Howdens uk

[Nippychippy]

Well I was in my local Howdens and the manager came to me asking would I be interested in doing granite worktops  [scared] I tell him that I don't have the tools for it to which he repays Howdens are going to be sell a white and black granite worktops. So this is starting to tickle my fancy now.

This is what Howdens have told me  for a 3m worktop 25mm thick will cost £330 and when the launch the  this range the first ten installers that order the worktops will be given tool kit worth £250 which consists of a flex polisher with 10 diamond sanding pads including buffing pads for black and white worktops. A 45mm diamond wholesaw for the corners of your cut outs a 30mm diamond rasp for tidying up the cut outs, A 50mm rasp for tidying up your external curves  before sanding and buffing ,All these will fit and are designed to fit in the flex polisher. Also in the kit a diamond  blade that fits I to your ts55  or other plunge saws and your oil protector for the worktops

So I am shocked at what he is telling me I say to him are you doing training for it he says no they are going to do a few demo days and the have a dvd you can watch  and once you watch it and any kitchen fitter can do it  [eek]

So I watch dvd yesterday and you would not belive how easy it looks he then tells me there is a guy coming today to fit out the show room and he invited me back to have a go and asked my opinion  [big grin] I said now problem

I get there at 9.30  they had it marked out for a hob and a radius end unit.Make sure it's all well surported. All you do is place 45mm diamond drill bit into the flex polisher(which you get in the kit) buy or make a jig to hold the bit in place at the corners and drill all four corners. Put the diamond blade (which you get in the kit) into you ts55 the blade is about 2.5 to 3 mm.place your track down  reduce speed and cut it out like a wooden worktop. Clean up the cuts at the corners with the 30mm diamond rasp into the polisher (which comes with the kit) and remove the sharp edges  that is your your hod cut out [eek] easy as that

Now to the radius end place the Howdens  radius jig on the corner  mark with a pencil or marker  cut most of it with the ts55 and what's left remove to the line with the 50mm rasp. Place the sanding pad on the flex sander  work up thru the grits use the correct  Buffer to finish  and chamfer the edges as you are going thru the grits. Flip the worktop over and sand the under side in about 40mm  going thru the grits and the buff  [big grin] and that's it done

The but joints just get chamfered with the sander going up thru the grits and buff. Pack and level worktops  and the joints just get filled with two part epoxy which they provide

The fitter told me that the place in Glasgow charge £1500 for a 3m lenght and a polished suface is extra 

I am still I shock how easy it was will be pushing for my customers to go fore it when I can

The kit that you get to replace the  blades , drill bits,and sanding pads will be about £80 

What's everyone's thoughts on this

 

[promhandicam]

The designer from my local Howdens was at a granite training last Wednesday - I'll have to have a chat to him about it as he was supposed to be measuring up a kichen on Wednesday for one of my customers and had to cancel.

 

[wow]

As guy who spent years doing marketing, it sounds like they are doing this very smart. They invest a few bucks in tools with experienced tradespeople, and you invest a few hours getting good using them. Seems like smart business to me, and I'd be all over it if I wanted to do that kind of work and it was offered to me!

 

[joiner1970]

Lol can't wait to see the mess some of these so called fitters make of these worktops. Some of the people I see in my local howdens look like they'd have trouble writing their own name lol.

Interesting about the free tools though and I'm sure once you're up and running it's gonna get you more work coming in. Another string to the bow.

 

[Nippychippy]

Oh and I forget to say was that they are going to replace a worktop if you mess one up foc  just the once

 

[Nippychippy]

Lol can't wait to see the mess some of these so called fitters make of these worktops. Some of the people I see in my local howdens look like they'd have trouble writing their own name lol.

Interesting about the free tools though and I'm sure once you're up and running it's gonna get you more work coming in. Another string to the bow.

Ye that is so true  but for the rest of us its a money maker

 

[joiner1970]

Oh and I forget to say was that they are going to replace a worktop if you mess one up foc  just the once

That's good

 

[Wuffles]

I wonder what the quality of the granite will be. Sounds like Mister Marble sort of prices, and that's been wanting on occasion in my experience. But then, some people just want granite and you're right, at least you can make a little on it (rather than farm it out and make money on subbying it instead [tongue])

 

[Nippychippy]

I wonder what the quality of the granite will be. Sounds like Mister Marble sort of prices, and that's been wanting on occasion in my experience. But then, some people just want granite and you're right, at least you can make a little on it (rather than farm it out and make money on subbying it instead [tongue])

I did ask the question which they couldn't answer I white granite has black mixed true which is nice the to black worktops  which has grey white bits in it but on the black it looked like there was voids in the granite which had been filled with stone dust I personal won't want the black with the defects in it but they are going to look into it  causes it's going to bring a lot of problems with customers

 

[joiner1970]

There's some cheap stuff around lately. I did a few kitchens for a builder last year and 2 of them he got guys in to do granite tops and I'm sure he said it was £600 a kitchen. As you can guess it wasn't all that lol.

 

[jimbouk]

Is it real or composite? Sounds like composite... gonna check it out when i next go in there cheers.

 

[bigoldhillsroundhere]

The difficult part of fitting granite / composite worktops is not the fitting, but getting the tops off the back of the van into the kitchen !
Its a dark art best left to the pros

 

[joiner1970]

The difficult part of fitting granite / composite worktops is not the fitting, but getting the tops off the back of the van into the kitchen !
Its a dark art best left to the pros

You're right there. I was working on a big house years ago and they had a guy in fitting their kitchen. The island wasn't  finished so they left that slab against a wall and left. Next day the kitchen guy asked me to give him a lift with it as he was on his own. Wow that stuffs heavy ,I thought it was glued to the ground lol. It was only about 6' x 4' too

 

[Deansocial]

I can buy a 3m length of 30mm granite polished edges a d a sink cit out for what they are charginging for the length, yeah its cheap stuff but sod cutting it. Leave it to the pros

 

[sancho57]

Hey Dean good to see Ya posting again. You coming this year?

Anyway I agree. If fitting granite is that easy where someone could just get a CD and pick up the tools, anyone can do it. Why would I need to hire someone when I can watch a CD and do it myself

 

[MAK]

Granite should be left to professional's.  Heavy job lifting and expensive if done wrong.
The company I use always do a great job. Once it took 6 guys to fit an island top!!

 

[E30Mark]

Another Howdens special!

Cheap Granite, forget it. Don't try fitting this with a fussy customer, you'll be called back every-time they stain the top with something.

Like others have said, the weight is the biggest problem! Not uncommon having 3-6 guys lifting the large bits into place.

I'll be leaving this job to a 3rd party  [cool]

Plus i wouldn't want to be using my plunge saws to cut granite  [eek]

 

[Jak147]

Howdens standard worktops are ruff enough, I'd hate to think what budget granite tops are going to look like!
Quality aside fitting a granite top tight between two walls with a hob/sink cutout in it is a exercise I'd gladly pay someone else to enjoy!
The guys we use run at about £1000 for an average 4 top kitchen plus granite
For that they come to site to template and then return 5 days later to install. Until the paperwork is signed at the end of the job the tops are entirely their responsibility. Any breakages are replaced at their expense
The granite comes in a 2000x3000. From this the tops are machined out. This gives some wiggle room for wobbles in the wall and up stands if required
Im afraid I just can't see how Howdens can provide this from a 600 top

 

[Distinctive Interiors]

It sounds as though they are approaching this Granite thing in the same way they do their kitchens.....with a poor quality and slap happy attitude.

As has been said, leave it to the professionals. The cost of well fitted Granite is worth it in the long run.
I've fitted hundreds of kitchens that have Granite fitted to them and I wouldn't entertain buying it in oversize slabs and cutting and polishing it myself.

Tim.

 

[Deansocial]

Howdens standard worktops are ruff enough, I'd hate to think what budget granite tops are going to look like!
Quality aside fitting a granite top tight between two walls with a hob/sink cutout in it is a exercise I'd gladly pay someone else to enjoy!
The guys we use run at about £1000 for an average 4 top kitchen plus granite
For that they come to site to template and then return 5 days later to install. Until the paperwork is signed at the end of the job the tops are entirely their responsibility. Any breakages are replaced at their expense
The granite comes in a 2000x3000. From this the tops are machined out. This gives some wiggle room for wobbles in the wall and up stands if required
Im afraid I just can't see how Howdens can provide this from a 600 top

Them slabs sure are heavy too. I fitted a night club and we did all the granite on site from full slabs. We did have a huge bridge saw on site and water fed router but wouldnt do it again.