| Off topic 16:59 - Mar 20 with 882 views | thrillseeker |
Any one had recent experience of new kitchens?
Just started looking around - been to Howdens, Wickes and Wren so far.
Any one got any comment about the above or recommend elsewhere?
Thanks |  | | |  |
| Off topic on 19:08 - Mar 20 with 833 views | wessex_exile |
Last (and hopefully only) time I refitted a kitchen I got a mate who fitted kitchens to do it with me, and on my behalf he bought it all through Howdens with a generous trade discount. No complaints either, good quality materials as far as I was concerned. That was, however, well over ten years ago. |  |
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| Off topic on 10:08 - Mar 21 with 661 views | noah4x4 |
| Off topic on 19:08 - Mar 20 by wessex_exile |
Last (and hopefully only) time I refitted a kitchen I got a mate who fitted kitchens to do it with me, and on my behalf he bought it all through Howdens with a generous trade discount. No complaints either, good quality materials as far as I was concerned. That was, however, well over ten years ago. |
I used Wickes - awful experience.
All was going well until the quartz worktops arrived. These had been cut wrong and the sink aperture cut in the wrong place etc. £4,000 of (retail) cost to replace them, so Wickes blamed the worktop supplier, and it blamed Wickes.
After six weeks of deadlock (including no kitchen over Christmas), I went to the Furniture and Home Improvements Ombudsman. This was possibly a mistake as the Ombudsman responded to say his volume of case load was such that an adjudication would be delayed for at least six months, and the arguing suppliers used this as they had a kitchen fitter resource crisis, so the deadlock between Wickes and Worktop supplier continued. It was six months before a decision and nine months before my kitchen was finished!
I have since heard or read similar horror stories with other DIY chains (Wren, B & Q etc). The issue repeatedly seems to be either problems with the subcontractors or with independent suppliers, notably worktops. It didn’t help that in the middle of my debacle the worktop supplier was acquired by Howdens, and the relationship with Wickes ended. My advice; use a smaller local firm that locally sources materials and fits using their own employees. An issue with the big chains is they are always up to capacity and don’t have enough subcontracter resources to do any remedial work. They prefer to upset you even more rather than upset a new customer. Local firms might charge more, but I suspect you will get a more personal service.
To be fair, I am delighted with the finished job, but the process was so painful. |  | | |
| Off topic on 12:28 - Mar 21 with 635 views | thrillseeker |
Thanks for comments | | | |
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