Plumbers/installers....Would you accept this?

[dishman]

Same here good to see you keeping your shopping within the same company TP.

Blimey, you are correct!

It will probably be the same delivery driver

When one company has it's fingers in so many pies, I guess it is hard to escape them....

 

[lostinthelight]

I have decided to try one of the radiators available from Toolstation.

I was looking at the Quinn Brand as they are they only ones that seem to do a similar seam edge.

However, after a bit of netdigging I found similar looking radiators for sale at toolstation albeit with clip on vanity panels.

Once removed it looks exactly like the Quinn brand.....and it turns out....they are! Quinn took over Barlo a while back so they are essentially the same radiator with vanity panels added.

Another plus is that toolstation is selling them at 25% off! The plugs you mentioned @mogget look to be metal on these too, which is not something I even considered.Screwfix sell them too it seems, but not at the discounted price.

Hopefully they will turn up undamaged!

I think the issue is that for the size I want means that no places carry them in stock. So delivery is the only option and in that instance it is down to how careful the driver is.

Barlo/Quinn radiators can be be bought under the Wickes own universal radiator label.
Universal referring to, used one way as a round top,opposite way as seamed and the third, with and optional purchase of a grid.
The ones sold at TS are specifically made for them and are lower output for a given size than than Wickes ones. SF used to sell them as Barlo round top,All are made by Quinn near me in Newport

 

[dishman]

Barlo/Quinn radiators can be be bought under the Wickes own universal radiator label.t

I did check Wickes, but unfortunately, as with most consumer DIY places, they seem to max out at 1600mm in width.

 

[lostinthelight]

I did check Wickes, but unfortunately, as with most consumer DIY places, they seem to max out at 1600mm in width.

Ask at customer services, they can order other sizes

 

[dishman]

Will do, the heat outputs look pretty much the same though. Hopefully it will turn up OK, and I don't think Wickes will be cheaper with the 25% off on the TS one. But, if I get yet another damaged one, I know where to try next!

 

[dishman]

Update, so the new rad arrived from Toolstation/barlo (Quinn).

Well first things first, look at the packaging difference.....



On the Left, the stelrad with a loose plastic cover, and two thin strips of cardboard down the sides and two thin strips top and bottom. No other protection for transit.

On the left Right, a thick cardboard box containing the radiator form Barlo....what is inside you ask?

Well.....



A radiator covered in carboard protection held in place by cable ties with a tight fitting shrink-wrapped cover fitted in a box with large foam corner protectors!

Looking good so far.....

Out of the box all looked great.........

There is however a small area of concern, it is on the bottom, so not noticeable.....but there is, seemingly a paint defect....

Due to how it has all been packaged, I am a bit annoyed....again....
but....thoughts?



Can you see it?

Here is a close-up....




So, thoughts? Just a paint defect? Out of sight out of mind?

Or would this be cause for concern....

 

[lostinthelight]

..

There is however a small area of concern, it is on the bottom, so not noticeable.....but there is, seemingly a paint defect....

Due to how it has all been packaged, I am a bit annoyed....again....
but....thoughts?

View attachment 160731

Can you see it?

Here is a close-up....

View attachment 160732


So, thoughts? Just a paint defect? Out of sight out of mind?

Or would this be cause for concern....

Well it wouldnt look so good if it was used the other way up as a round top
?

 

[dishman]

hmm - true, forgot I could do that.....

BUGGER!

Another return......

 

[dilalio]

As a potential customer I would not want those fitted.
If a tradesman fitted them in that condition he would likely not be working for me again. (not that I would need someone else to do something as simple as fit a radiator for me).

I bet that they just wrapped em up again and resold them to someone else.

Now consider things from a tradesman's POV... He/she turns up, as booked, to fit radiators as supplied by customer, which are still in packaging for protection, having arrived day before. Customer is present and rejects product(s) or customer is not present and the process of photographing and emailing begins...

What would you expect the tradesperson to do in these circumstances, having allocated time and travel expenses to this booking?
And, if that tradesperson was you, what would you do?

 

[mattylad]

That's a completely different scenario to the one that's been identified.

so no I won't play your game.

 

[lostinthelight]

dishman, can you please measure between the centres of the water columns?

 

[dilalio]

That's a completely different scenario to the one that's been identified.

so no I won't play your game.

Not a game mate.

 

[dishman]

dishman, can you please measure between the centres of the water columns?

@lostinthelight On the Barlo they are around 2.5cm apart. On the Stelrad they are closer to 3.5cm apart.

I am curious why you are curious...

Interesting point you make @dilalio. I could imagine that is a very frustrating scenario. As @mattylad clarifies, this is not the situation with me....I am just a very frustrated DIYer!

I would ask though, how many installers/plumbers receive and check the items to begin with, assuming they were supplying the parts based on the customers choice. Would most open and check them prior to arriving at the customers house anyway? In which case, if not, they are still in the same predicament as when the customer supplied the parts unopened and ready to install. If the items are not checked prior to the install date, there seems to be a high chance of finding a defect so it would seem prudent to have some sort of procedure in place to mitigate finding defects on the day ( I appreciate this may not be that easy in practice).

In the instance above on the latest radiator, would most installers flag that defect up with the customer? Or would it be quietly installed if not noticed.

The real culprit here seem to be the manufactures, and in my limited experience, their seemingly flawed quality control!

A customer has the right to have a product installed without defect. Unfortunately I can see the installer being caught in the middle.

 

[lostinthelight]

@lostinthelight On the Barlo they are around 2.5cm apart. On the Stelrad they are closer to 3.5cm apart.

I am curious why you are curious...

.

Thanks for that, I thought they looked wider apart than the ones from Wickes but they are the same distance.
The finish on the ones Ive bought which have been from different stores, over a period of time, have been superb .

 

[dishman]

According to Barlow's marketing bumph, the closer, smaller columns and more numerous smaller fins are slightly more efficient.

It certainly makes it look more compact and tidy compared to the Stelrad. Although in turn the Stelrad looks like it more is powerful, even though they are the same dimensions/output.

Hopefully this is a one off defect. The more I look at it, the less happy I am with it.

It does have a brownish tinge to it so I suppose I do not know what is going on beneath. Although it could just be a slight yellowing of the paint in those spots where it seems to have not taken properly.

I seem to be attracting all the bad radiators....5th time lucky?!?!?