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I can't believe this, we had problems with a builder a couple of years ago and it put me off having anything done, but we needed a new kitchen so went to a local kitchen interior company.
Long story short - they've not been great at communication and nailing down exactly what they're doing, I've got home a few times and thought 'why have they done that' and had to alter things myself, basically they should have consulted or queried with me first. No great deal but I feel I shouldn't be having to do this.
So last night get home to find they've installed a few cabinets/wall unit - hang on, that's not the colour we ordered. Doors are the right colour, light grey 'stone', but the carcass is a different colour, originally we opted for a light oak interior to the carcass but it's a kind of darker green/grey colour. nope don't want that.
Email the company last night, get a call from them this morning, they claim that's what we agreed to and that's what's in the contract (I don't have the contract to hand) but myself and my partner do not remember being told it would not be what we opted for in the shop. In the shop they only had the choice of white or wood effect interior/carcass. The company are insisting that they've delivered what we ordered. If we had seen in the shop what they have used we would not have chosen it!
Where do we stand with this?
A brief chat with the trading standards advice line suggests that we should expect samples as shown in the shop and are within our rights to have them replaced, but I think the kitchen company are not going to accept this. 😐
Don't pay them until it's sorted out as you ordered it?
Where do we stand with this?
Check your contract. If it's not what you ordered tell them to stop work (if still going) and replace it with what you did order. Obviously don't pay them until they've corrected it
Check your contract.
Thats the key. If it's not clear in that then you're stuffed. But I am sure you insisted on a very clear and detailed contract as your previous experiences were so poor?
How much have you paid them?
Paid a deposit when signing contract and another amount on day 1 with a final payment due, can't remember the exact figures but the payments so far are about 80% of the cost, this was the same as another company we got in to quote and seems normal with kitchens.
My partner seems to think that if it does state on the contract that the carcasses are 'colour co-ordinated' as they said this morning that it's something that was done without us being aware, we were in the shop at the time we decided - white or wood, no alternatives were offered so assumed this is what we would get. Contract sent through the post. I checked what they were doing, when, supplying, costs etc. but didn't think to check colours, we thought that was sorted out while we were there.
Anyway, we told them to stop last night and this morning, they're coming around tonight to discuss things, was a bit heated on the phone this morning with them insisting and me saying otherwise. It's not the first time that they've said one thing and it's been another, we complained about them being difficult to reach as we needed to speak to them and they said they had been phoning all day - no missed calls on my or my partners phones 👿
Not much help but I feel your pain - having similar (but not as bad) issues with our kitchen installation - various promises of things being done followed by absolutely nothing happening. Currently eight days into the project and we are about halfway through day two according to the schedule I asked for.
Mmm, our schedule is behind too, but that's me insisting they don't do anything until the plasters dry, which they did agree with in the end. I get the impression that they just want to get on with it though and don't really think things through. I'm a bit fussy and want things finished well, they plastered the window sill nearly up to the glass covering a lot of the frame, I questioned why they didn't take it down a bit before plastering and was told they had to do that to make it level, but it would mean when the tiles are put on they'll be above the frame, little things like that, little attention to detail, took me an hour to knock it out again and make it lower so it'll look better. Maybe trivial? Wrong taps came, chrome instead of brushed stainless. Not sure the fridge is going to fit where we want it, it's between some pipework and the electricity meter, meter was supposed to have been moved by electrician as much as possible, but when I measured it last night it won't fit, drew the size of the fridge onto the floor in the area, they still say it will fit, I said can you see the area I've drawn, yes but they measured and it will fit ... eh? Rambling on a bit now 😳
You're right. Not wrong. Not fussy. Stick to your guns.
should have got it from these fallas:
http://www.bidspotter.co.uk/en-gb/auction-catalogues/bpi-associates/catalogue-id-bp10809/lot-d7c0cbf1-bd99-415b-b104-a53e00b5c0c6
check out the RRP!
That's some kitchen marcus7, would have trouble fitting a quarter of that in my place
To put you at ease, i had major issues with my kitchen company last year and i ended up not paying them the last payment, the lied to me they forgot to add sockets, then damaged the units when fitting them, broke the granite worktop all sorts. I paid a lot for it and although the workmanship is excellent the fitter were a shower of shite.
One thing is for sure, due to the one taking the order and the customer failing to understand or make sence of what theyre being told, the fitters will be the ones getting the flack from both sides.
Check in detail the spec sheet, and chat nicely to all parties, they do have 80% of your cash
In my case they put the sink in the wrong way round then tried to lift the granite snapping it in two. They broke the securing clips when they fitted the oven so it fell out when I opened the door, they chopped the top part of the extractor chimney and threw away the wrong half, put in the magic cupboard machanism upside down left the plumbing so it leaked.... Trust me they deserved the flak...
I'm going to try to fit our new kitchen myself.
Doesn't sound like I could do a much worse job than some of the Muppets mentioned above?
This is the whole problem with my industry, is completely unregulated.
You get those of us who pride ourselves on the final finish, workmanship and eye for detail going head to head with those who own a tape measure and a saw with a "how hard can it be" attitude.
There's an awful lot of work goes into kitchen and Bathroom fitting to end up with the results that people crave. I've lost count of the amount of jobbing builders/fireman mate kitchen fits I've had to put right over the years.
I don't disagree that it is unregulated, however I fit kitchens as a qualified joiner, I have put right kitchens that so called kitchen fitters have fitted (guys who only do this). I do not think regulation is the solution, but maybe recomendation is the way forward.
Marcus7 the rrp in your link is what i paid for my 3 bed semi with large garden . I got a free kitchen already in it.
I'm going to try to fit our new kitchen myself.
Doesn't sound like I could do a much worse job than some of the Muppets mentioned above?
Lol. I'm almost certain you could.
I plaster a lot of kitchens and bathroom's for a company based in Teesside. One of the best company's I've ever worked for. Their fitters are all top tradesmen who go the extra mile to do a great job. Not the cheapest but they have a great reputation with a lot of repeat customers. Sound's like you've just been unlucky in your choice OP.