How You Can Save Money on Fitted Kitchens
When you are remodeling your kitchen, fitted kitchens are a great way of going about it. “What is a fitted kitchen?” you may ask. They are fully assembled single unit kitchens fitted to the spot all at once. Not only can they be easily installed as one complete unit, which will save you a great deal of money and effort when it comes to the installation, but there are fitted kitchen showrooms available where you can walk around and try out a fully assembled version of the exact same unit that would be installed in your home. The benefit there is that you can get a real tactile sensation of being in the kitchen before you commit, saving you on later aggravation. Unfortunately, fitted kitchen units can potentially be rather expensive, but there are several things you can do to save money when you are shopping for them.
Shop Around
The first thing to keep in mind is also the most obvious: shop around until you find the best deal. The biggest mistake people make is committing to the first quote they get. Visit multiple showrooms and contact multiple fitted kitchen suppliers to make sure you are fully aware of all of your options. One vendor’s cheap fitted kitchens may still be the top of the line at the next shop on your list.
Remove the Frills
Next, you will want to customize the available options. Just like with a car, you may find that many merchants will automatically include a number of frills with the first quote they offer, simply because people are more likely to purchase them when they are included from the beginning. This could include additional small appliances, storage units, upgraded tiling, or a variety of other things. Make sure you go over the fitted kitchen quote line by line to remove anything you won’t need.
Look at Your Options
If the fitted kitchen designs you are looking at are still too expensive for you, consider going with a less expensive, simpler model. Those pretty marble countertops and stainless steel appliances with a built in grill and deep fryer in the cooktop you find in an expensive, fully fitted kitchen may be a chef’s dream, but are pretty hard on the pocketbook. Before you make a decision, make sure that you look at all the fitted kitchens available. You may just find that there is a cheap fitted kitchen available that suits your needs just fine.
Combo Discounts
Ask the vendor if they offer a discount if you also contract them to do the installation. It may not always be true, but many vendors will offer to install their fitted kitchens at a significant discount because most of their markup comes from selling the hardware. Otherwise, if you already have a contractor doing work for you, they may consider adding on the kitchen installation at a discounted rate because they are already working for you.
As you can see, fitted kitchens may not hurt your budget as much as they could have if you exercise a bit of caution during the shopping process. One final piece of advice, though: before you hire a contractor or purchase fitted kitchens or any other major appliances, take a little time to research the vendor. Make sure they are a reputable merchant with a history of good customer service.
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