ᐅ Strategy for Buying a Kitchen / How to Negotiate Effectively?
Created on: 6 Aug 2020 16:47
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Shiny86
I’ve started planning my kitchen and feel completely overwhelmed. It feels like being at a bazaar. Exactly what you see on TV shows happened to me. So far, I’ve visited 4 kitchen showrooms. I’m still waiting on the design and price from 2 of them. These are smaller studios, so I’m curious to see what they come up with.
But with the other two, it went exactly as expected. Twice I asked the manager for a discount, and it turned into a kind of show. The comments were laughable: “We can do it for price X, but then we won’t make any profit on you. The manager will probably want to talk to me about this.” Even after the second discount, I still felt like I was paying too much. Both salespeople set deadlines for me. One even said I had to sign the contract that same day.
I also don’t know how to negotiate smartly or what the right tactics are. I don’t really know the actual value of my kitchen. When does negotiating become unreasonable? How do you know for sure when there’s no more room to negotiate? Are there actually people who don’t negotiate at all and just accept the first offered discount? I’ve wondered about that too. It’s a shame I don’t know any kitchen salesperson personally to get insider tips.
Since I have a lot of expensive requests, I feel almost ridiculous setting my budget too low. The problem is that I can’t compare apples to apples because my kitchen concept has changed with every planning appointment. In my small town, I’ve now visited all the studios except for Roller. There are still studios in neighboring towns, but I already feel like I won’t have a kitchen even after visiting 5 more showrooms.
Nearly all plans are for a Nobilia kitchen, coming to around 20,000 euros (about $22,000), or even more if I include my latest wishes. I’ve asked if I should buy the appliances myself to save money, but I was advised against it. They said they wouldn’t install them due to warranty reasons.
What price would you set if you were in my position? And please share how you got your kitchen and how you negotiated.
My requirements are:
- A tall cabinet row with 6 cabinets, each 60cm (24 inches) wide, boxed in drywall. Two of these should be pantry cabinets with pull-out shelves, and the other 4 will house appliances.
- A kitchen peninsula about 1.2m (4 feet) wide and approximately 3.10m (10 feet) long, with drawers on both sides only.
- I want quite high-end appliances, probably Bosch Series 8 black Carbon Accent line, likely including an oven with microwave, a combi-steam oven, and a built-in coffee machine.
- Cooktop with an integrated downdraft vent, recirculating air, flush-mounted (Bosch Series 8 has been planned so far, but I don’t know how good the cooktop is).
- Very quiet dishwasher, brand doesn’t matter (Bosch and Neff have been suggested so far).
- Refrigerator inside a tall cabinet with 2 bio-fresh drawers, brand doesn’t matter (Liebherr and Bosch have been suggested).
- Ceramic countertop
- Undermount ceramic sink
I don’t want to spend more than necessary. But I realize I probably won’t get everything for 15,000 euros (about $16,500).
How should I proceed?
But with the other two, it went exactly as expected. Twice I asked the manager for a discount, and it turned into a kind of show. The comments were laughable: “We can do it for price X, but then we won’t make any profit on you. The manager will probably want to talk to me about this.” Even after the second discount, I still felt like I was paying too much. Both salespeople set deadlines for me. One even said I had to sign the contract that same day.
I also don’t know how to negotiate smartly or what the right tactics are. I don’t really know the actual value of my kitchen. When does negotiating become unreasonable? How do you know for sure when there’s no more room to negotiate? Are there actually people who don’t negotiate at all and just accept the first offered discount? I’ve wondered about that too. It’s a shame I don’t know any kitchen salesperson personally to get insider tips.
Since I have a lot of expensive requests, I feel almost ridiculous setting my budget too low. The problem is that I can’t compare apples to apples because my kitchen concept has changed with every planning appointment. In my small town, I’ve now visited all the studios except for Roller. There are still studios in neighboring towns, but I already feel like I won’t have a kitchen even after visiting 5 more showrooms.
Nearly all plans are for a Nobilia kitchen, coming to around 20,000 euros (about $22,000), or even more if I include my latest wishes. I’ve asked if I should buy the appliances myself to save money, but I was advised against it. They said they wouldn’t install them due to warranty reasons.
What price would you set if you were in my position? And please share how you got your kitchen and how you negotiated.
My requirements are:
- A tall cabinet row with 6 cabinets, each 60cm (24 inches) wide, boxed in drywall. Two of these should be pantry cabinets with pull-out shelves, and the other 4 will house appliances.
- A kitchen peninsula about 1.2m (4 feet) wide and approximately 3.10m (10 feet) long, with drawers on both sides only.
- I want quite high-end appliances, probably Bosch Series 8 black Carbon Accent line, likely including an oven with microwave, a combi-steam oven, and a built-in coffee machine.
- Cooktop with an integrated downdraft vent, recirculating air, flush-mounted (Bosch Series 8 has been planned so far, but I don’t know how good the cooktop is).
- Very quiet dishwasher, brand doesn’t matter (Bosch and Neff have been suggested so far).
- Refrigerator inside a tall cabinet with 2 bio-fresh drawers, brand doesn’t matter (Liebherr and Bosch have been suggested).
- Ceramic countertop
- Undermount ceramic sink
I don’t want to spend more than necessary. But I realize I probably won’t get everything for 15,000 euros (about $16,500).
How should I proceed?
In the past, I went to Plana a few times because it was next to the hardware store.
Back then, there were no concrete fronts, black fronts, or ceramic countertops.
I think Magnolia or something similar was trendy, high gloss; there were a few wooden kitchens and some red ones in one corner.
At that time, I told my husband honestly, I didn’t know what I should buy there. They all looked the same or very similar. Without any kitchen knowledge, someone could have sold me anything (except corner units and Le Mans pull-out shelves) about 10 years ago.
Back then, there were no concrete fronts, black fronts, or ceramic countertops.
I think Magnolia or something similar was trendy, high gloss; there were a few wooden kitchens and some red ones in one corner.
At that time, I told my husband honestly, I didn’t know what I should buy there. They all looked the same or very similar. Without any kitchen knowledge, someone could have sold me anything (except corner units and Le Mans pull-out shelves) about 10 years ago.
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pagoni20207 Aug 2020 14:25Alessandro schrieb:
I go to the kitchen showroom to test and inspect everything. That’s why there are exhibitions offering everything from budget to high-end options. No question, you can look at it that way; it does sound a bit too simple, and in my opinion, comparing cars to kitchens is less suitable. As @matte1987 explained in detail, various issues can arise, and fortunately, he was well prepared. You yourself mentioned that people often have little time, some have less technical understanding, or find it hard to resist during sales talks... all of that can play a role. As I said, there are no strict rules, just a collection of interesting experiences from others and myself that influence my decisions.
Alessandro schrieb:
Anyone who really goes and gets offered a quote without trying things out or asking questions is to blame themselves. I don’t think anyone is that naive. We just see it differently. I really can’t say that about myself, even though I have bought several kitchens in my life.
Alessandro schrieb:
It’s like a car dealership offering me a car without me having seen or test-driven it first. You seem to like those absurd comparisons where others appear foolish.
Alessandro schrieb:
And what do you do if, for example in my case, three tilers want about 100€/m² (approximately $100 per square meter)? Simply not tiling isn’t an option, and waiting forever isn’t either... I haven’t faced a situation like that, or I made sure it wouldn’t come up, so I can’t really comment. However, I do know I’ve always taken showers in tiled bathrooms throughout my life. Not waiting forever... but maybe being more patient... although that depends on the individual situation, which is different for you than for me, and if you handled it that way in your situation, then that was the right choice since you need to feel comfortable.
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Alessandro7 Aug 2020 14:39pagoni2020 schrieb:
No question, you can look at it that way, it sounds too simple, and in my opinion, the car-to-kitchen comparison fits less.
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You like those absurd comparisons where others seem foolish— Why doesn’t it fit? I’m not trying to discredit anyone here, but sometimes I seriously wonder how people choose or buy their things, especially when they cost tens of thousands of euros.
If you (as about 90% supposedly do) want a white kitchen, what immediately comes to mind regarding a white kitchen? I bet it’s things like dirt, cleaning, fingerprints, right? Who would get a quote without first asking the consultant about the different surfaces, coatings, gloss levels, etc.? Without having held one of the countless sample surfaces and at least tested the visibility of fingerprints, then asking about the differences in quality and price?
In my view, anyone who doesn’t do this is walking through life somewhat blindly and would probably accept a car without a test drive or inspection.
If someone doesn’t deal with such details, they shouldn’t complain later. Information is more than available nowadays, thanks to the internet and forums...
The original poster has apparently already chosen a certain level of quality and individual products based on information, recommendations, and experience. Ultimately, it’s just about finding the lowest price and a strategy for squeezing out the last euro. And then we’re back to the situation that you and I neither support nor want to endure.
So no one can come to me with claims of a lack of transparency, because information on every single product, reviews, and experiences with suppliers and materials are plentiful online!
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pagoni20207 Aug 2020 15:18Alessandro schrieb:
I don’t want to discredit anyone here, but sometimes I seriously wonder how people choose or buy their stuff—especially when it costs tens of thousands of euros. I understand that, and I sometimes wonder the same, especially when I see young people lying on what I consider awful sofas or standing in front of matching wall units... but luckily everyone is free to do as they please—
Alessandro schrieb:
I bet it’s things like dirt, cleaning, fingerprints, and so on, right? Nope, I lost that bet. For me, it’s more about functionality, durability for MY requirements, and the color scheme of the fronts. Right now, I have a large IKEA kitchen in white with aluminum and appliances of my choice, but I never worried about those things (there are two of us, so if something goes wrong, we can quickly find the culprit).
We looked at options, already had some experience with kitchens from various suppliers, plus IKEA isn’t far away, so I can easily exchange things if needed. The price for the furniture was immediately clear, and I already knew which appliances we wanted and where to buy them.
Since we decided on white and liked the glossy lacquered fronts and knew exactly how we would arrange everything, it was optimal for us. Also, we have an excellent kitchen fitter (sometimes we have to wait for an appointment), whom we never ask about the price beforehand because it always works out!
As I mentioned, even the surface of the thick countertop is glossy white, and we love it—it’s surprisingly easy to maintain!
I visited a great kitchen showroom where the really competent salesperson was standing inside a pulled-out drawer. Wow, impressive! The kitchens were truly top-notch in design and workmanship. Still, we decided against it purely for price reasons (we also rarely stand inside drawers) because we have a clear sense of what our kitchen needs to endure and be capable of; and from that feeling, I say that an IKEA kitchen, in terms of quality and workmanship, can be perfect for a family with children, but so can many other kitchens. Ultimately, it comes down to individual assessment, and I can absolutely understand if someone chooses a completely different product based on their needs.
Alessandro schrieb:
The original poster apparently already decided on a certain quality level and specific products based on information, recommendations, and experience. Ultimately, it’s only about getting the lowest price and tactics to squeeze out the last euro. Then we’re back to the story you and I don’t support or want to suffer from. I don’t think it’s quite at that point yet. In my opinion, they’re probably in the phase of wanting something really great and trying to get it at the best possible price. At least that’s what I think... and I find that legitimate, it’s the same for me.
Alessandro schrieb:
Anyone who doesn’t do that is, in my view, somewhat blindly wandering through life, letting themselves be sold a car without a test drive or inspection.
Anyone who doesn’t care about these things has no right to complain later. Given the internet and forums, there’s plenty of information available… Wow, that’s quite a stance—because there’s the internet and we can touch everything or test drive it, we’re all smarter now? If it still happens, that person is just blind.
Funny how, despite this ever-available source of truth, lawyers’ waiting rooms and consumer advice centers are always full.
We’re having a serious discussion here, and the original poster (or should I say OP?) has something to read. They don’t have to buddy up with any of us forever and might take a bit from all of this on their journey.
What I find important is that we agree that dealing with the craftsman or service provider should be fair and appropriate, and aggressive price haggling shouldn’t happen on either side. I think—or hope—we basically agree on that.
Alessandro schrieb:
So nobody should come to me with claims of a lack of transparency, ...at this point, we both still have some work to do to find common ground.
By the way, I’m having a batch of lamb steaks on the grill tonight... just to make sure I write something really important for once!
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Alessandro7 Aug 2020 15:24I’ll leave it at that now, since we seem to think very differently about some things, and similarly about others.
With that said: enjoy your meal and have a great weekend!
With that said: enjoy your meal and have a great weekend!
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pagoni20207 Aug 2020 15:27Alessandro schrieb:
In some things, we probably think completely differently, in others, quite the same.Hm... I feel like I've heard that somewhere before—Similar topics