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Original poster

Wickes kitchen regret

68 replies

Invisiblewoman1 · 15/05/2021 18:14

Hi all
I’m feeling so stressed and deflated. I had a kitchen appointment at wickes today and I liked the design after I suggested a few changes but it was over my budget and I felt so pressured. I had to push for them to take off the appliances and push for them to add laminate worktop. It was a long hard sell of why stone and Corian are better etc.

I got them to take off appliances and I went with a compact laminate and it cost £7000 without fitting. Much more than I wanted to spend and Now I feel so worried about it.

I can make changes so I think I will ask them to remove the worktop as I’m sure I can find it cheaper. I just wish I felt excited from ordering a kitchen but the whole experience was stressful

OP posts:
Badgertastic · 15/05/2021 18:21

Why don't you use the design from Wickes to price up kitchens from elsewhere. IKEA, DIY Kitchen etc?

Chasingsquirrels · 15/05/2021 18:25

If you feel so pressured cancel it and give yourself time to think. They should not be pressuring you and that would be enough to put me off using them.

Shop around, IKEA, DIY Kitchens (would totally recommend - I used them 18mo ago).

gegs73 · 15/05/2021 18:27

Look in IKEA using the Wickes design, so much cheaper and great quality. We have had 3 IKEA kitchens and they wear very well and look great, we’ve had no problems.

GreyhoundG1rl · 15/05/2021 18:28

Echo what pp said. Cancel it and take the design elsewhere.

Original poster
Invisiblewoman1 · 15/05/2021 18:32

I don’t think I can cancel it, only made amendments to the order. And I do like the design and look of the cabinets etc I just don’t know why I’m feeling more worried than excited!

OP posts:
LittleOverWhelmed · 15/05/2021 18:38

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at the poster's request.

GrumpyHoonMain · 15/05/2021 18:41

Contact wickes on twitter.

Macdo · 15/05/2021 18:46

@LittleOverWhelmed

Did you order today? There should be a cooling off period. Sounds like you were pressured into a sale that you were not happy about.

Check your paperwork, if that doesn’t give a quick answer, then Google and then citizens advice.

No cooling off period if you've been into a shop and ordered something. That only applies online / over the phone / in your house.

Lillygolightly · 15/05/2021 18:46

There is always a cooling off period so if your within that period you can cancel.

Tisforptarmigan · 15/05/2021 18:48

It's probably because it's such a big purchase. I'm having a new kitchen, and instead of being thrilled I just feel a bit overwhelmed at all the choices I have to make.

I've hated my kitchen for 15 years, I feel very pressured to pick a perfect replacement. Could this be what you're feeling?

Original poster
Invisiblewoman1 · 15/05/2021 19:03

Yes @Tisforptarmigan I think so. It’s the kitchen I’ve planned without my ex husband who has an absolutely perfect eye for detail and I feel so much pressure to make sure i don’t mess this up as it’s so expensive. All the wickes planner is interested in is their commission not if the kitchen looks nice or works practically so I feel like it’s battling through to make sure I’ve not messed up

OP posts:
badatcrochet1996 · 15/05/2021 19:19

Sounds like you had a bad experience, we went with wickes and the planner person was lovely. Took time to understand what we wanted and didn't pressurise us. Could you go to a difference wickes?

minipie · 15/05/2021 19:24

Hi OP

this discussion on MoneySavingExpert suggests you absolutely can still cancel.

In your shoes I would cancel and take your time to think.

Also, look at Benchmarx - same kitchens as Wickes but sold to the trade so cheaper. So you could order this through your builder/fitter.

donquixotedelamancha · 15/05/2021 19:59

I would be amazed if you can't cancel. Businesses can't just take your money- if they want to charge cancellation fees they have to be for reasonable, incurred costs.

Phone them up and explain nicely that you were pressured. If that doesn't work start chasing in writing and on social media.

Once you've got your money back go to DIYkitchens.com, they are fab and much cheaper.

LittleOverWhelmed · 15/05/2021 20:33

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at the poster's request.

JetBlackSteed · 15/05/2021 20:38

Can you post your design on here? Get some reassurance to your concerns?
Although if you're feeling pressurised, then cancel and rethink.

Original poster
Invisiblewoman1 · 15/05/2021 20:57

I’ve already gone back and asked him to change a couple things and now I’m reading the itemised bill I can see so much crap I don’t want like cutlery inserts. And things I can get cheaper elsewhere like the under cabinet lighting. The bin unit seems to be costing a lot but I do want it he just didn’t explain the options to me so I wonder if I really need the “bin liner” at £150!

Overall I am happy with kitchen design but will post incase I’ve made a foolish error

OP posts:
sallyisstarstruck · 15/05/2021 21:00

You can cancel but do it sooner rather than later. Either give your designer a ring or call customer services. They should have known your budget from the very beginning so should have designed with that in mind. Did they not ask at any point?

Original poster
Invisiblewoman1 · 15/05/2021 21:01

Hope this make sense I don’t have a view of where the fridge freezer and Oven are going but it’s on the plan

OP posts:
Original poster
Invisiblewoman1 · 15/05/2021 21:03

Attached

Wickes kitchen regret
OP posts:
superduster · 15/05/2021 21:21

I felt the same, we spent around that much, didn't end up with completely what we wanted and it was a pretty unpleasant experience all round (fitter didn't go a great job with the floor and never came back to fix it, basically they gave us bad advice to install unsuitable flooring so it wasn't fixable so we just had to write it off as a loss.)

I think its largely luck if you get a good fitter, although the bigger the job the more likely you can get a good fitter. However its completely normal to be worried about spending that much money and doing such a big project. Definitely push back if you aren't happy with the plans, double check the parts list as we just assumed the designer and fitter would have checked the list of parts matched the plan and clearly neither of them did...

Happynewtier · 15/05/2021 21:27

You can definitely cancel. We ordered through Wren last year but weren't entirely happy with what we'd chosen, then completely got cold feet and called them and explained it just wasn't right for us and they cancelled the order and refunded the deposit straight away. They shouldn't have pressured you into a sale on the day you had the first design work done. We got a kitchen design drawn up this morning in another retailer, there was no expectation or pressure to put a deposit down. She actually said to go home and think about it, and to call up if we want to proceed.
A kitchen is a big investment, always costs more than you think, but equally don't have to spend a fortune for a nice quality kitchen.

Happynewtier · 15/05/2021 21:30

Also adding on extras you haven't pre agreed is unfair. Everything we needed/wanted was pre discussed on our plan this morning, even down to how many metres of plinth we'll need

chaosrabbitland · 15/05/2021 21:39

@Invisiblewoman1

I don’t think I can cancel it, only made amendments to the order. And I do like the design and look of the cabinets etc I just don’t know why I’m feeling more worried than excited!
hi its been a while since i last looked at wickes facebook customer reviews . but the last time i did they read like the script from a horror story , id take a look if i were you and if they are mostly terrible id do my utmost to cancel the order . i ordered 2 pots of paint in a shade not in my local store . choose the time . booked 3 days of work and well it never arrived . when i eventually rang them at midday they informed me it had been delivered to a store and the delivery guy had no showed . they werent promising next day either so i asked for a refund which they did do . minus the delivery charge ,which meant a further blistering phone call to them . i wish id read the reviews first and not after id ordered it as this was common ,as was people having kitchens fitted which turned up with things missing or in some cases just not at all . its worth checking first
SavannahLands · 15/05/2021 21:54

We bought our kitchen from Howdens, highly delighted with it, they listened to exactly what we wanted, and all appliances were included.
The total Bill came to just over 9k including fitting for 12 Cabinets, plus all the housings for the Dishwasher, Fridge, and Cooker, and a 900mm wide pan draw and cutlery tray base for housing the Hob, and overhead cooker extraction hood.

We could have saved a bit more if we had picked a cheaper range, but we fell in love with the Tewksbury Shaker Style which can be painted in the future should we ever get tired of the original neutral Cashmere Colour. We also chose a Laminate worktop as it’s far more practical and carefree than some of the other options that require a degree of maintenance!