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New kitchen


getthegat
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57 minutes ago, DannyS said:

20% - 30% deposit, balance on completion. Would steer well clear of anyone that demanded full payment up front - they do that for a reason.

 

100% deposit on material and 50% money on fitting before I start. 

I cant keep up with the 4-5 months lead time.

 

customers are just as bad as the company’s . We’ve lost £100k + over the past 15 years with people not paying . You wouldn’t order a gun and after agreeing a price then demand a free scope ;) 

6 hours ago, Munzy said:

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!

The problem is it’s staff. They don’t care as they still get paid.when wren go bump they’ll just get another job.

im lucky that even on here I have a good rep . I treat every job like my own house.

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2 hours 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.

100% on kitchens

50% on joinery .

 

no one moans if they’re serious.

4-5 months constantly in front :) 

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All great advice. Should have put forward the proposal of getting a new kitchen on PW before jumping in, think some of you guys would have really put us on the right track. Wren work with a pay all up front system, no choice. I do feel we are unlucky, have just had to boot a builder decorator firm off, as they lost interest, promised perfection which at first they achieved, but then the excuses started. They were only a small team, but did disappoint. More research I feel required in the future and not just go with one recommendation.

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If anyone goes with Howdens, their units etc aren’t bad but don’t get your tops from.

They don’t use a balancer on the underneath so many of them are cupped etc. Such a simple remedy to fix. 

50 minutes ago, team tractor said:

100% on kitchens

50% on joinery .

 

no one moans if they’re serious.

4-5 months constantly in front :) 

Yep even me, a one man band sticks to full material cost and 50% labour upfront and rest on completion. If you’ve got a good reputation and they can see your work on website etc, then customers surely have nothing to worry about. As I’ve said before, it works both ways.

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4 hours ago, getthegat said:

All great advice. Should have put forward the proposal of getting a new kitchen on PW before jumping in, think some of you guys would have really put us on the right track. Wren work with a pay all up front system, no choice. I do feel we are unlucky, have just had to boot a builder decorator firm off, as they lost interest, promised perfection which at first they achieved, but then the excuses started. They were only a small team, but did disappoint. More research I feel required in the future and not just go with one recommendation.

I’ve sold 3 kitchens on here and try to do a discount for Pw members .

shame your not local and my fingers fixed as I’d try to help.you out.

 

hope it’s all sorted in the end which I’m certain it will.

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Wren have a reputation for poor service and so it seems their fitting is equally poor  

my sister had a nightmare with them  

I was so tempted to buy from them and in the end I decided not for that reason only as their kitchens are pretty decent. 

Went to Howdens in the end, they don’t have glitzy showrooms but the quality is very good.

 

fitting was really good according to the wife, I’m biased but that’s because I fitted it ?

 

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5 hours ago, Cosd said:

Wren have a reputation for poor service and so it seems their fitting is equally poor  

my sister had a nightmare with them  

I was so tempted to buy from them and in the end I decided not for that reason only as their kitchens are pretty decent. 

Went to Howdens in the end, they don’t have glitzy showrooms but the quality is very good.

 

fitting was really good according to the wife, I’m biased but that’s because I fitted it ?

 

Same company. 

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5 minutes ago, The Mighty Prawn said:

I won't hold any of you legally responsible but out of curiosity from the Nath's and any other trade folk on here, what's your top 3 manufacturers for the man on the street?

3D Solution’s but I’m biased as that’s what we sell.

ignore the brands and look for the good specs.

ours are 18mm carcasses with a 2mm abs  edging and 18mm solid back . 

Our doors are 18-22mm mdf core instead of chip board as it’s harder and you achieve a better finish.

 

worktops : axiom , bushboard, egger are excellent tops but look for tightly wrapped edges which normally indicates a quarter top as you can’t tightly wrap without a good core.

avoid kronospan if you can. It’s recycled junk inside and full of metal particles.

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Mighty Prawn

Fitted and made kitchens,high street i would say 1st is wickes for strength and design,howdens as pre assembled and b& q for cheapness.

Wouldn't worry about the actual units,as if assembled correctly they will last till you rip out for a new flavour.

Doors and handles will need to be quality,ideal is solid oak as example,worst is plastic veneer heat moulded to mdf as this will delaminate

Worktops,go for the best you can afford,this is what will wear if its cheap

Plumbing/taps and sinks,don't get a kitchen suppliers products,buy these from a plumbers merchant and make sure they are wras approved named brands.

Appliances,again don't go with the kitchen suppliers.get proper named goods tht wiil last.

If you use those principles with hand made units you won't go wrong.

And of course always consult the pigeon watch trade section,now there's an idea:hmm:could we add this to the forum ?

 

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Oh boy do I feel we should have done so much more homework. Feel like an idiot now and wasted so much money with mainly just a ton of stress as the result. Really hope eventually the kitchen is what the good lady always hoped it would be. Cheers again everyone. 

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I fit a lot for that company that sounds like vapour rub.

If they take the fitted option the dry fit price is added to the kitchen price and let me tell you most people take the finance option because if they pay for it within 3 months of completion it's interest free. I go an survey once they have "bought" the kitchen/bathroom if anything needs changing it happens then. I also price as close as possible for extra works, electrics, tiling stuff like that at this time. This is paid direct to me. More than £1K and i ask for half on start and half on completion,  I don't recall anyone thus far having a problem with this. It must be working as I'm constantly 4-5 months booked in advance and have a lot of people retuning to the store and asking for me.

A good reputation is worth a lot. I do the survey, I do the work. Customer knows from the start that once I start what services they will have when.

It's harder to work badly than it is to do the job right and crack on.

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1 hour ago, manthing said:

I fit a lot for that company that sounds like vapour rub.

If they take the fitted option the dry fit price is added to the kitchen price and let me tell you most people take the finance option because if they pay for it within 3 months of completion it's interest free. I go an survey once they have "bought" the kitchen/bathroom if anything needs changing it happens then. I also price as close as possible for extra works, electrics, tiling stuff like that at this time. This is paid direct to me. More than £1K and i ask for half on start and half on completion,  I don't recall anyone thus far having a problem with this. It must be working as I'm constantly 4-5 months booked in advance and have a lot of people retuning to the store and asking for me.

A good reputation is worth a lot. I do the survey, I do the work. Customer knows from the start that once I start what services they will have when.

It's harder to work badly than it is to do the job right and crack on.

Why are people cagey about saying a companies name then make some daft clue that identifies the company? Wickes. you mean Wickes. 

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4 minutes ago, getthegat said:

I think not everyone is sure whether company names can be seen in print on here, me included. Could be seen as advertising, could also get done for bad mouthing. Are we allowed to say company names, in good and bad ways?

I was being a grumpy ****, it just irritates me. I can't see how saying that the company that rhymes with the vapo rub is any different from just saying Wickes. 

Maybe a mod can answer? 

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25 minutes ago, ClemFandango said:

I was being a grumpy ****, it just irritates me. I can't see how saying that the company that rhymes with the vapo rub is any different from just saying Wickes. 

Maybe a mod can answer? 

I was just following on from the op.

It's actually Draco Grub, they're a new company from Slovakia ?

Anyway, it gets your brain to do a bit of work.

What's this Wickes you're on about? ?

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Well, 28yrs ago my wife and I had a totally bare brick wall room which had been a kitchen in our 400yr old farm house and needed re fitting. We walked into MFI in Wilnecote, Tamworth and saw a kitchen on show which fitted the bill. Nice oak finish doors and the young lady said it was discontinued but they still had some units in stock. I had measured our kitchen ...all corners OVER 90degs by the way ...work that one out and she came up with what we wanted with a 50% reduction.  In the corner was a pile of tiles and I asked if they had those for sale and she said they had just been returned from a fitting job. I counted them up and there was some to spare.  Boxing day 1990, I sat with a cup of coffee on a box with a local chippy and we fitted that kitchen.  The 90 plus deg corners drove him mad BUT other than laying the tiles on the tops and walls it was up and running. They went down the next morning.  That kitchen is still in place today. One draw has been repaired and one handle came off but I had two spare. The mixer tap is getting a bit tired but it looks like it might last us another 28yrs.

Appalling story you have there I would not be a happy bear either, hope you get it sorted.

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