If you install or renovate kitchens for a living, you know the single biggest source of client stress isn't the cost, the design choices, or even the inevitable delays — it's living without a kitchen. Families eating takeaways for weeks, washing dishes in the bath, and microwaving everything get frustrated fast. That frustration lands on you.
Offering a temporary kitchen as part of your service transforms the client experience and gives your business a real competitive advantage. Here's how to make it work.
Why This Matters for Your Business
Client Satisfaction
The number one complaint during kitchen renovations is the disruption to daily life. A temporary kitchen solves this almost entirely. Clients who have a working kitchen during the renovation are calmer, more patient with delays, and significantly more likely to leave positive reviews.
Competitive Differentiation
Most builders and kitchen installers don't offer temporary kitchens. If you do, you stand out immediately. It's a talking point in quotes, a selling point on your website, and a reason for clients to choose you over competitors.
Fewer Complaints and Pressure
When clients have no kitchen, every delay feels catastrophic. They call you constantly asking when it'll be done. When they have a temporary kitchen, they're far more relaxed about the timeline. You get fewer panicked phone calls and more breathing room to do the job properly.
Upsell Opportunity
You can offer the temporary kitchen as a value-add included in your premium packages, or as an optional extra. Either way, it increases your average project value.
How to Set It Up
You have two main options for offering temporary kitchens to clients:
Option 1: Referral Partnership
The simplest approach. Partner with one or two temporary kitchen providers and refer your clients to them.
How it works:
- Agree a referral arrangement with a provider (or simply recommend them)
- When you win a kitchen project, tell the client about the temporary kitchen option
- Give them the provider's details or make the introduction
- The client books directly with the provider
Pros: Zero upfront cost, no stock to manage, no logistics to handle. You add value without adding complexity.
Cons: Less control over the client experience. You're relying on the provider to deliver good service.
Some providers offer referral fees or commissions — ask about this when you make contact. You can browse providers on our directory or submit an enquiry for introductions.
Option 2: White-Label Service
A more integrated approach where you include the temporary kitchen in your own quote and manage the process yourself.
How it works:
- Agree trade pricing with a provider (typically 15–25% below retail rates)
- Include the temporary kitchen cost in your kitchen renovation quote as a line item or bundled into the total price
- You coordinate delivery timing with the provider — kitchen pod arrives the day before you strip out the old kitchen
- You manage the client relationship throughout
Pros: Full control of the client experience. Higher perceived value. Potential margin on the kitchen hire.
Cons: You're the point of contact if anything goes wrong with the pod. More admin and coordination.
What to Say to Clients
Here are some phrases that work well when introducing the temporary kitchen option:
In your initial quote: "We include the option of a temporary kitchen during the renovation so you can keep cooking normally throughout the project. It's delivered the day before we start and collected once your new kitchen is installed."
On your website: "Unlike most kitchen installers, we offer a temporary kitchen service so you're never without a working kitchen during your renovation. No takeaways, no washing up in the bath — just a compact, fully equipped kitchen on your driveway or in a spare room."
If a client asks about disruption: "We know living without a kitchen is the hardest part of a renovation. That's why we work with a temporary kitchen provider who delivers a pod with a hob, oven, fridge, and sink. Most of our clients tell us it was the best decision they made."
Timing It Right
The temporary kitchen should arrive the day before your strip-out begins. This way, the client has a working kitchen from day one and there's no gap.
Coordinate with the provider on:
- Delivery date — the day before you start
- Placement — where on the driveway or in which room (agree with the client in advance)
- Collection date — the day after you hand over the new kitchen (or a few days later as a buffer)
- Duration — quote your expected project timeline plus a buffer. It's easier to shorten a hire than extend one at the last minute
Costs and Margins
Typical domestic pod hire costs at trade rates:
| Duration | Trade Cost | Typical Retail Cost | Your Potential Margin |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 weeks | £350–500 | £480–720 | £130–220 |
| 8 weeks | £450–650 | £640–960 | £190–310 |
| 12 weeks | £650–950 | £960–1,440 | £310–490 |
Whether you charge the client retail and pocket the margin, include it at cost as a value-add, or build it into your overall project price is a business decision. All three approaches work.
Getting Started
- Contact 2–3 temporary kitchen providers — introduce yourself as a builder/installer interested in a referral or trade arrangement. Use our quote form or browse the provider directory
- Negotiate trade pricing — most providers offer 15–25% off for trade accounts with regular referrals
- Add it to your marketing — update your website, social media, and quotes to mention the temporary kitchen service
- Trial it on your next project — offer it to one client and see the response. We're confident they'll love it
The Bottom Line
A temporary kitchen costs your client £500–1,500 over a typical renovation. It eliminates their biggest source of stress, differentiates your business, and can generate a healthy margin. It's one of the simplest ways to improve your service and win more work.
Connect with temporary kitchen providers →
Related: Trade Partner Referral Programme | How Much Does Temporary Kitchen Hire Cost?