B & Q Speedstone Kitchen Worktop Problem

[still-learning]

Hi,

 

I will keep this brief at the moment as we have had numerous issues regarding the full kitchen install from B & Q.

 

I am looking for anyone else who has had or got problems with the quality of finish on the edging of the Speedstone Solid Worktops or has experience in the manufacture of them.

 

Kitchen ordered July for install first week in October but wasn't fitted until end of November 2008. Kitchen was fully covered up with plastic over doors and plastic and then heavy carpet underlay over worktops to avoid any marks or damage due to ongoing works elsewhere in the house.

 

Anyway, the worktops are Solid in the Ice White and are meant to have seamless joints. We move in the end of April and soon discover several marks/grooves on front corner edges, this is identical to a worktop which the fitters rejected at time of fitting.

 

After repeated phone calls and several visits to the B & Q store, the fitter came back out and saw it in August, tried cleaning it and admitted it was flaws in the worktop which have become more visible with use and he had to get a superviser to come out to see it. Supervisor came out in September, tried cleaning it and said he would need to get rep from manufacturer Sheridans Fabrications to come out ot view it.

 

No one else came out but I did get a call mid October saying the manufacturer said it is just dirty and needs cleaned. I explained it was a flaw in the actual worktop and told the supervisor I wanted this taken further and I wanted the defective worktops changed if they couldn't be repaired.

 

I never heard from anyone and after repeated phonecalls I got a call back today from the install supervisor, saying that B & Q were not prepared to do anything as the worktop had been damaged due to misuse and it was dirt that had gathered in the joint adhesive at high use areas.

 

Now these worktops are sold as seamless and are not meant to have any visible joints. In fact the front edge is formed by cutting a 'V' groove underneath and the front edge is then folded over and for all intense purposes it looks like the 'V' groove has been cut through too far creating the flaws I have described.

 

I have now contact B & Q head Office as well as the finance company to accelerate my complaint but would be interested in hearing if anyone else has had problems with the B & Q Speedstone Solid worktops.

[still-learning]

Anyone had this type of worktop in white?

 

Not any further forward as B & Q installer and supervisor now blatantly lying regarding previously changed worktop at time of installation with exact same flaws.

 

Now have letter from B&Q stating it is misuse and to go to Furniture Ombudsman.

 

Watch this space as now actually very angry with their response.

[mosid1910]

I had this type of worktop (mine is black) fitted just over 2 years ago. B & Q were too busy so they outsourced the whole installation to a small local kitchen fitter. He did an excellent job, there are 4 joins in total in my worktops and none can be seen or felt so it looks like your fitters were poor to say the least.The fitter actually said that B & Q gave him all their jobs that had this type of worktop as their own fitters were rubbish at it Unfortunately my worktop has now developed a crack ( not near the joins) and I am now getting no-where with B & Q who are demanding a written independant report to say the the worktop is faulty and I can't find anyone to do this. Best of luck with the ombudsman.

[still-learning]

Hi,

 

I have had the worktops resanded which didn't help and made matters worse.

 

I then had the worktops replaced middle of last year and these worktops had the exact same flaw.

 

I then had the worktops replaced again and the manufacturer installed a worktop with a different finished edge to eliminate the manufacturing problem.

 

I now await B & Q coming out to complete remedial work.

 

If anyone has problems with this type of worktop feel free to ask me how I got the manufacturer involved who then did all they could to solve the problem.

 

Brian

[mosid1910]

I would be very interested, having contacted Sheridans already and they didn't want know.