DIY Kitchens bait and switch?

Discussion in 'Kitchen Fitters' Talk' started by Mancone, Oct 14, 2020.

  1. Mancone

    Mancone Member

    I went to the DIY Kitchen showroom three times over two days (pre lockdown). I was really happy with the quality of the kitchens.

    Kitchen arrived and I didn’t open the boxes and waited to get them fitted.

    Kitchens are fitted and I’m somewhat miffed that the kitchen isn’t as good quality as I expected.

    Maybe some is due to the fitter but the soft closers are very rubbish. The draws are light and a bit rubbish. I dunno, anyone else feel this way?

    My parents have a Gaddesby kitchen and the soft closer and quality of the kitchens feel along better.

    I know I was raving how good the kitchens are at DIY, but I throw back any praise I have for them.

    I’m hoping they will stand the test for time but I wouldn’t plan on putting any serious weight on the draws. My very old Ikea kitchen was a female dog to dismantle and the draws had a lot of weight in them.

    Just my thoughts.
     
  2. Richard_

    Richard_ Screwfix Select

    "Bait and switch" is harsh, you're accusing them of misselling.

    In my experience what was delivered was exactly the same as on display because I tend to look at that sort of detail, I'm the one in the showroom pulling drawers out to look at how they are made.

    Their website is very detailed on what ironmongery is used, mostly by Blum.
     
  3. Mancone

    Mancone Member

    That is exactly what I did. Went to the showroom and examined for quality.

    Did you notice if the cupboards had those plastic things on the doors to absorb the impact. I have soft closers but none of those plastic things so even when The door closes it vibrated
     
  4. Richard_

    Richard_ Screwfix Select

    Do you mean the self adhesive plastic blobs? I do use those and I'm sure there's a sheet of them in the box with the loose fittings, or maybe I use my own. Haven't done a kitchen for a year so can't remember if they were mine or supplied.

    The thing about kitchen fitting is that there are always odds and ends that the fitter grabs from their box of bits, such as brackets, cleats, spacers, and a sheet of self adhesive plastic blobs.

    They're only a few pence to buy from our host if you're in a rush.
     
    Mancone likes this.
  5. Mancone

    Mancone Member

    Agh don’t get me started on the loose fittings lol. No idea why I have a full bag and my fitter was whining.
     
  6. Mr Rusty

    Mr Rusty Screwfix Select

    Unless they have changed something, it's all Blum fittings - on mine anyway.
     
  7. Mancone

    Mancone Member

    It’s Blum.
     
  8. jonathanc

    jonathanc Guest

    Post up some pictures of your hinges. It may be your fitter hasn’t bothered fitting all the bits?
     
    Mancone likes this.
  9. Mancone

    Mancone Member

    Should come already assembled?
     
  10. jonathanc

    jonathanc Guest

    true - post a picture anyway. i have DIY kitchen so can compare to mine
     
    Mancone likes this.
  11. kitfit1

    kitfit1 Screwfix Select

    It looks to me as if you are now trying to shift the blame for your badly fitted kitchen back onto the supplier of the kitchen.
    Let me tell you this, when DIY delivered your kitchen, it was brand new. If there was anything wrong, they would have replaced it without any problem. Just like most small kitchen manufacturers, they use Blum fittings which is about as good as kitchen fittings get.
    As we already know you had the kitchen fitted by a blind monkey, you really should be looking for that monkey to put this right.
     
  12. jonathanc

    jonathanc Guest

    see your post number 5 - you said you had a bag of bits. so why if you are now saying they should come ready assembled did you accept a bag of bits?
     
  13. kitfit1

    kitfit1 Screwfix Select

    I can only assume the OP has no concept of what "ready assembled" actually means when it comes to kitchens.
    Howdens, for instance come ready assembled. The only bit that is assembled is the cab, no doors fitted, no legs fitted. But just like DIY, any baskets or Le-Mans will be pre-fitted.
    DIY come "ready assembled" as well, the only difference is that DIY have the doors ready fitted. Neither have handles fitted or legs for that matter.
     
    Mancone likes this.
  14. Mancone

    Mancone Member

    Do they have the doors drilled?
    Mine was handless, not that it matters.
     
  15. Mancone

    Mancone Member

    There is the possibility that the fitters bad job has worsened my perception and also the functionality of the units.

    I also think I have a valid point with the slow closer, especially when I compare it to the Gaddesby kitchen and the very old IKEA kitchen I had was excellent quality. Had I compared all three kitchens I would have picked IKEA, but as it’s not a current kitchen it’s a moot point. The Gaddesby is superior imo. Not promoting that product but I turned down fit and supply options because I couldn’t vet the products before.
     
  16. kitfit1

    kitfit1 Screwfix Select

    You mean drilled for handles ? No, neither DIY or Howdens doors come pr-drilled for handles. Why would they ? There will be 1000's of doors in stock boxed up..............they have no idea of what handle you are going to order, or even if you have bought handles somewhere else.
     
  17. Mancone

    Mancone Member

    No, door hinges and you mentioned it in you post so I’m not sure why i didn’t see it.
     
  18. Mancone

    Mancone Member

    https://imgur.com/a/Ptes2J4 These are the bits the fitters left over. I recognize what the rectangle boxes are for, and the black brackets for the long things next to the floor.
    The plastic clear brackets - not sure why so many as all my shelves have brackets. The metal things are to join the units. Fitter didn’t use. Hoping they will aid when the units are fitted correctly.
     
  19. Richard_

    Richard_ Screwfix Select

    Don't forget that a badly adjusted hinge will slam the door or not close it at all.
     
    Mancone likes this.
  20. Mancone

    Mancone Member

    Should the door hinges be adjusted after fitting?
     

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