The Barnes Installation Group Reviews 7

Andy's crew completed my bathroom around a year ago - and while after that time no critical issues arose, my overall impression of their work remains relatively low.

First important aspect about this company: Andy Barnes simply subcontracts the works to independent builders crews - at least it was the case for me. Andy itself have barely visited the site after the works started and wasn't actively managing and overseeing the project.

The crew I had were fairly experienced builders - however I found them lacking knowledge when it comes to things that deviate from off-the-shelf materials and appliances. For example, whilst Andy promised that they had experience with encaustic cement tile - in practice my crew have never installed them before. It was further worsened by the fact that only crew foreman spoke good English sufficient to discuss the nuances of materials and their installation.

Upon completion, my main points of concern remain around the quality of the finish and attention to detail. Some of the most upsetting issues are:
* tile lippage: in couple places I've measured almost 3mm in difference between the adjacent tiles level
* tile grout cracks: in many places tile grout formed hairline cracks and even started to crumble. Likely because incorrect water ratio when mixed.
* paint and finish: just very poor plastering and painting: uneven lines, scratches, etc
* silicone: wrong technique (likely with a finger) resulting in a concave shape that looses on edges. Minor leak around the shower screen.

Overall, I found this work to be "builders grade": something that just barely passes the building regulations. I am not sure if I would recommend this company, unless there is no other alternative for some reason.

We have been very pleased with the work done by Andy's team: Florin, (a different) Andy and Gigi. We had a wet room installed, and a second bathroom fitted. The team were always punctual, exceptionally hard working, very keen to get everything perfect and on the few occasions when things weren't, they swiftly rectified this for me. Impressively fast workers, they completed both rooms in 4 weeks to a very high standard and we are delighted with the finished rooms. Thank you to everyone.

After deciding to have my bathroom revamped to a shower room, I contacted two companies, Ripples and one other. I was recommended Ripples by a friend who had her installation from them a few years ago. Their designer Joanne Sangster was accompanied by Andy Barnes Director of Barnes Installation Group to my home to discuss my requirements. I was very impressed by their expertise and I decided very quickly to choose Joanne's design and Andy’s company to carry out the work. They started on the day they promised, deliveries arrived over a few days. I changed a few items along the way, Joanne was great during this time. Andy’s team were very hardworking, there were a few snags but these were quickly resolved. I very much appreciated Joanne and Andy’s support during the installation. The shower room is now fantastic, very high spec and a joy to use. I would highly recommend both Joanne and Andy for design and installation.

We could not be any happier with our new bathroom and the service provided by BIG. Andy and his team made the experience very easy and enjoyable from start to finish. The guys made sure all details/decisions had been discussed and agreed to make sure it was exactly as we wanted it and it has turned out even better than we imagined. We had complete trust in them from day one and they worked extremely hard. The guys were very respectful of the rest of the house and always left the work space neat and tidy at the end of each day.

We would absolutely recommend BIG to anyone who's thinking of having their bathroom done.

Great overall service. Survey was thorough and the quote very detailed. They phoned to check all was ok on the Friday before work started on the Monday. They put down lots of floor protection and took good care of the house. Fitters were friendly and worked extremely hard - some of them didnt speak very good English but there was always someone on site who did and Andy (the boss) came in regularly to check on things. Finished bathroom looked fantastic. Would use again.

Excellent company that delivered a well managed service and high quality finish from their team of skilled, efficient & professional trades. Of the few hitches we had, they were resolved quickly with solutions provided and discussed with us. They managed the entire installation and liaised with suppliers on deliveries and any additional items required. They provided a flawless finish, worked all day and every day, and finished within the time estimated. Highly recommend and will use again on further projects.

Excellent service. Always answered my questions and got back to me promptly. A very detailed quote. Work was continually checked. Very happy and will use them again.