Ewan S.
5/5
Without prejudice. I have used Ultima for over 10 years and have gone back to them time and time again because their product is extremely well made and customer service had been good.
I'm responding to the review by Susan Sutterby.
I am the so-called sacked builder, in fact I'm her developer, ex boyfriend and was running restoration and refurbishment for her. Her behaviour towards me and others on site deteriorated dramatically towards completion and became intolerable. I said unless some respect was shown to myself and others I would have no option but to leave.
I left.
I have also not been paid for work completed.
I have been in the top end of the industry for nearly 40 years and know that we deliver extremely high quality. I've posted pictures, I received from others, of the kitchen, because I was not there for its arrival but it's unclear which doors are affected. Problems have ensued ever since I left, I expect due to poor knowledge base and poor project management from that point.
The kitchen arrived 1 week after I left ....Susan Sutterby benefited the full (40%) trade only discount applied to it.
The kitchen was not installed according to my design. In the photos I was sent it showed no cornerposts and one cupboard even fitted back to front. The Polish builders informed me that two doors were the wrong colour (only 2, by the way and on base units only) -it was a one off colour from the Farrow and Ball range ...no other issues were raised at this point. I have asked, at least 4 times, for Susan Sutterby to tell me the cupboards affected and left or right hand of these doors so I could organise replacements, she has not responded so I can't ask for those replacements. Ultima have said all along that they will replace them once we know which doors they need to replace.
No corner posts were ever on the order and were to be made up on site from decor panels, ordered and delivered. There was nothing else highlighted within 10 days, so the plinth is a mystery. I have in the past had one or two items not on the order, I raised this promptly as expected and received them within a few days, without any fuss.
The templating I have since been told has been put off as certain appliances weren't ready for the template to be done and in any case, the doors would not affect templating or fitting of the worktops, so this cannot be blamed on Ultima. I raised the issue that the kitchen was not be built to my design so that if any problems arose after templating (doors not having enough tolerance to open in corners etc, this would be down to Susan Sutterby and the new fitters, working to get instruction. This might be why the templating was further delayed.
To be absolutely clear, any replacement doors would just clip on (modern Blum hinges) once delivered and the faulty colour doors would be collected at that time by Ultima. One hinge, whether delivered broken or broken on site could easily have been replaced by Ultima had I been notified.
The order was delayed by only 7 days due to a machine breaking down (it is a full CNC manufacture) and I and Susan Sutterby were informed of this a full week before the initial date. These kitchens are made to order, then dispatched, they are not stock items after all. These things happen and this did not delay the project as multiple tasks were yet to be completed anyway. The worktop company did not mind and rescheduled for a week ahead.
This could all have been sorted out very easily and quickly. The fact that no information was forthcoming about exact details from Mrs Sutterby, is I imagine to exacerbate an easily remedied situation and then for Mrs Sutterby try to get the, I also expect full, cost of that perfectly good kitchen reimbursed, (unfairly) through her credit company.
These bullying tactics are/were used and are unacceptable. Hence this response to try to paint a clearer picture for anyone considering using Ultima furniture .
I will continue to use this company as they have a fantastic product and a great range of factory built options and good customer service.