Franke insanity

srcandas

Just in case there is a sane explanation or a company best avoided:

Kitchen going in. Few issues but builder smart enough to overcome. Time to fit the under-mounted sink which comes with plumbing kit. I was told by the agent that it would be delivered direct from the manufacturer. It arrived. Builder opens and reads the instructions:

"To obtain a pack of G-Clips & plates please contact the following number".

I ring. They say give us your name and address and we will send them. We cannot guarantee when they will arrive".

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Although Franke were recommended here, where I have received much good advice, I would suggest they are avoided like the plague and the sooner they go bankrupt the better.

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].

fluffnutter

srcandas wrote: »

Just in case there is a sane explanation or a company best avoided:

Kitchen going in. Few issues but builder smart enough to overcome. Time to fit the under-mounted sink which comes with plumbing kit. I was told by the agent that it would be delivered direct from the manufacturer. It arrived. Builder opens and reads the instructions:

"To obtain a pack of G-Clips & plates please contact the following number".

I ring. They say give us your name and address and we will send them. We cannot guarantee when they will arrive".

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Although Franke were recommended here, where I have received much good advice, I would suggest they are avoided like the plague and the sooner they go bankrupt the better.

But not before they've sent your g-clips and plates

srcandas

fluffnutter wrote: »

But not before they've sent your g-clips and plates

Yup very true - although to be honest I am so mad I'd happily go buy a replacement.

I should say I have also had a great experience with this project. At 17:50 on Friday evening the builder informed me that I had bought the wrong type of oven :mad: Entirely my fault. It was a tower and not an under mount. The supplier empiredirectappliances delivered a replacement overnight some 13 hours and 8 minutes later. And the cost? Nothing and they will refund the £2 difference in cost to my credit card. :beer:

Nile many thanks for the move.

Meepster

srcandas wrote: »

Just in case there is a sane explanation or a company best avoided:

Kitchen going in. Few issues but builder smart enough to overcome. Time to fit the under-mounted sink which comes with plumbing kit. I was told by the agent that it would be delivered direct from the manufacturer. It arrived. Builder opens and reads the instructions:

"To obtain a pack of G-Clips & plates please contact the following number".

I ring. They say give us your name and address and we will send them. We cannot guarantee when they will arrive".

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Although Franke were recommended here, where I have received much good advice, I would suggest they are avoided like the plague and the sooner they go bankrupt the better.

You don't NEED the G-clips to fit the sink, it can still be fitted using traditional methods. G-clips offer a different fixing method, that's all.

Maybe it's your fitter you should be avoiding and get someone who actually knows how to fit an undermount sink properly...

Alternatively, you could print the following information out for him:

http://www.sinks-taps.com/FittingGuides/sinkstaps-undermount-sink-guide.pdf

srcandas

Meepster wrote: »

You don't NEED the G-clips to fit the sink, it can still be fitted using traditional methods. G-clips offer a different fixing method, that's all.

Maybe it's your fitter you should be avoiding and get someone who actually knows how to fit an undermount sink properly...

Alternatively, you could print the following information out for him:

http://www.sinks-taps.com/FittingGuides/sinkstaps-undermount-sink-guide.pdf

Meepster the document you supply the link for specifically says "Follow the
manufacturer's instructions for any additional hardware
that comes with the sink." Those instructions only offer one solution - the use of G Clips!

And in this day and age where not following manufacturer's guidelines can easy negate the warranty I think it is good advice.

So my anger is addressed only at Franke :mad: I paid a good price and for that I expect a reasonable complete product.

Meepster

srcandas wrote: »

Meepster the document you supply the link for specifically says "Follow the
manufacturer's instructions for any additional hardware
that comes with the sink." Those instructions only offer one solution - the use of G Clips!

And in this day and age where not following manufacturer's guidelines can easy negate the warranty I think it is good advice.

So my anger is addressed only at Franke :mad: I paid a good price and for that I expect a reasonable complete product.

Hardware is not the fixings for the sink, it means taps, strainers, drainers etc. And using the traditional fixing method would NEVER invalidate a warranty.

My fitter typically fits 2 or 3 undermount sinks per month, 1 or 2 of these will be Franke (usually ARX160 or ARX110 33) and the number of times he has used G-clips is a big fat zero.

Once again, you are barking up the wrong tree. Franke have done NOTHING wrong. So I refer you to my earlier statement, your fitter doesn't know what he's doing.

All these pages seem to pretty much agree with how an undermount sink SHOULD be fitted:

http://www.tapsuk.com/undermount.html
http://www.diynetwork.com/how-to/how-to-install-an-undermount-kitchen-sink/index.html
http://www.screwfix.com/community/message/1038542
http://www.diydoctor.org.uk/diyvideos/plumbing/fittingasink.htm
http://www.ehow.com/how-does_4882324_installing-undermount-kitchen-sinks.html

srcandas

ok so you're saying that when you buy from franke ignore the installation instructions supplied and use a standard industry approach. That seems like good advice from what I have seen providing the warranty remains intact. (I'm concerned by that when simply replacing a plug on an appliance can negate the warranty but c'est la vie).

I assume Franke know this so it is a pity that they are not honest enough to say so. A simple "Our sinks are open to standard mounting approaches but if you would prefer G clips as illustrated in our documentation please call this number" would do. Simples

:beer:

Meepster

The glass can be half full, as well as half empty, ya know...

Have you had the discussion with your fitter, asking how he doesn't know how to fit an undermount sink, yet?

srcandas

Meepster wrote: »

The glass can be half full, as well as half empty, ya know...

Have you had the discussion with your fitter, asking how he doesn't know how to fit an undermount sink, yet?

You can attack someone you don't know if you like but facts are facts. Your advice is to ignore Franke's instructions. You are very clear on that.

Are you suggesting only trained fitters who know that they should ignore manufacturer's instructions should fit sinks? I guess Franke is not for the DIY specialist.

Meepster

srcandas wrote: »

You can attack someone you don't know if you like but facts are facts. Your advice is to ignore Franke's instructions. You are very clear on that.

Are you suggesting only trained fitters who know that they should ignore manufacturer's instructions should fit sinks? I guess Franke is not for the DIY specialist.

I'm not attacking anyone, I'm simply stating a fact.

And no, I'm not suggesting that, but what I am suggesting is that someone who is going to be installing a sink, especially an undermount in solid surface worktops, has some kind of idea what they are doing and doesn't need to rely on the instructions. Doesn't matter if it's Franke, Blanco, Carron Phoenix, Astracast or one of the many other sink manufacturers, a basic understanding of the product goes a long way to ensure it is installed correctly and doesn't pose potential problems with the installation.

I'm pretty sure any fitter worth their salt will agree with me...