Have you considered fitting out your project with a used kitchen? Used Kitchen Exchange puts the case forward for bringing the circular economy to new build kitchens.
The kitchen is the heart of the home and needs to be carefully designed to sit comfortably and meet the highest expectations of the home buyers. However, costs saved on the choice of kitchens for a development can have a big impact on profit margins.
Using the services of kitchen resale companies, such as Used Kitchen Exchange, can save up to 90% of the RRP of a kitchen, so now is a good time to get on board with the growing re-use movement. It’s not just about pre-used kitchens from domestic homes, which may very well include barely-used kitchens that were installed in a development home but not to the new owner’s taste. It can also include ex-display kitchens from kitchen showrooms – which will look brand new, be expertly designed and hardly used except maybe for the occasional demo.
Far from its previous negative connotations, ‘used’ is now synonymous with both value for money and waste avoidance. Buying pre-loved has become a badge of honour for Millennials, with the lower price tag and promise of having an input into saving the planet proving an irresistible ‘feel-good’ combination.
Mirroring a circular economy model, the buy/sell market for high end pre-installed designer kitchens is growing rapidly. The opportunity to reduce both costs and the environmental impact of buying a new kitchen can work in two ways: either by selling an existing pre-installed kitchen from your next development instead of spending money to remove and skip them; or by buying an approved-used pre-installed kitchen for your next project. Ideally, using both ways means financial savings in both directions.
It’s a savvy way to shop. The circular approach will cut the costs of removing and disposing if there is an existing kitchen, and/or allow the purchase a high-end designer kitchen for a fraction of the RRP, all whilst redirecting potential carbon waste.
Property developer, James Thomas agrees: “Buying pre-owned kitchens for our developments is a ‘win-win’ situation. If you’ve got the skills and knowledge to design kitchen spaces and access to a decent joiner then definitely consider it as an option. If you choose well on the pre-installed kitchen you’ll get a significantly better quality kitchen with all the extras for a fraction of what it would cost if you were to buy new. Another increasingly important reason and why in many ways we go pre-installed with our developments is the overall impact on the environment. It’s important to us to reduce our waste on our builds, and we can do this and reduce our carbon footprint by taking the opportunity to sell and buy used and ex-display kitchens.”
Sustainability is, by definition, all about balance. While cost will always remain the key driver for consumers, this opportunity to make a more ethical choice without compromising on quality, design and function, is not to be missed.
