Canterbury Conservatories - reputation?

[Jungleboy]

Hi

I am considering buying a conservatory for self build from Canterbury Conservatories. They appear to have good deals, but I can't find any reviews for them on the internet. Does anyone know if they are any good.

Any advice very much appreciated. Thank you

 

[D_Hailsham]

I am considering buying a conservatory for self build from Canterbury Conservatories. They appear to have good deals, but I can't find any reviews for them on the internet. Does anyone know if they are any good.

Don't know anything about them. However my recent experience might help. I had a conservatory installed in the middle of 2007 by a large local company with over 25 years trading and an impressive list of clients, including an hotel which had massive sun lounge added to the back. I was told that the work carried a ten year warranty.

Recently the doors and some of the windows started sticking, so I phoned their service department. The person at the other end asked when I had the conservatory installed, so I told him. I was then hit with the bombshell. XXXX Conservatories went into administration in January 2008. The new company (virtually same name, same premises and same phone numbers) are not honouring guarantees given by the old one. The situation would have been different if I had taken out insurance to cover any defects - not that they had offered it to me.

So make sure any warranty is backed by an insurance policy.

 

[Jungleboy]

Thanks for the tip - I'll see what warranty they have and what insurance cover is available.

Cheers

 

[Trazor]

Ask if you can see examples of their work.

 

[D_Hailsham]

Just cottoned on to the fact that it is a kit for you to assemble. Obviously they can't be held responsible for the quality of your workmanship or the suitability of the foundations etc. All you can do is make sure that the components they deliver are the correct dimensions - check for squareness, have no visible faults, the glass is to the correct spec and properly marked with the BSI logo.

Fortunately there are only a few companies which actually make the extrusions from which the windows are made; and there are only two or three companies which manufacture the window units. Companies like the one you named are really nothing more than middle men, taking your order and passing it on to the manufacturers.

Sign all delivery notes: "received unexamined". This gives you the opportunity to take everything in and then check for faults. But you need to examine everything immediately after; no good phoning up a week later and saying the door is the wrong height.

If you are having a glass roof, not polycarbonate, make sure the foundations are deep enough - glass weighs much more than polycarbonate.

Don't forget the builders' maxim: Measure twice, cut once!

 

[Jason1974]

I am looking in to getting a conservatory & found Canterbury Conservatories at my local B&Q, there set up looked very professional & tidy. A guy came round with all the sales talk & seemed to know what he was talking about. However he did seem to want to push me in to a sale with talk about special offers for glass in the roof that keeps the heat in during the winter & the heat out during the summer. I declined to sign anything as I needed a few months to sort finances out. He since returned upon on my request & again seemed very helpful & gave a talk on how he managed to get the same deal for me even though the original offer was no longer available.

I have since asked two local conservatory & window companies to come round. One came last night & basically have made me think twice about Canterbury. These local guys were so professional & went in to so much detail about roof vents, under floor heating & minor details I had not even considered. Canterbury on the other hand now look like they just want a sell. Canterbury are very appealling with there price & finance offers, I have yet to have a quote from the local company.

One of the points highlighted to me was the footings & foundations in my local area which I am told is red brick clay after half a metre of digging. They advised that my foundations should be at least 1 metre. They expressed a good knowledge & experience of the ground in the area which is something that concerns me with a national company. Also Canterbury insist I must pay an additional £500 for planning permission for a conservatory that is more than 3 metres on a semi detached house. This is something that the local comapny have said is complete rubbish, no planning permission is required as my conservatory will be less than 52 sq cubic metres & is not less than 20 meters from the closest road & my house has not been extended before.

I would be interested to hear of anyone elses experience with Canterbury Conservatories.

 

[Nige F]

Well, if they were good enough for Chaucer....They are bloody good enough for me . Aye.

 

[Jandiy]

I would be careful. There are several differnet Canterbury Conservatories. One is run by a director who put his other companies into liquidation last year owing alot of money and the other was linked to a major conservatory roof manufacturer who went into liquidation last year to get out of paying some very large creditors.They also have a number of CCJ's . The conservatories may be fine but I would be concerned about the validity of any warranty.

 

[kevindgas]

i fitted a Wickes one about 10 years ago on my ex's house for her, self assembly and it is as good as the day it was installed (just a tad dirtier )
have a look at their stuff it maybe worthwhile.

 

[WabbitPoo]

i fitted a Wickes one about 10 years ago on my ex's house for her, self assembly and it is as good as the day it was installed (just a tad dirtier )
have a look at their stuff it maybe worthwhile.

Was she your ex at the time, and is it her or the conservatory that is dirtier?

 

[ExEmployee]

As an ex employee let me make some of you aware of the facts reference to canterbury conservatories, this company WAS owned by The Burnden Group Ltd which is currently in administration, they bought the midlands and northern operation in November 2008 from the administrators of Titan CWD trading as UV2.

The Burnden Group Ltd was started in October 2008 after restructuring and dissolving K2 Glass Ltd, Cestrum Ltd, K2 Conservatories Ltd etc and it was described as a re-structure Hmmm. UV2 went out of business owing 1.7 million Hmmm.

Now The Burnden Group trading as Canterbury Conservatories, K2 Conservatories, Direct Conservatories 4 U etc has also gone into administration and Canterbury Conservatories Ltd ,K2 Conservatories Ltd etc have been reborn again.

As we speak they have no Consumer Credit Licence, Finance Facility or agreement with B&Q. If you pay them a deposit via credit card or debit card I have heard it is being processed through Paypal Hmmm. I have also been told that the sales reps are receiving 1% extra commision to take greater deposits Hmmm.

If B&Q allow them to trade yet again in their store I can only believe they have no thought or consideration for their customers, and are only doing it to take their 5% commision.

Through all of the changes and so called re-structuring it beggars belief that all of the old directors are still in place, even the 2 owners of Titan CWD trad as UV2 are in the positions of Director and general manager of the now called Canterbury Conservatories Ltd Hmmm.

I would advise anyone who is not of sound mind and contemplating placing an order with the above to make a 10 pence call to the OFT (Office of Fair Trading) and request more info. Dont be fooled by the fact that they are in B&Q this is merely a concession in return for commision and nothing else.

There are many companies out there that will request a minimal or no deposit deal rather than the 15% deposit plus 40% base payment and a further 40% payment on arrival of frames with only 5% balance left to pay on completion. It is no wonder they arent keen to complete as they have had your money.

With more companies out there than you can shake a stick at surely you can find someone safer to deal with. I can only hope that you are reading this prior to placing an order and I have enlightened you to their history, for those of you that are too late, a call to the OFT or B&Q is the only way that you may get any help or stop other people being duped.

The Burnden Group, Canterbury Conservatories, Cestrum, Direct Conservatories 4 U etc also sell their conservatories through Homebase, Ebay and Garden Centres so keep yours eyes open and further updates will be placed when known. Thanks for reading.

 

[noseall]

Cracking post.

Sour grapes.

 

[ExEmployee]

Cracking post.

Sour grapes.

It could be deemed as sour grapes but in all honesty not enough people give any time or consideration for others, with all the posts on the net I thought it about time that the factual information would assist people in making an informed decision, I have stated a lot of facts that are available within the public domain and been sincere with the content. Make your own mind up as to whether it is all a fabrication or factual information. I bet you all your worldly wealth that the sales guy or anyone else representing this company would be red faced if the content were brought up during discussion.

 

[NickB_99]

a couple of relevant experiences.....

We have a conservatory that had a guarantee from the company from the house's previous owner.
We wanted to claim on it as roof panels had slipped. Surprise, surprise - administration and not insurance backed.
I was able to sort them myself eventually, but not ideal.

Also, we have since had the house double glazed throughout and new doors in Oct 2008. We went through the process inviting people in to quote.

The larger companies sent salesmen and generally came in with a hard sell, discounts, tried to find out about other quotes and promised to beat them etc. wasn't pleasant (all nationals may not be like this, but this is based on the 3 from our experiences).

In the end, we went for a local firm that had been in business for about 30 years locally. When they came round to quote it was a much more pleasant affair. They measured up, said written quote with all details would be in post next day, said all the window types were available to see/try in their local showroom.
I found it more like dealing with a professional tradesman (rather than a salesman) - it was actually the owner's son, so I guess vested interest!
Anyway, we did call down to the showroom and we were very impressed. From memory, the type was Kommerling Gold and we liked the fact that not only did they seem to be well made etc but also the seals are a light grey colour so are not so intrusive against the white uPVC.
In the end the prices were actually very competitive with the bigger ones and we have not regretted it or had any problems at all.

 

[hotrod]

Anyway, we did call down to the showroom and we were very impressed. From memory, the type was Kommerling Gold and we liked the fact that not only did they seem to be well made etc but also the seals are a light grey colour so are not so intrusive against the white uPVC.
In the end the prices were actually very competitive with the bigger ones and we have not regretted it or had any problems at all.

The small local FENSA firm I use only fit Kommerling Gold. Highly recommended to anyone looking at uPVC.