Lean to Conservatory quote

principlecounts

I accepted an offer from Dunraven to build a conservatory in my new house. They appear to have a good reputation with conservatories. The size of the conservatory is 3.7m x 2.5m x 2.1m (height), and was offered £24k and got them down to 20k. I think I got a reasonable deal for the time and amount of bespoke work they are willing to do, and the fact they don't subcontract and manufacture all the parts themselves. They'll demolish and remove the old conservatory, create a new base, gully, new radiator, reduce the size of the window by manipulating a window for a future extension for a kitchen. Everything I wanted really. I have had other companies in before, and nowhere near could do all that work.

I think I could have shopped around but the service seemed too good to be true.

Furts

You will not be pleased to hear my contribution, but I advise all people to avoid Dunraven at all costs.

To give an example over the last year, the two worst jobs, by far, were done by Dunraven.

It is nonsense saying they do not sub-contract because they do and to the cheapest, idiots one can imagine. To this one adds an appalling standard of after sales support.

Taking on board your comment about value, I had a conservatory built, which was larger than yours, and finished to include plastering, decorating and landscaping. This cost £9000. I never asked Dunraven to quote for this because I wanted value, I wanted quality, and I wanted a job done properly. I also did not want to pay another £10000 more than I needed to!

We then have to consider the in house manufacturing. This is a cover story for Dunraven being of such poor quality that only they can produce, in house, products of such a low standard. These, or similar products, are not available at the two local pvcu trade suppliers because they will not lower their standards to the levels set by Dunraven.

Further the in house manufacturing glosses over a significant point. Dunraven do not make the glass, or the sealed units in house. On the homes I visited Dunraven had sub contracted this to the cheapest supplier.

It goes without saying that Dunraven do not produce the profiles in house. Indeed, on one home I recently visited the Rehau profile was the cheapest profile one can imagine. So much for Dunraven having an interest in quality.

In fairness to all, you may get a good job and no come backs. If you have carefully specified in writing all components, from the profile, to the sealed units, to the ventilation, to the drainage, to the U Value, to the locking mechanisms, to the ironmongery, to the... the list goes on you may get an acceptable level of quality. What is indisputable is you have not received value for money.

Yes I am not a fan of Dunraven, but carefully consider the points I have made and you will see that I am entitled to adopt this view. Any company producing misleading claims in their promotion material is setting themselves up for a fall and for criticism.

principlecounts

@Furts - thank you for your honest opinion. This is really helpful. Infinite Thanks. For a largish company like Dunraven I didn't see many testimonials apart from their handpicked ones on their website. So I came here. It's very hard to get a ball park figures as well without further quotes. I have to say Dunraven put together a good sales pitch from other companies, but 20k is a lot of money to throw away without seeing first hand the quality of their work or verification of their claims. I'm day 3 into the Cancelation Period so I'll decide today whether to proceed or not. Overall, yes, false claims is a big no no.

Furts

I will leave you to do the research, because I have not checked out a key area - I have not had the need to!

In essence, I suspect Dunraven fail by a huge margin to meet the minimum required standards for their windows to be used in the new home industry. The companies that meet these standards are the "super manufacturers" like the Masco group, plus there is/was a company in Devon, and one in the Eastern part of England and so on.

Small companies like Dunraven fail because they are not bothered with accreditation, or independent quality monitoring, or often not working to British Standards. None of these concepts matter to companies like Dunraven because they make a commercial decision not to compete with the large manufacturers and not to meet the standards required of the home industry.

However there are some honourable companies that are small, and they get !!!!-d off being tarred with the same brush as Dunraven. Here for example, think of FirmFix of Tewkesbury

Dunraven know there are lucrative pickings to be had by pitching at the naive and ignorant in the "home improvement" market. Here they can avoid scrutiny by claiming they manufacture in house, and numerous other spurious, and deceitful claims.

Remember British Leyland used to make their cars in house. Did this make the Morris Marina or the Austin Allegro a good car? Of course not. Does that make Dunraven's claim now sound so impressive?

Furts

I should have added this to my previous post. My Wickes catalogue seems to have walked out of the office and has vanished. However, the last time I checked a large, highest spec conservatory from Wickes was around £3300. I do not have the size to hand and beware this only came with a polycarbonate roof. It sits on a dwarf wall, and I am not a great fan of the manufacturer - here I have niggly doubts

This is supply only. However, even if you add in a weeks labour for two men at £250 per day each you get nowhere near your quote of £20000+.

There is enormous scope to get your price down. I do not normally put names forward because most companies fail to deliver at some point. You may want to get a quote from TradeFrame at Cheltenham or Peterborough. I think they have another depot but I do not recall where. This company is not great, but is around par for the course if you keep your wits about you on negotiation and specification.

brightontraveller

The company should be making stables and skips for all there cowboys and rubbish

http://www.tradingstandardswales.org.uk/news/news-item.cfm/newsid/181

I especially love the bit Andrew Brace said ‘We are delighted to be working closely with Bridgend County Borough Council’s Trading Standards service.,…

It makes it sound like they are in a partnership with the council not up in front of them for being such cowboys as an alternative to court action, Wonderful spin statement….? If they all got prosecuted and imprisoned It would be "We are delighted to be working with HMP etc :rotfl:

bambos

My opinion: overpriced!

We are just about to have a conservatory built which is 4.25meters wide with a 3meter projection, Activ blu glass roof, solid walls either side and bespoke work with the guttering and roofing to accommodate a woodburner.

In addition we are having 1/4 of our staged lawn removed and a retaining wall built, fence posts moved and A rated glass fitted, plus plastering.

£12,500

Furts

brightontraveller wrote: »

The company should be making stables and skips for all there cowboys and rubbish

http://www.tradingstandardswales.org.uk/news/news-item.cfm/newsid/181

I especially love the bit Andrew Brace said ‘We are delighted to be working closely with Bridgend County Borough Council’s Trading Standards service.,…

It makes it sound like they are in a partnership with the council not up in front of them for being such cowboys as an alternative to court action, Wonderful spin statement….? If they all got prosecuted and imprisoned It would be "We are delighted to be working with HMP etc :rotfl:

I know they are bad because I see their work. I also believe the company is rotten to the core and charlatans of the highest order, However I did not know they were proven charlatans. All credit to you for rooting out this article.

Dan-Dan

principlecounts wrote: »

I accepted an offer from Dunraven to build a conservatory in my new house. They appear to have a good reputation with conservatories. The size of the conservatory is 3.7m x 2.5m x 2.1m (height), and was offered £24k and got them down to 20k. I think I got a reasonable deal for the time and amount of bespoke work they are willing to do, and the fact they don't subcontract and manufacture all the parts themselves. They'll demolish and remove the old conservatory, create a new base, gully, new radiator, reduce the size of the window by manipulating a window for a future extension for a kitchen. Everything I wanted really. I have had other companies in before, and nowhere near could do all that work.

I think I could have shopped around but the service seemed too good to be true.

20k for a conservatory ?
utter madness
stop and think
Save up for a sunroom/extension

principlecounts

Thanks for all inputs everyone, keep them coming. The replies back have spawned even more questions/comments and I'll endeavour to provide a thorough reply within the next week or so. You'll be pleased to know I've checked all the Cancellation T&Cs on both the purchase agreement and the loan agreement and cancellation letters are ready to go out. I'll be at the front of the queue at the Post Office in the morning.

I have to admit, judging by my past activity in the footer, I feel embarrassed I've let this happen.

principlecounts

Saved by the bell. With a next day special delivery, and an email bump, cancellation confirmed and deposit returned.