ᐅ Excessive Costs for the Kitchen?!

That’s perfectly fine, @Tolentino – there is nothing you need to feel guilty about. Your considerations about where to shop are completely reasonable, and you don’t need to justify them, especially not to forum members like me. If something isn’t available locally, then it just isn’t available locally. It’s that simple. What annoys me are people who haggle and negotiate aggressively when shopping, find clever ways to get things from somewhere else, yet hold themselves to a completely different standard. In my view, @Tolentino, you have nothing in common with those people.

@hampshire Thanks! Yes, those are exhausting. They probably also come with high "moon prices" and corresponding discounts at the usual furniture stores.

Alessandro schrieb:

Your attitude is similar to many Hartz IV recipients:
Whether I go to work or not doesn’t matter. Plenty of others are working anyway. What difference does it make if I do?

I read along and, as often, can understand some of the points from both sides.
BUT @Alessandro, that is still an arrogant and dismissive statement. I’m sure you don’t mean it maliciously, but from the safety of your own, carefully maintained controlled residential ventilation home subdivision, such words about others often come far too easily.
Even among those who receive Hartz IV benefits, there are lazy, unwise, smart, and hardworking people just like anywhere else around us. It’s not simply black and white, even though we might prefer it to be for the sake of our arguments.
The “Ritter family” is a situation largely shaped by the behavior of the rest of society, and society as a whole should be ashamed of this. Unfortunately, the Ritter family often does not realize this themselves or know or find a way out.
From one’s own double garage with surveillance cameras and underfloor heating, it seems the world is perceived quite differently.
If people truly knew and experienced the world they judge better and more personally, they would write differently and above all feel more empathy.

Alessandro schrieb:

I just wanted to say that you apparently don’t recognize the scope of your actions...

…in this context, it’s worth rereading your own earlier post… see above.

@Sparfuchs_:P described it well in my opinion. No one lives perfectly; even German companies prefer to pay taxes abroad, etc. Everyone should develop a stronger awareness of social responsibilities rather than just looking down on supposed freeloaders. These “lazy freeloaders” (let’s at least call them what we mean) do not really risk our state—that’s more threatened by stock markets or the behavior of decadent economic sectors.
I firmly believe that EVERYONE should be aware that they have their own responsibility toward our social system, meaning also toward the economy around us—the craftsman, the baker—but the economy itself, the baker, plumber, etc. must think regionally as well; only in this way can it work.

And speaking of Hartz IV:
Everyone receives what is legally due to them, whether others like it or not. If someone receives benefits, it is correct and does not deserve contempt. Or do you have to justify or be ashamed because you rack up tens of thousands of euros from our state through various lobby-driven KfW or other programs? It’s done because the money is essentially free. If this money didn’t exist, 90% of it wouldn’t happen. KfW-subsidized houses are mostly built because of the free money, not because living in them is necessarily better.

By the way, I see Hartz IV recipients less often abroad at stylish après-ski parties or in the Caribbean, where usually clearly exploited, underpaid staff serve the cocktails saved on by KfW subsidies wearing white gloves. There, regionality is quickly ignored (sorry), or will we all soon meet in the Harz Mountains? No… that would look bad on Twitter.

A bit less hypocrisy and more concrete action instead of empty talk would benefit EVERYONE (including me!!!). I intentionally include myself, as I am not free of this either!!

Tolentino schrieb:

When I think of local community, I think of the carpenter working in a backyard workshop.

Yep, that’s right.
But even this carpenter must put this thinking into practice because if he then orders everything online or cheaply from abroad, this idea is only half-hearted. Does the carpenter also source locally himself, or is he constantly flying off to Tatütata…… abroad? This matters, because otherwise I might as well buy from Romania or Poland if the Pole or Romanian then spends their family vacation in the Eifel or spends their money on German roast pork.
It’s not that simple in my opinion… now I’ll finally cut open my mango.

Maybe it’s time to get back to the main topic?

“Excessive costs for the kitchen?!”

We went into the showroom with a budget of 10,000 € (about 11,000 USD). Häcker Classic, kitchen island, standard laminate countertop... and ended up at 11,500 € (about 12,650 USD) including appliances. So it’s possible to get it cheaper than 20,000 € (about 22,000 USD).

Then we made the mistake of comparing our demands and wishes with the display kitchens. In the end, we bought a kitchen for 21,000 € (about 23,100 USD) and are really excited about it ^^

The biggest cost drivers are the downdraft extractor (in our case from Berbel), real lacquered cabinet fronts with frame, and stone countertops. These alone quickly add up to 10,000–15,000 € (about 11,000–16,500 USD). On top of that are furniture costs and other appliances.

We spent about 7,000 € (about 7,700 USD) on the wood components for a Häcker Systemat kitchen, 10,000 € (about 11,000 USD) on appliances, plus the stone countertop and installation. So if your Polish supplier is charging 9,000 € (about 9,900 USD) for just the cabinetry, you should carefully compare whether it’s really worth it.

Service plays a special role here: my kitchen builder comes to take measurements, spent many hours advising us, assembles everything, and takes responsibility for the warranty. If something goes wrong, I know for sure I won’t be ignored. If necessary, he will quickly come by even though it’s 30 km (about 19 miles) away.

Buying abroad often means significantly lower prices than in Germany. THAT’S TRUE! But you should also compare fairly and ask yourself: do I get the same level of service abroad? Or do I value having that service?

I can purchase the service in Germany anyway. It might also be more expensive there.
I cannot comment on the service from Polish kitchen builders. However, on the websites I checked, a site measurement was included. Polish craftsmen also have to provide warranties. Whether that works out well, I don’t know, as I lack experience with this.

Why is everyone so upset about my Hartz4 comment? There are people who live according to that principle—I know that! In this context, it was only meant as a synonym for the statements made here, following the idea: What difference can I really make?!

I once had a conversation with a freegan (someone who lives by scavenging from garbage bins and foraging). He seriously claimed that you don’t actually need money to get by because, for example, market vendors at weekly markets always give away or donate something. But he didn’t quite understand that those vendors can only give because they have jobs.

The term “local” is flexible, and of course, a 10% saving on a crate of soda and on a house are two very different things. In times of globalization and free market economy, it is the responsibility of businesses to remain competitive. If price and performance no longer correspond, consumers can draw attention to it by buying somewhere cheaper—even if that is abroad.

The fact is, I can get almost EVERYTHING more cheaply abroad (especially in Eastern Europe). If everyone thought this way and outsourced orders abroad, local craftsmen would disappear sooner or later. Orders would shift, for example, to Poland, causing prices to rise there. This benefits neither the German economy nor the people living in Poland, who, despite lower wages, have to buy kitchens at German prices…

Of course, all of this is somewhat hypothetical, but I think many don’t see the bigger picture and the consequences of each individual’s actions.

Ultimately, everyone is free to decide where to buy what. What bothers me is that people always want everything but don’t seem willing to pay the market price for it. The original poster is no exception. His kitchen configuration is not a standard one, and in my opinion, the price is reasonable!

Edit: Strangely, almost no one complains about the prices of German cars! Why? It’s exactly the same as with houses, kitchens, or windows!