Frequently Asked Questions
- Which appliances can I buy from you?
- What are your kitchen cupboards made of?
- What are the carcasses made of?
- How tough is your paint?
- Is it possible to re-paint the units in the future?
- What guarantee do I have from your Company?
- Do you have kitchen fitters?
- I can't possibly measure my own kitchen can you help?
- I don't like the sound of your Artisan tiled worktops, are they really suitable for my kitchen?
- How do I know that my kitchen will arrive on the day when I have already paid in full?
- Can I have my free-standing appliances housed?
- How much will a John Lewis of Hungerford kitchen cost?
- Can I buy just the handles?
- Where do you deliver and install?
1. Which appliances can I buy from you?
2. What are your kitchen cupboards made of?
The standard Artisan drawer boxes are solid wood with dovetail joints and deep pan drawers are made form MDF painted and supplied with non slip rubber mats. Our painted items i.e. doors, drawer fronts and side panels are made of 22mm thick moisture resistant MDF. The Artisan Natural range is made from either solid European Oak or solid American Walnut, both from sustainable sources.
3. What are the carcasses made of?
They are made of 18mm thick furniture board (including the backs) this is a man-made material which is of high density and we supply it thicker, at 18mm, than many other kitchen manufactures do. This material is fantastic for kitchen cabinets as it is robust yet not too heavy to transport and easy to adapt on site. For the painted kitchens it has a heavy gram weight of Oak coloured melamine which is adhered on both sides making more moisture resistant and it has a strong colour matched PVC front edge. If the kitchen is a colour split with a natural finish the painted cabinet element should be ordered specifically with the matching cabinet finish. I.e. Walnut cabinets have a Walnut coloured melamine finish and the Cool and Crème de la Crème have a silver melamine finished cabinet and can be upgraded to include steel drawer boxes.
4. How tough is your paint?
We have been painting kitchens for about 25 years. About 13 years ago we started using waterborne paint on our satin eggshell finishes for safety and environmental reasons. The high gloss finishes are based on a very tough, polishable polyurethane paint. Now we are using probably the toughest paint in the business, so used with care it will last a long time. All items are painted in our factory environment and fully hardened before transport.
5. Is it possible to re-paint the units in the future?
Yes, you can re paint cabinets in situ no problem, just remember the golden rule: preparation!
6. What guarantee do I have from your Company?
We offer a 1 year guarantee on our products against faulty workmanship or materials but we are not rigid on this - eg. if a hinge broke on month 14 we would replace free of charge, but only if the kitchen had not been neglected! Our Fusion work surface warranty is comprised of a number of parts.
- The base boards and hardwood edging is manufactured by John Lewis of Hungerford and is offered with a one year guarantee
- The Solid Surface material is manufactured and supplied with a 2 year guarantee.
7. Do you have kitchen fitters?
Yes, we have many teams of specialist registered and certified installers who would be delighted to fit your kitchen. They have worked with us for many years - some up to 19 years. We will give you a dry fit installation cost at the 1st design stage plus a price list for other work you may require. The appropriate fitter for your area and would also undertake the technical survey can choose to have any supplementary works undertaken with him directly during the survey. Our fitters MUST install the Fusion work surface.
iKBBI
We are proud to become the first independent retailer to achieve membership to The Institute of Kitchen, Bedroom & Bathroom Installers (or iKBBI as their better known). The Institute is the first and only Secretary of State approved and industry supported independent body specifically for professional kitchen, bedroom and bathroom installers in the UK.
We have worked closely with the institute developing a quality installation service that offers both assurance and quality for our customers.
iKBBI Director Damian Walters said "We are proud to have established a great relationship with John Lewis of Hungerford. Their decision to become founder retail members is a measure of their drive for excellence and we're positive that the procedures and installers now in place to service their customers leads the way in the retail installation market. Consumers can be assured of great service throughout".
Our new installation service offers a "one-stop-shop" for our customers, providing a great service and that all important peace of mind. Our service includes:
- Installation carried out by one of our experienced installers who are also iKBBI members
- Clear itemised pricing with a "no hidden cost" guarantee
- 12 month workmanship guarantee which can be extended to 24 months
- FREE professional technical survey at your home
- Continual contact and support from our showroom team throughout the installation
- Dedicated Project Manager to supervise the installation
- One-stop-shop installation including installation tiles, gas and electric (all legally certified)
Contact your nearest showroom for further details or visit The Institute of Kitchen, Bedroom & Bathroom Installers website at:
8. I can't possibly measure my own kitchen can you help?
You don't have to worry, we can help you - Because there are normally only a few critical dimensions in a kitchen room, in the 1st instance to get things moving we just need to know the basic room dimensions. For example where the doors and windows are plus if there is anything that needs to stay in the kitchen like a boiler or range etc, any gas or electric meters or unsightly pipes sticking out etc. If you have a low ceilings we need to know the height of that too. Our normal finished height for standard wall units and tall larder units is 2150mm. We make the kitchens too big and scribe them on site to fit, just like buying a carpet! Once we have your basic measurements we do all the designing for you in the showroom and when you are ready after the initial design meeting, for a small fee, we will arrange for a full technical survey to be done. The fee is refunded if your order is placed.
9. I don't like the sound of your Artisan tiled worktops, are they really suitable for my kitchen?
Tiled worktops can be a problem. This is because they are fitted incorrectly using the wrong grout and often with small tiles and thin grout lines which are impossible to clean. To tile a kitchen worktop successfully, you must use a good worktop quality tile and a two pack Epoxy Grout which is non-porous. A 5mm grout line is ideal and a standard that our fitters adhere too. This wider grout line makes wiping up spillages easy and ensures that the grout cannot stain as it is non-porous!! We have been using the Artisan Tiled worktop very successfully for many, many years and people frequently come back for their second kitchens and have them again even though they may have been sceptical at the beginning.
10. How do I know that my kitchen will arrive on the day when I have already paid in full?
We have been in business for 35 years plus and we are also a PLC. We are a very highly respected company and we have no record of not supplying goods to our customers
11. Can I have my free-standing appliances housed?
No!!!! Freestanding appliances are designed to be 'freestanding' with air circulating all around. Complications can occur if they are housed. It is always advisable to purchase specific integrated appliances if you wish to conceal them within your kitchen.
12. How much will a John Lewis of Hungerford kitchen cost?
Our prices generally speaking are much lower than you might expect. Originally we produced very expensive kitchens but with the birth of ARTISAN we had three unique selling points - Great Looks, High Quality and Affordability. On average our clients spend between £8000 and £25,000 including installation. For more information on how to order your John lewis of Hungerford Kitchen, please view steps to ordering.
13. Can I buy just the handles?
As these unique handles are made to our specification in a Birmingham foundry we do not sell them on their own!
14. Where do you deliver and install?
We deliver anywhere on the UK mainland. Our installers will travel anywhere too.
