1st Step Joinery

Absolutely appalling company & would advise anyone to stay away from them. Paid over £10,000 for a staircase that is now structurally unsafe. The bannister has wobbled since it was initially installed. Gave Andrew and his unqualified brother in law many chances to rectify the situation. It seems they are unqualified and unwilling to put the staircase right. His texts have been very unprofessional and one of his recent texts accused me of allowing my children to swing from the bannister hence the fact it wobbles. Even though it has wobbles from initial installation. I have 2 small children and he’s left me in a situation where the safety of my children is compromised because the spindles are all loose and the hand rail really wobbles. It’s only a matter of time before it falls apart. Andrew has since blocked my number so I’m unable to contact him. The painting and the joins are also appalling. A highly unprofessional company that I would advise you to steer well clear of.

The owner made great emphasis on being a member of the Guild of Master Craftsmen and that his work was to high exacting standards that could be checked by the guild. This was a key fact in selecting them. The first day he fitted feature newel posts by joining a 1.5 mtr post to other offcut posts instead of supplying a post 2.3m long. It resulted in very obvious joins (I have the photos) and I was formed they did not do longer posts! I pointed out posts are readily available up to 4m long, he then wanted more money to supply them. I should have told them to leave then. I got my full posts after a heated row. The new Consumer Rights Act 2015 allows a customer to make reasonable assumptions and if someone professes to be a master craftsman then you should expect fine traditional standards and finish. I got appalling customer service, basic rudimentary joinery at best, joins that didnt meet, overuse of mastic and fillers and a patchwork of strip wood on the strings and a fine finish of Ronseal. I stopped them putting on further coats. In the interests of balance one positive is that a top stair no longer squeaks. I have since paid a quality tradesman to put things right. Avoid this company.