B&Q bathroom installation -should I avoid?!

sehaigh · 9 January 2011 at 10:49AM

Hi

We're having a B&Q bathroom designer round next week to quote on redoing our entire (small) bathroom. By googling "B&Q bathroom" all the search results are horror stories about inflated costs and shoddy workmanship. Is it all bad?!

Does anyone have any recent experiences of B&Q to share? Good or bad. Esp. in Hertfordshire? Thanks :-)

SuzieSue · 9 January 2011 at 11:23AM

As with all the national chains, their work is only as good as the fitters they use. You might get good fitters, you might not.

I used a national firm for my kitchen as my neighbours had just had their kitchen done by them and I made sure I got the same fitters who did a great job.

But I used a local firm (a father and son team who were also recommended to me by a neighbour) for my bathroom and ensuite and they did a great job. I am in Herts too so I have sent you a pm with their details if you're interested.

phill99 · 9 January 2011 at 1:08PM

Its not just that the quality of their workmanship fluctuates, its also the vastly overinflated prices that they charge for the privilage. Remember if B & Q charge you £3k for fitting, the fitter will only be getting one third of that. The rest will go to B & Q s bottom line.

You will get better quality form a local indepndent fitter, whose work you can check and can get references for.

Tom_Jones · 9 January 2011 at 4:14PM

The fitters will be paid on price, and usually a derisory price, for the work. They will try to do the job as quickly as possible. Sorry but I wouldn't have any national firm install anything in my properties.

Francesanne · 18 January 2011 at 12:59AM

sehaigh wrote: »

Hi

We're having a B&Q bathroom designer round next week to quote on redoing our entire (small) bathroom. By googling "B&Q bathroom" all the search results are horror stories about inflated costs and shoddy workmanship. Is it all bad?!

Does anyone have any recent experiences of B&Q to share? Good or bad. Esp. in Hertfordshire? Thanks :-)

Why not get a quote from Wickes too. We've got one of their bathroom designers coming on Thursday for the same job as yours. They supplied our kitchen and hoping to get the same fitters for the bathroom. Did 1st class job on kitchen. Wickes also have a very good deal on baths & showers at the moment. Might be worth checking out.

booty40uk · 18 January 2011 at 7:25PM

B&Q bathroom installation -should I avoid?!

Yes you should

flyingkat_2 · 14 June 2011 at 10:38AM

sehaigh wrote: »

Hi

We're having a B&Q bathroom designer round next week to quote on redoing our entire (small) bathroom. By googling "B&Q bathroom" all the search results are horror stories about inflated costs and shoddy workmanship. Is it all bad?!

Does anyone have any recent experiences of B&Q to share? Good or bad. Esp. in Hertfordshire? Thanks :-)

I started the whole B&Q fitting "experience" over 2 years ago, and it is still ongoing. The items are poor quality and not particularly well fitted. The initial designing service is great, really lovely, very helpful - but that's where it stops. They told me 8 weeks max for a fit date, 1 month later I was advised 12 weeks until fit date. The surveyor didn't do her job properly and when the fitting finally came about it didn't "fit" into the room! Some 2 months later they came back to fit the bath and sink, so I only had a toilet for 8 weeks... I only have a small windowless bathroom, and the cost (I've been advised since) was a little excessive at £4000. Please don't be fooled by the "service" they offer at the beginning, believe me you will regret it!

I've been visited by the Office of Fair Trading recently who were horrified by the service B&Q gave me, and advised that they have a full list of recommended suppliers on their website. In hindsight I wish I knew about this before, it would have saved 2 years of heartache.

If you have the designer coming, let them design to give you a good idea of what you want and how it will look... then take your business elsewhere... trust me!

paidinchickens · 14 June 2011 at 10:52AM

I worked for B&Q for years and years.

When you get your quote they only break down the the price of the suite taps etc and one price for the installation.

If you ask for a breakdown of the installation price you will be shocked:eek:

The amount they charge for the removal of tiles and old suite is huge. You would be a lot better off doing this yourself to save you a few hundred!

Some of the fitters are very good but they are usually the ones treated like dirt and are leaving in droves. If you have any problems it depends on who deals with it, some care, some don't, some used to care and have so much work to do they have not got time to care.

Most of the stores have work for your dole money people who have only been there a few weeks and as such have no clue on what to do. The people who know how to sort issues out have so many complaints to deal with they always deal with the ones that shout loudest first.

I have worked in several stores and they all work pretty much the same.

paidinchickens · 14 June 2011 at 10:54AM

ps they have been on watchdog twice to my knowledge!

fluffpot · 14 June 2011 at 6:14PM

whoever you use, if they are touching the electrics in the bathroom, this is notifiable work and needs to be done by a part P registered installer and you should receive certificates

Leif · 21 June 2011 at 3:15PM

A builder I am using told me not to buy a bathroom suite from B&Q. He had a customer who provided the suite, they installed it, but it missed a component. It took B&Q 6 months to supply the component which I understand was essential. The customer was very unhappy. Such poor service is not uncommon, apparently.

B&Q bathroom installation -should I avoid?!

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