magnet kitchens

gaz310

We went with Magnet 41/2 years ago now all went well until the day the fitters turned up
1 they wern't interested in our needs or want we wanted at the end of the first days fitting the worktop on the cooker side was 15 mm higher than the side side it was higher than the cooker its self the fitters answer put the cooker on a bit of excess worktop to raise it up i kid you not
2 we had no mains water for 24 hours they just left at 3pm one afternoon no reason given and didn't come back till 10 the next morning magnets answer "drink from the tank
they left us no room to put our new fridge freezer back in , they wired the dishwasher wrong the first time we used it blew the fuse box .parts didn't match it just went on for ever Magnet head office were not very helpful
really . we refused to have the orignal fitting team in our house because they did not have a clue .
this went on for a year
we went to the ombudsman they tried to settle beforehand but we wanted what we paid for
we won we then got a new fitting team who were fantastic all the rubbish parts and bits that did not match were replaced.
I think it all depends on the people fittting and weather they care about their work . Same with all things really

RCB28

We have just had our Magnet kitchen fitted...well it's nearly finished. 10 days? 2 months so far! OK we love the kitchen but beware - the fitter we had was AWFUL (from the minute we filled in a questionnaire 1 week in to say we were reasonably satisfied with the service it seems) He had no respect for our home, completely slapdash, refused to follow simple instructions supplied with our appliances, didn't plumb in anything correctly (caused leaks through our ceiling etc.). We had to plaster the walls where he'd left gaping holes near plugs, my husband had to re-do plumbing on the taps and we've constantly had to chase them to come and complete the work! He aslo scratched our car on our driveway causing over £800 worth of damage, not to mention the fact that he opened his bowels in our downstairs toilet every morning (my husband works from home so that was pleasant?!) My advice would be yes buy a Magnet kitchen but employ your own fitter...especially if you live in the Midlands! We are now waiting for Magnet to finally send a new fitter to finish our kitchen. What a pity as we have many friends who are looking to get their kitchens fitted and they now see Magnet as a joke when they come to our house and in disbelief ask 'Is it STILL not finished???'

pixelchick10

Despite my post above, Magnet never bothered to get back with a quote for us ... which doesn't bode well ... consequently we're going for another supplier

nuttall_2

I have read some of the messages below about problem kitchens. I am a builder, registered with the Federation of Master Builders and it breaks my heart to read of all these nightmares people are put through when having work done to their homes. We fit loads of kitchens, always have hurdles to overcome but every customer is fully satisfied at the end of the job. It's all down to using qualified guys. If you are sent 3 guys to fit your ktichen who aren't qualified time served joiners there is no way they are going to do a good job for you. My advice is to go to the FMB website, select a couple of members in your area and ask them to quote for your kitchen. FMB members have to meet strict criteria to become members. I run a small building company, I am female (not sure if that's anything to do with it!) and we attend to every last details on all our projects from building a new house to re-furbishments. Your builder will have accounts with Magnet, Howden etc and he will have a lot more clout than you when things go wrong with the supplier. A good builder will take a pride in his work rather than just be doing it for money alone. Whatever you do, don't ever look for a cheap job, the highest cost on your kitchen is the labour so don't economise. Also, a builder will do all the electrics, plumbing, flooring, remedial works, repairs etc. When we are on a job, we are on it till it's finished. Good luck!

simpywimpy

I had a quote from Magnet recently but decided to go with a locall firm in Lancashire and a fitter we had used previously. Worked out at half the cost of magnet quote.

Dont accept the first price they offer you though despite them saying they can only hold it so long. They always knock a big chunk off in a phone call after a few days

Kutchenhaus I thought looked very good too and slightly cheaper than Magnet at the time

Meepster

Magnet are always overpriced for the quality that they supply. You would be much better off going to see a local independent. You will get more of a choice, a more personal shopping experience and no doubt you will save a few bob. You'll also get a much wider range of units, worktops and appliances...

CKdesigner

nuttall wrote: »

I have read some of the messages below about problem kitchens. I am a builder, registered with the Federation of Master Builders and it breaks my heart to read of all these nightmares people are put through when having work done to their homes. We fit loads of kitchens, always have hurdles to overcome but every customer is fully satisfied at the end of the job. It's all down to using qualified guys. If you are sent 3 guys to fit your ktichen who aren't qualified time served joiners there is no way they are going to do a good job for you. My advice is to go to the FMB website, select a couple of members in your area and ask them to quote for your kitchen. FMB members have to meet strict criteria to become members. I run a small building company, I am female (not sure if that's anything to do with it!) and we attend to every last details on all our projects from building a new house to re-furbishments. Your builder will have accounts with Magnet, Howden etc and he will have a lot more clout than you when things go wrong with the supplier. A good builder will take a pride in his work rather than just be doing it for money alone. Whatever you do, don't ever look for a cheap job, the highest cost on your kitchen is the labour so don't economise. Also, a builder will do all the electrics, plumbing, flooring, remedial works, repairs etc. When we are on a job, we are on it till it's finished. Good luck!

Hi,

I agree the FMB has its benefits. But and this is a big BUT - Going to a builder for a new kitchen? No its not right.

I am a kitchen designer within a kitchen specialist company that is owned by the other half and myself, so as an idependent kitchen specialist we would not build you an extension, because we are a kitchen company. So why go to a builder for a kitchen?

It is kind of typical of a builder to say 'We have accounts with Howdens and Magnet' With all due respect - so what! Mass produced average wooden boxes to store your stuff in. Go to a kitchen specialist for a kitchen that is individual to you.

clairehi

victormel wrote: »

Magnet are ok kitchens but my advice would be go with howdens but the main thing is to find a top notch fitter, Its all to do with who is fitting the kitchen.

you need a good design for the kitchen as well as a good fitter, if asking a builder to do it I would want to be sure he was experienced in fitting kitchens.

Howdens dont have a very wide range of unit sizes and the plan they designed for us (a "simple" u shaped design) was full of bodges like filler panels, tray spaces because our kitchen was the "wrong" width. It didnt work out cheap for us either (perhaps once the builder had added his profit margin on)

missile

edwara wrote: »

I know lots of people of MSE will have experiences of magnet - good and bad so looking for advice really
Thanks in advance A

We had a kitchen supplied by Magnet and were very pleased with it. I would suggest you avoid their very expensive sub-contract installers and get your own. :A

reuben_mansell

With reference to the above quote about magnet kitchens st albans they have now resolved all issues, and they have a new manager now who is very helpful, because of his level of customer care i have now removed the negative blog about the st albans branch.