Wren kitchens... Good bad or ugly?
Discussion
We are just starting the process to replace our kitchen. Wren look reasonable so far. Plan would be to do most of the fitting myself and like the idea that wren deliver the units assembled and ready to install.
Does anyone have experience or them or suitable alternatives? We are hampshire/surrey boarder if that makes any difference..
Does anyone have experience or them or suitable alternatives? We are hampshire/surrey boarder if that makes any difference..
I had a look at Wren before I knew anything about them. It was all high-pressure sales and he didn't want me to leave without giving an order, offered me all sorts of discounts off their list price etc etc. I just walk away when I see those sort of tactics. Didn't impress me at all and nor did their cabinets. A bit more expensive but I'll go for Crown Imperial. Our neighbours installed a Wickes kitchen a couple of years ago and they're very pleased with it.
My mum and dad ordered one last year. In their words, never again!
My dad fitted it, on the first delivery day, only half the units turned up(done minus doors as well) the rest would be a couple of weeks (no actual date given). That meant no kitchen for a couple of weeks as the old one had been pulled out, and prepared for the new one, they didn’t seem to care.
The guy also cocked up the design, I can’t renember the details, but I think he put a 900mm drawer unit under the 1000mm stoves, meaning the stoves didn’t fit without modification to the unit below.
The quality looks good and the finish is decent, but I think my dad is still fighting them for a refund for the stuff he still hasn’t had delivered (ordered from ebay in the end)
My dad fitted it, on the first delivery day, only half the units turned up(done minus doors as well) the rest would be a couple of weeks (no actual date given). That meant no kitchen for a couple of weeks as the old one had been pulled out, and prepared for the new one, they didn’t seem to care.
The guy also cocked up the design, I can’t renember the details, but I think he put a 900mm drawer unit under the 1000mm stoves, meaning the stoves didn’t fit without modification to the unit below.
The quality looks good and the finish is decent, but I think my dad is still fighting them for a refund for the stuff he still hasn’t had delivered (ordered from ebay in the end)
Yes their product is good enough but the sales thugs are just that. The numpty somehow managed to omit my sink and tap in the plan, claiming I had never picked one afterwords...
Like most these days, they wanted my feedback. I gave an honest feedback, praising the delivery team and pointing out the conduct of the sales thug. Next thing I know, I have the thug on the phone and on email demanding an apology from me for my comments as his boss will see it haha!
Due to their really poor customer service, I would advise people to stay clear.
Like most these days, they wanted my feedback. I gave an honest feedback, praising the delivery team and pointing out the conduct of the sales thug. Next thing I know, I have the thug on the phone and on email demanding an apology from me for my comments as his boss will see it haha!
Due to their really poor customer service, I would advise people to stay clear.
Cabinets are ok, customer service is the worst I’ve ever dealt with.
Took two months to rectify a faulty order. It was only when I threatened to rip the whole kitchen out, dump it outside their store and set light to it that they actually got their f
king act together. Shambolic.
And I wasn’t even joking. Avoid like the plague.
Took two months to rectify a faulty order. It was only when I threatened to rip the whole kitchen out, dump it outside their store and set light to it that they actually got their f
king act together. Shambolic. And I wasn’t even joking. Avoid like the plague.
They are the best of the "average bunch"... wickes, homebase, Howdens etc etc, but are a step down from diykitchens.
If you are very confident with a tape measure, excel and fitting yourself, go with diykitchens (but you own 100% risk for choosing, measuring, fitting etc) if not (I wasn't, but now feel I would be)... Go with Wren and tred carefully.
Our Wren order (for a big kitchen) went without a hitch, few issues were sorted swiftly by them but I went through the deputy manager for everything and he just sorted all my issues very very well.
No qualms with going with them again, but it is a hugely risky thing to order with anyone... One massive jigsaw puzzle cut to your shape. It is a logistical minefield I imagine!!
If you are very confident with a tape measure, excel and fitting yourself, go with diykitchens (but you own 100% risk for choosing, measuring, fitting etc) if not (I wasn't, but now feel I would be)... Go with Wren and tred carefully.
Our Wren order (for a big kitchen) went without a hitch, few issues were sorted swiftly by them but I went through the deputy manager for everything and he just sorted all my issues very very well.
No qualms with going with them again, but it is a hugely risky thing to order with anyone... One massive jigsaw puzzle cut to your shape. It is a logistical minefield I imagine!!
Just a point on DIY, for a price, you can get them to design for you, transferring the risk of cocking up the measuring from you to them, We did ours with DIY last year, I did all the measuring up, spending hours checking & double checking the cupboards opened the right way & so on.
In the end, I ordered two wrong sized drawer fronts, getting away with it really as a complete amateur & they were great in swapping them & a couple of panels that turned up scratched over, which I only mention in contrast to what I hear so often about Wren when it comes to needing a bit of help post sale.
Crappy pic towards the end of the build.
In the end, I ordered two wrong sized drawer fronts, getting away with it really as a complete amateur & they were great in swapping them & a couple of panels that turned up scratched over, which I only mention in contrast to what I hear so often about Wren when it comes to needing a bit of help post sale.
Crappy pic towards the end of the build.
Every single kitchen that I have been involved with from Wren has been a fking disaster.
The last one, the client bought and paid for theirs to be installed by Wren, turns out it was fitted and the client visited site, it was completely the wrong style.
Apparently, when Wren ordered it from their factory, they didn't make it anymore, so sent the nearest style without informing the client.
This was only found out after they were threatened with legal action.
The client eventually get nearly all of their money back.
king disaster.The last one, the client bought and paid for theirs to be installed by Wren, turns out it was fitted and the client visited site, it was completely the wrong style.
Apparently, when Wren ordered it from their factory, they didn't make it anymore, so sent the nearest style without informing the client.
This was only found out after they were threatened with legal action.
The client eventually get nearly all of their money back.
hantsxlg said:
Fab Thanks guys for the feedback. I will certainly look at diy kitchens and watch for the sales patter..
very happy with DIY kitchens. visited the showroom, zero sales patter. in fact we had to find a salesman to take our order. try for 10% off too.chose the kitchen , then i asked what they could do. they threw in the soft close hinges and then said phone tomorrow. when i called the next day, the discount had already been applied.Another vote for DIY Kitchens here.
We knew what we wanted, and luckily i can use CAD so we designed it all in 3D, so i knew it would fit.
Everything except the plinths turned up on the first attempt, although it was about 8pm at night by the time the rigid wagon turned up in the front street.
That meant all the builders had long gone, so it was a family effort to unload the kitchen into the house. The tall larders are heavy! Being fully assembled, the kitchen and utility room cabinets completely filled the dinging room.
Overall really happy with the cabinets, appliances, sinks and taps we got from them. Wish the builders fitter had been a bit better, but hey ho.
We knew what we wanted, and luckily i can use CAD so we designed it all in 3D, so i knew it would fit.
Everything except the plinths turned up on the first attempt, although it was about 8pm at night by the time the rigid wagon turned up in the front street.
That meant all the builders had long gone, so it was a family effort to unload the kitchen into the house. The tall larders are heavy! Being fully assembled, the kitchen and utility room cabinets completely filled the dinging room.
Overall really happy with the cabinets, appliances, sinks and taps we got from them. Wish the builders fitter had been a bit better, but hey ho.
B17NNS said:
My parents just got a kitchen from them, seems good quality and very reasonable price.For what it's worth, Wren come fully assembled and pretty rigid/solid for the chipboard it's made of.
We are 2 years on and no issue long term, couple of miss alignments that catch my OCD have come up but not unexpected with the use we get out of it.
The quartz worktop we went with separately really adds a very nice up lift to the kitchen as well. Hard wearing, doesn't show age, nice look & feel. Adds a really nice finishing touch to it, far more so then spending £KKKK on solid draws. ( as nice as they WOULD be)
We are 2 years on and no issue long term, couple of miss alignments that catch my OCD have come up but not unexpected with the use we get out of it.
The quartz worktop we went with separately really adds a very nice up lift to the kitchen as well. Hard wearing, doesn't show age, nice look & feel. Adds a really nice finishing touch to it, far more so then spending £KKKK on solid draws. ( as nice as they WOULD be)
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