Work tops are shit. Aibu?

[Fuckedworktops]

Name change as this will be outing.

8 months ago we had our kitchen done. Convinced by the benchmarx sales person, we opted for compact laminate in a marble effect. Very sleek and beautiful.

I googled endlessly and could see that fitters HATED fitting it, but no noted issues with the product itself. Prior to the works beginning I went to our kitchen fitter and said, look i want these.. but if you can't fit them/don't know how/don't want to/problem waiting to happen, I'll choose something else. Having been burnt so many, many times by people promising more than their skillset could deliver I wanted to give a fair out. No no, crack on he said.

So heartened by the sales person claiming them to be as strong as stone, heat resistant, super amazing product and fitter OK'ing the work, we bought.

Within a couple of months, the island bowed like a canoe. Yep, bowed upwards and dipped in the centre. Everyone was baffled. Benchmarx came out, agreed it was weird AF. They helped us argue for the manufacturers to come out.

They eventually did, right as on the cusp of lockdown. They claimed it was impossible for it to be faulty because I'd be the only person ever to have faulty compact laminate. because no one is ever the first person

Phone calls were made. They said our overhang was way too big. Apparently the island over hang should have been 150cm max. I said that is ridiculous, you'd barely get legs under? Surely that makes it unusable. That's the rule they say, ask me to sign their PDA and off they go.

I resign myself to replacing the island worktop but want to find out how this has happened. Fitter says they've done nothing wrong and our hangover is acceptable for a island, altho perhaps ever so slightly on bigger side. I'll have to double check but I think its 250. However, more crucially, if this is the case, benchmarx should have absolutely specified this in plans right?

So, lockdown happens. Everything grinds to halt.

And then, as the weeks roll on, we notice that the runs are lifting and warping. One end has lifted up and away from units, the other end where it meets the join has also lifted (albeit it appears to have gone back down at the join suddenly!?!) And even weirder, it has bowed in the middle of the other run, pushing the sink right up.

I took photos, called BM who were closed but my POC called and said to send photos, which i did a month ago. Nothing back. Have called 2 weeks ago and just emailed again.. I know they are going to fight this tooth and nail. The branch we bought from closed down at Christmas and all staff, inc our designer, was made redundant.


As I say, i know this will be a fight. However my Aibu is : am i unreasonable to hold benchmarx accountable as my supplier of worktop?

And if so, what is reasonable.

Some considerations:

Removing the worktops will likely fuck our tiles which were both very expensive AND the tiler who laid them is incredible but also mega money. Units will have to adjusted (boiler cupboard sits on the worktop which ofc was created on the slimline profile of the worktop. Any replacement will almost certainly be thicker by default. Kitchen fitter also indicates he is worried about damage to actual units underneath.

Kitchen fitter has decided he will never fit one of these worktops again. I understand why, they were a PITA from delivery get go. I have no faith in this product and do not want a like for like replacement. I however do not want normal laminate and we did not budget for stone.


Wtf do we do? Can i demand refund of our worktop cost- roughly 8/900 quid i think. If i get this, I'm still at disadvantage as I'll have additional costs to rectify this fuck up.

I doubt they're going to agree to refund and compensate are they?

Its a fairly big kitchen (though not huge) and needed Alot of remedial work and stuff as it changed layout entirely etc. We ultimately spent about £24k which is ALOT of money for us. It really was a dream kitchen type situ. Meant to last years as we will stay here at least 10 years now. We don't have funds to fix this really 😔 we have roof repairs to do (unexpected) and the garden is in desperate need of making safe and secure for the family.

Am I wrong to feel aggrieved that they're unlikely to compensate on top of refund and am i also UR to think this is benchmarx responsibility??

[Fuckedworktops]

Shit that was so long, sorry.

Just checked and worktop over hang is 280mm.

[Paul72]

280mm does not seem a lot of overhang for a breakfast bar. Maybe ask trading standards for advice.

[DameFanny]

If you're not getting a response from the company start with Trading Standards now. You should absolutely be asking them to remedy the work, including the tiling. And yes, if there's a limit to the overhang they shouldn't be selling longer runs than that limit...