Cloisters Reviews 

Purchased a kitchen and some appliances from Cloisters. Joe and Alex were excellent from design, choosing the materials, appliances and general advice. Delivery was on time, the ordering process was seamless and price was good. The quality of the kitchen and combination of colour is amazing! and turning heads. Highly recommend Cloisters Design.

Adrian Bowen mrfixitfouryu. Purchased worktops from Cloister Design. Alex Nunn was extremely helpful. Delivery was made exactly the time agreed. Would use them again anytime

Engaged Cloisters in Apri 2022 to design and build a Media Unit. They, Alex, promised to meet our deadline for the first week of August. Took deposit in June under saying that it "secured our spot" in their manufacturing queue.
As soon as they had the money communication became sporadic, with weeks between emails, and never returning phone calls. The emails were lack-lustered never addressing items of concern or issues.
Cloisters missed the first week of August deadline, took final payment mid-August, which should have been after manufacturing, saying they would deliver the last week of August.
No surprise they didn't, they weren't even finished manufacturing, against their TOC's, and spent over a month chasing them till they delivered in October 2022.
The delivery was only partial, having failed to manufacture multiple parts of the unit, and there was an issue with every piece of the unit. Things manufactured incorrectly, wrong color, damages, scratches, etc.... (Refer to google review for photos)
Prepared and provided all the items that needed to be addressed that were not per the order and required replacement. Cloisters chose what they wanted to replace and offered it as settlement with me left holding the bad for the incorrect items. They still had £1300 for items not yet purchased and said they would give it back upon acceptance of the limited replacement items.
Needless to say, I started a claim against them for the return of the monies for failure to provide the purchased Media Unit.
It took over a year, with final judgement having been received in November 2023, and have moved on to the enforcement stage to recoup my money.
I can honestly say that Cloisters is the worst company I have ever had to deal with and would advise avoiding these unprofessional liars at all costs.

I recently had the pleasure of having Cloister Designs set up a new office desk and ceiling-to-floor shelving unit in my home, and I couldn't be more thrilled with the end product. Although there were some supplier delays, The team at Cloisters went above and beyond to ensure the project was completed promptly and to an exceptional standard.

Their dedication to delivering a brilliant end product while navigating unforeseen obstacles was greatly appreciated. The standard is extremely high in terms of design and fitting and I believe this is where they stand out.

I highly recommend Cloisters if you would like to receive a very high quality end product where the team will go above and beyond to deliver.

I cannot recommend Cloister Designs enough. We attended an initial design consultation at their Hemel Hempstead showroom where Joe delivered a bespoke designed home office tailored to our needs. What was most impressive was not only the level of professionalism, talent and creativity, but solving for practical fitting issues during the process. We have underfloor heating and we needed our Manifold unit to be hidden away within the office cupboards, and Cloisters delivered expertly. They set a very high standard not only in design, but also fitting, are priced very competitively and we are absolutely delighted with our end result, and are already saving for a kitchen project! Thank you to cloisters!

DO NOT USE THESE.
A warning about this company - Cloister designs (As well as others owned by the same people)

They have stolen money from me! I'm apparently not the first person they have done this too looking at the reviews on trust pilot and Google etc...

After completing the job that they delayed by not paying me the deposit, they decided there was a penalty clause in the contract (which is Bs) and now refusing to give me the money for the work, just completely ignoring me from everyone in the family (Colin, Jacqui, Joe and Alex Nunn)

Just be very careful and make sure people avoid using them. They are scammers living in an over 1million pound house bought with other people's robbed money imo

They also own 123 kitchens and the design hub

AVOID AVOID AVOID OR YOU WILL REGRET IT!!

Alex was a really helpful salesman, material turned up on time and great quality

Quite simply the worst company I have ever dealt with in every conceivable way.

Our horror show began a year ago when we started engaging with Cloisters to build us a new kitchen as part of our house extension. We came with a reasonably fully formed idea and liked how Cloisters were a small company with their own factory and we figured this would mean we got more attention and a faster turnaround on delivery of the units. Unfortunately, we couldn't have been more wrong.
Firstly, Cloisters will insist on full payment upfront, split over 3 payments. I wanted to hold 10% ( or something similar ) back until the kitchen was fully finished but Cloisters refused this. They point to the fact that they are a member of the 'deposit protection scheme' but this only of use if the company ceases trading before they start work with you. In the end, we did our due diligence, couldn’t find anything of concern and did pay the deposit ( mercifully on the credit card ). Things started to go awry not long after that.
There were periods where Cloisters would disappear for weeks at a time with no replies to emails and phone calls were not returned. Eventually Cloisters would burst back into life and we would have a Teams call or in person meeting and review outstanding items.
Eventually the fitting for the kitchen was booked and started on the week of July 24th. To say the fitting was slow would be an understatement and 4 months later is still not finished. The fitting took place for about 2 weeks and then work stopped. We then had a period of no activity waiting for the worksurfaces to be fitted and then more inactivity waiting for the fitter to return to finish the cabinetry work. Delivery of the cabinetry would come in bits and pieces and often missing items or items that were delivered were incorrect. Glass shelves would arrive for a cabinet that we didn’t want glass shelves in. Wooden shelves were fitted for a cupboard we didn’t want shelves in. Glass cabinet doors still have not been delivered and some missing hinges that were finally delivered were incorrect and, in the end, I went to ScrewFix and bought the correct ones.

An insinkerator unit that Cloisters ordered to fit in the under-sink cupboard they designed, never arrived – and I doubt was ever ordered - and even if it had arrived wouldn’t have fit in the space it was intended to fit in. I had to buy a new one and despite agreeing to refund me the money, Cloisters took over 2 months to finally refund me.
There has been a problem with every constituent part of the kitchen – the worksurfaces have had to be deeper than originally planned because of some incorrect measurements Cloisters took and because of this, some ‘hidden’ doors we had fitted are smaller than we wanted. We still don’t have the glass doors we ordered, some drawers have been fitted incorrectly so they scrape the drawers below them and it took about 4 months for a wine cooler to be delivered that I could have ordered off amazon and had delivered the next day. Additionally, a large area of the kitchen that was meant to be worksurfaced was almost missed had I not raised the alarm.

We also ordered a Bora hob through Cloisters. This is a hob that we had never heard of before and had no intention of purchasing before engaging with Cloisters. We really liked the fact it has an extractor fan built in and removed the need for an overhead extractor fan. Despite providing our building plans on the initial meeting with Cloisters, it later turned out that the ‘entry-level’ hob Cloisters originally ordered would not have a fan strong enough to extract the air under the floor to the extraction point and we would in fact have to upgrade to a larger model at over double the price. This was back in April and we still have not received the hob. Despite repeatedly asking, we have never received an order id/reference number/or any kind of email containing any proof that the hob was ever ordered. I have provided proof to Cloisters that there is a 3 week lead time to order the hob but Cloisters have never addressed this and I have asked for a refund and I will source it from elsewhere. Much like the insinkerator I question whether the hob was ever ordered and they have in fact just banked the money and spent it elsewhere.

In summary, this company is a complete shambles. They will not finish your kitchen; they will not deliver the items you have paid for and they will not return your phone calls or emails. We were also told that if we didn’t pay the final deposit within 3 days that there would be a delay in delivering our goods, which of course in hindsight is hilarious as they have still failed to deliver what I have paid for. Like other people have posted, you will need to take legal action against this firm as I am in the process of doing. How this firm are still operating is beyond me.

So happy we chose Cloisters, overall our experience was a positive one. The design process was my favourite part. We worked with Joe, who helped us find the right fit for our room and we were able to see a mock up and experiment with textures and colours and finishes. Cloisters had the most reasonably priced kitchen and we were able to take advantage of a free dishwasher offer. The lead time lapsed a week or so and the dishwasher did come late (manufacturer Issue) but it works like a charm and was well worth the wait.

The Design Process lead by Joe Nunn was great.We were given alot of choice, optional extras and bonus accessories for each time we achieve a junction in price. He was very patient with the process.
Delivery was just a week out from schedule and we had to wait a bit for the free dishwasher (due to manufacturers delivery delay) but it was well worth it for a quality appliances.
All in, it was a great experience and after care with Joe. Best place to get a extremely reasonably priced bespoke kitchen, hand built from scratch in the UK!

AVOID THIS COMPANY AT ALL COSTS!
They have ignored me and my family for months.
we are due a massive refund because lots of stuff as either not right or missing. Every time I have managed to talk to anyone involved with this joke of a company I have been met with hostility and rudeness.

How they have managed to get away with this for so long is beyond me. I just wish I read more reviews before leaving them with £48,000 of my hard earned money

Court proceedings are still underway for us and by the looks of things many others.

I can only reiterate recent comments about the appalling delays and lack of communication by Cloisters, almost from the moment we paid all monies owed up front. In fact, we are still awaiting replacement items relating to the sink despite the project commencing in February! To be fair, we are more than satisfied with the craftsmanship and professionalism of the team that fitted the kitchen. Sadly, I cannot recommend this company and regret not reading on-line reviews before. Avoid.

DO NOT USE THIS COMPANY!!!! They keep your money. We've been waiting for a 'promised' refund for more than 2 years of hundreds of pounds for something we didn't get in our kitchen. Once they have your money in their account, they avoid contact when you need it the most. Before you pay for your kitchen or furniture they are nice and helpful. Afterwards is a different situation completely, very very rude.

Great service - answered quickly and very informative

I had a gut reaction about using Cloisters in order to refurbish our kitchen and I wasn’t disappointed. I did visit some of the larger kitchen retailers but the quality didn’t match. From the time I walked into the Cloisters showroom at Hemel I loved the variety and the ideas on display.

Without an appointment or any fuss on that first visit I sat down with Joe Nunn, had a rough design done and knew what the approximate cost would be dependent on our final choices. There were options from budget to high end and the detail was well explained and clear. We were given time to think about the estimates and then, once we had made a decision, Joe came over, took precise measurements and prepared a more detailed drawing. A further visit to the showroom was made to discuss choices of appliances, tiles, handles and finishes. Having picked bespoke units this meant that every bit of space available was utilized and Joe was also able to alter the size of the upper units to accommodate a cooker hood which was not a regular width.

The units were delivered on time and our builder was given some instruction in terms of installation. There were no issues. Once the units were in, an appointment was made for the measurements to be taken for the worktop and that was fitted two weeks later. I had picked a kitchen where the units were hand painted giving me the chance to have a wider choice in colour than the handful of options that a pre-finished unit came in.

I’m really happy with the finished kitchen. It’s the centre piece of the house and I’m hoping for another opportunity to work with Joe and Cloisters in the future elsewhere in the house.

AVOID this company!!! The reviews on here are just the tip of the iceberg. We started our kitchen 3 years ago and its still not finished. Terrible company, broken promises, horrible communication and there is no care of attention to anything. Some of the good reviews on here is because they promise you a few freebies if you write a good review, even if you have been waiting multi year to complete your work. Do not be fooled and do not waste your hard earned money. Joe Nunn is very attentive and polite until he has your money and then he moves on without hesitation.

Also, please be aware they also own “Kitchens123” in Wycombe and “The Design Hub”

We had the most awful experience dealing with Joe Nunn. we had delays of months, poor communication, and they stung us for every last penny and more. Kitchen is still not finished 2 years on! we had to order parts, hinges and plinths from another company as we couldnt bear dealing with them any more. We still have monies outstanding from them. Collin was rude and threatening and is quite simply an awful looser.

2 Projects with Cloisters

1. Kitchen & utility room
After 28 weeks of excuses, no communication and mistake after mistake we got our own plumbers, gas engineer in who found a live uncapped gas pipe in our kitchen which had been like this for 6 months, could have killed my family. Cloisters have built over and blocked my boiler in – gas safe have been to my property and investigated and marked it “At Risk” also fails building regs.

On 32 weeks and after I got a new company in to sort out Cloisters mess, my kitchen is nearly finished.

Other than timeline delays which are all Cloisters fault & unsafe gas work - the kitchen has been badly designed – a bespoke kitchen company should not make these mistakes.

Now pursuing legal action.

2. Home Office
Project consists of 2 cabinets, a bench with storage, chest of drawers and bespoke desktop.

Paid in full Feb 2023, installation started April 2023, 4 months later we are still missing the desktop, the room is completely unusable.

Read all the rest of the reviews! This is not a 1 off!

Avoid Cloisters Design and their other companies XYZ Kitchens and The Design Hub. My nephew, his wife and very young baby have been left without a kitchen for SEVEN months! They were made to pay up front in full for a hand made kitchen and have had nothing but problems and excuses. The company ignore calls and emails and months go by without any work being done.

They have now been 28 weeks without a kitchen. We’ve now just found out Cloisters Design shabby work has put his family’s life in danger!

This week he made the decision to get his own gas engineer and plumber in to start installing the appliances (additional cost as he’d already paid Cloisters Design to install them) to our horror we were informed that the gas pipe to connect to the hob had been left live and uncapped by Cloisters Design - it had been like this for 6 months. Had someone (or one of his pets) knocked the lever even slightly, gas would have been leaking into his house and this could have resulted in an explosion

In addition to this they have installed a door frame and plinth in front of the new boiler which means you can’t take the front of the boiler to service or access it leaving it unsafe and not fit for purpose (Cloisters chose the boiler location and designed the cupboard around it)

Cloisters Design Interiors (based in Hemel Hempstead) started his kitchen refurb on the 3rd January 2023. This is a bespoke hand painted kitchen.

28 weeks and multiple mistakes & oversights later they still don’t have a kitchen they can use in any way - not a single working appliance or sink!

Total project was due to be completed in 10-12 weeks

The company refuse to answer emails, ignore phone calls and months go by between any visits from their fitters. They just tell us they are “busy with other projects”

Everything in this post is completely true and can be backed up with all the evidence we have collected over the past 6.5 months.

We are taking legal action against them

Cloisters Design also own Kitchens123 in Wycombe and The Design Hub.

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#diykitchen #kitchenremodel
#kitchendiaries #construction
#tradesman #interiorgoals #kitcheninspo
#homeideas #tradesmen #renovation

There are countless reasons to avoid this company at all costs, but none are more crucial than what I’m about to share: we have just had a gas safe engineer (21st July 2023) round to fit our hob after being at our wit’s end with Cloisters nearly 8 months into them renovating our kitchen and it still not being usable. To our horror, as well as the gas engineer’s horror, cloisters had left a live gas pipe exposed that could have resulted in a huge explosion in our home - needless to say what would have happened to us, and our 14 month old baby.

This was one of many, MANY mistakes they’ve made but obviously the one that I hope everyone will seriously consider before engaging with cloisters. Much of everything else we experienced is actually echoed in the other reviews.

There are many kitchen companies out there, so please do yourself a favour and pick one that will at the very least, care about their customers’ wellbeing and safety, especially when they know full well many of them have babies and small children.

We stupidly decided to disregard ALL (and there are a LOT) of the negative reviews on Google for Cloisters Design because we thought it must be disgruntled people posting. We wanted to have our kitchen done by a small, local company and had come across Cloisters via Instagram sponsored ads. My advice if you are reading this: finish reading my review and read all the other negative google reviews. One or even a few bad reviews can be overlooked, but consistently negative feedback should be taken very seriously. If you want to also read the good reviews, do your due diligence and note the ones that are posted by cloisters employees, friends or tradespeople. Coincidence? I think not.

The second major incident amongst the many worth highlighting: Joe Nunn, the project leader (extremely alarming in it of itself if you see his credentials) somehow managed to order and install the completely wrong worktops - wrong colour, wrong size, wrong everything - this was 5 months into an already unreasonably long process to do the kitchen. Like most of the other reviews will state, we were told by Cloisters it would take a max of 12 weeks.

In response to my request to have Joe removed from our project due to the constant, time consuming mistakes, Colin Nunn completely disregarded our on-going distress as new parents, condoned the poor excuses given by his son for the mistakes, which frankly are the most basic parts of his job - placing orders - and didn’t even have the decency to apologise for any of it.

Copy paste quote from his email, which I will gladly share in full if you reach out to me: “Unfortunately there’s now one better than Joe to take on your project, his brother Alex is the other member of the team and your project is below his pay grade”. I was baffled by this response, especially as we were spending just shy of £90,000 with Cloisters.

Another word for word excerpt from Colin’s same email: “As well as all this his a new father and is currently trying in his very limited spare time renovate a home so his young family can live together.

So after writing this its made me realise he is actually bloody hero and is very very good at his job !
He has 100% got my backing your claims are totally unfair and untrue and very very unkind.”

You can imagine how this made me feel, when my baby was 7 months when we started this project and is currently nearly 15 months with no end to the project in sight. I am a full time working mother, who has a professional services business that employs 15 people, which Colin is aware of, so his email is incredibly insensitive and shocking.

Demonstrating that they are consistent in their disregard for their customers’ lives, here is a copy paste of Joe’s email response to my husband’s email when he found out Cloisters had left the live gas pipe exposed and that this could have killed us all.

“Yes the plumber is gas safe engineer. He has obviously forgotten. If he ever calls me back I shall ask him about it.”

Joe clearly doesn’t care. To put this into perspective, the gas engineer said in his 18 years of doing this job, he had never seen anyone do this because of the gravity of the situation. He stated that he would have lost his license if he did this, and more than that, he wouldn’t be able to sleep at night knowing he had left a family in a potentially fatal, high risk situation.

I am so exhausted and mentally drained from dealing with this situation and company that I am going to leave it at that. I sincerely hope no one else has to go through what we, and many others, have gone through with Cloisters and that they are finally prevented from causing more damage to peoples’ homes and their lives.

Final thing - please be aware they also own “Kitchens123” in Wycombe and “The Design Hub”.