Wickes kitchen regret

[Invisiblewoman1]

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

More I think about it the more annoyed I am. I told him when he measured my kitchen that my budget was £10k maximum. He insisted I should go for the more expensive unit due to the sale and ignored me when I kept saying I wanted laminate due to budget then presented me with an £18k kitchen plan. I took off appliances, fitting and he added the discount and I paid £7500 but I still need to buy appliances and get it fitted so it will prob end up being £12k. I guess it’s not majorly over budget but I’m annoyed. I’m renovating my house and didn’t plan to do the kitchen do this is coming out of rainy day savings and I now wonder if I’m better off waiting till I move in and saving more and then feeling happier with the process.

I will see tomorrow if I can cancel

You will be able to cancel tomorrow

Although maybe it's worth speaking to the designer and discussing your concerns and perhaps changing the design/extras if that's what you want!

@SnakeRabbitMouse I have also had very good feedback about Wickes kitchens from joiners and people in the kitchen-fitting trade. Interesting you have had the same!

We put Wickes in renovation houses, you don't need to worry about the quality. However if you're unhappy with the added extras you need them to remove them for you.

Went through the same process with wicked and then learnt on MN their trade arm is Benchmarx. Same kitchen under a different name at a significant discount. Always recommend getting counter top elsewhere from stone specialist as retailers cost are excessive.

I would cancel all the additional stuff if not the whole kitchen and tell them why. They have got you caught up in things.

Thanks all. I think I just feel rushed and thats made me feel stressed.

I am hoping I can cancel it tomorrow but I’m not sure I will be able to.

I have had designs done in several places and went with Wren in the end. The fitting price for B&Q was ridiculous, but I gave their design to wren to copy and got my own fitter.

I woke up this morning feeling ok about it until I checked my bank account and then started to rethink it over yesterday. He wouldn’t even let me look at worktops just kept giving me his own suggestions. Even though I like the design I feel like the whole experience has been awful so I’m going to call up customer services this morning and attempt to cancel. They open at 10. I do not want to speak to him about it

You aren't going to attempt to cancel ... you ARE cancelling that order. Tell them that you were pressured into the sale and are absolutely cancelling that order and will not take no for an answer.

If any outfit starts pressurising you, then take their design thank you very much and go elsewhere. Sharpes bedrooms are terrible - had some guy sit there for hours saying we had to sign as he was off on the plane back to Spain blah blah blah.

John Lewis let you keep their designs, so we had them round and then had it made locally for about half the cost.

It’s a big purchase and needs careful thought, you shouldn’t be pressurised.

Be firm and cancel the order, and get other quotes. Good luck OP, check your paperwork, I am sure there will be a cooling off period, usually7-14 days in the contract.

Good Luck Cancelling @Invisiblewoman1 if you are not living there, maybe try living there for 6 months it may give you a better idea on layout after you’ve lived there a while. The light in the house may change your idea on what colours would suit the room.

We had a really good experience with Wickes, so much so that my DD also ordered a Wickes kitchen. We weren’t put under any pressure to order and non of the “non-essential” items were forced upon us. If you’re unhappy with the service and feel pressured, you should cancel the order and let Wickes Head Office know. We and DD have had our kitchens for several years now and they’re still looking good. The quality is excellent.

I’ve got a wickes kitchen and it’s lasted well. However the fitter they used was so awful. We didn’t know of a joiner to use so went with the chap they use. He was an alcoholic, we didn’t realise to start with, but it became clear. He was actually quite intimidating.

The fitting was ok, but lots of snags. Went back to wickes and complained. They said I needed to take it up with the fitter. They didn’t want to know.

Quality of the kitchen was fine, but get your own trusted fitter.

The contract doesn’t mention a cooling off period. It is ambiguous. It says it’s not possible to cancel any order which is made to order - I assume that’s a kitchen?
But you can amend the order up to ten days before delivery so In theory could I just amend it down to one unit?!
I’m so annoyed at myself for falling for the pressure and not just listening to my inner voice and standing up for what I wanted. I feel like I’ve had to learn that through online dating but didn’t realise I’d need it with ordering a high street kitchen!

My ex did a stint as a kitchen salesman. He didn't cut it because he wasn't hard nosed enough to force people into spending money they didn't have. All their bonuses came out of the finance deal rather than the kitchen. They have in mind a minimum amount that the kitchen is actually worth, and they will then keep offering 'discounts' and throw things in 'for free' in order to make you believe you've got a deal.
You absolutely can cancel, then think about what you really want with a clearer head. And don't feel bad about using any bits of the design that Wicks has given you.
Buyers remorse is very usual, which is why they try to lead you to believe that you can't go away and think about it.
I get you (and so would ex, who thought he'd accepted a job as a kitchen designer, not a financial salesman)

I was pressured into having a fancy shower screen/deflector with my new shower. It leaked so had to battle with City Plumbing( who designed it) to replace with a more suitable door. They stomped up to be fair but I wish I had researched some more. Don't be pressured. Ask around, get advice.

Surely you cant cancel a made to order once they have started making it? And most kitchens are just bog standard units and sizes anyway!

I came across this thread on MSE. Apparently you can cancel 72 hours before delivery

forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5805398/wickes-kitchen-order-cancellation

We didn’t go with Wickes ended up getting the same units from Howdens BUT I can’t fault the kitchen designer at Wickes he was lovely. Sounds like the one you dealt with was a total arse.

£12k doesn’t sound massively over expensive for a kitchen but there are ways to trim the cost. We bought our compact laminate online as it was much cheaper and we found Boots appliances online very competitive price wise (plus we got boots advantage card points worth about £100)

You really need to complain about the guy in store he’s totally bulldozed you.

We have just ordered a Wickes kitchen, I waited for 50% off and interest free credit.
Our kitchen planner sounds very different to yours. He was very laid back and didn’t pressure me in any way.
He was so laid back that I realised I hadn’t planned any bins and had to go back.
Could you cancel and wait for a couple of months till the sales come round again?

Cancel it. Is it on a credit card? Say you will be contacting the card company as you now realised you cannot afford it. You definitely can cancel at this point. Do it ASAP.

Find a kitchen at somewhere like homebase when they have their sale. Just buy units. Buy the worktop elsewhere online, so mich cheaper.

Then get a carpenter to fit it, it's so so so much cheaper than using the store to fit. I've done a lot of kitchens and always loved the results and always been very cist effective like this.

Cancel it. Start again