To leave a review you need to be logged in
Experts in bespoke bathroom design, with showrooms nationwide.
Reviews 108
David
Feb 14,2021We’ve now had three bathrooms and one cloakroom installed by a variety of organisations and workmen. Whilst it’s fair to say that none have been plain sailing, our Ripples of Bath experience has proven the most disappointing. In our humble opinion, their design service lacks common sense, product knowledge and attention to detail, and by simply introducing us to an independent installer, they neatly side step any responsibility for the subsequent installation issues, endless delays, product damage, etc. We’d serious recommend buying the products online and finding a suitably qualified and experienced specialist to install. You may still be disappointed with the experience but at least you’ll have saved yourself a small fortune! Thanks for your standard reply. We've discussed all of this with you at length and even shown you the damage to the 'indestructible' Bette shower tray. Despite plenty of empathy, you've elected to do nothing about it.
Holly
Jan 29,2021Based on experience in February/ March 2020 - London branch The design element of the process was almost non existent. The drawings produced looked like a child had done them and had very little 'design' - purely a bath and toilet placed where they already were. Any changes were suggested by me. No attention to detail. Tried to get a refund of the deposit when it became clear how little skill was involved but we were refused. The project management element did not exist at all. Lisa avoided picking up the phone at all costs and it took 3-5 phone calls a day to finally get through and make any progress. All project management was done by me. Tiles were significantly over ordered. I suspect on purpose. Absolutely would not recommend - you could get the same look/ products for a lot cheaper.
Pamela Myles
Dec 21,2020A word of warning This company only orders the goods when they have full payment and delivery can take ages and is really your problem. They don't install so you have to deal with another company for that side of things. And there is no after sales check to make sure you are happy. To sum up they just retail very expensive bathroom stuff and in my case didn't seem to be very clear about when things tht didn't arrive when expected were actually ordered.
Jeroen Senden
Dec 16,2020We had a crack in our bassin in our bathroom. We approached Ripples in Tunbridge Wells to see if this would fall under the warranty at the beginning on lockdown. The supplier was closed and later after lockdown we discovered that Ripples in TW was closed. We turned to Ripples in London and Joanna helped us perfectly. We sent the same pictures snd within a week we heard that Dansani, the supplier would provide us a new bassin. She also quickly got us in contact with one of the local installers they use. Great service, quick response on email and happy with the end result!
David Harris
Nov 27,2020I had three bathrooms and a cloakroom designed and fitted by Ripples Bristol. From design to installation everyone involved did a first class job and their after sales service has been outstanding. If,I needed a question answered or help generally, the Ripples team headed by Michel and Kim were only too pleased to oblige. Michel and Kim’s knowledge of their business is encyclopaedic Ripples did a great job and I would have no hesitation in recommending them. David
Lynn
Oct 28,2020After 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 Managing Director of Barnes Installation Group visited my home to discuss my requirements. I was very impressed by their expertise and 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.
Maria
Sep 19,2020We used Ripples Tunbridge Wells for a bathroom installation and thanks to their incompetence it took 5 months to complete a relatively small en-suite job. They took the money very quickly but never bothered to order the items. That led to endless delays and out installer kept having to come back between other jobs to finish it off. We had to keep calling and emailing and nagging and chasing to get the items which arrived in dribs and drabs. I now see that the TW franchise shop has closed and I’m frankly not surprised as their business ethics and customer service was utterly woeful. Stay away from them.
Monaghan Family
Aug 04,2020Comprehensive bathroom design service from Ripples Belsize Park that fully understood our needs, likes, dislikes and budget. Provided help and advice on what would work best and delivered a wonderful co-ordinated design with quality fixtures and fittings listed and shown on a mood board that really showed us how the room could be. Made the process even simpler by recommending highly skilled installers. Ripples liaised with the installers on all deliveries & changes, everything arrived on time. The whole project was fully completed within the 2 weeks estimated. We are delighted with the finished product and the professional, friendly service provided from start to finish. Bathrooms are one of the hardest rooms to do as it requires all trades and a huge amount of co-ordination. Highly recommend them and will use again as it was a well managed and beautifully designed project. Thank you Ripples!
Neil Wiese
Jul 28,2020an appalling experience from Ripples Reigate very similar to those outlined in other reviews. Lockdown has apparently accelerated the inevitable demise of this branch. Another branch stepped in and enabled our bathroom to be completed for which we were very grateful. We were very happy with the design and quality, but it was a needlessly stressful process
Nicky
Mar 04,2020Our recent experience with Ripples Reigate has been the most stressful and dire experience. Following a couple of meetings and undeniably nice designs by Joanne incorporating high quality products our hopes were high. However, these hopes were dashed quickly. Ripples are adept at getting your money and booking you in and we started paying for our multiple bathroom project in September but were still missing products at the end of February. Replacing bathrooms is never going to be easy or stress free but our entire installation process was an effort. Trying to get our products here was a daily wrangle, unanswered emails and phone calls the norm. At the sales pitch they tell you that all the products were all ordered on the first 50% payment, that products would be ready and waiting at the warehouse for despatch as and when your builder calls. What nonsense, many of our products turned up with overnight despatch or express delivery stickers indicating they were not ready and waiting at the warehouse but delivered direct in haste. At every step of the installation process no one seemed to have an idea of where products were until they turned up. Ripples take no responsibility and blame everyone they can for the lack of products that are available to deliver and for the delays, and they hide behind their suppliers, blaming them. Customer service skills at Ripples are zero and communication poor. The website declares they ‘are only ever a phone call away’! Whenever we called the showroom they were always with a client or just going to be with a client or just back from seeing a client, using this as a default excuse as to why they are unavailable to take a call, haven’t called back or haven’t had a chance to look at emails and apparently can never ‘access the systems’ to find any information for you. The reality of our experience is so very different from what was promised and boy do we wish we had researched this company more and if offered, taken up references. We will never recommend this company to anyone. Sent from my iPad
Katie Brown
Feb 13,2020We visited the Reigate showroom for our new bathrooms and met with the designer Jo. Beautiful showroom, great inspiration and very knowledgeable staff. We had a few issues during installation with pipework and structure which was solved during a visit by Jo and the installation team recommended by Ripples. Few issues with delivery but we had the same with other bathroom companies before so hasn't put us off recommending as really impressed with all other aspects of this company.
Jon
Feb 03,2020Went with Ripples for design and install of two bathrooms in an older, listed house. Initial designs were pretty good and the price was comparable to other design firms (a lot more than doing it a bit at a time ourselves, but we figured we paid for convenience). We got a quick installation date which matched our timetable and it was, mostly, stuck too. The good: tiles look great, bathrooms do have a premium feel to them, everything was delivered on time. Received a very small refund for an error they made. The bad: massive over-estimate on tiles, leaving us with a full 600 more than required. Despite having a refund / restocking clause in the contract, in turns out this is no good for tiles (nor most anything else). Shower design horribly flawed to the extent that it would have soaked our very old timber framed house had I not spotted the issue. Quoted £1k + (with install) for a shower door to put the error right. Ended up buying that component elsewhere. Install went on too long, so whilst the bulk of work was done in 4 weeks, I was left waiting 12 weeks for it be finished. Zero Comms in that time. I wouldn't say we regret choosing Ripples but it's a fine margin. Certainly you can get every component, from tiles to bath, dramatically cheaper from a cursory glance online. That is certainly what we will do next time.
Rebecca Luxton
Jan 05,2020HORRENDOUS EXPERIENCE! Unfortunately I had an experience identical to the others described on here. Having paid thousands of pounds for a bathroom and ensuite renovation at the Ripples branch in Chelmsford, I was given numerous false promises as to when the products would arrive. There were constant delays in delivery, and when deliveries did happen, the items were either missing or incorrect. We were told on numerous occasions that the owner was "loading the van as we speak". The delivery would turn up and one item would be handed over - we were always asking "wheres the rest of it?!" Communication was non-existent - emails were written daily with no response, and phone calls were made chasing the items. When I attended the showroom, both the designer, Kimberly, and the company owner, Chris, had "just popped out"!! It would seem that despite taking a 50% deposit upfront, nothing is ordered until the full balance is paid. By which time items are out of stock and excuses like "there was a problem with the supplier" are commonplace. After chasing the designer daily and becoming more and more exasperated, the remaining items for the first fix arrived onsite 2 months later. This experience whilst managing my own business and a full time job caused me so much stress and anxiety that I had no option but to cancel the rest of the order. I then had to reorder all missing items to ensure they arrived onsite ready to install in time for Christmas. The delay in the first fix delivery meant I had to install a portaloo onsite for far longer than planned - the toilets arrived separately at a later date and we are still missing a flush plate (according to Ripples, there are none available in the UK)!! The brassware was not what I ordered, the control panel for the shower was out of stock and therefore had to be changed, and the wall-hung vanity units chosen in the design did not fit in the rooms. The whole design of both the ensuite and the bathroom had to be adjusted and reconfigured by both the builder and I - the design did not work in reality. I am still chasing a refund of £3k for all missing items. I am very fortunate that I chose to order items such as the bath, radiators, basins, tiles, and stone myself, reducing the total cost dramatically. Had I not done this, I would have lost far more than £3k. I have never experienced such poor customer service and non-existent communication. They are so far from the 'luxury' bathroom company they claim to be. There is a suggestion on here that they may be a well-organised scam, and I would be inclined to agree. Having researched all first fix and brassware items, it would seem these can be ordered elsewhere at a hugely reduced price in comparison to that charged by Ripples. Not only are they cheaper, they're in stock and arrive within days of the order!!
M Ricker
Oct 14,2019Where do i start! What an awful experience. Premium prices, basement customer service. Ordered and paid 50% in June, the remaining 50% 3 weeks before commencement of the work in early August. July 29, the delivery date given by Ripples TW. Nothing arrived. Was told my ensuite shower, sink, vanity, tiles and all the plumbing would be delivered early August. Again virtually nothing arrived. The installers starting working and the stuff arrived in dribs and drabs over the next 3 weeks holding up the installers and turning my hallway/kitchen and basement into a semi-building site for weeks and weeks on end. I had to chase Ripples several times a week for an update on where items were and when i wanted to speak to the owner, was told she "was probably to busy to speak to me". The problem is that when you pay Ripples they don't order the items and when they do get around to it, if there is a problem with a product, fault in the supply chain or a need to order a different sized product then the job is delayed and delayed and delayed. I had to chase them all the time and only when chased would something be actioned. The final items arrived in early October and the small bathroom was finally finished mid October. Just appalling service. Take my advice, avoid them unless you are happy for a 14 day job to take nearly 3 months? They get 1 star for recommending the installer, who were very good, but also became frustrated by the delays caused by Ripples. Have heard that other customers have been left in a similar situation to me. I'll be going elsewhere for my next bathroom project.
Matteo & Marie
Sep 14,2019If you are expecting to pay a premium in return for a high street premium service, look elsewhere. Our experience has been a dreadful odyssey of delays, wrong or defective items, excessive quantities delivered and charged for and a total lack of project management from Alexis and Lisa. Our complains were each time answered by transferring the responsibility to their suppliers (as if they had not charged us their 30% over list price to actually manage our project). Unreturned calls became the norm, promises of refund and compensation went over for months and never met. It is a pity as the items they trade are beautiful (once you get to receive the one you have ordered and it is not defective), but this franchise on England Road casts a dark shadow on Ripples’ name and trustworthiness. As a final surprise, when after months we finally managed to corner them into providing a reply to our requests of compensation, they entered into a point-by-point justification to, in summary, declining any financial responsibility. For a long time we thought it was a case of negligence and lack of skills, I now fear this shop is a well organised scam. Stay away.
Brian
Aug 25,2019Decided after 15 years our two bathrooms needed replacing. Hard to envisage the ‘possibility’ but went to Ripples in Reigate and Jo rose to the challenge spectacularly. She suggested moving the bathe from our main bathroom to the other which freed up space for a fantastic war room walk in shower. The twin heads work well in paralell and I have a grin on my face every time I shower. The bath with shower over works well and is ideal for children. All the other components work very well and all in all both bathrooms are the envy of friends and family who have seen and/or used them. Ripples prime/project managed what was a significant project end to end without hitches and everything was completed on time and in line with the original estimate. Well done Ripples and our grateful thanks.
Kerry Taylor
Aug 23,2019Our designer Mags at Ripples in Hassocks has done a fantastic job and today our 2 bathrooms are complete. We are delighted. She had listened to us and the rooms are everything we wanted and more. Highly recommend.
Mrs Griffiths
Aug 19,2019What an awful company. I can only agree with the other reviewers as we have suffered a similar experience with the franchise in Reigate. We paid Ripples a significant sum of money in full for a new ensuite bathroom which should have been finished by the end of July. Suddenly goods stopped being delivered with little or no apology or explanation. The shop manager/designer was next to useless and seemed to know nothing. We had to contact the owner of the franchise and threaten to sue the company before some of our goods were delivered. We finally received the basin/vanity unit (worth £2,000) on 4/09/19 but only after we commenced legal action. There is little or no customer care and you are fed a pack of lies.
Prof. Jens Roehrich
Aug 05,2019One of the worst experiences with any business I have ever had! Interested until they have your money. It took not 4-5 weeks to finish a small bathroom project, but over 3.5 months and a different builder to complete the project! We chose Ripples because of the quality of the initial design, excellent products and the Ripples promise of a smooth experience. In reality, the sales pitch could not be any further from the very disappointing - exhausting, frustrating and shambolic - installation process that we’ve experienced. We experienced a range of issues with the bathroom design and installation which needed to be resolved by us (an exemplary rather than exhaustive list): • Wrong measurements for an alcove in the installation plan. • A number of items and their location in the bathroom was not specified in the installation plan. • A myriad of items needed to be sourced by us at an ad-hoc basis (quite often at very short notice). This would have been fine had we actually been aware we needed to do that – but this was not discussed or pointed out during the design process. • A valve for our bathtub was missing and we ended up with water running in our bathtub in our absence – for over 8 hours. • Walls inside and outside (hallway) the bathroom were left with holes and were not preferred for decoration. • The marble – again, at no point in the process was it mentioned that the marble could only be measured once the rest of the bathroom was installed, and that we would have to wait extra 2 weeks (or in our case, 5+ weeks) for that. As mentioned by other comments, Ripples did not provide proper aftercare services. At times, our emails were answered with uninterested, bordering on rude, replies; the word “apologies”, shockingly, never featured! Please see example below (email from 28 February 2019): “I recall saying to you your room will be a likely 4 week fit. Which, trust me some installers would complete in that timeframe. …” If other installers could have completed the bathroom project in such a timeframe, we struggle to understand why we were left with a Ripples recommended builder, Jon Kelson, who promised to complete it in 5 weeks but hasn’t delivered this promise?! Below a summary of key issues with Ripples' recommended builder: We have had numerous issues with Jon Kelson’s work throughout our bathroom project. He came recommended by Ripples in Bath. Jon’s work was often of poor quality (e.g. grouting between tiles had huge gaps; walls were left unfinished and needed further preparation before decoration). Please find below a couple of exemplary issues: Complete lack of respect for us and our home - Jon has failed to show any regard for the fact that he was working in a flat in which we live or pay any attention to a range of things we did point out throughout the bathroom project. His hearing seemed selective and he once even admitted that he was not listening when we discussed a point! To illustrate his lack of respect for our home: he, for instance, used our roasting tray (kept in the oven) to catch some water as part of his work and put it back in our oven dirty. He did not mention this to us, and we were frankly shocked to find the tray both wet and dirty. His words the next morning were literally “I thought you might wonder….”! Keeping the flat even vaguely clean was also not at all on his agenda. Porcelain tiles for our bathtub were cut in our flat with the main entrance door open! This not only disturbed our neighbours and left the staircase dirty (which we had to clean after we came home from work at 7pm), but our entrance hall and kitchen were covered in a thick layer of black dust. When we asked that any more tiles be cut downstairs in the street, the response was “It’s too far to walk”.
Alexandra Dunn
Feb 18,2021We had a great experience planning our new bathroom with Ripples (despite Corona restrictions). Lisa was very professional and approachable and completely took the stress out of the project. The most we had to do was choose the tiles, fixtures and fittings and then open the door to the installers everyday! So happy with the results, we’ll be instructions Ripples again to redesign our en suite next year.