Paul stolworthy – häfele’s Business Development Manager for functional spaces, inclusive Living & office furniture looks at the unlocked potential of efficient kitchen design and fit out for housebuilding.
In a highly competitive industry, housebuilders and architects who can demonstrate they go the extra mile have the potential to reap a greater market share. Achieving this comes down to several factors: creating spaces which easily adapt to changing consumer habits, or changes in lifestyle; providing unique points of difference that meet homeowners’ individual preferences, and delivering such a high-quality standard of design and build that the buyer knows their investment has been worthwhile.
To maintain their advantage, housebuilders and architects should aim to do this in the most efficient of ways. As such, those specifying new products should use distributors and manufacturers who help bring great designs to life with products and services that save both time and money.
This is particularly important when it comes to kitchens – the heart of the home and which, according to new research, is the space most likely to clinch potential buyers.
What house hunters want
Findings shared in the new Homes for Living report from Häfele, the UK’s leading manufacturer and supplier of fixtures and fittings, reveal that around a fifth (21%) of homeowners are planning to move house in the next year, and almost half (49%) are willing to pay more for a new home if it has a modern and well-equipped kitchen.
In particular, house hunters are looking for smart storage (26%), clever layouts (26%) and a high quality of build (19%) – all of which can become a reality with a mixture of innovative products, valueadded services and tools which make life easier for the installer when it comes to fitting, but also achieve a fantastic finish for the homeowner to enjoy.
Functionality first
As part of Häfele’s research, when asked what matters most to them in their kitchens, homeowners prioritised being able to manage waste and minimise clutter (46%) as well as getting the best possible functionality from the space (37%) – both of which can be resolved with clever internal wirework solutions added to cabinetry.
Knowing this about potential buyers, developers should begin considering the interior features and storage solutions of kitchen designs as well as the external finish – potentially offering wirework solutions as an upsell opportunity to increase revenue – while considering systems which are easy for the installer to fit, too.
For example, swing-out corner storage systems – such as the Cornerstone Maxx from Vauth Sagel – transforms awkward spaces into useable storage solutions, with large-area shelving which extends from the cabinet. Integrated bins have become very popular, as they enable people to keep waste solutions out of sight and out of mind, and manufacturers like Hailo are developing options in a variety of weights and sizes to suit all kitchen designs and layouts.
Customised creations
Being able to add customised solutions and bespoke furniture and installations to kitchens can offer developers a true point of difference when it comes to making sales. Earlier this year, Häfele launched Service+ Customised to help the industry achieve just that – providing a solution to make it as simple as possible to take on additional work while creating bespoke installations that meet their customers’ unique tastes.
For example, Häfele’s Bespoke Timber Drawers – available through Service+ Customised – have fully dovetailed joints, are available in a choice of timbers and have a suite of complementary accessories like cutlery inserts and knife blocks. They can be tailored against a long list of personalisation options, including a choice of shaped sides, flat or stepped top, and handle cut outs. And for the ultimate in personalised design, the drawers can be router or laser engraved to feature a customer’s choice of text.
Meanwhile, Häfele’s Customised Worktop Service helps achieve precise, customisable designs, while also saving time during the installation process. Suited to kitchen, bathroom or utility room projects, users simply select their choice of solid surface and compact laminate worktops from Häfele’s Maia, Minerva, Mariz or Metis ranges, and the products will be manufactured to specification using high-quality craftsmanship.
Advanced cutting tools and technologies ensure precision and accuracy for island joins, radius corners and sink cut-outs, eliminating gaps or unevenness when fitted. Both stain and heat-resistant, the worksurfaces are available in a variety of colourways and finishes.
Service+ Customised customers can also order a combination of readyconfigured products and components packaged to their needs. Both bespoke worktops and timber drawers can be instantly quoted for and ordered online, with no minimum order quantity, then delivered straight to site.
Time saving tools
To further support on-site fitters, developers and specifiers can point them in the direction of time-saving tools that will transform the way they work every day. For example, Axilo™, Häfele’s clever plinth adjusting and fitting system makes cabinetry alignment easier, quicker and more convenient. Ergonomically designed, it reduces the risk of back-related injuries, and helpfully can cut kitchen unit assembly times by almost half, improving on-the-job efficiency and enabling installers to get through more work in less time.
Meanwhile, Häfele’s brand new universal connector, the UC 16/64, is a polycarbonate connection device which mixes snap-in studs and clips with a latching nose and screw holes to achieve multiple applications with just one device.
Suitable for corner, surface and upright connections, as well as offset, angled and double joints, the UC 16/64 also acts as an assembly aid, cable guide, spacer and floor guide, meaning installers can consolidate their selection of fittings and tools for these tasks down to just one. New build design is no longer about creating identical models that house hunters must mould themselves to; instead, developers are looking to create high specification homes that can be personalised and reflect each buyer’s individual personality. Now, thanks to distributors like Häfele, who prioritise service just as much as product, it’s more than possible to achieve that without adding expense, time or stress when it comes to installation. Ensuring you’re partnering with businesses that provide that whole package will mean you’re creating homes that buyers can be proud of, leaving a lasting impression well beyond moving day.
