Corian worktop bowed (update. Kind of)

[mindthatwhatouch]

Still awaiting response, bored now......

 

[doctor Bob]

It might be worth asking Doc Bob to see if he's willing to comment. As a kitchen manufacturer any advice he's prepared to offer has to be worthwhile.

I think "Distinterior" has much more experience of corian than me. I have a corian template tomorrow, first time for about 5 years we have used it.

 

[Distinterior]

Still awaiting response, bored now......

Can you please post a picture of the complete Island?
Have you asked the fabricators/fitters if they have fitted any additional type of reinforcement within the MDF subframe? If so, what did they use?

Also, whereabouts is the joint in the top? Corian in that colour is only available in a maximum depth of 760mm, so there must be a joint down its length.

 

[mindthatwhatouch]

Thanks disinterior.
Pictures as requested. Join visible 150mm in from front edge.
Still awaiting response from fabricator.

It’s a minor point, but it wasn’t like this before on the underside, with silicon in the join. I know it’s underneath but very noticeable if you run your hand under there.

 

[mindthatwhatouch]

So after numerous phone calls and emails, the owner of the fabrication company visited us to assess. "Give me 24 hours to come up with a solution" was his precise statement.
After a week no response so more emails and phone calls, eventually he is offering 'cost' of the island worktop, not allowing anything for templating or fitting or the hours we have spent trying to get a suitable response.

Obviously this cost is much less than it would cost to have the island worktop remade, and a full two months after they reinstalled the bow is increasing......

So we still don't have a flat worktop, there is a large scratch (or split) in one corner and after a large amount of time and hassle are no better off. If anyone in the Sussex, Surrey, Hampshire area is after a worktop supplier PM me and I'll tell where NOT to go!

Legal advice is welcome......

 

[mindthatwhatouch]

So it turns out In2 Solid surfaces, who fabricated the bowed worktop, had their Quality assurance status removed before fabrication and installation.
The Corian was not supplied to them by Corian UK, but Corian UK do not know where they sourced it from.
The upshot of this is that despite the QA logo being all over their correspondence, the 10 year warranty is not valid.
We've had a partial refund for the island worktop (but this will not cover the cost of a replacement)

Buyer beware......

 

[MARK.B.]

Thats a bummer for sure, try trading standards as goods not fit/suitable for intended use.
One thing that may help things look better is to try removing the spirit level

 

[Lons]

I'd take some legal advice and maybe pursue it through the small claims court though that only applies up to £10k I believe. You have a cut and dried case I would think as they have fraudulently sold you a product leading you to believe it was covered by a warranty when it is not. As Mark said maybe trading standards should be notified as well because displaying false and misleading logos is a serious matter.
As an afterthought why not contact BBC rip off Britain prog, if they're interested enough they often get "good will" refunds, there are progs on other channels as well.

 

[AJB Temple]

I suspect legal action is now pointless as the OP has accepted a partial refund. This is likely to be regarded as settlement of any claim. Courts are unlikely to allow two bites of the cherry.

 

[Lons]

I suspect legal action is now pointless as the OP has accepted a partial refund. This is likely to be regarded as settlement of any claim. Courts are unlikely to allow two bites of the cherry.

Is that the case Adrian even now it's come to light that they were using misleading advertising when selling him the product? From the OP post it seems that fact wasn't known when a partial refund was accepted. I don't know anything about the law but apart from the faulty worktop he's been sold a 10 year warranty on all the worktops which in fact doesn't exist, that has a value which must be quantifiable and he's suffered loss for the whole of the installation.

I'd be seriously annoyed and at very least if I couldn't get my issue resolved would make sure they didn't do it to others, I suspect Corian UK are likely to take action against the company in any case. Maybe trading standards is the only route available.

 

[Distinterior]

I suspect Corian UK are going to need to try and find out which one of their retailers has supplied this company with the material in the first place.....
Selling the sheet material to a non certified fabricator/installer is always likely to have ramifications for the end user as well as Corian UK.

 

[mindthatwhatouch]

From the OP post it seems that fact wasn't known when a partial refund was accepted..

Thats correct.
Not sure now whether to just chalk it up to experience, draw a line under it and live with it, Or pursue it further.
In2 solid surfaces have since had a change of direction it would seem and no longer fabricate Corian.

Bloody annoying because now when I'm in the kitchen, all I see is this bloody island worktop!

 

[mindthatwhatouch]

I suspect Corian UK are going to need to try and find out which one of their retailers has supplied this company with the material in the first place.....
Selling the sheet material to a non certified fabricator/installer is always likely to have ramifications for the end user as well as Corian UK.

They were looking in to it...........
They were at one time a CDUK quality assured company, but this status was removed before our worktop was installed.

 

[Lons]

They were looking in to it...........
They were at one time a CDUK quality assured company, but this status was removed before our worktop was installed.

It might be worth some extended discussions with Corian UK to see if there's anything they will do to help as a goodwill gesture. They will want to preserve the reputation of their product. Probably a waste of time but stranger things have happened.

 

[Southdownswolf]

Interesting to see that their website appears to have disappeared.

 

[mindthatwhatouch]

Last time I looked they'd very much 'changed direction' and were manufacturing kitchens, I think to the trade rather than retail.

 

[Distinterior]

Last time I looked they'd very much 'changed direction' and were manufacturing kitchens, I think to the trade rather than retail.

If your Corian worktop is an example of their workmanship, it doesn't bode well for their kitchen cabinets.....

 

[mindthatwhatouch]

And according to their trust pilot page they are still in the Dupont Corian Quality Network fabricator !!!!!