Top 4 Kitchen Design Businesses in the UK

Alice Tuffery, writer

Published at 02/12/2020, Updated on 04/05/2022 , Reading time: 5 min

Top 4 Kitchen Design Businesses in the UK — Photo © Top_4_Kitchen_Design_Businesses_in_the_UK.jpg

If you love interior design, starting a home improvement business could be a no-brainer. You’ll create beautiful, functional spaces to help people get the most out of their homes, while enjoying a stable income. Here, we take a look at four of the best kitchen design franchises on our books.

Kitchen design is big business. People want to be able to prepare food in a room with practical storage solutions as well as visual appeal. The kitchen has to be multi-functional - a place to cook meals, chat with friends over the dinner table and maybe even set up a makeshift work-from-home desk.

According to Kenwood, 54 percent of Brits say the kitchen is the heart of their home. We spend 253 minutes per week in there – the equivalent to 439 days across a lifetime (London Cleaning System). And when we want to upgrade our cabinets and appliances, kitchen design businesses are there to help out.

In the UK, the kitchen furniture manufacturing industry sees an annual revenue of £1.3 billion (IBISWorld). Statista estimated 948,000 people spent at least £4,000 on kitchen and fitted kitchen furniture over the course of the year in 2019. There’s plenty of potential for kitchen design businesses to generate a tidy profit - especially when part of a franchise.

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Reasons why creating a kitchen design business is a great idea

Kitchen design services will always be in demand, and are set to rise in popularity as more and more people opt to improve their homes rather than move house.
You’ll have the chance to get creative, designing innovative solutions to unique problems.
You can take advantage of new styles, trends and products and have fun adapting them into your business to capitalise on market demand.
New technologies allow for exciting design opportunities; you’ll be able to use virtual reality tools to map out 3D images of your proposals.
It’s rewarding - you’ll have the chance to help people create their dream kitchens, which they’ll enjoy for years to come. In some cases, your work will have a huge impact on a client’s quality of life.

Did you know? Over half of Brits consider the kitchen to be the heart of their home.

Top 4 kitchen design businesses

1. Santos

Santos specialises in kitchens, creating high-quality furniture to last a lifetime. The business prioritises careful design and timeless style, and has done since 1952 when it was founded. In 2001, Santos introduced its franchise model to expand internationally, and there are now over 260 showrooms worldwide.

Becoming a Santos franchisee: You don’t need any experience in kitchen manufacturing to join this home renovation franchise. Once you’re on board, you’ll have a one-year contract with the option to extend it indefinitely. You’ll need to find a location in a high-end shopping street with a showcase of at least seven metres.
How much you need to invest: Santos franchisees are expected to put around £300,000 into their business. The good news is there are no franchise or royalty fees, as the business uses a concession system, so most of the £300,000 will go towards launching your showroom. Also, all sales are made to order, so you won’t need a warehouse storing piles of stock.
What you get for your investment: Investors get access to a continuous training scheme and plenty of support from the Santos franchise team. You’ll get help developing your business plan, finding a store location, designing your showroom and hiring a workforce. Santos even supervises your projects so you can avoid making mistakes.

2. Raison Home

If you want to offer kitchen, bedroom and bathroom renovation services, Raison Home could be the franchise for you. It’s been in operation for more than 20 years, and has a network of over 110 franchisees. Last year, the business generated more than £30 million.

Becoming a Raison Home franchisee: This home renovation franchise is looking for investors who are passionate about interior design. Successful candidates should also enjoy working with people and be able to deliver flawless customer service.
How much you need to invest: It should cost around £40,000 to launch your Raison Home business. The investment costs are relatively low with this home improvement franchise, as you don’t need a showroom, lots of stock or a team of workers. Instead, you’ll offer exciting digital services, such as a 2D, 3D and VR design selection experience, allowing customers to see their future home before renovation work even begins.
What you get for your investment: Raison Home supports you as you set up your business. You’ll get training and ongoing guidance, as well as access to the latest technology and European designs.

3. Schmidt

Founded in 1959, Schmidt has been designing, manufacturing and selling innovative, made-to-measure kitchen and bathroom furniture for six decades. It constructs its kitchens in six factories across Europe and displays them in 450 showrooms across 25 countries.

Becoming a Schmidt franchisee: You’ll become part of a business with an annual turnover of more than £425 million, and you can expect to make up to £2 million per year. You won’t have to deal with stock, as orders are shipped directly to customers from the factory, and you’ll benefit from the company’s high levels of brand awareness.
How much you need to invest: To join the group of 30 Schmidt franchisees currently operating in the UK, you’ll need to make a minimum investment of £80,000 and a total investment of £450,000.
What you get for your investment: All Schmidt franchisees get the chance to enrol onto a 14-week induction programme involving theoretical and practical training as they set up their franchise unit. The kitchen franchise also offers support with writing a business plan, finding a suitable location, fitting the showroom and training branch employees.

4. Dream Doors

Dream Doors is the UK’s largest kitchen renovations retailer and specialises in kitchen doors, worktops, sinks and appliances. It began life in 1999, adopted the franchise model in 2002 and has since developed a network of 75 franchise units.

Becoming a franchisee: The ideal Dream Doors franchisee is passionate about the interior design industry and demonstrates excellent communication skills.
How much you need to invest: To become a franchisee, you'll need to raise around £55,000. If you follow the business model, you could generate a six-figure yearly turnover.
What you get for your investment: You’ll get the chance to take part in a 13-week training programme and receive regular visits from a dedicated in-territory support manager once you’re up and running. Plus, the franchisor team lends a hand when it comes to hiring your employees.

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Explore your options

You can browse our full selection of kitchen design franchises here at Point Franchise, or widen the net to find investment opportunities across a range of home improvement and construction franchises. We have businesses specialising in everything from furniture repair to shutter installation to landscaping and renewable energy solutions.