FV

What worked:
The crew from Keukenman who installed the kitchen.
Minor inconveniences in the installation were addressed professionally by Brugman support services.

What I didn't like:
* The initial engagement was fine, but in terms of advise in designing the kitchen, I'd score a 6 out of 10.
* The number crunching to get a final price is ridiculously obscure and pricing is far from transparent. You won't get an actual quote that is itemized, just a bulk price. Discounts are randomly applied on the fly.
* The kitchen equipment inventory available to choose from is not easy to get to browse in one's personal time to make a more informed decision on costs/needs
* Communication in general was fine when we were at Brugman, but online communication was sub-par. It was either informal or through email, but the emails did not follow a thread or case number, so it was really hard to follow. I received multiple emails, different subjects, even when raising a claim for issues in the process.
* We had committed to the dismantling of the kitchen and the installation of the new one in a specific week. I got a call saying that it was not possible to dismantle the kitchen, so I either had to do it myself and I could get Brugman's dismantling cost deducted, or we had to move the whole project. This was terribly painful, as I had a commitment with contractors for the piping, electricity work and whatnot in preparation for the kitchen and as required by Brugman. I raised the claim but it was completely disregarded, no compensation of any sort, and I had to go chase another contractor who was available in the new offered date, and also re-schedule my time out of the house with the family so the work could be done and we could have the needed facilities to cook.

Conclusion:
I wouldn't recommend Brugman as something special. It's just another kitchen company, and I'm not sure there's much added value compared to IKEA.
I'm no longer planning to consider Brugman for my bathroom renovations.