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Re: Howdens pricing, sale and negotiation
Posted: July 14th, 2021, 3:40 pm
by Gaggsy
I suppose it's entirely up to them to decide who they do business with. I'm sure they also have no obligation to publish detailed price lists to the general public. Even if they did, what value would that give Joe Public other than as a comparison of the relative prices between items on the list?
There must be many 'business to business' operations where prices are just not available to potential domestic customers. And where a pricelist is available it's usually inflated.
I can think of a few items I've had to buy for my company where the 'discount' on the list price seems disproportionate: bathroom fittings - taps, brassware and like where you'd get say 60 to 70% off, and lintels where the discount can be over 80% off! I'm afraid this is common in the building industry.
Re: Howdens pricing, sale and negotiation
Posted: July 14th, 2021, 3:54 pm
by AF62
Gaggsy wrote:There must be many 'business to business' operations where prices are just not available to potential domestic customers. And where a pricelist is available it's usually inflated.
I can think of a few items I've had to buy for my company where the 'discount' on the list price seems disproportionate: bathroom fittings - taps, brassware and like where you'd get say 60 to 70% off, and lintels where the discount can be over 80% off! I'm afraid this is common in the building industry.
Plumbers merchants - I just wish those who don't want to sell to the general public had a sign up saying "go away, you are not wanted here" rather than waste everyone's time by quoting a price double or triple the real price.
The trouble is from the outside or website it isn't possible to determine whether it is a 'your sort can get lost' type place or somewhere who doesn't care who is buying.
Re: Howdens pricing, sale and negotiation
Posted: July 14th, 2021, 4:17 pm
by richlist
Registering as a trade buyer is really very easy.
If you want trade prices put the effort in.
You can do it, it just needs the will on your part.
What is stopping you ?
Re: Howdens pricing, sale and negotiation
Posted: July 14th, 2021, 4:45 pm
by PhaseThree
richlist wrote:Registering as a trade buyer is really very easy.
If you want trade prices put the effort in.
You can do it, it just needs the will on your part.
What is stopping you ?
They weren't in the slightest bit interested when I tried. Admittedly that was 5 years ago and things may have changed since then.
Re: Howdens pricing, sale and negotiation
Posted: July 14th, 2021, 4:50 pm
by UncleEbenezer
richlist wrote:Registering as a trade buyer is really very easy.
If you want trade prices put the effort in.
You can do it, it just needs the will on your part.
What is stopping you ?
- Lack of brass neck
- All it would take one innocent-sounding "insider" remark to catch me out in an outsider's response.
- In what way does registering as a tradesman magically confer negotiating skills?
When I had the bathroom re-done, I went with my plumber to B&Q for something (tiles for the shower, I think). We went to the trade counter, he used his bona-fide credentials, I felt like a total imposter.
Re: Howdens pricing, sale and negotiation
Posted: July 15th, 2021, 11:21 am
by sg31
UncleEbenezer wrote:sg31 wrote:I've done that before. Units, worktops, and new taps and sink from MFI. Nice, and excellent value. Can't remember where the floor tiles were from: may have been MFI too.
That was an easy job. No major changes to existing layout. No structural work. No electrics, no plumbing beyond fitting new sink and tap. Laminate worktop easy to work with. Floor was a standalone job, and the units/worktop/sink were all done as a two-person job over a weekend (probably a 3-day one).
It's a different story when the floor may want structural work, when the plumbing (which is dodgy) wants complete rearranging including removing existing radiator and new sites for the sink and appliances (where they currently are - at the window end of the room - is to become the dining area). And when the new worktops are to be quartz, I I understand DIY isn't even an option! If I try and do it myself, at best I'll be months without a kitchen, more likely I'll fail completely. That's what professionals are for!
I'm not advocating that everyone fits their own kitchen. It's down to the individual to assess their level of ability and the range of work required.
There is nothing particularly difficult in kitchen fitting but if lots of other work like moving electrics and major plumbing works are involved it may be more difficult and time consuming. Probably the biggest problem is having a house full of young children who need feeding.
I had granite worktops fitted in my kitchen. After watching the process it was very simple, I still wouldn't do it myself. The runs were large and the weight such that it needed a couple of strong young lads to handle them. Once they were in place the jointing and upstands were a doddle. It's basically making sure the worktops are sized correctly and then positioning them correctly. Not complicated but very heavy. The 5 slabs of granite were fitted in under an hour including fitting the upstands and sealing the sink.
Re: Howdens pricing, sale and negotiation
Posted: July 15th, 2021, 11:33 am
by Itsallaguess
sg31 wrote:
I had granite worktops fitted in my kitchen. After watching the process it was very simple, I still wouldn't do it myself.
The runs were large and the weight such that it needed a couple of strong young lads to handle them.
Sometimes it's less about bodies, and more about process...
https://i.imgur.com/uwvglV3.mp4I like the lad in the middle who needs to take a look from the other side to confirm how bad things are....
Credit to the '
Look, I'm still holding it, so it can't have been my fault' guy too....
Cheers,
Itsallaguess
Re: Howdens pricing, sale and negotiation
Posted: July 16th, 2021, 8:53 am
by redsturgeon
When we had our new kitchen fitted Mrs RS told me what she wanted and I followed her instructions. She wanted an oven that cost more than an average Ikea kitchen. She wanted TWO of those boiling water tap things (you don't want to know how much they cost)
I must admit that the Howden's pricing model sounds a bit suspect to me. Not quite a bad as Magnet who seem to have a regular 50% sale.
I'd agree that current conditions re. Covid plus brexit possibly make things a lot more expensive and delay prone than two years ago.
Potentially having a kitchen fitted is the most stress and problem filled exercise you can enter into this side of divorce.
Good luck!
John
Re: Howdens pricing, sale and negotiation
Posted: July 16th, 2021, 10:22 am
by sg31
redsturgeon wrote:When we had our new kitchen fitted Mrs RS told me what she wanted and I followed her instructions. She wanted an oven that cost more than an average Ikea kitchen. She wanted TWO of those boiling water tap things (you don't want to know how much they cost)
I must admit that the Howden's pricing model sounds a bit suspect to me. Not quite a bad as Magnet who seem to have a regular 50% sale.
I'd agree that current conditions re. Covid plus brexit possibly make things a lot more expensive and delay prone than two years ago.
Potentially having a kitchen fitted is the most stress and problem filled exercise you can enter into this side of divorce.
Good luck!
John
It can be stressful and problem filled but it need not be. It's about planning, managing expectations and being realistic. Some clients can be a nightmare when they decide to change their minds part way through a job. A lot of the items have to be purchased in advance and have long lead times. If one of those has to change it might stop the job in it's tracks leaving the client without a functioning kitchen. Explaining that early and detailing the additional costs involved should concentrate minds. It doesn't always.
On the other hand some builders are also a nightmare, bad planning, lack of care and preparation.
Thankfully after the early years I bought properties and renovated them for sale or rent. I was my own client in a way and the properties were unoccupied. There was very little stress.
Re: Howdens pricing, sale and negotiation
Posted: July 18th, 2021, 10:25 am
by Clariman
Thanks everyone. Very enlightening. I await the installer's total price with interest - and some scepticism.
Re: Howdens pricing, sale and negotiation
Posted: January 4th, 2023, 12:21 pm
by Yosiliz
I need someone to help me understand Howden in stock model.
When a trademan order a kitchen he can get it instantly ? or they process and manufacture his order in a few days and ship it to the local depot ?
Re: Howdens pricing, sale and negotiation
Posted: January 4th, 2023, 12:23 pm
by BullDog
Yosiliz wrote:I need someone to help me understand Howden in stock model.
When a trademan order a kitchen he can get it instantly ? or they process and manufacture his order in a few days and ship it to the local depot ?
Usually next day from a regional stock centre to your local branch. Occasionally it can take a couple of days for something but local branch manager tells me they try very hard to get everything overnight for next day.
Re: Howdens pricing, sale and negotiation
Posted: January 4th, 2023, 12:30 pm
by Yosiliz
BullDog wrote:Yosiliz wrote:I need someone to help me understand Howden in stock model.
When a trademan order a kitchen he can get it instantly ? or they process and manufacture his order in a few days and ship it to the local depot ?
Usually next day from a regional stock centre to your local branch. Occasionally it can take a couple of days for something but local branch manager tells me they try very hard to get everything overnight for next day.
So do you think they have all the kitchen colors and and configuration at regional stock? How is it even possible ?
Re: Howdens pricing, sale and negotiation
Posted: January 4th, 2023, 12:50 pm
by servodude
Yosiliz wrote:BullDog wrote:Yosiliz wrote:I need someone to help me understand Howden in stock model.
When a trademan order a kitchen he can get it instantly ? or they process and manufacture his order in a few days and ship it to the local depot ?
Usually next day from a regional stock centre to your local branch. Occasionally it can take a couple of days for something but local branch manager tells me they try very hard to get everything overnight for next day.
So do you think they have all the kitchen colors and and configuration at regional stock? How is it even possible ?
There's not really as many individual "parts" as you might think given the sizes of the "units" that go together to make a kitchen are pretty standard.
Shouldn't be too hard to maintain a float level of stock for the doors that people are actually ordering if you've got a reasonable expectation of business
Re: Howdens pricing, sale and negotiation
Posted: January 4th, 2023, 12:55 pm
by BullDog
Yosiliz wrote:BullDog wrote:Yosiliz wrote:I need someone to help me understand Howden in stock model.
When a trademan order a kitchen he can get it instantly ? or they process and manufacture his order in a few days and ship it to the local depot ?
Usually next day from a regional stock centre to your local branch. Occasionally it can take a couple of days for something but local branch manager tells me they try very hard to get everything overnight for next day.
So do you think they have all the kitchen colors and and configuration at regional stock? How is it even possible ?
Given everything they manufacture is to standard sizes and they have been doing it for decades so they know demand profiles very well indeed, I imagine it's highly likely. I had to wait three days for one item but it was both expensive and probably one of the slower moving items. Everything else I have wanted was available next day.
The best way to find out is to call your local branch. I have found them pretty helpful people.