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?

I would walk away spending that much money on a kitchen and they can’t give you a deal. You’re not a paying customer yet so you should be entitled to it. Just an fyi I have a quooker tap and it is the best thing I’ve ever bought. I don’t know what issues people have had with it but I’ve not had any issues with mine. Now my brother has had issues with his but his isn’t a quooker it’s a cheaper version of the quooker. Quooker is also the only one that does 100 degrees. Good luck with the kitchen. Definitely get some other quotes.

Even for my small kitchen, about 2k, they threw in the dishwasher and all the handles, and still discounted the total price. And told me where to get the exact same worktop from for cheaper. And they didn't hold the design details back. They were amazing.

Shop about.

Sounds like they have given you a good price already.

Don’t be aggrieved about the tap, just put it down to tight margins.

If they definitely are a good company and you were happy with the price originally, and happy they won't do a bodge job and leave you without kitchen for six months, then I personally wouldn't be bothered about a Quooker tap. My friend is having her's removed.

My two-pennth worth is you can design your own kitchen. You have seen what the kitchen company are suggesting, even if you haven't got actual plans.

I worked out what I wanted on graph paper. Lots of measuring, rubbing out, remeasuring. In the end I had a clear idea in my head what I wanted - and what features I absolutely did not want. I could picture myself in that kitchen, where I would be standing to cook etc., what I wanted to hand, how I wanted to store certain items together to make things easier than they currently were.

I gave my graph paper design to the kitchen company and between us we made some tweaks, but basically the kitchen I have now 95% my vision.

So if you do decide to go elsewhere, you don't have to be reliant on their ideas.

I wondered that too 😂

I mean, where do they draw the line? They introduced an incentive to start on a specific date. There’s potentially dozens of customers in the same position as you. It’s just one of those situations where it is what it is. It comes across a bit mean spirited and spiteful to try hold a company to ransom when tbh they’ve really done nothing wrong. A £100 tap presumably doesn’t make that much difference to your finances when you’re already spending £30k on a kitchen, but if the business applied the same to all other customers in your position, then it could affect their business. Businesses are struggling atm.

So they're a smaller company, you like the quality of the product and they have a reputation for being good? And you're not that fussed about the tap?

I think it's a bit unfair to compare them to the big kitchen companies - you do know they inflate their prices so that they can then offer a discount to make you feel good?

Ime smaller companies don't operate that way. I'd imagine the Qooker thing is some kind of deal they've got running with the supplier for a time limited period.

Also if you started the conversation in December then very possibly your quote is based on 2025 prices? Do you really want it based on 2026 prices instead just to get a free tap that you don't even particularly want?

The cost of that tap will be priced in somewhere... unless you really want the tap I'd leave well alone tbh.

No advice, I just can’t wrap my head around a 30k kitchen. We just redid ours (one wall of units, and a huge island) with a new range cooker and new American style fridge for less than 9k (and an extra £2k for the installation, from our builder). It’s from Wren’s nicer range too, and we got proper Oak countertops and a fancy sink. I thought we were really splashing out, but looks like we went super cheap!

If I was spending 30k I’d really insist on a freebie (although, the stats on Quookers are that you need to use 26cups of water a day from it to justify the extra electricity compared to boiling the kettle).

I'd say the special offer should be available to anyone who hasn't put an order on yet and OP hasn't.
In either case it makes sense to get other quotes as she might get the same quality or better somewhere else at a better price and with special offers

I would shop around. It sounds like you have just gone to one place. You might get a better deal elsewhere. You haven’t placed the order yet. It’s a lot of money just to hand over

I would go to another supplier because the one that has quoted is obviously more interested in the money! I know every business has to make money but the are currently looking at losing a £30k sale! I have a quooker tap and it is absolutely fabulous! It’s been fitted about 18 months and had no problems and constant boiling water!

i'd express my disappointment that the tap offer isn't extended to you (over a month ) and ask if its an absolute deal breaker for them because it may be for you ....
See what they say then decide if you want to take your custom elsewhere,

I have a Quooker tap,cost 1000 pounds and worth every single penny.

Nope! As I am a cut your nose off to spite your face kind of gal (wish I wasn’t but hey ho) I’d be resentful of that so I’d have to walk away after threatening to do so first to see if they backtracked.
No reason why they can’t honour that.

An oven that couldn’t hold it’s temperature and a dishwasher that couldn’t wash dishes clean.

Leave it. We did our kitchen with what sounded like the same company I have a feeling we overpaid for the quality also Neff microwave oven and warming drawer not very good. In retrospect I would have hand picked other brands suppler tap p the other hand excellent

Stand your ground and get your tap! This is not a case of you negotiating with a small business who can't afford to give you money off, this is an offer they are advertising, so can clearly afford to lose the money if need be.
You have not agreed to the sale yet and have every right to walk away, so they should be trying to secure your custom, just like the customers that will start their inquiries this month.
Threatening to walk has no downside for you - they're not already giving you money off. You could walk now and go back in a few weeks and request the same thing and it should be the same price.

Ah good, I'm not interested in having one as they aren't my cup of tea. I was just basing it on what friends and family have experienced, which was great to start with and a big problem when they start to go wrong. Hopefully newer ones are not so prone to that sort of thing.

QUOOKER

Have you tried DIY kitchens for a price? Theirs a couple of FB pages and rarely are they coming out at that sort of price, even for top range. I'd shop around, you haven't bought yet and they aren't honouring an advertised offer, not a good start, I'd be concerned about after sales service.

Neff And Bosch are the same company. Think you must have been unlucky. Our Neff ovens are fab to cook with( buggar to clean) and Bosch dish washer is superb. Neff induction is particularly good.

They’re saying no because they would potentially absorb the loss on their side within the pricing for the rest of the kitchen. Now you have agreed costs, they can’t do that. So yes, I would at least thank them for their time and let them know you’ll be in touch if you want to go ahead. Especially if they’ve not offered any other deals or reduced rates. The mark-ups are significant.

By getting other quotes you may find the first supplier is offering a good deal; you may not. Either way finding out the costs of others will give you peace of mind.