get into kitchens............or not?

Discussion in 'Carpenters' Talk' started by audi-evo, May 30, 2008.

  1. audi-evo

    audi-evo Active Member

    Thinking of going into the budget kitchen lark.
    I have a spare (well half spare) shop and thought about making a bit of a showroom in there.
    Q. how's the kitchen biz at the min?
    Q. is there a market for budget kitchens
    Q. dry fit only or do it all
    Q. reliable fitters, would they work for small firms?
    Q. fitters rates?
    I am looking i suppose for a niche between flatpack diy and the high street kitchen showrooms.
    I am wondering what a small showroom could generate and what profit you would expect from an (i know) average kitchen.
    Mainly i'm a bit bored and fancy adding a bit to my business which will be interesting and profitable.
     
  2. sinewave

    sinewave Screwfix Select

    You'd do better getting the hang of Flooring first before you move on to sumat more technical like! ;)
     
  3. Captain Leaky

    Captain Leaky New Member

    Q. how's the kitchen biz at the min? It's OK in affluent areas and OK in the DIY market. the bit in the middle - where you are thinking of going is the bit caught in a pincer between DIY and MEGA money.

    Q. is there a market for budget kitchens Yes, B&Q have it sorted.

    Q. dry fit only or do it all Do it all - water, elec, gas, tiles, flooring, paining , the lot.

    Q. reliable fitters, would they work for small firms? Yes- see next question :)

    Q. fitters rates? Anything from £100 a day for a box assembler to £300 a day for a skilled all rounder with his certs.

    Be careful going into kitchens, there are a lot of pitfalls for the unwary and they can be major hassle.

    All the best whatever you decide. ;)
     
  4. RANTER

    RANTER New Member

    we are on the central southcoast and we do kitchens,bathrooms and internal allterations.have been established over 10 years and work an area of about 40 miles around.last year upto december was our best ever but about 4 months ago the phone stopped ringing so u just never know whats coming but good luck if u try it.
     
  5. HOTDOG ø

    HOTDOG ø Active Member

    Check out the local competition, who is doing what where. IKEA, B&Q, MFI, independents, spot the gap and go for it.
     
  6. audi-evo

    audi-evo Active Member

    I think the gap is in the no frills market.
    A nice tidy job at a decent price.
    No interest in high end stuff, customers too demanding and often just plain unreasonable.
    I have done it for years in flooring and find this the most popular and profitable part of the business.
    It's nice to do a top of the line job with all the bells and whistles but from experience i have found more money in mass appeal.
    You i think can generate business from customers who thought a new kitchen was beyond their means.
    I am looking to provide an all in price, a menu if you like.
    People see a finished price, a quote not an estimate and can decide for themselves if they can afford it.
    Many people think they can't afford it but if you say you get A, B, C and D, it will cost X, that's it, no more.
    Like i say i've done it in flooring for years, other retailers are scared to do it, customers love it.
    So a bit of planning, a couple of months thinking and i may be off by late summer
    ;)
     
  7. big all

    big all Screwfix Select

    ok my thought here

    do you have any warehouse space!!

    no warehouse or buffer then you need a reliable supplier so all parts appear on time
    cheap and good supplier dont normaly come in the same breath!!!

    2 half days for the fitter on late items can be your profit gone or a fitter leaving because he cant make a living if he wastes 25% of his time on follow up for late parts

    big all
     
  8. audi-evo

    audi-evo Active Member

    I have a bit of space, so was thinking of getting kitchen into stock well in advance of jobs incase of late items.
    Could get more space no problem.
    Transport no problem.
    The teething problems are not a worry, starting is not about big profits, of course mistakes will be made and paid for.
    The main concern is will it work, are there customers out there for a fixed price kitchen?
    I think so but welcome any input, ideas,
    cheers
     
  9. !!

    !! Active Member

    Kitchens are good earners but can be hastle, I'd advise going for fitted Bedroom / office. they are cheaper hence more affordable and most homes / flats have more than one bedroom, so a good job is likley to get you repeat work.

    less need to stock materails as well, hills panels can get everything I need in a week which is always before I can fit the job in
     
  10. audi-evo

    audi-evo Active Member

    I have thought of that too, it does look easier to get through without the hassles of kitchens, gas, electrics etc.
    Maybe worth a look too
    cheers!
     
  11. lojo

    lojo New Member

    I would guess your main problem would be fitters, bad guys will cost your dearly if you dont weed them out before they are let lose in a clients house. Good guys as others have said will cost and not sure the fitting cost you can charge will leave much profit in this market, unless your mark up on the units gives you what you want.
     
  12. hanks11

    hanks11 New Member

    There should be a market for low cost kitchens as I, like so many people that are on a tight budget, they simply don`t have thousands of pounds for a nice kitchen. Just because it is low budget does not mean that it has to be tatty and cheap looking. I say look at all your options and if you think it is worth it ,go for it and give the people on a low income the chance to have a nice kitchen.
     
  13. audi-evo

    audi-evo Active Member

    That's pretty much my thoughts on it. I'm sure there is a market for people who ain't got 10k for a kitchen and who are simply not able to do a diy job.
    I went to do a floor at a customers house who had a smallish new kitchen 6.5k, i priced the same one @ howdens, 980 quid, plus oven hob pack, laminated tops and a few bits and bobs.
    Even with a gas fitter and a spark it came in under 2k.
    My lads would fit in 2-3 days.
    So i could cut the price heavily and still make a canny profit.
     
  14. gazza2

    gazza2 New Member

    From my experience as a customer having kitchens fitted, ( several) and having also done smaller ones myself, the biggest hassle as an end user is not getting a completed job when its supposed to be completed - and in the case of kitchens also getting a damaged delivery that causes delays.

    if you can back the fitters up with a proper delivery service that ensures that you get no damaged goods to the customer then i think you will clean up, as long as you have good fitters to complete the installation side.
     
  15. audi-evo

    audi-evo Active Member

    Your right gazza, i have found this too over the years in the trade i'm in now.
    We almost always do what we say when we say.
    I have found the biggest bug bare of customers in general is not finishing on time.
     
  16. Chekhov

    Chekhov Member

    audi-evo: I've designed and fitted kitchens for many people at the "budget" range of the spectrum. I have also fitted kitchens at the top end. My conclusion? You don't need to take out a second mortgage to have a decent kitchen. Apart from the granite worktops and the "kudos" of getting the designer gear there's not much difference in the quality of materials. The problems are in the plumbing and electrics. I can tackle basic plumbing ie I can hook a sink up but obviously you need CORGI registered people to do the gas stuff. I don't do electrics but I know where to get that done. I've been self-employed as a carpenter in the construction trade for over twenty years and the biggest problem I've had is pitching in with the right price. However I'm not a business man and you obviously are. Nothing wrong with that, I'm just reporting back from the "coal face". Given the present economic climate you may be on to something on the premise that "it's an ill wind that blows no body any good" Good luck anyway.
     
  17. the best (probably)

    the best (probably) New Member

    mmm! imm thinking of getting into tv presenting .we can all dream. novel idea though selling kitchens.wish id thought of that.
     
  18. paultingtong

    paultingtong New Member

    every tom dick and harry seams to be doing it and have been doing for the past few yrs realy

    having worked for a company that had just started up well when i started with them they didnt even have showroom or anything i fitted that out for them so watched it grow from the very bottom

    it was in the same area that you are looking at trade kitchens a lot of customers was pepole doing buy to let and you get the odd tender for housing asosactions if the price is right

    then you start with joe public coming into the showroom they want everything for nothing i persnoly found but then like everything you get what you pay for and most customers seamed more than happy with this and more understanding if a door was damaged etc

    having worked both in doing kitchens for a few grand to 10s of thousands worth of solid oak kitchens all over switland , rushia, london etc i would much rather do a few grand kitchen any day of the week
     

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