getthegat Posted March 23, 2018 Report Share Posted March 23, 2018 So the missus wanted a new kitchen. Well it was her money, so why not. We went to that well advertised company with the name of a little brown hedge row bird and the green and white sign. I hope you'll all bare with me as I feel the need to "vent". The showroom of course is full of amazing products and the staff promise seamless stress free dreams fulfilled. They really big up everything. We may be just unlucky, but the design has been changed and compromised 3 or 4 times due to incorrect measurements being taken. Nobody spotted that the boiler was right up against the wall and would not allow the unit to go around or above it, so we had to have it moved. We told the company time and time again that we live in a maisonette, on the 3rd floor, but the day of arrival of all the ready built units and white goods etc the delivery guys had not been given this information and they really struggled, especially as some items would not go up and around the stairs, some parts have been lying up the stairs now for nearly 2 weeks and other items half way up on the landing. Once the fitting started ( we were told this would take a week) more incorrect measurements came to light and more compromises had to be made. We went for 3 days without a sink, but the worst is that one night we came home to no heating or hot water. After phoning the fitters and them saying they had done nothing, I found a socket with disconnected live wires hanging off the wall, which I had to reconnect myself. A light switch and 3 other sockets are still hanging from the walls with exposed wires, more than a week later. We are now coming up to two weeks and nowhere near finished, the fitters have been AWOL the last 2 days having gone to another job, we have no worktops, no hob to cook on all the old kitchen units and all the packaging from the new kitchen is in the drive outside, even though we paid extra for this, up front, to be cleared. This is a very big bucks kitchen we are talking here and everything has been paid for well in advance. The promises made have been broken time and time again and the dream is rapidly heading towards nightmare. Today some other section of the company is coming to measure for the worktops, so thats more time that we have had to take off our own work commitments and we have now been told this cannot be made or fitted until after Easter, so still we will have no hob top or working sockets etc plus nobody has thought about how this huge top will get up the stairs and yet again we were promised at every stage of the design, that we could have it in one piece and by no means would it need to be cut and joined. This has been anything but seamless, stress less and I worry that it will even been the dream kitchen once finished. Phew! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ollieollie Posted March 23, 2018 Report Share Posted March 23, 2018 Where to start. What does it say in the small print regarding timescales? Or in general? Have to been to the store and kicked up a proper fuss? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loriusgarrulus Posted March 23, 2018 Report Share Posted March 23, 2018 I am very lucky. I didn't like the standard of any kitchens I saw except one company in Alderely Edge whose prices started at £35,000 not including appliances and even they didn't do wall units to the ceiling I wanted. OH made all my Kitchen units and fitted them and did the plumbing. All solid pine carcasses and carbonised bamboo doors, hand made. Just had tradesman in for a few bits he couldn't do including we had a plasterer for the ceiling as OH had taken a dividing wall down to knock the kitchen and dining room into one. The whole kitchen was done in stages so I was never without a cooker and I only had to wash pots over the bath in a bowl on a board using the shower for 2 days while the sink and unit was removed and a new ones fitted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bemused Posted March 23, 2018 Report Share Posted March 23, 2018 We had a similar experience with a large kitchen company (sounds like a device that attracts metal objects). Take plenty of photos and keep a diary of events. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
team tractor Posted March 23, 2018 Report Share Posted March 23, 2018 The company your on about has terrible feed back on line and sell you way to much plinth, cornice, light pelmets etc to top the bonus up . Ive has to fit a few and I’m not impressed. we have over 100 doors and 300 tops in our showroom and come in at half the price for better stuff. But people follow the big names thinking they’re getting something great . what are your tops ? Granite ? solid surface ? Laminate ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winnie&bezza Posted March 23, 2018 Report Share Posted March 23, 2018 Wren are awful. They get slated big time by the trade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ollieollie Posted March 23, 2018 Report Share Posted March 23, 2018 6 minutes ago, team tractor said: The company your on about has terrible feed back on line and sell you way to much plinth, cornice, light pelmets etc to top the bonus up . Ive has to fit a few and I’m not impressed. we have over 100 doors and 300 tops in our showroom and come in at half the price for better stuff. But people follow the big names thinking they’re getting something great . what are your tops ? Granite ? solid surface ? Laminate ? Do you sell new cupboard doors to? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winnie&bezza Posted March 23, 2018 Report Share Posted March 23, 2018 6 minutes ago, team tractor said: The company your on about has terrible feed back on line and sell you way to much plinth, cornice, light pelmets etc to top the bonus up . Ive has to fit a few and I’m not impressed. we have over 100 doors and 300 tops in our showroom and come in at half the price for better stuff. But people follow the big names thinking they’re getting something great . what are your tops ? Granite ? solid surface ? Laminate ? Too right mate. It’s like sharps or Neville Johnson’s, people see the name and fancy adverting by are getting ripped off by paying big money for melamine chipboard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dougy Posted March 23, 2018 Report Share Posted March 23, 2018 4 minutes ago, Ollieollie said: Do you sell new cupboard doors to? Yes he does and a brilliant service too. Not seen the new premises yet but I can certainly vouch for the quality of customer service. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Munzy Posted March 23, 2018 Report Share Posted March 23, 2018 This sounds like a nightmare, I’m shocked by the level of service you’ve received. if I was you I would be taking good clear photos of all of the exposed live wiring, I would make a detailed yet concise timeline of events and I would take a video walking from the communal door up the stairs to your front door showing the parts strewn across the stairs and landing. I would then call the Wren showroom and demand that the Store Manager and Area Manager meet with you this afternoon. During the meeting they would be told that all of the photos and info will be shared across all of the big DIY and home improvement forums and a video created from them which will be posted to YouTube, Facebook and Twitter to highlight the terrible service received but also the dangerous state they have left your house. I’d then tell them that as the senior figures in this debacle I am holding them personally responsible for getting this situation rectified by next Friday regardless of the costs to them. If they need to contract additional fitters so be it. If this isn’t resolved the store name and their names will feature in the video and their superiors will see first hand how their customers are being treated. It’s also the Ideal Home Show at Olympia this weekend so you could work that in by saying you are planning to attend anyway and will enjoy using the Q&A sessions in front of an audience to ask how best to deal with your “Wren issue”. Should ruffle some feathers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scully Posted March 23, 2018 Report Share Posted March 23, 2018 (edited) Do they just sub out the work to the cheapest tender once you’ve chosen your kitchen? I use to paint kitchens for Christians, which have offices in London, Paris, New York etc etc. It turns out they’re all franchises, and the first experience I had of them was when a wealthy local couple were having one fitted and the rep’ asked them if they knew any local tradesmen who could do all the fitting, plumbing, wiring, tiling and painting! ? Edited March 23, 2018 by Scully Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
getthegat Posted March 23, 2018 Author Report Share Posted March 23, 2018 We have been building a file on all the issues, with photos and time lines etc. The fitters are not on the Wren payroll. We had to deal seperatley with them and they do not have a good knowledge of the Wren products, they didn't know how to fit the extractor unit. The worktop is some fancy solid material, not granite but similar. I'm just gutted for the missus, she works damn hard in a stressful job and this dream has not been what the company advertises. We went for a big high street company ( never have before) because we thought there would be a good back up quality of service. How wrong we were. Mind you we know of an individual company that was recommended to us, that did a friend's kitchen and it was 40 grand! Without appliances. Nearly double ours. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Mighty Prawn Posted March 23, 2018 Report Share Posted March 23, 2018 Oh cack I've just ordered a kitchen from the same company! Luckily brother in law is fitting it for me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnfromUK Posted March 23, 2018 Report Share Posted March 23, 2018 I had a kitchen fitted about 5 years ago intended as a 'stopgap' as there were major changes (new dining area in extension, boiler relocation, removal of old style Aga cooker, new radiators, space for large fridge/freezer etc.) due longer term, but over the horizon at the time due to need to get planning on a listed building and other 'slow' issues. It was done with basic and cheap units in melamine type finish and 'formica style' worktops from Howdens and fitted by a local fitter who spent much of his time fitting Howdens kitchens. We had (inevitably in an old house with nothing square) some 'issues', but all easily solved/worked around because the guy knew what he was doing. 5 years later it is still there - I had just about allowed enough flexibility to work around the new radiators and boiler removal, still in reasonable condition and I have been pleased with it and at the moment I'm quite content with it for 'longer term' usage. It is easy enough to keep clean and has stood up to usage pretty well. Can't remember exactly what it cost, but recollections is about £6K inc fitting, sink unit, hob and oven, and some wiring/plumbing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
team tractor Posted March 23, 2018 Report Share Posted March 23, 2018 3 hours ago, Ollieollie said: Do you sell new cupboard doors to? Yes mate and drill all our own hinges 3 hours ago, Dougy said: Yes he does and a brilliant service too. Not seen the new premises yet but I can certainly vouch for the quality of customer service. Cheers dude 1 hour ago, The Mighty Prawn said: Oh cack I've just ordered a kitchen from the same company! Luckily brother in law is fitting it for me! You know better I’d of priced you dude Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penelope Posted March 23, 2018 Report Share Posted March 23, 2018 5 hours ago, getthegat said: So the missus wanted a new kitchen. Well it was her money, so why not. We went to that well advertised company with the name of a little brown hedge row bird and the green and white sign. I hope you'll all bare with me as I feel the need to "vent". The showroom of course is full of amazing products and the staff promise seamless stress free dreams fulfilled. They really big up everything. We may be just unlucky, but the design has been changed and compromised 3 or 4 times due to incorrect measurements being taken. Nobody spotted that the boiler was right up against the wall and would not allow the unit to go around or above it, so we had to have it moved. We told the company time and time again that we live in a maisonette, on the 3rd floor, but the day of arrival of all the ready built units and white goods etc the delivery guys had not been given this information and they really struggled, especially as some items would not go up and around the stairs, some parts have been lying up the stairs now for nearly 2 weeks and other items half way up on the landing. Once the fitting started ( we were told this would take a week) more incorrect measurements came to light and more compromises had to be made. We went for 3 days without a sink, but the worst is that one night we came home to no heating or hot water. After phoning the fitters and them saying they had done nothing, I found a socket with disconnected live wires hanging off the wall, which I had to reconnect myself. A light switch and 3 other sockets are still hanging from the walls with exposed wires, more than a week later. We are now coming up to two weeks and nowhere near finished, the fitters have been AWOL the last 2 days having gone to another job, we have no worktops, no hob to cook on all the old kitchen units and all the packaging from the new kitchen is in the drive outside, even though we paid extra for this, up front, to be cleared. This is a very big bucks kitchen we are talking here and everything has been paid for well in advance. The promises made have been broken time and time again and the dream is rapidly heading towards nightmare. Today some other section of the company is coming to measure for the worktops, so thats more time that we have had to take off our own work commitments and we have now been told this cannot be made or fitted until after Easter, so still we will have no hob top or working sockets etc plus nobody has thought about how this huge top will get up the stairs and yet again we were promised at every stage of the design, that we could have it in one piece and by no means would it need to be cut and joined. This has been anything but seamless, stress less and I worry that it will even been the dream kitchen once finished. Phew! I understand that there is a Facebook page dedicated to how poor they are. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Munzy Posted March 23, 2018 Report Share Posted March 23, 2018 I didn’t realise they had such a bad reputation. Sounds like part of the problem is the fact the people designing (and who you’re paying) are not the guys fitting. Good luck with it all, hope you get it sorted! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mice! Posted March 23, 2018 Report Share Posted March 23, 2018 Frightening, only word for it, my misses wants a small extension which will lead to a new kitchen bathroom and change of bedrooms, which means lots of checking people out in the hope of avoiding cowboys, and she wonders why I keep putting it off ??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnfromUK Posted March 23, 2018 Report Share Posted March 23, 2018 8 minutes ago, Mice! said: Frightening, only word for it, my misses wants a small extension which will lead to a new kitchen bathroom and change of bedrooms, which means lots of checking people out in the hope of avoiding cowboys, and she wonders why I keep putting it off ??? Having had a lot of building work done in my house including extension and complete re-wire and re-plumb over the last few years, my STRONG recommendation would be to use local small business tradesmen ........ and for a builder, try and find one who doesn't work on multiple projects all at once ....... and one to whom you have direct regular access to the 'boss'. After an unsatisfactory start with a small business who were trying to keep at least 3 sites on the go (and therefore three customers happy) at once - it was hopeless - as the only way to get things done was to get annoyed and withhold funds until ........ I knocked that on the head as I just couldn't get anything done on time (they were there 2 days - then gone for 3 etc.), cut my losses, paid for all done to date ........ and moved to a 'one man band' who was only working on my project. He came based on personal recommendation and it worked out very well with a good honest open flexible arrangement. That is what I would always do in future. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonny long shanks Posted March 23, 2018 Report Share Posted March 23, 2018 That's extremely poor service. Sounds like the subbies have got annoyed with the job and disappeared hoping someone else will finish it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobba Posted March 23, 2018 Report Share Posted March 23, 2018 Many Solicitors offer free 1/2 hr consultation. Consult one with Kitchen Co paperwork and your records to see if any failures constitute breach of contract. Then send Solicitors letter instructing them to remove kitchen and refund your money. I think that this will focus their mind. Even if you have to pay for the service it would have a far better effect than your complaints which are being ignored. As far as fitters are concerned you have no contract with them but with kitchen co who in turn have contract with fitters. So best to keep contact with kitchen co. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mice! Posted March 23, 2018 Report Share Posted March 23, 2018 big brother is watching!!! Look at the advert, never seen that one before reading this thread???? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnfromUK Posted March 23, 2018 Report Share Posted March 23, 2018 Yes, I got loads about radiators after browsing some repro cast iron radiators in google images/pinterest (which proved far too expensive). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stumfelter Posted March 23, 2018 Report Share Posted March 23, 2018 In this day and age why do people pay up front? Now you've got no leverage and my advice to anyone is pay the bare minimum (if any ) until the job is completed to your satisfaction. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnfromUK Posted March 23, 2018 Report Share Posted March 23, 2018 (edited) 20 minutes ago, stumfelter said: In this day and age why do people pay up front? Now you've got no leverage and my advice to anyone is pay the bare minimum (if any ) until the job is completed to your satisfaction. On my building programme, the schedule agreed was; Materials - paid immediately following delivery to site receipt of valid invoice and acceptance (by me) Labour - monthly, in invoiced in arrears and immediately on receipt of valid invoice and acceptance (by me) Electrical and plumbing were staged at conclusion of 'first fix' and conclusion of second fix (including certification where applicable). Personally, for small businesses I am happy to pay immediately (usually same day) on satisfactory conclusion of the work (no 30 day wait or any of that game). This enables small businesses and sole traders to have the funds from me cleared in their account before they have to settle to the builders merchant/supplier. Labour was agreed to be presented as an invoice covering the previous month's hours and again was paid immediately (assuming it was agreed). On a large job (my programme stretched out over 2 years) it would not be realistic not to be paying in stages. The only advance payments I made were 50% in advance for 'made to measure' items (windows, staircase etc.) - the vast majority of that was to a trusted local supplier who did all the joinery work. Edited March 23, 2018 by JohnfromUK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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