Thank you for purchasing your new kitchen from Leekes. We would like to take this opportunity to reassure you that you have made the right decision as we have over 40 years of experience of helping customers with their kitchen project and we aim to use the knowledge we have gained in that time to try to ensure your new kitchen is all you wish it to be.
The next few weeks
• Please carefully check your plan and notify your designer immediately if you need to make any amendments. Changes after order confirmation cannot be guaranteed without potentially
changing the cost of the kitchen and extending the lead time. You will also need to confirm any changes with your fitter in case this affects the installation cost and timescales.
• If you are using an independent approved installer, they will have completed a prefit survey by visiting you in your home to check your kitchen plan against our Installers Survey Checklist, confirming the cost and timescale of your installation and agreed your fitting date. If they have highlighted any suggested design amendments, please notify your designer as quickly as possible so your plan can be updated.
• Once the design is finalised and you are happy with your kitchen, your design and completed contract paperwork will be passed to one of our Customer Service Managers who will complete a final check. Once this has been done your kitchen order will then be processed.
• You will be contacted by one of our Customer Service team 2 weeks prior to delivery to confirm delivery dates with you.
• To minimise the time required for you to store your new kitchen, we aim to arrange the delivery as close to the fitting date you agree as possible. The kitchen cabinets are usually delivered direct from the manufacturer with appliances and worktops delivered separately by the Leekes delivery team.
• If there is an outstanding balance, we ask that this is paid in full 10 working days before the delivery of your new kitchen. You can either visit your local store or one of our Customer Service team will contact you to arrange payment. If you have arranged the balance to be paid through a finance agreement, the balance will be charged to that agreement around 2 days prior to the delivery with the term commencing on the date of delivery.
Preparing for the installation
The installation of a new kitchen is a major project and typically you should expect to have reduced kitchen facilities for between 1 and 3 weeks during the installation period.
It is important to be aware that during the early days of your installation you could be without water, gas and/or electricity for periods of time.
The installation of a new kitchen will create a significant amount of dust and disruption which cannot be avoided but there are a few things you can do which can help make the process easier:
• Consider where your new kitchen is going to be stored whilst the old one is being removed. Will it fit in a garage or out-house?
• Plan the packing up of the contents of your existing kitchen carefully. Clearly label boxes with what is inside them so you can access them if needed and ensure all cupboards and drawers are empty before an installer arrives.
• If possible move a microwave, kettle and fridge into another room.
• Consider buying a small hotplate or induction hob to use.
• Keep a small collection of cutlery, crockery and glasses unpacked.
• For safety keep children and pets away from the installation area.
On the day
• The date of the delivery of your kitchen cabinets will be confirmed by the Leekes Customer Service team. The delivery is made directly to you by our supplier so we are unable to confirm a delivery time. The Customer Service team will also confirm the dates of any Leekes deliveries too.
• Please make every effort to be available to receive your delivery personally to check the items as they are unloaded. If there are any obvious damages to boxes or items are missing, please contact our Customer Service team on 01443 667773 or email installations.customerservice@leekes.co.uk. All items should be checked within 72 hours of delivery and any issues reported with photos to the Customer Service team.
• Unfortunately once a delivery date for your kitchen cabinets has been confirmed with you, any late changes to this date will result in an additional charge of £250 to cover cost incurred by our manufacturers.
After installation
As every house and every kitchen is different, there may be some final finishing touches to be completed once most of your kitchen is installed. If additional parts or fixtures are requested, these will usually be sent directly to you from the manufacturer and you will receive a call to confirm when this will happen.
If you are having a quartz, granite or other type of worksurface that requires templating, the templating can only be done once the cabinets are in place. Once the templating is complete, you
will need to allow 10-14 days before the final installation of the worksurface.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many deliveries should I expect?
We aim to keep the number of deliveries to a minimum. Your kitchen cabinets are generally delivered directly by the manufacturer by specialist teams while the other elements of your new kitchen, such as appliances and work surfaces, will be delivered separately.
Can I make changes to my order after it has been placed?
Once your order has been passed to our manufacturer and production has commenced you will be unable to make any changes without potentially incurring additional costs and/or delays. Please therefore check any measurements and the details of your order closely before continuing. If manufacturing has not started then changes may be accommodated but please be aware that any changes to the design may result in a change to the costs of your new kitchen, its delivery date and the cost of installing it.
Who can I contact to discuss my order?
Once your order has been confirmed with your designer, our Customer Service team will take responsibility for ordering and scheduling it. You can contact them on 01443 667773 or via email installations.customerservice@leekes.co.uk. If you have any queries after delivery then please let the team know as soon as possible and they will help to resolve this.
Are the approved independent kitchen installers employed by Leekes?
Leekes do not employ kitchen fitters but we do have the details of a number of local kitchen installers which our customers have used in the past and who they are happy to recommend. While we complete a number of checks before sharing their details, the decision to use these fitters is yours and you should ensure you request any details from them which are important to you before you appoint them. Approved independent installers provide a 2 year guarantee against the installation of the kitchen and carry £2m of public liability insurance.
When do I pay in full for my order?
You will need to settle any outstanding balance 10 days before your kitchen is due to be delivered. You can either visit your local store or one of our Customer Service team will contact you to arrange payment.