Do not buy a Homebase Stockholm kitchen!!!

griffo68

I have just posted this on a Homebase kitchen thread but I thought I would start a new one to alert people....

We first installed our Homebase kitchen approx eight years ago, it was a cherry wood effect and we were pleased with it. We were happy with the quality and it lasted well. In early 2009 we wanted a change, I came across the Stockholm range which was just the look I was looking for and we decided to order new doors, drawer fronts, side panels, plinths and an extra tall larder cupboard. All of the fittings were still the same so it was an easy way to completely change the look of our kitchen. The transaction was smooth apart from a couple of hiccups including some damaged drawer fronts but it was quickly sorted out. In total we spent approx £1800.

That was in April 2009, about six to eight months later I noticed something rather odd, the door and drawer fronts looked as they they were a different colour to the plinths and side panels. I originally thought it could be because of shadows or I was just seeing things! In February 2010 I decided to contact the store to alert them of my concerns. The member of staff that I dealt with has been extremely helpful throughout and I cannot fault him. He came out to view the kitchen, he brought a sample display door with him to compare the two and I also had a set of drawer fronts which were still in the box and hadn't been exposed to daylight. My unused drawer fronts were still bright white compared to the ones I had installed. When the guy from Homebase compared the store sample door that had also discoloured. He agreed that there was a "yellowing" to the doors, drawers etc compared to the side panels and plinths.

This information was passed on to head office even though they had said that it could be dealt with by the store we had bought from (refund or replacements), the store said they couldn't deal with because Homebases kitchens are supplied and manufactured by Interior Solutions.There is also a link between Interior Solutions and Magnet Kitchens, Magnet apparently manufacture the carcasses amongst other items but they do not manufacture the doors and drawer fronts etc (they do have a very similar style kitchen in their range).

Then the long wait began, approx seven months! I had contacted Homebase on quite a few occasions but the store had heard nothing from Head Office. Eventually I received a phone call and the outcome from Head Office was that the kitchen is produced using two different finishes, the side panels and plinths are PVC coated and the door and drawer fronts are a paint finish. Now i'm not an expert but it is obvious that that is a recipe for disaster. A painted surface will yellow and discolour over time and is far more noticeable if it's white. The guy in the store was in total agreement with me. Homebase stated that they could not gauge how the painted suffices would compare to the PVC coated surfaces and that was that. Obviously we were not happy with the outcome so Homebase got FIRA involved who are an independent company who are employed to assess any furniture/kitchen manufacturing problems etc. The guy from FIRA came to look at the kitchen and he said that he had noticed as soon as he walked in that there were two different surfaces, PVC and painted. He said that although there was a discolouring problem, it wasn't a manufacturing problem and of course Homebase and Interior Solutions had already admitted that the surfaces were different. He did say in his personal opinion it wasn't good enough and he wouldn't drop it.

So the outcome is is that we have wasted 1800 quid on a white kitchen which now looks two tone. I have been in contact with someone who also bought the same kitchen after us and before we noticed the discolouring, she knew of our problem and was concerned that it would happen to hers...it has! Homebase are still selling the Stockholm kitchen knowing that the problem exists but they are willing to do nothing about it. The kitchen is still being manufactured in the same way so anyone buying this kitchen is going to have the same problem.

We are still pursuing our case and I have sought independent advice and been told that the kitchen may fall under being unfit for purpose, we were also advised to get our own independant report done.

So please, avoid this kitchen like the plague!

themull1

Ive had my kitchen installed 8 years ago and still call it 'the new kitchen'!! why get rid of a nice kitchen in the first place?

griffo68

themull1... As I said we wanted a change of colour but we also needed another tall larder cupboard for extra storage and Homebase had discontinued the cherry wood effect.

Chris_P_2

really? After 8 months you noticed a slight change in colour? I doubt it is that big a deal.

griffo68

Chris P...I can assure you it's more than a slight change of colour. The doors and drawers are looking more of a cream colour against the the side panels and plinths which are still bright white.

Nile

Hi, Martin’s asked me to post this in these circumstances: I’ve asked Board Guides to move threads if they’ll receive a better response elsewhere (please see this rule) so this post/thread has been moved to another board, where it should get more replies. If you have any questions about this policy please email [EMAIL="forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com"]forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com[/EMAIL].

Foggster

I have a bright white kitchen which has been in place for over 15 years! (Symphony kitchen I think) I am sure it is some sort of MDF with paint etc etc but it is still white and I can see why the OP is so disappointed in the yellowing after such a short amount of time.

It is a genuine "praise vent and warning" post so why all the sarcasm?

griffo68

Thanks for that Foggster.

I'm not quite sure what warrants the sarcasm either?

We bought and paid for a white kitchen with matching doors, drawers, side panels and plinths which is not what we have ended up with. From what I've been told the Stockholm kitchen is a popular design and all I am trying to do is to stop anyone else making the same mistake as us.

GraceCourt

DirectDebacle wrote: »

I'll try to remember the next time I purchase furniture made from a compressed mix of wood dust and glue (MDF) finished in plastic and paint that the paint might undergo a change of shade different to that of plastic.

Even more surprising when the furniture is used in a room subject to marked changes in heat, humidity and carries airborne grease.

They should be using 'shade fast everlasting paint'.

I agree entirely that your kitchen has been rendered unfit for purpose. I assume you are being forced to spend a lot more on food, now you cannot cook use your kitchen. Keep a record of this additional expense and add it to your claim.:D

This kitchen is not even two years old yet! I suggest that you might consider getting a job in Customer Services somewhere... you seem to exhibit many of the qualities that can be found by such staff... :eek:

pcxp

Griffo,

Too bad you didn't post earlier, only just had my Stockholm installed and I can see the finish is slightly different on the doors versus the other panels and plinths. Too early for discolouration to set in but if it does will certainly be following up with the necessary consumer bodies, this was not a cheap kitchen. I will take photos of before and after and if enough people have the same issue a bit of media coverage wouldn't go amiss. My cabinets don't get much direct sunlight so I'm interested to see if this will avoid/delay the issue.

On another note, if you buy any of the tall cabinets (for example I have a 50/50 split cabinet, over 2m tall) the large 80cm doors are only supplied with 1 blum blumotion damper (973a0500) per hinge. Not enough to soft close the doors properly, so they give a not so nice 'bang' noise when closing and bounce back a bit (on the small transparent rubber domes). Of course in store these big doors are nicely displayed with two dampers per door (one per hinge) and therefore softclose properly. Very stingy considering I spent over 3k on this kitchen and these parts retail from indenpendent suppliers for about £2-£4 each. To add insult to injury, went in store and asked can I buy and retrofit myself. Of course Homebase only sell them as 'damper+hinge' packs at £18 a go and not seperate dampers. I now have to go out and find an independent retailer to purchase and fit the 'missing' dampers myself. Show your customer one spec of product and deliver a lower spec, then don't retail the missing parts afterwards,jokers.

Also, rear cabinet panels are quite thin and 'bow' slightly in the middle of larger cabs.

If you want a similar stlye only other option is an independent kitchen reseller, we saw something similar at Bells in Dulwich, should have gone for it in hindsight.

Max

pcxp

Just had an after thought for a solution to the paint yellowing. Why not find a carpenter / painter that would be able to lightly sand the painted surfaces and doors, then respray with a white pvc coating instead of actual paint. Then all the surfaces would be pvc coated. Before doing this I would be inclined to obtain a quote to complete this work and then ask Homebase to foot the bill prior to having the work completed.

I may start looking for a suitable service in preparation for T+2 years time!