How to Compare Kitchen & Joinery Quotations in Kenya

Two kitchen quotations can describe the same room and still price very different work. One may include worktops, appliances and installation; another may cover only cabinet doors and panels. Before comparing totals, establish what each proposal includes and what would remain your responsibility.

The aim is not to find the longest quotation. It is to make the design, materials, assumptions and commercial terms clear enough to support a decision. This guide offers practical questions rather than market prices, tax advice or a prescribed contract.

Give every kitchen company the same brief

Prepare a common brief, room measurements, drawings where available and a list of required items. Include your preferred layout, appliances, storage needs, finishes and any building work still to be completed. If a quotation follows a site visit, ask which measurements and conditions still require confirmation.

Create a comparison schedule with one row per work package: cabinets, doors and drawers, worktops, sinks and taps, appliances, lighting, accessories, delivery and installation. Mark each as included, excluded or awaiting clarification. Do not assume an item is included merely because it appears in an inspiration image.

Compare cabinet construction and finishes

Ask what the cabinet carcass, doors, shelves and drawers will be made from. Compare thickness, edge treatment, fastening details, hinges, drawer systems and the visible finish. A broad description such as timber-look or painted does not guarantee the same construction or performance across suppliers.

Request finish samples and care information for the actual products offered. Consider moisture exposure, cleaning, fingerprints, heat and daily use. For bespoke joinery, review how special shelving, tall units, corner storage and integrated details are described and priced.

Check worktops, fittings and appliances

Compare the proposed worktop material, thickness, edges, joins, support and cut-outs. Marble, granite and quartz can each involve different fabrication and care requirements, so confirm the specific option in each quotation rather than comparing only the material name.

List sinks, taps, hoods, hobs, built-in appliances, lighting and cabinet accessories separately. Check whether each item is supplied by the kitchen company or by you, and who coordinates its measurements, connections and installation. A change in appliance model can affect cabinet openings and ventilation.

Read exclusions and allowances carefully

An exclusion is work outside the quoted scope. An allowance may represent a finish, appliance or accessory still to be selected. Ask what each allowance covers, how its final value will be established and what happens if your selection costs more.

Clarify transport, old-cabinet removal, plumbing, electrical work, preparation, protection and disposal where relevant. An exclusion can be manageable when responsibility is clear; it becomes a problem when nobody has planned for it.

Compare VAT treatment as stated

Check whether each quotation states that VAT is included, excluded or to be added. If it is unclear, ask the issuing company for a clarified total and the basis used. Compare like-for-like totals rather than placing a tax-inclusive amount beside an amount with tax excluded.

Do not infer a tax rate or a company’s tax position from the appearance of a document. Where you need accounting or tax advice, consult the appropriate adviser.

Examine the programme and payment stages

Ask what the proposed duration starts from: appointment, site access, final measurements, approved drawings, deposit or material delivery. Request a sequence covering design approval, fabrication, worktops, delivery, installation and handover. Client-supplied appliances or delayed decisions can affect that sequence.

Review each payment milestone and what it relates to. Agree who can approve a variation and how its effect on cost and time will be recorded before additional work proceeds.

Define installation, handover and clean-up

Confirm who takes final measurements and what must be complete before installation. Discuss access for large panels and worktops, protection of nearby finishes, packaging removal and kitchen clean-up.

At handover, check doors, drawers, alignment, joints, worktops and the agreed fittings. Record outstanding items and obtain relevant product and care information. Ask for the actual support or warranty terms offered rather than assuming every supplier provides the same cover.

A useful comparison checklist

• Common scope, measurements and current drawing revision.
• Cabinet construction, finishes, hardware and accessories.
• Worktop fabrication, appliances and installation responsibilities.
• Exclusions, allowances and coordination responsibilities.
• VAT treatment and comparable stated totals.
• Programme start point, payment milestones and variation approval.
• Installation, clean-up, snagging and handover inclusions.

When you are ready to discuss a defined kitchen, cabinet, joinery or wardrobe scope, contact Maple Kitchens or explore our Gallery for ideas. For layout and material planning, read Planning a Custom Kitchen in Kenya.