We chose B&Q for the fact that the price would be an all-in deal (bar the painting). Also, they would project manage the installation & be accountable for issues. In that respect, B&Q are an easy option. The preparation checklist is useful & rather reassuring.
There's also finance available & various warranties included in their deal. 5-10 years for fixtures, fittings and installation. I imagine that you could spend fewer £££s than we did, by shopping around for parts yourself, from alternate vendors. But you could also easily spend more...
For example, the fan we were given was labelled 'budget'. (The noise it makes, and the lack of moisture it removes, confirms this.) The mirror is an ikea-style - laminated chipboard - but the edging is rough.
At the end of the work, final guarantees & certification (for the electrics, for example) were sent through. However, at no point have we been asked for feedback on the process & our experiences. This we find very surprising, given the scale of our investment & the room for improvement. (Perhaps they read online blogs!)
The communication was fair, though not great. Even before the work had begun, we received a number of phone calls which worried us & removed any confidence we had in the process. There seemed to be a lack of joined up thinking/communication between the bathrooms dept, homefit, the installer and the project manager. In fact it's hard to tell exactly what input our assigned 'project manager' actually had since, during the installation at least, the installer himself was in charge...
The Installation
It's chaotic. For the period that the work's being carried out you have to adapt. However, they were sympathetic to the needs of a family with children... with no other bathroom available in the house. (Including phoning ahead, when he realized he wouldn't be starting on the day we had arranged.)
The issues with our installation fell into two categories: 1. Errors or omissions by the store/homefit. and 2. problems created by the installation.
1. Items were missed off our order. Incorrect items were sent/given to us. We weren't contacted with the time/date of delivery of the parts. We had to make do with certain handles (since we wanted the installer to fit them) since we were stuck with what was available in store. Although replacement items were discounted, and incorrect items refunded at the end of the process, it still meant additional journeys (by me) out to source & collect parts at short notice.
2. Despite our concerns that we may have drainage issues, we were repeatedly reassured that there wouldn't be a problem, and the installation was carried out. The problems were exacerbated. It took an additional day of work to solve drainage problems, at the end of the installation. However, the worry created by the problems was significant.
During installation a number of other issues arose, which had to be put right: Leaking sink overflow; faulty wiring to the lights; poor earth on the radiator; air bubbling between the bath & sink; unsatisfactory sealing...
The Finish
Some people would be very disappointed with the quality of the finish, with a large number of minor issues. For example, there's a scratch on the mirror and a chip on the bath. The tiling's good for the most part, but the edging is variable, the mosaic twists and tilts in places, and there are a number of small holes in the grouting. The handles have been attached at slightly crooked angles. The toilet appears to move away from the unit, when you sit on it...
The sealant around the edge of the linoleum is variable - messy in places. There's a cut in the lino at one point, where it's been cut to size. I also think we should have been offered a way of finishing the edges of the flooring, as silicon beading is not really suitable.
The less visible part of the bathroom - in the attic, and under the toilet & sink for example - are unsightly. The wiring above the mirror is untidy. There is an ominously damp smell around the electrical housing (which I'm hoping is drying plaster). The work in the loft (lighting, fan & wiring for both) looks unfinished. Some wiring is unsecured, Insulation hasn't been replaced, and I'm sure there should be insulation around the re-routed pipes to the electric shower.
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***
All-in-all, just prior to us getting the final painting done... we're happy. To some extent. Not so much happy with the new bathroom, but happy that the old one has been replaced.
Would we recommend B&Q to others, though? Perhaps only because we haven't experienced any alternatives.
