You're paranoid! :)

OK, just kidding! But It sounds perfectly normal to me. I would advise to check all the appliances as soon as they come in, before you put them into storage, because some companies can give you a hard time with returns/parts etc if it was purchased months ago (look into it).

I am also shopping around for appliances, which appliances are you planning on purchasing and which brands are due for a price increase?

We bought ours ahead so that they'd be here as the cabinets were being built and installed, and so that if any were delayed, we wouldn't be held up waiting for them. I have heard of others buying to beat a price increase, though...Partly depends on if you'll be paying any interest or have to pay to store them if it will save you much. Also, some of our warranties started on the purchase date and some started on the install date, so you might want to look into that and consider it in your decision.

Completely normal in my book. I've got a cooktop in my living room and a double oven plus warming drawer in my garage...and no building permit yet! But the prices were too good to pass up, and after years of planning I needed something concrete. I was advised to have my contractor send a letter to the warrantee department confirming the actual install date.

We went to the appliance store 2 weeks ago and put in an order for ours and they haven't even broken ground on our house, LOL.

Our motivation was that we weren't brand loyal so we told the person what we wanted and asked if he'd watch for floor models over the next X number of months so we could buy floor models. Ended up he had floor models on pretty much everything we want and he's going to store them for us until they are ready for delivery. We saved WELL over $5000.

So, not only is it normal to buy them early but it can be a great idea in my book!

No consumer knows what's going to happen with prices or model-changes or availability in their area. Not even the sales-people. "Prices due to increase by the end of the month" statements have always been with us. I've personally been through many iterations. Sometimes it's true. Sometimes it isn't. I wouldn't plan my life around it.

Assuming they're good appliances -- like the ones you really want to the exclusion of all others -- by all means go ahead. You'll likely be living with them every day for more than a decade and if they're the ones, then act. And it will be nice to have to actual products/dimensions for your contractors to work with.

If you're wishy-washy (should have said "flexible") about what you really want....wait.

we ordered ours in early august and they were delivered 3rd week of september.

I did. Partly because of looming increases (one of which came early--4 days before I went to buy--which changed the design of my kitchen because it made me mad). Partly because they all had to be ordered and shipped, and we needed some on site for the measures.

The (local--not chain) store I bought from was in obvious robust health, and they offered to store the appliances in their warehouse. It was supposed to be several months and turned out to be more like 6-8. I was in regular contact with my rep during all that time, and had a lot of confidence.

Beware of storing your appliances at the store, however, if you're not 100% sure of the company. We've had some members who lost their paid for appliances to their stores' bankruptcies. Under lockout circumstances, it's very hard to prove that property in the warehouse belongs to you, not the company, and to get the receivers to let you get it when they're wanting to liquidate it.

A lot of the choice depends on how much the price increase will be, how long the wait is, and how much it will cost you to store things. Are you paying for storage? And for insurance on storage? Do your warranties date to purchase date or installation date or occupancy date? Will they be coming out with a new feature that you want enough to make the price increase worth it to you? Are you paying interest on the purchase? Would it be worth waiting to save on that interest?

If I'd gone to buy my appliances a week before the 38% price increase my kitchen would be very different. I like what I ended up with better. For a price increase of less than 10%, it might make sense to wait.

I think most warranties start when you take delivery or installation if they install it. I had one place try to say the warranty started the day I placed the order. Be aware that Sears sets their own terms for the appliances they sell. They do not necessarily follow the warranty the manufacturer prints in the manual.

"Normal" is a relative state of mind, but since I have already purchased three out of four large appliances...for a kitchen reno when I haven't even decided on a GC yet... then we are 'normal'. : )

[The following was x-posted over in Kitchens to my original post regarding Imperial brand venthoods...]
I've purchased a lot of things over the internet but none of them weighed over 10 lbs. So to say that I'm hesitant to order something that is shipped on a pallet and has a chance of breakage even though the box might not reflect it, scares me to death.

So because of my very narrow-minded, unreasonable fear, I went ahead and purchased an E-Lux venthood from Sears. *don't roll your eyes at me* LOL

The sones level is twice that of the Imperial at high speed but I figure this speed won't be used ALL the time.

To further assuage my paranoia of electronics breaking (in massive, not-easy-to-box-up-to-return items such as a built-in appliances), Big Box afforded me the opportunity to add to their bottom line purchase an extended warranty of five years in duration. Because we all know that these things like to breakdown on day 357. Plus they do price matching and actually did one on-the-spot when they were proving to me that they shop the competition.

So, unless I change my mind and cancel with Sears (which they have a most generous cancellation policy), I will not be able to add to the knowledge pool on Imperial or Kobe brand venthoods. : / But I will be able to on the following:
GE Profile Induction cooktop 36", PHP960
Bosch dishwasher SHX4AP0
E-lux 36" venthood RH36WC60G
Oven - yet to be determined.... but it might be a Jenn-Air* if it is still available when I begin the demo.

[New comment addition....]
Sears warranty clock starts at the time of delivery. They will allow up to six months to schedule the delivery and will allow reschedule at least two, maybe three times [you can check to verify]. Anytime up until 72 hours prior to delivery, the purchase can be cancelled for a full refund. The extended warranty can be canceled up until the end of the first year of installation.

Sears had a fabulous price on my dishwasher - well, an upgraded model - for the same price as the one I was considering. So this one was a no-brainer.

I am happy to report that I am getting closer to hiring a GC but I don't expect to begin the demo before November 15.

Pepper

* The Jenn-Air oven is new, in the box for $700++. But the warranty clock starts ticking when the charge hits the card. I called Jenn-Air to verify. The fact that I can't get an extended warranty kinda bugs me [see paranoia issue above] but Mastercard does do the additional one-year warranty like AmEx does. If the oven holds up for two-years and then dies, $700 isn't too much to loose. If it lasts much longer, then I'll be a winner. So unless an oven goes on sale at one of the Big Box stores in the next four weeks (or so) at a reasonable price, hopefully the Jenn-Air will still be around for me to purchase. If not, then I 'maybe' lose. It really bugged me that I cound't find any user reviews good or bad about this particular model.

I noticed that when I registered my appliances for warranty, some manufacturers asked for installation date, some asked for purchase date. When I called for warranty service on my Fisher and Paykel oven, they only cared about when I bought it, not when it went in.

We will be purchasing two months early to qualify for a $1000
Rebate. Why not?

As long as you have all the specifications on said appliances - so if you are putting in new cabs, running electric, ductwork, plumbing there are no errors

All too often there are posts on here about - the electrician did not account for.... the GC did not put in duct work for my VAH, etc

I ordered my main appliances several months in advance so that they would be available when I needed them. My dealer stored them until I needed them.

I wondered what my neighbours are going to do about the appliances they ordered. Well they're not really close neighbours, almost two blocks away. On Tuesday, they had a contractor, er... handyman, er... guy with power tools, do some reconfiguring in their basement utility room to accomodate a new laundry pair. Unfortunately, while sawing out some old cabinets, he nicked the gas line. Less than 10 minutes later, the house blew up. At least the guy got everyone out and no one was injured. But when I heard the KA-BOOM!!!, I thought something was falling out of the sky and hitting my house. Hey, the garage is still standing. I guess they can store the washer and dryer there....

Wow, I am SO surprised at these responses. I would NEVER order my appliances way before installation. As has been mentioned, the clock starts ticking on the warranty upon delivery, not upon installation, most of the time. And frankly, I don't know any manufacturers where the clock starts ticking upon installation; I'll just take your word for it that some do, just none in my experience. Furthermore, if you are installing the appliances on site, all kinds of things could happen--they could get damp/wet, they could get knocked over, and we have had a couple of reports on this forum and on the kitchens forum where the appliances have been stolen out of a garage, or even by workman on site. Finally, it seems like appliances get discontinued and replaced by newer and better all the time, almost as much as TV's or computers. You get a model today, and in 8 months, it is very likely there is something new and better out there for the same amount you paid.

There is always a sale around the corner, and everything is negotiable price-wise, with the exception of UMRP appliance brands which are Wolf/Subzero, Miele, Gagganau and Liebherr. Although the salespeople constantly threaten that "prices are about to increase", unless you are talking about the aforementioned brands, I have found everything is negotiable, especially if you shop at several stores.

Another thing to think about is that often your wishes about your appliances change as your kitchen renovation develops. Perhaps you change your mind and want a cooktop/wall oven instead of a range, or you want the 42" fridge instead of the 36". Or you decide you no longer want a fridge with water-in-the-door but want a sink filtered-water dispenser instead. Or any number of things. If you've bought your appliances before your plans are really developed (ESPECIALLY after hanging out here and the Kitchens forum where you'll learn about all kinds of stuff you hadn't considered), you will be stuck with them, and be disappointed.

BTW, we bought our Advantium and KA DW via the internet for the best prices. They were offering free shipping, and both appliances came within 2 weeks after we ordered. That is how I would do it to save money, rather than in the hopes of maybe locking in a low price, spend the money months in advance, store the stuff, lose months on the warranty, and hope everything works once it's installed.

I bought mine at the beginning of september and they won't be installed until the end of december (at the earliest, if everything goes as planned.)
The appliances are not actually delivered until they are needed, but they are on order and reserved so that we will have them in time for installation. If we want to make any changes, we are still at liberty to do so. We payed a deposit to secure the appliances and the rest of the payment is due upon delivery. I am not sure how other stores work, but most appliance stores in my city work like that.
I don't think that you are ordering too soon. The major benefit, and reason that we ordered our appliances so early was to properly finalize the kitchen design. To me, this outweighed anything else. Once the design was decided we were able to continue to the next step of the process.
What would be the major con for you not to purchase the appliances yet?

I bought everything in advance--sometimes to avoid a price increase (which for Miele was the only discount I could get), or to hit rebates that were happening. I had them delivered when I needed them.
Cj

We are looking at this same issue right now - we found 2 brand new floor models that the company ordered by mistake for our Fridge/Freezer stand alone units - buying them now with free storage as long as we need will save us around $800+.

I am concerned about the warranty, but plan to see if our invoice can show the delivery date as the purchase date - I hope that works...

We won't need our new appliances until October at this point!

We bought ours, Bluestar range, KA dishwasher and Samsung FD/CD on Memorial Day 2010. The appliance dealer was offering all kinds of rabates and even a sales tax refund for the holiday weekend. We told them that the reno wouldn't start until August and that we wouldn't need the appliances until September or October. They agreed to store them and they were delivered in October.

So if your dealer will store them for you, yes, definetly get you best appliance deal when you can.

There's one other issue besides warranty. If your dealer goes bankrupt while storing your appliances, there's a chance that they will be seized by his creditors EVEN IF YOU'VE PAID FOR THEM. You'll then have the hassle of trying to get them back from the bankruptcy court. This has happened to people on this forum. Just something to think about.

I did exactly the same thing this past Memorial Day weekend. I purchased 3 appliances from Sears (yeah, big box shop, I know) at incredible discounts (37% off!). My new construction home won't be ready until late July, so it's all good.

I agree with alwaysfixin but i did order my appliances to arrive about 3 weeks before really needed. My contractor likes having them early so he can check them out while he is installing the cabinets and layouting out the pluming/electrical. I also wanted the rebate that expired last month!

I would say looking at craigslist/ebay - many listing of fixtures and appliances where they got the item and things changed in their plans and they couldnt take it back. So a risk.

I purchased all of my appliances -- Wolf range, SZ refrigerator, F-P DDs, and Panasonic microwave -- in December 2004, and they were installed in June/July 2005. The store where I purchased the appliances kept them until they were installed 6 months later.

I did this because 1) the prices were scheduled to go up on the Wolf & SZ appliances; 2) SZ refrigerators require the electrical outlet in a different location (up higher on the wall, as I understand it) and electrician needed to know this; 3) the custom cabinets were built around the specific measurements of these particular appliances; 4) the plumber needed to install the gas line to the Wolf in accordance with the Wolf instructions.....So much behind-the-scenes work needs to be done by your electrician and plumber, that I think it wise to pre-purchase and give the contractors the spec sheets for the appliances you've bought.

When the appliances were delivered, they were in their original, unopened boxes. They were flawless in appearance, and have been flawless in performance for the past 6 years.

Additionally, I only had to put down a down payment in December to lock everything in, and then pay in full in July/August, after receipt. That was a financial incentive, too.

For me, this approach was essential to the successful outcome of my kitchen remodel.

I forgot to put this in my note.

The warranties for all the appliances began when they were delivered and installed -- in the June/July 2005 period....Which was fine, because that's when the house remodel was completed, and we moved back into the house.

I purchased all of the appliances from a long-established locally owned store. There was never any doubt about the store remaining open to deliver the appliances, or the reputability of the store, or the merchandise it carries.

The garage had so much material stored in it, that was used throughout the remodel, there was absolutely no room for any pre-purchased appliances. So buying them, and keeping them at the store was the best way to go....and got me the financial advantage of delaying full payment until after delivery & installation. Yet I had the peace of mind in December 2004 that I was able to get the appliances my heart was set on, and the cabinet makers were able to build around the appliance spec sheets.

Beth4 - Your story dates from 6-7 years ago, way before the recession. Things have changed.

Since the recession, (A) many stores have gone out of business, many are on the brink, and we have seen posts on this forum from people who had stores close out of the blue and they take a big loss on the appliances the store was "holding"; and (B) stores are more reluctant than they were back in 2004 to hold appliances. Their profit margins have been cut to the bone--why should they take the risk for your appliances, why should they use up costly storage space for your appliances. Also, your points (2), (3) and (4) don't require the appliances to be onsite. The appliances' specification sheets detail those things.

I don't think someone should wait to the LAST minute to order appliances. Sometimes they go on backorder, so you want a cushion of a few weeks. But I think that ordering them too early, and having to store them, is risky. Or experiencing a change of kitchen design so that the appliance no longer is what you want is a big risk. How many times we have seen people change everything about their kitchens, completely re-think layout and preferences, budget, etc. Also, the manufacturers are constantly improving or changing features. You may buy an appliance only to find the feature you couldn't get on it (e.g. higher btu's, rolling racks, better door hinges, quieter, prettier design, different finish, or whatever), is now available on the version being sold 6 months later when you are actually installing the kitchen. Don't jump the gun on purchasing the appliances.

Shannon, excellent points, and that's why everyone has to do what fits their own set of circumstances. I merely reported what I did and why I did it; I'm not advocating that this approach is for everyone.

The local firm I bought my appliances from is still thriving today, June 2, 2011, so I know my experience would be the same today, as it was 6 years ago. But you are absolutely right that consumers must know the company they're dealing with, and have a high confidence level that they'll get their appliances when it's time.

The bottom line is that everyone's MMV, and doing the necessary research to ensure the desired outcome is achieved is time well spent.

We broke ground on our house in August, with a planned completion of June. I bought a floor model Sub-Zero BI-36 at a great discount over the holidays. It's sitting in my appliance installer's warehouse. We've since had about a three month slip due to an inadequate HVAC plan. Now that it's sorted out, we're looking at August-September for completion.

Since then, my Capital Culinarian 36" LP range has arrived, and is keeping the Sub-Zero company, along with the 40 inch ModernAire range hood insert. The HVAC contractor has installed the Fantech FKD-10XL fan and ducting already.

The only things i'm buying through the builder's recommended appliance dealer are our Miele Chef Speed Oven, matching warming drawer and Diamante Plus dishwasher, and even then, grudgingly. You'd never know there was a tough economy these days, the way most appliance dealers aren't remotely inclined to come off full retail price. But I digress...

This has been our approach - we'll have to wait until installation to see whether it was the right one. :-) But it did allow us to get the appliances we wanted, and in the case of the Sub-Zero and ModernAire, at very favorable prices.

The Culinarian and range hood insert I bought from Trevor at Eurostoves. I could have bought both locally, but he was very generous with his time and expertise when I was shopping last year. Combined with his relationship with Capital, it was an easy choice to make.

American Express cardholders double the original manufacturer's warranty, too - something that's not the case when buying on your builder's allowance as part of your construction loan.

We got bit by our selected company going out of business - so even though we should be OK, since we used a Visa Signature card, until I see the money back I am crossing my fingers...

Visa claims everything is good and we will get a full refund!