Shopping Guide: Forest Craft
Forest Craft: An Informed Shopper's Guide
Why You Should Visit
Based on recent experiences, here's what you can generally expect when shopping at Forest Craft:
- Quality Products: You'll find a range of sheds, huts, summerhouses, log cabins and custom-made storage solutions. Products include the "Iris" log cabin, "Low Toolstore," and various garden sheds. Shoppers have highlighted the robust build of premium sheds featuring thick tongue and groove boards, designed around a strong frame.
- Customization: The location offers bespoke options to fit your specific needs. The availability of custom builds means you could obtain a product tailored to your exact dimensions, like the customized hut (3"x10") mentioned in one of the reviews, and even lower-priced options.
- Competitive Pricing: Shoppers often find the prices to be reasonable, particularly when compared to the quality and service received.
- Excellent Service:
- Helpful Staff: You'll find staff members, like Lee, who are helpful without pushing sales and ensuring you get exactly what you need.
- Prompt Delivery and Installation: The location offers quick turnarounds, with some installations completed within a day. You can anticipate on-time delivery with scheduled time slots and ETAs.
- Professional Installation Teams: You can expect well-organized and efficient installation crews, who work like "a well-oiled machine".
- After-Sales Support: Forest Craft provides after-sales service, as noted by customers who have had issues resolved.
- Long-Lasting Products: You can find that products, like garden sheds, can last for years and still be in great condition. One review mentioned a play hut lasting 22 years.
- Positive Experiences: Recent experiences, when things go well, include quick turnaround, excellent quality, and a hardworking and pleasant installation team.
- Repair Services: If you have issues, they have sent out representatives, like Jim Barney, to perform repairs.
Why You Might Consider Alternatives
Be aware that while many shoppers have positive experiences, issues can and do arise. Consider the following before making a purchase:
- Quality Concerns:
- Inconsistent Quality: Be aware that some customers have experienced poor workmanship. One instance involved a customized hut with issues like leaks, cracks, and ill-fitting windows.
- Materials and Workmanship: You might encounter issues such as holes, cracks, and sharp splinters in the wood.
- Installation Problems:
- Improper Installation: Some customers experienced improper installation, leading to issues with doors, windows, and overall build quality.
- Unprofessional Installers: There have been reports of poorly behaved tradesmen, with complaints about their behavior.
- Customer Service Issues:
- Delayed Response: One customer experienced a delay of over eight weeks in receiving a call from a manager to address installation issues.
- Lack of Responsibility: You might experience staff who do not acknowledge product flaws.
- Inadequate Solutions: You might find the response to problems includes unsatisfactory solutions like temporary fixes (silicone) that do not resolve the initial issue.
- Warranty Issues:
- Limited Compensation: When problems arise, the company may offer a refund but not offer any compensation for related expenses (e.g., electrician costs to remove cables).
- "Wear and Tear" Disputes: Be aware that the company may consider issues as "wear and tear" even within a short timeframe after installation.
- Product Defects:
- Roof Leaks: Roof leaks have been reported in some products, such as summerhouses.
- Faulty Components: Low quality components such as locks that break shortly after installation.
