This Blog is intended as a forum for people to warn others of the potential problems they may encounter when they choose Scullery & Holz Interiors pl of Willoughby NSW 2068, Sydney Australia to design and install a kitchen or any other type of home renovation.
Our own experience with this company has been financial disaster - costing us an additional $11,600.00 on top of the price of $46,180.00 that appeared on the contract.
We first approached Scullery & Holz in February 2010 to give us a quote for our new kitchen. Stafan Mayer, the director, was told that we wished to appoint somebody who would be our sole contact during the process. We did not wish to be involved with plumbers, electricians, tilers, painters, benchtop providers or any body else during the entire process. We especially indicated that we required this person to also provide us with the NSW Home Warranty Insurance. Stefan Mayer assured us that he would be willing and able to meet our requirements. As a result of his prompt response to our enquiries and the detailed drawings provided, Scullery and Holz Interiors pl were choosen from the four companies which submitted quotes. We had a three hour meeting with Stefan Mayer in our home on 29th June 2010 to discuss all the finer points, inclusions and requirements to be incorporated in the contract. Stefan Mayer came to our home on 30th June 2010 and before we signed the contract he assured us that all the matters we had discussed the previous night were incorporated in the contract. We signed the contract and during the next two days we paid Scullery & Holz a deposit of $11,000.00 in cash. From that point onwards it was extremely difficult to contact Stefan Mayer. He would not answer his telephone nor reply to the numerous messages we left for him. Our emails sent to him were ignored by him. When we went to his showroom in Willoughby he was never there. We were obliged to deal with his father Tom, or his office assistant. They were never able to resolve any problems and merely relayed our concerns to Stefan. Eventually we would get a call from Stefan who would apologise profusely and indicate that he had been too busy to communicate earlier.
The NSW Home Warranty Insurance which should have been provided at the time of signing of the contract was never provided. We later found out that Scullery & Holz were unlicensed to do the work they had contracted to do. Further we were told by the NSW Dept of Fair Trading that Scullery & Holz had engaged unlicensed tradespersons to install the kitchen.
Scullery & Holz did not commence work on the kitchen until the middle of October 2010. Stefan Mayer's many promises to complete the kitchen by specified dates were never kept. The kitchen cabinets were not ordered until November 2010 and did not commence being manufactured by Lovely Kitchens until the cabinet maker was paid a deposit of $1,500.00. When the cabinets were ready to be picked up Scullery & Holz were unable to pay Lovely Kitchens the $13,500.00 owing. We went to Lovely Kitchens on 7th December 2010 with Stefan Mayer and took $13,500.00 in cash with us. While the cabinets were being loaded onto the pickup truck engaged by Scullery & Holz, we paid Stefan Mayer $13,500.00 in cash which he was to immediately pay Lovely Kitchens. It appeared that this was not enough and we paid Lovely Kitchens a further $1,749.00 by credit card as Stefan Mayer was unable to make this payment himself.
When the installer tried to install the cabinets he had numerous problems. He was unable to contact Stefan Mayer by telephone. After four days of frustration the installer walked off the job. The measurements for the cupboards along one wall were incorrect and the cupboards were protruding half way across the door architrave. Stefan Mayer suggested that the architrave be reduced by 100 mm with the cupboard flush up against it. THIS WAS UNACCEPTABLE. Stefan Mayer then suggested that two cupboard units be reduced by 50 mm each and that 50 mm be taken off the inside of each of the cupboard doors to save remaking the doors. This was also unacceptable as they would not match the profiles of all the other cupboard doors in the kitchen.
