Review of DIY Kitchens


Rated 3 out of 5 stars

Not greatly impressed

Generally, the kitchen is good and I am happy with it but there are a number of issues which affect my overall opinion of Kitchens Direct. Customer service is patchy. Some staff are very kind and helpful, others appear to be very snappy. The effects of Covid didn't help, but the first obvious problem is the delivery. They say they will slot you into a particular week, but are very reluctant to be more specific, meaning you have to be available for the delivery at very short notice, which is difficult if you are at work. You don't get much help or sympathy on that score. Covid meant that the builders and fitters were behind, so it was not possible to inspect all of the items within the specified time frame. When it was all unpacked it was disappointing to find many scratched and damaged items, which were clearly damaged before they were packed. Of course, having to unpack the units weeks later means there is no recourse with Kitchens Direct, which is not their fault. The units are quite well made, but it was annoying to have to fix the backs on properly. The double units lack a centre support, which means the shelf load is restricted, unless you do as I did and use some spare plinth to cut and fit some reinforcement. Because of the delays, it was necessary to order some extra items. This in itself was simple enough, but there is no communication about lead times or when the items will be delivered, (until the last minute). An additional annoyance is the carriage charge. In each case there was a £29 delivery charge, which I accepted, but then there was an additional charge, relating to my postcode, of another £25. As I live in mainland, east of England, I can see no possible justification for such a charge. In one instance, to pay a total of £54 for the delivery of a single end panel, using an everyday carrier is unreasonable. I checked with the couriers, who confirmed that they would have delivered for under £25. Lastly, although the kitchen was a bit cheaper than many well known suppliers, it was not significantly cheaper and certainly not by as much as KD would like you to believe. I was very impressed with the range of sizes of units offered, but less impressed with the paint finish, which seems to chip very easily and may explain why so many items were damaged within the packaging. Overall I'm satisfied now it's all installed, but all the niggles mean that I felt very little emotion, other than relief, when it was finally finished. Very sad, given the amount of time and money I had invested in a new extension, the units and everything else. I would have quite a few reservations about recommending this company, and I probably wouldn't use them again, for the reasons listed above.

November 17, 2021
Unprompted review
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