Two separate matters, but the same issue: Delays.
First up, we decided a while back that we needed to get our slate roof replaced. For our own reasons, we didn’t progress it particularly quickly. With a crap summer, and a calm few weeks, it didn’t seem to have been a bad decision. Then getting quotes took time (post office strikes not helping), and the range of quotes from the companies we contacted, has been really quite astonishing really. The most expensive being over twice as expensive as the cheapest, even before VAT is thrown in. Challenged on why, they couldn’t justify it satisfactorily. Thanks, but no thanks.
So we chose a company that had provided a very detailed quote and a mid-range price, and Frances called them earlier to ask a couple of questions to clarify a few things. Then “When would you be able to start?”. 8-10 weeks came the reply. That puts us in mid-December. To have the roof replaced. Not my idea of a fun way to start the holidays, especially as I expect they’ll shut down over Christmas, and it’d be just our luck to have it half-done by then. The roof hasn’t failed, but it’s leaking in a few spots that have meant crawling in the rafters to put some basins around. So we’re either going to delay it until the new year (and when would be a good point to arrange it?), or get more quotes for somebody who can do it sooner. Joy.
The other delay was for a corner TV stand. We’d ordered it back in July from Artisan Furniture, just around the corner from us at the Auld House Retail Park. A newly opened shop, with a lot of nice looking furniture. The “10-12 weeks” comment about how long it would take to deliver struck us as “worst case”, not the normal. But, again, Frances called to chase and it’s supposedly “expecting to dock” soon, so we were wrong - not the worst case at all.
We’re not impressed to be honest. They took their time to write to us to confirm the order, so I’m not entirely sure they didn’t take their time to submit the order to their suppliers. Whilst I’m all for companies managing their stock levels to keep costs down, it seems excessive to take no risk at all on what will sell and what won’t, and have (as appears to be the case with us) every order matched one-to-one with their suppliers on the other side of the planet. It’s not even like we’re ordering a bespoke product. It’s a corner stand for the TV for goodness sake. So, we’re not impressed, and not going to be rushing back there any time soon, if - as we strongly suspect - this is their usual way of going about things.
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October 15th, 2007 at 2:00 pm
A couple of additions to the Artisan story. They had actually said “6-12″ weeks, and had given indications in the shop as I ordered it that we might actually get it sooner since it was a small item - the 12 weeks was definitely a very worst case time. So very frustrating to still be waiting after 13 weeks, and to be told it’s still about 2 weeks away (i.e. 15 weeks in total!). Still, at least we’re picking it up from the shop when it does arrive rather than paying extra to have to be in from 9.30 till 5.30 on the day they finally deliver - morning or afternoon windows for deliveries are bad enough, but to not be able to narrow things down beyond which day is pathetic!
October 16th, 2007 at 1:59 pm
Think yourself lucky you don’t live in a listed building! The delays are horrendous, what with having to get listed building consent for even the slightest alteration then trying to match up their conditions with current building regs. Add to that architects who go on holiday, specialist workmen who may be good at their job but avoid estimates (let alone quotations) like the plague and all the run of the mill delays and you’re talking about the best part of a year before any work is even started.
I wouldn’t live anywhere else now though, and console myself with observing the stress of friends who do advanced things like move house!
I do agree about the furniture though - you could probably have ordered it yourself over the internet in less time.
November 15th, 2007 at 4:20 pm
[...] to my post a month ago, Frances called Artisan again. They certainly don’t seem inclined to demonstrate any sort of [...]
May 22nd, 2008 at 5:09 pm
We ordered the “reclaimed oak” bedroom set January 12th before we moved into our new flat. Once again, we were told 6-12 weeks, however when we went to pay for it, we were told its currently 8-14weeks.
We both still liked it so we ordered.. 20 weeks later, and a threat of cancellation of the order, under breach of contract, happy to say we have a delivery date due tomorrow, oh, and “free delivery”, but thats not anything unusual..!