"Really happy with our conservatory"

Really happy with our conservatory, smiths did everything including Electric & plaster 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

"Avoid Smiths Glass"

Overall, our whole experience with Smiths Glass ltd has been negative almost from the get go. We had a conservatory installed onto the back of our house and the connecting wall between it, and the living room removed, which was completed a couple of weeks ago. I'd been meaning to write this review sooner, but life got in the way, but I think it's important to let people know how bad our experience with Smiths actually was in the hope that…

a) Customers avoid Smiths at all costs that that they eventually go out of business. (because I'm spiteful and they caused so much stress and heartache)

or b) Smiths actually improve their service and offer some sort of apology/renumeration

The work is now complete (we think) and we're waiting on the certification to say that the conservatory was fitted by professionals (similar to a FENSA). I say, we think, as Smiths have never actually confirmed this to us nor have they made clear of much of the process. That brings me roundly to my first point...

Poor Communication
After my wife received multiple calls asking us if we wanted to go ahead with the conservatory, we had very little indication of what is going on from day-to-day. There was no plan of works, no written advised timescale, Instead a verbal recommendation of it taking roughly 5 weeks. (It took between 9-10 from start to finish and that's only with us calling religiously).

When work first kicked off, we were told that a team were going to come and dig out the footings on Wednesday 22nd March. The team who came to dig the footings turned up on the Tuesday 21st March and proceeded to dig the footings without any prior warning. This resulted in the removing and killing of two decent shrubs we'd intended to replant. Not a huge thing, but importantly, wouldn't have happened without a prior conversation.

We've had a couple of instances of hearing nothing from Smiths at all, until men turn up at our property without warning. This was highlighted when one one occasion, with no prior warning, two workmen arrived let themselves in to the conservatory at 7:30am. My daughter, who is 4 years old, was the first to discover them in our house. As you can imagine, this was quite a shock for her. There was no knock at the door, no ringing of the doorbell, no phone call. They just let themselves in. This was a massive breach of privacy.

External (now internal) wall plastering
Both a salesman and surveyor specifically said that if we were to offer the plasterer 'a cup of tea' they would plaster the wall that was previously the external face of the house. We were shocked to find out that this was not the case and it would cost an extra £350 with Smiths to get it plastered (or to go private and get it done for roughly £50). This is a hidden cost that no one really mentioned. As I explained to Smiths in an email complaint, (which was coincidentally ignored) why would we want 95% of a job doing? Also worth noting, several of the trades on the job said this isn't the first time Smiths have pulled this trick.

In defence of Smiths they eventually agreed to plaster the wall but it took a whole lot of calling, negotiating and worrying. All things, as a customer, I didn't want to have to do.

The weeks of silence
After the walls were plastered and the floor was in we were treated to radio silence. Two weeks went by when we were waiting on something, anything to happen. We were expecting a plumber to fit a radiator, an electrician to fit some lights and someone to fit a catflap and water butt, snag the job and sign it off but had no idea when they would show. We would try to ring the conservatory dept via the phone (Option 4, Option 3) but rarely got through to anyone. I regularly spent 15 - 45 mins on hold to no answer at all and must have totalled about 2 hours of my life spent on hold to them.
When I finally did get through on a couple of occasions to the manager of the conservatories dept , he was pretty arsey with me and made out it was our fault and we were being difficult. On one occasion I asked him what was happening and why no one had come to fit the rads/lights/catflap and he told me, he "thought the job was done and all signed off"... surely, he should know this? They are supposed to project manage the build, not us.

The cracked lintel debacle
A builder was at our property on 11/04/2017. He was taking down the internal wall between the living room and the new conservatory. We received a call, a whole week later on (18/04/2017) from The conservatory dept. telling us we need to spend £1200 for an RSJ originally or £650 on a bridging (I think he called it) as there is a risk that the wall may collapse due to a lack of support due to the cracked lintel not "doing it's job".

Now, I'd like to point out that neither the salesman nor surveyor, who came round to measure up and draw up the plans, had pointed out that the lintel wasn't extending into the brickwork and that by removing the door and windows we would be removing the supporting structure and that would need to be covered in the price. Either they didn't see this and it's a pretty big oversight, or they did notice and didn't tell us until now to ensure they got the sale and could stick the price on later.

Anyway... After telling The manger I didn’t have £650 lying about he advised he would call us back the day after to discuss whether we could include the additional work in our finance scheme with Barclays... we had to chase as we didn’t hear anything back for 4 days. (still worrying that half of our house may collapse) at which point he advised Barclays couldn’t do anything as the finance agreement was already in place. He then, decided to send the building dept manager round to look at the lintel, only to discover that the lintel was fine all along. If it wasn’t would they have still taken the £1200 to put the RSJ in. Of course they would.

This whole process took weeks and they left us hanging with no apology.


Other grumbles
The sheer amount of rubbish left by the first team who came to dig up the footings and the bricklayers in the garden was a joke. We had to go round the garden, picking up Red Bull cans, and various other bits of rubbish. Again, I know this is small but you just don't expect it when you're paying a reasonable sum of money for someone to come round and treat your garden like a bin... even though there are bins on the property and a skip on the front.

A pile of rubbish, boards, breeze blocks, tarps was left on our drive. We had to call through to get it taken away,


The Trades
The bricklayers work was a bit shonky. So much so the plasterer had to take down and rebuild a pillar. They also (maybe mistakenly) stole our wheelbarrow. We wouldn't have got it back unless we phoned about it. Sorted now but all adds up to the negative experience we've had so far.


Some the trades working on this job did a great job. The general finisher, electrician and plasterer/builder had all done good work and were polite and professional and worked to a high standard and the finished product looks good. The trouble was with the project management (or lack of). We still don’t know whether we need to have the job signed off nor if we’re expecting any certificates.

"I was impressed with the speed of …"

I was impressed with the speed of installation of 5 separate windows to form a bay and attention to detail of finishing. My neighbour also remarked "Did they work for the F1 pit crew? well quick!"

"Outstanding quality yet extremely affordable"

Windows and doors are extremely expensive to buy but this company work alongside a finance agreement which can be taken out over 10 years and has an interest rate that is practically nothing, making your payments extremely affordable. Plus there is no penalty for overpayment or settling your account early.
The sales reps are very knowledgeable and never make you feel like you are pressured into committing to a purchase, yet always trying to offer you the best deal they possibly can.
We recently had a composite door installed in our house which we are extremely proud of and have also had Smiths round this week to buy some windows and doors from them too.
I cannot praise the company enough.