How to get Howdens to price match?

[daisychain237]

Have had a design done by Howdens which I like, but price is £10k.

A like for like at DIY Kitchens is under £5k but Howdens are refusing to budge on price.

Any one succesfully had them price match DIY and can share tips?

Why would they? Go to DIY kitchens if you want it for half price 🤷🏻‍♀️

Because I have seen threads on here of people successfully getting Howdens/ other kitchen suppliers to price match competitors? Thank you for your not so helpful comment 🙄

Is it exactly the same kitchen?

You've asked and they've said no, op! How exactly do you think you can force the situation?

yup pretty much same materials used.

They'll price match wren, benchmarx etc, but not diy ime.

If you want to get the price down, try asking your builder how often they use Howdens. If it's not very often, find a builder who uses then more regularly, as they'll get a bigger discount.

Or you could wait until their annual November sale to purchase...see if the price comes down then.

Have you ever heard of negotiations? Many people go back and forth with suppliers to get the best prices for big home projects like this. Prices aren't set in stone, especially with Howdens who are not transparent with their pricing.

If you have nothing useful to contribute please go away.

Well they’re obviously not going to match DIY kitchen as they have higher overheads, they’re not going to have 50% profit in there are they?

This is helpful thank you. I didn't have a builder in mind when I approached them for a design/quote and they recommended me one.

I'll try find another builder and see if they can manage to get me a better price.

Get the cheaper one then, I don't think Howdens will come down that much. We asked them what deals they could go and they gave us our dishwasher for free!

And you need a trade account to use Howdens, so if you go via a builder they'll probably add a profit on to. Unless you can get your own trade account or use someone you know

I believe Howdens individual stores have a fair amount of flexibility on pricing BUT it's hard to imagine a 50% price drop in any circumstances.

I'm all for a bit of back and forth negation but I think you have to be realistic in your expectations.

Have you ever achieved a 50% price reduction on anything (save for damaged / old stock etc)? I certainly haven't.

It may be that it isn't exactly the same product. I've no experience of using DIYK though... If it is the same, or near enough, and you can pay someone to install it at reasonable cost, or do it yourself, then I'd go for it.

NB in any case I think asking Howdens to take 50% off may be expecting too much. Key thing is to find a builder who gets a decent discount and will pass all of it on to you.

This is why I don't like them. I want to pay a fair price for something - I have no problem with anyone making a reasonable profit but I hate the idea that as a customer I am subsidising someone else's cheaper kitchen! Trade customers who buy a lot will get vastly discounted prices so you need a fitter / builder who fits 100s of Howdens kitchens.

Find a trustworthy builder you/your friends know and use their trade account - they would have to be decent regular customers of Howdens.
Get a quote through them.
Then wait for Howdens sale - I think in October usually and hope your kitchen is included in the sale.

They don't really negotiate with domestic customers the way you envisage.

Also, the quality of their kitchen may well be a lot higher than B&Q, hence much higher price.

There are many cases of mners getting Howdens to price match or even undercut DIY: https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/property/4834640-kitchen-quotes-haggling-with-howdens

I don't know why some users are being so snarky in the comments. If you have nothing to contribute please exit the thread!

Are you willing to fit the kitchen yourself? (Is that not what DIY kitchens involves)?

They matched DIY kitchens for me last year.

Send DIY your quote from Howdens as though you plan to go with DIY instead and they'll match the stuff and then you go back to Howdens...

They do a sale in sept/oct with usually 20% off so would knock it down to £8k

I'd just get the DIY Kitchens kitchen, tbh. We spent ages trying to deal with Howdens - our builder got the quote through his trade account, and even he said he couldn't understand why it was so high. Howdens wouldn't budge on the price, so in the end I got all the appliances from Boots Appliances and the (top of the range) kitchen from DIY. Builders really rated the quality.

I remember the quote from howdens I got a few years back specifically mentioned not matching DIY kitchens.

I got mine from DIY and the price was 50% cheaper than Howdens for a higher spec kitchen.

Ooh I might try this thanks! Though Howdens won't give me an intemised breakdown that includes the pricing.

Did the one you send to DIY have the prices listed?

Howdens weren't interested in price matching for me. I don't think they need the business.

For what it's worth I've heard very good things about DIY kitchens. I'd chose them over Howdens.

You're being disingenuous, OP. You clearly think the Howdens kitchen is better quality, or you'd just buy the DIY kitchen. And Howdens know that their kitchen is better quality.

Otherwise why not save £5K and get the DIY one?

You would be surprised