Andrews Kitchens was contracted to replace our kitchen cupboards and counter-top in July 2007. The kitchen arrived from the supplier on time and everything was as we ordered it. The biggest problem is what seems to be a complete abdication of responsibility on the part of the owner. Good luck having them return a phone call after they have your money! They came to pick up a cheque very quickly, but when I call with a problem, they are "too busy" to respond.
1. The kitchen designer did not measure properly, and the crown moulding on the top of the cabinets would not fit as planned. So the installer had to fill some gaps with spare pieces of wood that are stained to match the cabinets. I believe he did his best, but it looks very odd and is not at all what we ordered. Friends and family who have seen the new kitchen have looked at it and asked "What happened there?" The owner's response is that it's not his fault, as it was the designer who made a mistake and no longer works there. I was not compensated for the mistake in any way - so I have paid full price for something that does not fit properly.
2. We had asked for maple cabinets, but the salesperson talked us into getting cherry because he said it was a stronger wood. We noticed that the store sample of cherry had some pitted marks that looked like flaws to us and asked whether these were indeed flaws or just a natural characteristic of the wood. He replied that they used a flawed piece for the sample, and that our new cabinets would not have these marks. Well, the new cabinets DO have these pits and marks in them. The installer told me that is a natural characteristic of cherry, and if we wanted a smoother finish, we should have ordered maple!
3. A bank of drawers and a corner cabinet were installed next to each other with no spacer or filler strip between them, and the cabinet door rubs up against the bank of drawers. It took almost 7 MONTHS (!!!) and several phone calls before the owner came to our house in February 2008 to take a look. He put a magnetic latch on the cabinet, but it made no difference. We still have a door and drawers rubbing together. Oh, and the cabinet door is no longer level.
4. One of the drawers is crooked and does not open and close properly. The owner looked at it in February and was not sure what the problem was. The installer came in March (almost 8 months after the installation). He determined that the drawer had been constructed incorrectly and was not perfectly square. He put a shim behind it, but it did not seem to do the trick, as the drawer is still crooked. In April and May, I have called a total of 5 times to ask that a new drawer be ordered. As of today's date (May 24), they have not ordered a new drawer. ("We've just been really busy" is the response.) If a new drawer is eventually ordered and installed, I will update this listing accordingly and indicate that this company did solve the problem.
5. I am now updating my review, as new drawers were ordered, and they were installed in the Fall. I was annoyed that it took so long, but it did happen, and everything seems fine now. My impression is that the owner will aim to improve in terms of follow-up on customer's problems from now on.
