Choices Windows

On 15 July 2016 I ordered my porch with Nathan Beddows – dwarf wall, composite door, UPVC windows and pitched roof. I paid my deposit the next day and the surveyor visited 28 July. The start date for the work was confirmed on 2 separate occasions as 23 August. 22 August – Brian, Operations Manager, calls to say work would be delayed as a member of the building team had called in sick. From this point onwards, delays were common as were excuses and communication around the scheduling of work was poor. Work started 30 August and the base and dwarf wall were finished 6 September. 15 September - windows and door fitted. I called the Operations Manager that day as it was clear there was a problem - the top of the windows were around 1 foot lower than the top of the door (see images). How could a pitched roof go on? Choices seemed unaware of this issue. No covering was put in place to protect the structure from the weather. 28 Sept - correct frames installed and roof started. 02 October - roof and plastering completed. Upon ‘completion’ of the porch there were some issues that needed to be put right (these had been emailed to Choices on 15 Sept). 2 steps had been installed going from one side to the centre of the porch and this meant the other side had a large drop which was unacceptable and potentially hazardous, plus the retaining wall and a paving slab had to be made good (see images). Choices seemed to think I should pay extra for these issues to be made good and after some wrangling, it took another 2 weeks before these issues were sorted on 17 Oct. In total, it took over 3 months from the date of the deposit for the porch to be completed. Another issue was being asked for payment by the tradespeople when they undertook the work. Choices did not inform me in advance that payment would be requested, nor how much this would be. Some of the tradespeople were not forthcoming in offering receipts for cash payments. I had 5 different sets of tradespeople work on the porch – builder for the base and brick wall, fitter of door and incorrect windows, fitters of correct windows and roof, a plasterer and guys to sort out the steps and wall. The quality of the products are high and the finished porch looks good. The work undertaken by the tradespeople was excellent and they were polite and friendly. It’s a real shame that the process to achieve the end product was so frustrating. My reason for contracting a local, independent company to undertake the job was to minimise the stress of co-ordinating different tradespeople but the scheduling and organisation of work by Choices seemed non-existent. I thought the customer service would be better than using one of the larger, national companies but it wasn’t good. Please think very carefully before placing an order with this company. If I had my time again, I would make a different choice. Needless to say, I would not recommend them!