Howden's not so professional quartz worktop fitting

Ilogik

We had a full kitchen from Howden's, this also included a professional quartz worktop fitting service, so they say anyways.

We were told from the start that we would have a join, but it would not be visible. The join is wider than a pound coin, when we questioned this, we were told that they don't have the equipment do the job properly. We were under the impression if they were professionally fitting the tops that these would be templated and cut properly.

The overhang on the hob worktop varies from between 5-30mm difference, areas have been sanded so much that they curve inwards. It also goes narrower at one end where the worktop meets the walls. Our independent fitter said to get it perfect would mean starting again with proper templating and putting the joins in a less obvious place with proper cuts and resins used to close up the joins.

If your fitting service and workmanship had been explained from the start, that you cannot cut properly or have the tools to do the work to a professional standard, then we wouldn’t have accepted it.

We've raised the issue with Hoden's (Aston) who have dragged their feet in responding. We finally got a response today to say that they were happy with their own work and that it met their own standards for fitting. Seriously, its not up to our standards or anybody else's. We will be taking it further with trading standards.

I just wanted to warn anyone else having a top fitted with them to get them to confirm their quality standards in fittings quartz.

I'm not too sure how to posts picture on here, but pictures speak a thousand words and the pictures are bad.

Furts

Did Howdens arrange the worktops? Is your contract with them? Or is your contract with your kitchen fitter?

Ilogik

Howden's arranged the worktops/fitting service.

I've finally managed to attach pictures. The quartz fitting is the only outside company we've used and they cocked it up

Furts

Which company did they use? Have you paid for the work? Was this on credit card?

Ilogik

I think the kitchen was paid off through our builder before the fitting was carried out. So builders fitted all units, tops were then fitted a few weeks later. Will speak to the builder tonight.

I can't post pictures as I'm a newbie If anyone could post my pictures, id be really grateful.

Ilogik

i.imgur.com/ozhxnye.jpg
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iimgur.com/SH5Uzee
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all need https:// infront

Doozergirl

https://imgur.com/ozhxnye.jpg
https://imgur.com/ozhxnye.jpg
https://imgur.com/ZIj1dsR
https://imgur.com/uOVUStp
https://imgur.com/yCviJSp
https://imgur.com/5C1K6NJ
https://imgur.com/p5QcyVS
https://imgur.com/Rb8J7pv
https://iimgur.com/SH5Uzee
https://imgur.com/zqWgFO5

Doozergirl

Well, I think that's what joins in granite and quartz look like from my experience of them on Howdens type kitchens although we haven't had either fitted for a few years now and only had joins on corners where a join might be expected.

It's certainly not perfectly aligned and you have two bevels ends to end, so a straight polish would be hugely better to be able to butt up against. but why it isn't one piece of quartz when the island looks like it's fine to accommodate one piece, not two? It's never going to look great. A join is a join and I would never have accepted a join there at all. Were you trying to cut costs by buying less quartz?

Your contract is with whoever you paid. That sounds like your builder, not Howdens.

EssexExile

I thought my quartz installation was bad but you beat me easily! At least with mine they got it right eventually, it did help that the owner of the company lived opposite.

Furts

If you went to Court a Judge would approach it roughly along these lines ... it is only worktops, not structural, or vital or critical items. So a sense of reasonableness and reality has to apply. Basically a bit like looking at brickwork walls - they vary but in the final analysis they are just walls.


The yardstick would be what is a reasonable standard of work? In addition, what would an average level of competence/skill achieve in the situation?

The Judge would consider what you specified - has it met your specification? If you issued none then you are a little stuffed here,


The Judge would consider the product. If you have sourced cheap Chinese quartz, and used a low cost, or very competitive fabricator then you get what you pay for.


The joint widths look acceptable, the overhangs vary - why? You tell me because we are not crystal ball gazers.


Why did you allow the joint near the sink? Was this the slab length available, did you source/specify jumbo slabs - again what was your specification?


There is a mis alignment, and the polishing has given slightly different slab depths, but this happens - the surface is the important alignment here.


All round not a fantastic job, but countless quartz worktops are mediocre to poor.


I have quartz in my kitchen. The templating, the fabricating and the installation was diabolical. But this goes with the territory - nothing new there. The fabricator had zero interest in putting it right, and other kitchen companies and fabricators had zero interest in being paid to correct matters. All round low standards with companies protecting each other. Again this goes with the territory - nothing new there.


In essence you are almost on a pointless excercise complaining about what you have. But still try for some redress on the final bill - the work could be better.

Ilogik

The reason we did not have one full length quartz is because we were told by Howdens we could only buy it in the sizes we have. We did question it as we wanted full lengths but we were told that can not happen. Secondly we were only told we would have one join on the island which would be very visible to the eye. Clearly it’s very noticeable.
We did not cut any costs on the quartz worktop either, infact we have paid more using Howdens than if we went to a professional quart fitter who would of templated it and also full length sheets. We are massively disappointed in the customer service we have received from Howdens and after spending over 35k on a new extension/kitchen is very upsetting.