Ive nothing to add with regards to Dolphin but like all interest free credit it is worth looking into in case you are really paying for it in other ways eg price of installation or whatever. Might be worthwhile pricing up similar bathroom fixtures n fittings from elsewhere and seeing h ow much it would cost if you paid some interest.

Thanks Zaylee. I've been busying myself looking around this morning. My friend had her bathroom done recently by an independant guy so will get him round also

We had them round to give us a quote when we had our bathroom done. They were twice as expensive as the local guy we ended up going with.

I have a feeling that is what is going to happen, Queen. Did the Dolphin guy give you the hard sell, or was it okay?

I would really like one of their walk in baths with the Jacuzzi bit, I have to say.

I know someone who had a Dolphin guy round to give a quote.......he was there for hours.....he kept saying "let me just call my manager to see if he can do you a deal" and "let me see if we can change the payment plan" etc etc etc. Just be wary Tartan.

quote:

Originally posted by Dobby the House Elf:
I would really like one of their walk in baths with the Jacuzzi bit, I have to say.

I had a really bad experience with them - but it was about 20 years ago so they might have changed now.

I had someone come round to give me a quote for putting a shower into the bathroom.
I was young and it was my first house - well flat really! - and I was living on my own.

So I was easy prey for the hard sell - and thats what I got. Their stuff was very expensive and the salesman just wouldn't leave, He kept saying that I'd only get the discount if I signed up there and then. It had to be that evening. I wanted to take a bit of time to think about it but he said I'd only get the discount if I made the decision then and there, before he left.
He really bullied me.

Like an idiot I fell for it.

I wrote him a cheque for the deposit and then realised I'd been pressured into paying well over the odds so - first thing in the morning - I rang the bank and cancelled the cheque.

I'm not saying there would have been anything wrong with their products or work - but it IS expensive and their salesmen are trained for the "hard sell" - or they WERE.

I got it all done by a good local plumber for far less eventually - and very satisfactorally too.
Have a look at one of your local big bathroom/showrooms. They have walk in showers and jacuzzis and everything - and a lot cheaper.
It's best to compare prices.

quote:

Originally posted by Tartanveggie:
I have a feeling that is what is going to happen, Queen. Did the Dolphin guy give you the hard sell, or was it okay?

As far as I can remember, he was ok actually BUT I think it depends on the sort of salesman you get. I have a feeling he would not let me have a written copy of the quote though until we agreed to have the work done. My dad works for Everest windows and he refuses to do hard selling, he always says that he feels uncomfortable badgering people into signing something they're clearly not sure about. He also says though that he is in the minority as far as sales tactics go and that he knows a lot of guys are really pushy. I'm always fairly brusque with salesmen and they generally know that if I say no, I mean it.
I'm not really a fan of these big companies, they are purely sales driven and although they push the quality message, in my experience they're no better than other independant places. B & Q were pretty good though, you can do planning etc in store and I didn't get any hard sell from them, although, as I said, in the end I went with a local guy and was more than happy with his service. He also gave us decent credit terms so it's always worth asking around.

Hi TV

I came across this site a little while ago while researching something completely different & hope it's of use....follow the link to Bathroom hell.

http://www.kitchenhell.co.uk/

quote:

Originally posted by Heatseek:
Hi TV

I came across this site a little while ago while researching something completely different & hope it's of use....follow the link to Bathroom hell.

http://www.kitchenhell.co.uk/

That's really interesting.
I never knew Dolphin were part of Moben!

It doesn't sound good does it?

Thanks for all your advice people. I learned the hard way with the hard sell thing. We ended up paying way over the odds for our double glazing. I would now never, ever, go with with the first quote for anything.

I've already been told that the salesman will be here at least 2 hours. I will make it clear that I will not be signing up that day and will be getting at least one more quote.

Well done for cancelling the cheque Artymags. Bullying salesman, not good

quote:

Originally posted by Heatseek:
Hi TV

I came across this site a little while ago while researching something completely different & hope it's of use....follow the link to Bathroom hell.

http://www.kitchenhell.co.uk/

I think this confirms that I will go with the guy who did a very good job on my friend's bathroom! Thanks Heatseek

Tartanveggie
I was a Quality Bathroom installer an Regd Gas Fitter ,
before every Tom Dick and IT guy thought they could become a £100,000 a year plumber on 6 week become a plumber course

These fools flooded the industry ...(sorry for the pun but I seen their jobs )
Avoid that firm like bad aids ..lol

I have had the unpleasant task of going to their bodge jobs over the years ...
Its heartbreaking to see couples in upset /despair at having to still pay for a crappy job ...
their contracts are cast iron ..lol

Im not in the industry now but would advice you get 3 local firms to quote you,
and Use UK Firms

too many dodgy Poles about too ..

Im not working through sickness at present ,

but when Im able Im retraining ....

Im an ex time served clean an tidy RGI /Plumber
no work there now

Thanks Mike, you are all so fabulous here! It's great getting a wealth of experience from you all x

Tartanveggie

It broke my heart going those jobs and finding out how much they STILL Owed !!!

get local blokes with a *full* portfolio an ring past works ...

I'm going to cancel the Dolphin guy coming. I am silly even thinking of going there, it's like driving instructors, people go to big organisations like BSM thinking they are getting the best, when the opposite is true. If the guys were any good, they would have their own business and be making 4 times as much.

So again, thank you all for making me see sense. I am phoning the guy who did my friend's in the morning. He did a brilliant job.

I DEF THINK IT IS A GOOD IDEA NOT TO SIGN ON THE DAY COS USUALLY THEY OFFER YOu big discounts and special deals if you sign on the dotted line there and then but it is better to get a few quotes and then mull them over in my opinion. Sorry about the capitals before.

I don't know anything about Dolphin Bathrooms but if these links are to be believed, Dolphin
Bathrooms are bad.

http://home.btconnect.com/tg/dolphin.htm

http://www.ciao.co.uk/Dolphin_...ooms__Review_5270238

http://www.youthejury.com/Curr...+and+Garden&pageid=1

TV!! well! has your furniture came yet?

What you shocked at?! My table and chairs are here, just waiting for my scrumptious 3 and 4 seat massive purple sofas

I got the Dolphin brochure today, I've decided not to cancel, may as well get as much info as possible so I can go to local guy knowing exactly what I want

I'm too scared to click on those links, Doc. I may never let anyone take my old toilets away if I do.

quote:

Originally posted by Tartanveggie:
What you shocked at?! My table and chairs are here, just waiting for my scrumptious 3 and 4 seat massive purple sofas

I got the Dolphin brochure today, I've decided not to cancel, may as well get as much info as possible so I can go to local guy knowing exactly what I want

I'm too scared to click on those links, Doc. I may never let anyone take my old toilets away if I do.

I dunno why I posted the shocked smilie! hehe..

Hey I brought an Orphpedic mattress a few weeks ago and I have just clicked why I am not sleeping!! it is so hard and surely it should have settled to my body now

I bought a memory foam one a couple of months ago. It is so thick that I have a ladder up the side to climb up and my nose touchs the ceiling once I'm in it.

I'm not liking the sound of your one! Do you want me to jump on it a bit and settle it in?

We used Dolphin about 20 years ago to completely re-fit our bathroom and what a bad decision that was!!

It was an absolute nightmare - the taps didn't fit properly, the bath didn't fit flush to the wall and there was no pressure in the shower unit and the man himself was the dirtiest bugger on the planet and, after he'd gone, I discovered the biggest wotsits down the toilet which made me want to heave!!

He was obviously not used to 'flushing'!!

Although we fought to get some of our money back, we gave up in the end and had to get a private plumber in to fix all the disasters!

Yes...Dolphin, Moben & Sharps are all the same company. I wouldn't use their services at all.

All depends on the trademan you get to do the job really. They have been featured on Watchdog a few times. 5 star prices but usually a 1 star finish.

A couple of years ago I got a bath and basin from the now defunct MFI for not very much money. I asked for a quote for fitting them both and it was around the £800 mark! And when MFI went under many of the tradesmen didn't get their last week's wages from them, the profiteering b*****ds!

Got a plumber to do my bathroom wares for about £3-350.

My mother had a Dolphin bathroom 15 years ago - she had a teeny tiny bathroom yet they still managed to put the hard sell on her and charge her £5000 for it. They also talked her into doing it through a credit agreement. A lot of stuff broke just after the guarantee finished i.e the shower and jacuzzi in the bath. The worst was the loo cos the fixtures and fittings kept breaking on it making it impossible to flush so we had to replace the loo as dolphin wanted to charge a fortune to replace them. The credit agreement was nothing short of legalised loan sharking which made the matter worse and took years to pay off as it was rotational interest not a fixed sum. Mom was an easy target for these jokers.

If you'ved cancelled it I'd say that's the best decision and potentially one of the most financially sensible things you will have done.

Reading all this makes me realise what a lucky escape I had !!!!

Im glad you all agree I hated posting as a an ex quality Bathroom installer ..

It looked like I was just slagging them off ...

I go a Big Rgd Plumber board an read from loads of no work guys going with them to the induction an being told well the sucker/mug/punters have paid just bodge it ...
the installers arent on great amounts when you break it down tbh ...
for work compared to the full price ...

I'm getting the guy in this morning, I didn't cancel, thought I might get some ideas. If he tries the hard sell, I'm going to show him this thread

Dolphinman was due at ten, it's now after 12 and we've heard nothing further from TV, do you think we should send in reinforcements?

They've gone!

Manager and trainee came, they were actually really lovely, not at all smarmy. I got great ideas for my bathroom.

First price they quoted was just over £9K, brought down to £8K with some finance option thing.

I told him there is no way I ever sign anything on the day and I will get back to them.

Obviously I'm not going with them, but they do have a lovely plug, I was fair taken with it, fab design, but patented to Dolphin. I can't justify £8000 cos I like the plug

Oh and thanks for your concern, Fluffers!

Oh TV, the thought of it. 8K for a plug.
Glad you survived intact though.

Dolphin just phoned and reduced it to £6500 It really angers me because some people would be naive and pay the first figure of £9100, and where would all that extra money go?

Hope you get your bathroom TV

Thanks Dusty! For the time being, I've decided to get the non tiled bit painted, and have bought new towels rails and stuff today.

quote:

Originally posted by Tartanveggie:
Dolphin just phoned and reduced it to £6500 It really angers me because some people would be naive and pay the first figure of £9100, and where would all that extra money go?

In their pockets.
Anglian Windows quoted £9500 to block pave a drive/side of house.
Local builder, same job, insured and guaranteed.
£3400
Same materials etc.
You pay for the name and they still expect you to put a bloody board outside telling the world who did the job.....

A good local builder and exceptional bargains to be had on bathroom suites and materials at the moment always undercut big companies like Dolphin.