Screen with Envy - Different Colour Panels

CL09

Hi all,
After some advice please. We bought last July four composite panels from Screen with Envy in Dove grey. We then realised we wanted two more and ordered these in September. Due to COVID these have only been installed this week. As you can see from the picture they are two different colours!! Screen with Envy say in their t&C's that there may be a variant with different batches. Been on with them tonight and they have advised tough...you should have checked them within 14 days. We just want them replacing and not asking for a refund! Do we have any rights? As I feel they don't match the product we initially bought but they keep repeating the T&C's on their website.

IvanOpinion

To me that looks more than just differences in colour batches - some are white and others are grey (do the photos represent the colours reasonably accurately?).In the photo it looks like there are 3 grey and 3 white - but you say you only bought 2 more ... which are the new ones and which are the original ones?

Fosterdog

Why on Earth did you install them when they are so obviously different if you didn't want them?

You say you only bought two extra panels but your first picture appears to be mostly darker grey with one lighter grey panel and your second picture appears mostly light with one darker and the posts appear to be some lighter and some darker. I really can't work out which ones you are even unhappy about because the lighting isn't showing is showing so many differences it's impossible to work it out.

Ultimately you didn't buy them all together and even if they didn't warn of batches having colour differences they are allowed to change the specification of their items, they don't have to match the product you originally bought, they only have to match the description they came under. A delay in installing is no excuse for not checking sooner.

Pollycat

I agree with this ^^^^.

The supports appear grey, the same as some of the panels.

Were all 8 supports bought at the same time as the 4 panels?

TBH, the 2 panels in the top photo on the left hand side leading towards the house look a dove grey colour. However, the same panels in the bottom photo look much lighter.

CL09

Thanks all. We bought the original four dove grey panels(lighter colour panels) had these installed and loved them in September.

We then decided we would like to add the extra panels afterwards and ordered 2 of the same design and colour (dove grey). These got delivered in October and because of lockdown these have sat in my garage as the landscaper couldn't come back until this week. He has cut the additional pieces off site and brought them back to install yesterday. Yes we should have checked them but to me there is more than a slight difference, it's a whole different colour. Have attached another picture to show how different the same colour is.

Aylesbury_Duck

Given you've had four months to check, and have now had them cut and installed, I can't see that you have any rights to a replacement or refund. Why on earth did your landscaper install them when the colour is so obviously different?  Were you there when he did?

Could you paint them to match?

Pollycat

So you were happy with pale panels and darker supports?

TBH, I think the darker grey colour is much nicer.

The fault is yours for not checking when they were first delivered even if you had not intention of having them erected until some months later.

Do you think it's fair to ask for a replacement when they've been cut to size by your builder?

CL09

Aylesbury_Duck said:

Given you've had four months to check, and have now had them cut and installed, I can't see that you have any rights to a replacement or refund. Why on earth did your landscaper install them when the colour is so obviously different?  Were you there when he did?

Could you paint them to match?

Unfortunately I was at work and they were cut off site. I think it's the original lighter ones that were wrong in the first place as we had nothing to compare it with.Reason I think this is because the new cut panels are actually the same colour as the posts! The originals have not been cut and just slide in, so in theory could be returned, but company just keep repeating their T&C's saying that there can be a variance. They didn't read these T&C's when I ordered on the phone and knew that I was adding panels to an existing project as I explained this. They didn't mention there could be a huge difference in colour.

Worse case is yes they could be painted but takes away from paying the premium cost for composite and less maintenance.

Pollycat

CL09 said:

Unfortunately I was at work and they were cut off site. I think it's the original lighter ones that were wrong in the first place as we had nothing to compare it with.Reason I think this is because the new cut panels are actually the same colour as the posts! The originals have not been cut and just slide in, so in theory could be returned, but company just keep repeating their T&C's saying that there can be a variance. They didn't read these T&C's when I ordered on the phone and knew that I was adding panels to an existing project as I explained this. They didn't mention there could be a huge difference in colour.

Worse case is yes they could be painted but takes away from paying the premium cost for composite and less maintenance.

I raised that point.

Pollycat said:

So you were happy with pale panels and darker supports?

Didn't you notice that the panels were paler than the supports?

I think it's possible that you were supplied with the wrong colour panels 7 months ago.

But the time to query it was then - as soon as you took delivery, not 7 months later.

I think it's unreasonable to expect a company to take back something that has been out in all weathers for 7 months.

CL09

That's how we thought they should have been. My issue is that they class and have confirmed both of these panels as dove grey but there is clearly huge differences, it feels like they have had a dud batch, as now looking on Trustpilot there are others who have experienced the same, when ordering additional.
Live and learn I suppose!

Jumblebumble

CL09 said:

That's how we thought they should have been. My issue is that they class and have confirmed both of these panels as dove grey but there is clearly huge differences, it feels like they have had a dud batch, as now looking on Trustpilot there are others who have experienced the same, when ordering additional.
Live and learn I suppose!

Have Screen with Envy actually seen your photos?