Why comparing kitchen quotations is harder than it looks
On the surface, every kitchen quotation looks similar — a price for cabinets, worktops, appliances and installation. In practice, the contents of two quotations can be strikingly different even when the numbers are close. The only way to compare fairly is to understand what sits behind each line.
Start with the furniture specification
Ask for the exact furniture manufacturer, collection, cabinet construction, internal finish, door material, drawer system and hinge specification. Two 'German kitchens' can use entirely different cabinet bodies, drawer runners and materials. The phrase alone tells you little about quality.
Confirm what the installation includes
Clarify whether the quotation covers plumbing, electrical work, flooring, decorating, waste removal and project management. Some companies supply furniture only and expect your builder to coordinate everything else. Others manage the complete installation. Neither approach is wrong, but the prices are not comparable unless the scope is the same.
Ask about project management
Find out whether the designer remains involved after the order is placed and who communicates with you during delivery and installation. A kitchen is a multi-stage project involving several trades — clear responsibility matters as much as the furniture itself.
Request evidence of completed projects
Ask to see complete local projects rather than manufacturer photography alone. Examine finishing details, worktop junctions, panel alignments, lighting and the relationship between the kitchen and the surrounding room. The quality of the design and the quality of the installation are two separate things.
The bottom line
Compare the complete project, not the cabinet price. An itemised quotation is the only way to judge like for like — and to spot where one company's quote quietly includes something another leaves out.