MATTeL

Okay so my sink self-destructs, dumps the contents of the sink into the cupboard below and destroys loads of things. Okay, these things happen.

I take the now in pieces plug hole apart and find the waste pipe bolt has sheared (made out of the toughest plastic). his bolt held the plug hold firmly (or not as it is now) to all the pipe work below.

I trundle this evening to B&Q and find the plumbing expert (in the wallpaper area) as for help and it goes something like this:

"Excuse me I have had a problem with my kitchen sink."
"Yes you have."
"Excuse me?"
"Well part of it is in you hands. <laughs>"
"I was wondering..."
"We don't do them."
"What?"
"<technical name long since forgotten> that is the wrong size we have <mind shuts down>"
"Right... well do you have anything that could replace everything?"
"Yes in plumbing."

Having been to the plumbing section and been faced with about 10 feet of wall containing shelves of plastic bags and looking for 10 minutes with no luck I continued.

"At the end of the aisle, they are obvious."
"Umm okay"

I walk back to plumbing and have a look, well the platic bags were laughing at me I couldn't find a darn thing. I here a sigh behind me.

"Here"

His hand reaches out grabs a bag and gives it to me.

"But this pipe is smaller"
(The waste pipe)
"You have to replace it"
"Only the bolt broke."
"You have to replace everything."
"Why?"
"Because you do."
"Umm... okay"
"The you will need to seal it."
"Right"
"With glue or <something> sealant."
"Umm... my kitchen sink is white."
"SO?"

I obviously at this point had upset him, stopping him in mind glue/sealent on selling mode.

"The bit that sinls in the sink is anodised blue."
"So?"
"It will look awful."
"Go to a plumbers merchants then."

I had upset him by stopping him in mid-glue/sealent on selling.

"But..."
"Oh but of course they are all closed now."
"So are there any other options you have to help fix my sink."
"Look you can either use this (the bag of blck plastic with blue metal) or nothing."

Some how I now have in my hand by broken sink bits, the new awful sink bits and some glue/sealent stuff.

BTW the sealent which I would have to use under a sink in a cupboard said "Use only in well ventalated areas, do not get on skin", good choice of product then.

All of a sudden he turns and starts helping some 20-something girl with a low cut top. The advice and help she was getting was fantastic, if only she had a broken sink I could have just listened in!

I started to walk to the cash desks, decided I didn't want my purchases and did something I never normally do. I dumped them on some other non-related products.

B&Q if you want to keep customers try and be a bit more helpful. This is the second time I have been given grief by one of the plumbing assistants. It will not happen a third time!

If I had known where the Homebase in Watford was I would have been trying to get them to help me by now!

(Sorry about the rant I just needed to explode... oh and don't get me started about the clutch pedal!)

Luke

How old are you??? Did you belive that B&Q would ever be able to help??!!!!!!!!!!!!!
When the guy started to serve the lady ,you should have told "Him straight" To finish serving you.

If you want good service from shops like this go to "Sears" or "walmart "In the states. They hire old ritired folk who have trade backgrounds. The knowledge they have is great. B&Q is staffed by and managed by dum idiots.

MATTeL

I'm not sure my age has anything to do with it!

Just his attitude sucked... I have had some helpful advice from B&Q before. Normally the really old guys that have done the real trade before.

mj

bit general that comment, i find alot of the staff know their onions, and if they dont they ask someone who does.

my experience only! oh, and it was a plumbing problem aswell, i think the guy just touched unlucky.

MATTeL

Which guy?

I must say most of the B&Q staff I have dealt with have been fine. Just that one git n plumbing hates me for some reason!

Clarebabes

I have never had a problem with them, but I don't ask them too much, only things like, "where's the sealant" and stuff like that. Most of them seem a little put out by customers, which is a shame, coz it is like my dream come true in there. If only I could find myself a £1m B&Q voucher - pure heaven!

Luke

Look it a muppet shop... Staffed by muppets . Selling Muppet stuff to a hell of a lot of muppets.

IWatkins

I still use B&Q etc. only for stuff that 'will do'. 99 times out of a hundred you can get better quality and sometimes cheaper at the 'professional' places. I.e. Underwoods, Travis Perkins etc. Although the are mainly for trade, they do welcome retail sales, in fact, most places are setup for retail nowadays.

For instance, bought a load of fencing materials to do our garden. Specced up all the stuff that was needed down to the last screw. B&Q came in at £598.27 not including delivery. Quality of the panels and more importantly the fence posts wasn't all that. Local sawmill up the road could do all the same stuff for £465.98 and out of really good wood. The fence posts (and other pressure treated stuff we needed) even comes with a warranty . All delivered for free and even carried 80 feet up our steep driveway and nicely stacked up in our garden. Even get a smile and free advice from them.

Only problem ? These places aren't open at 7.48p.m. on a Thursday evening when you really do need the right bit

Cheers

Ian

The Crushinator

Bunch of amateurs!

Phil

My Mum works in B&Q[so generalisation of all staff is not appreciated]

They like employing the older person usually for there experiance

Phil

BTW MATTeL looking for paint remover

Makalu

Should have worn a low cut top and a mini skirt - obvious!

Mak.

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

Must say that I use Screwfix Direct, who are owned by B&Q, I think.
NEVER had probs with them. They have advice staff on the end of a phone at all hours, and really do deliver "next day".
Cheap too!
BTW: If you want a really good DIY place, good prices, free advice, just pop over the channel (!!) to "Monsieur Bricolage", in France They sell stuff B&Q never even heard of!

spider

iTrader: (1)

On a general note, you'll probably find that the blue anodising is actually a very thin protective film that can be peeled off.

Back when dinosaurs roamed, and I worked for a fitted kitchen company, all our waste fittings that were polished chrome came like that to give them some protection from the clutz plumbers we used who seemed to tighten everything with a 3 foot Stillson wrench!

Have you got a local builders merchant or 'proper' old fashioned hardware store - may be more help than Breakit & Quit? (IMHO)

Cheers,
Steve

MATTeL

I wasn't making a generlaisation of B&Q staff. I have only found two unhelpful ones... the rest of the time the staff have been very friendly and helpful (even telling me where to get something that will do the job without modification and cheaper!)

If the was a protective film why didn't he tell me that!

Huge

Luke,

Think going to the States for a bit of plastic pipe might have been an even more expensive option

Hugh

chockymonster

The blue film is definately a protective film
When our new sink arrived it was covered in it, 3 comments (all from blonde women, not that I'm generalising against blonde women) asked why we'd gone for a blue sink as it didn't match the kitchen

MATTeL

Right so a trip back to B&Q to get the bits, eat some humble pie and finally have a working sink!

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

Wickes probably do the same kit for £££'s cheaper!
And Screwfix, for even less.:

Luke

"Wickes" what the Thuck would anyone go there for??????

Jesus that place is Krap.

Clarebabes

Popping over to the country retreat next week, anyone want anything?

paulr

I always look out the older staff for advice.....most of the questions you have they can answer from experience