electical/plumbing work if needed?

I looked at boiling water taps (several brands) and decided. they were not worth the trouble and cupboard space after talking to friends with the magic Quooker. I wouldn’t use it for hot drinks and I steam veg rather than boiling it. However others love them so talk to people who use them.

The most striking thing to me is that you originally never wanted it - will you scrap the deal you were previously happy with because it doesn’t include something you didn’t actually want?

You chose to approach a local company with good reviews that position themselves as high quality German kitchens at a fair price. They will be concerned about quality and customer satisfaction. They aren't and wouldn't claim to be the cheapest kitchens. People looking for the cheapest kitchens would not approach them.

If what you want is the cheapest kitchen, and to be researching the price of an appliance or worktop yourself for price matching or self sourcing and paying trades separately then you have approached the wrong place.

I had some windows installed by a long established and trusted local firm that was always doing work on my estate. I didn't seek other quotes - I knew full well that there will be jack of all trades that would do the work for half the price but I wanted the quality and piece of mind of our local window specialist firm. They don't compete on price - they offer high quality work for a fair price that reflects that quality.

You could ask if there is a manager that can approve the tap deal but if not I suspect if you keep pushing on price it will be the company that tell you that they are probably not the appropriate company for you. If you don't want to pay a premium for quality cabinets and fitting with aftercare then go elsewhere.

Putting the tap aside, I get the feeling they are a little inflexible which could cause issues. If you are spending double the qualifying amount for the tap, it does seem counterproductive.

I went initially to a small kitchen company. I had nothing like your budget and they kept swapping things in and out. I ended up elsewhere because I could get painted oak for their cheaper unit price. It doesnt look as bespoke but it still looks good 10 years on.

The.small company wrote me a letter telling me my chosen kitchen would drop to bits. Nice.

Definitely walk away for now and tell them why. You can always come back if you don't find anything else comparable. But any company like that offering constant deals is usually not great anyway, especially the bigger ones. Focus on hard sell with poor service as soon as the sale is made. See Wren, Magnet, Kutchenhaus etc etc. Find a smaller one if I were you

If you haven’t placed the order yet, you should qualify for the tap. Thats a bit poor, I work for an Independant kitchen designer in Scotland. Is it Schuller, Hacka or Nobillia? There is no comparison with German against Wren or Hiwdens though. Make sure your joiner knows what they are doing as that makes a huge difference

You sound a bit naive to be honest. Of course the sales person will be building rapport with you - she wants to sell at the highest price. You are basing judgements on others who have recently bought kitchens rather than getting quotes.

big red flag is that they won’t give you a break down or plans (I’m not talking technical plans but ones you can have at home to visualise in your kitchen.

there are always deals to be had on purchases of that size and the fact that she isn’t prepared to throw in the tap is really telling.

id suggest looking at reviews of this company online and also getting at least 2 or 3 more quotes. Have a look to see if there is a local firm who build themselves you’ll possibly find that they are cheaper, more flexible and better quality.

Honestly I doubt they will be arsed about losing out on the 30k for the sake of a tap. They will write quotes on the daily that customers do not take up.

Question is, is the op going to miss out on her dream kitchen for the sake of a tap she doesn’t even sodding want but is making a big song and dance about?

Disagree, they are fabulous! Wouldn’t be without mine.

It sounds as if you weren't originally planning on having the tap. Are you sure you want one? I've come across people who have regretted getting a boiling water tap because the maintenance costs meant they'd stopped using it.

To be honest I wouldn't dream of spaffing that kind of money on a kitchen without looking for alternative quotations and layout suggestions. I'm sure the kitchen they are showing you is great, but they're only letting you see it in their showroom setting and won't give you a hard copy or any kind of cost breakdown, and I really wouldn't like that. To me that's a far bigger issue than the tap, which they should be offering you in February if you decide to order the kitchen! You haven't committed to it so you are still a new customer, not an existing one.

I hope you do get the kitchen you're looking for, tap and all, but I really think you should keep looking round and approach more kitchen companies, even if it's only a couple/few more. You might find a comparable kitchen or one you like even more with a far better sales service. At £30K, it's not too much to ask.

We have the Quooker tap, it’s a game changer! They may be getting a good deal themselves from Quooker in order to do the promotion. Very short-sighted customer service on their part.

Going against the grain, but YABU, you’re throwing your toys out of the pram for a freebie you’re not entitled to. If you’re splashing out £30,000 on a kitchen you can afford a Quooker tap if you wanted one.

And if you actually wanted one you would have stipulated it as part of the original design. You only want it because you mistakenly thought you could get it for free. If you’d never seen this offer you’d still be happy.

(Finally, YABU because Quooker taps are terrifying!)

Oops. Edited as my long post was for a completely different thread. Don't know what happened there

Sorry, but if I had scrimped and saved £30,000 I’d want the free tap too!
I would definitely be digging my heels in about it but I would also have shopped around and got a few quotes.
We had our loft done to include a bedroom and en-suite, you can bet I haggled and negotiated right through the whole process, it had taken me years to save the amount needed!

I’ve previously had a Quooker and got rid of it in the last kitchen fit-out. I don’t like tea with scum on it and we got a bean to cup machine for coffee. (I live in an area with very “chalky” water, which might explain it).

I don’t agree. If you read/watch reviews DIY kitchens come out on top from a trade point of view. They do a 22mm fronted cabinet which is fantastic quality. Absolutely no need to pay 30k for a kitchen.

Quooker owner here. Agree. It’s fantastic and I’d really miss it. Tap is 15 years old and has had a bit of self Mai tenancy and one call out. It works brilliantly and customer support has been great.

I’d be pissed off OP. Contrast it with when I was planning a holiday last year and was about to go firm and pay…. The girl said she suggested I delay paying until next Tuesday… lo and behold there was a sale on and she saved me 100s. It was Exodus and I’d definitely use them again.

@jeaux90 I think op is extremely Uber wealthy I just don't know anyone who would but a kitchen like this.

You used the car analogy. Would you buy a £30k car, even if you liked it, without looking at a couple of other dealers or brands? How do you know there isn’t a kitchen out there you won’t prefer even more, and for less money. I think you need to wise up and get some competing quotes- and see if at that point of presentation this lot come down a bit on price. That ‘no’ to the tap will turn to a yes, but I suspect you can get more. I smell tactics here (I bet they are expecting this!) and laziness if not- great for them. It’s the dance. Everyone knows the steps. You just need to do it.

I'd want the tap.
I'd look around a bit and think it over. And tell them you are doing so.
You want to be 100% sure on a big purchase

Literally can't believe you are spending 30k on a kitchen with NEFF appliances. Absolutely mad.

1. Measure the kitchen, think about where you want the drawers, oven, appliances, sink, island. 2) Look at the size of units at Wickes etc 3) Draw a plan using those units to your design, consider the plug sockets, taps, dish washer locations. 4) identify sink, units, dishwasher, taps, countertops, tiles, appliances, online and appropriate measurement 6) check calcs with tradesmen when you get quotes 5) Get electrician/plumber/gas engineer to put connections and plugs in. 6) Replaster if you need 7) Get multi trade kitchen fitter (or carpenter and electrian) to fit units, countertops, appliances 8) Get tiler in 9) Enjoy kitchen 10) Enjoy saving 50% off the bill and higher quality appliances

PS there are other cheaper taps that do the same.

Gadgets are only useful if you use them. I asked around friends before deciding not to bother - responses ranged from “wouldn’t be without it” from one, to “pain in the arse” from others but most were in the middle group of “handy at times but wouldn’t skimp elsewhere to pay for it”.

For me, they would only be useful if they could do variable temperatures - none could when I looked - so no use to me for hot drinks. I steam veg rather than boiling it so would only rarely benefit from it for cooking. Plus of course you lose a cupboard and its another item to maintain/go wrong.

The OP needs to work out if its something that would be well used in their kitchen and then if is something so important its worth scrapping a superficially good deal. £30k for a good quality kitchen of that size seems like a bargain, and its from a local firm who will still be there if there are issues in six months time.

The cost of the kitchen is irrelevant, you want to feel like you have received good value for money at whatever cost. £30k is a huge amount to some, and small change to others. It’s up to the OP what they view as good value for money, which may be not even be the price paid.

I think you are mad not to have other quotes.
I would tell them you are going with somebody else and the Tap and the sweeteners will come.
30k is not an order they will want to lose .

Also, look at DIY Kitchens. Good quality fraction of cost .