Why score kitchen RFQs beyond price
On multi-unit residential schemes and portfolio programmes, the expensive failures are usually programme and interface issues: late waves, SKU drift, unclear snagging paths, or a grey zone between supply-only and fitting risk. A simple scorecard keeps buyer conversations honest and gives bloggers, QS teams, and project managers a cite-friendly framework they can reuse.
This article is about fitted domestic kitchens for dwellings, not catering or production kitchens. If you need a procurement checklist for specification discipline, read how to specify kitchens for multi-unit residential schemes in the UK alongside this scorecard.
Minimum documentary evidence to request with every return
| Document | Why you need it |
|---|---|
| Insurance certificates (EL, PL) and expiry dates | Site and developer governance gates |
| Named programme contact and deputy | Continuity across holiday and second-shift working |
| Sample golden-spec pack (doors, worktops, appliances) with SKUs | Proves the quote matches manufacturable reality |
| Phased delivery method statement | Explains crane, lift, and storage assumptions |
| Warranty and defects process in writing | Separates product from install paths |
How to use the scorecard
- Agree the list with your internal team (development, construction, or asset management).
- For each criterion, score the response from 1 (weak) to 5 (strong).
- Multiply each score by the weight (treat weights as percentage points out of 100).
- Sum the weighted scores. Use the total as one input alongside price and references.
- Adjust weights if your project is unusually storage-constrained, access-heavy, or supply-only.
Weights below are a starting point for phased residential fit-out. Shift emphasis toward warranty and aftercare if you hold long-term operational risk.
Weighted criteria table
Suggested weights sum to 100. Replace them in your spreadsheet if another split fits your scheme.
| Criterion | Weight (points) | What strong looks like | Typical red flag |
|---|---|---|---|
| Specification stability (SKU lock) | 18 | Golden kitchen per unit type; documented exceptions only; doors, worktops, appliances, ironmongery locked to catalogue codes. | Quotes that swap ranges between revisions without a change log. |
| Programme alignment | 18 | Phased delivery or call-off with dates tied to dry-lining, MEP, lift, and handover waves; explicit storage limits. | Single bulk drop with no plan for protection or laydown. |
| Supply model clarity | 14 | Supply-only versus supply-and-fit stated; who owns measure, tolerance, and interface with MEP is clear. | Blurred lines between supplier and site joinery with no single accountable party. |
| Warranty, defects, and snagging | 12 | Snagging window, response times, and carve-outs for misuse are written; install and product paths are joined up. | "Manufacturer warranty only" with no install remedy described. |
| Insurance and competence | 10 | EL, PL, and relevant trade credentials available; RAMS approach referenced for site work. | Missing or out-of-date insurance schedules. |
| Measurement and tolerances | 10 | Assumptions for pack sizes, plinth gaps, and services entry points are stated; remeasure rules agreed. | Silent assumption of perfect shell dimensions. |
| Aftercare and repeatability | 10 | Reorder routes for doors and worktops; spares strategy for tenanted stock or post-handover. | Heavy bespoke with no catalogue path for minor damage. |
| Commercial transparency | 8 | Line-item quote aligned to unit types and waves; exclusions explicit. | Single lump sum with no breakdown when you asked for plots or phases. |
Quick interpretation bands
- 80 to 100 weighted points: usually worth shortlisting if price is sensible.
- 60 to 79: probe gaps; often fixable with a clarifying RFQ round.
- Below 60: high programme or warranty risk unless there is a strong mitigating plan in writing.
Bands are indicative, not a substitute for your own governance and references.
Where HMO Kitchens fits
We publish tools like this because clearer briefs save everyone time. For volume residential programmes, see developer kitchen packages. For staged voids across several properties, see portfolio and bulk kitchens. When you are ready for numbers, request a quote with unit counts, programme dates, and whether you need supply-only or supply and fit.
Contract families (get legal advice)
UK residential fit-out is often let under JCT or NEC style forms with amendments. Kitchen supply may sit in a subcontract or a purchase order with domestic conditions. The scorecard does not replace your contract strategy; it helps you compare suppliers before you lock those terms.