Beams Reviews 96

Didn't progress but great customer service throughout

We love our beautiful bathroom from Beams. We chose Beams over other providers because we felt their designs were more contemporary than others we looked at, and we wanted to use a company that would make the process as easy as possible for us as first-time renovators. Beams handled the whole process, from working with us to design the bathroom, to procuring the materials and contractors. We were very happy with the design, the builders we worked with and the final result. We're sure that Beams will continue to grow and fine-tune their processes as the company evolves.

I recently commissioned Beams to help me renovate my bathroom, the designer I was matched with produced a brilliant design based on my initial wishlist and feedback throughout our sessions. Beams then connected me with A&G contractors who did an excellent job over the 3 weeks, with someone working on it 8-5, 5 days a week. Beams also regularly checked in with me and helped coordinate updates and handle unforeseen issues that came up during the build.

All in all very well handled by Beams, I didn't feel pressured or rushed once throughout. I highly recommend them to anyone thinking about bringing new life to their bathroom.

Edit:

I have been contacted by Chris Manderson, who is the new Sales Director at Beams, and we had a fruitful chat about my experience below. Beams is taking this kind of mishap seriously and doing their best to ensure it does not happen again, and that all customers are either issued with a quote or that there is a mutual agreement that the cost targets diverge too much. Worth noting that I also have not chased the quote at the time and I probably should have.

Original post:

I sent an online enquiry and was given an appointment very soon after for a "planning call" in April 2024. We discussed plans that I had provided, it was sounding on the upper side of my budget but we discussed options, and I was told I would get a quote shortly.
I am still waiting to hear back.
I received an automatic survey email today saying "sorry we didn't meet your budget, can you tell us how we did". Bearing in mind I never received a quote... How can I word it politely - maybe consider not using Beams because they sometimes don't provide a service at all?
I since did my kitchen myself, for a fraction of the initially proposed price.

We are nearing the completion of the design stage. Chandni, our designer, has been extremely helpful. She listens to our requirements and comes up with some lovely ideas for our bathrooms. It has been a very good experience.

We are hoping that the procurement and construction stages will be just as easy and efficient.

Beams completed our bathroom renovation project within budget and on time. We were matched with a designer who totally understood what we wanted for the space, and a contractor who installed it well. From the first enquiry call through to the design process, build management, and finally help from the operations team for snagging, we felt reassured that our project was in good hands throughout. We will definitely be returning to Beams for future renovations!

I chose Beams due to my inexperience with managing a renovation project, as well as obvious things like availability at home etc.

I felt supported in each stage and every member of Beams staff from the onboarding to the design and the project management was exceptional. I sometimes feared my small snags or problems would be too small for them to enact but they were always very willing to help and strove for quick resolution.

I would recommend their services to anyone considering renovations who has no experience or contacts, or just wishes to hand the wheel to someone else for a reasonable fee.

Their timelines were always clear and adhered to where feasible.

I don’t remember everyone’s names but Brooke, Suzi, Ryan, Simon, Tim - thank you.

Very attentive and response team. Beams were careful about the sub-contractor they chose to carry out the work and the contractor was excellent (Chigwell Construction Services - highly recommend this company in general). Willing to troubleshoot to make a couple of complicated design components work, thorough and diligent in following up to ensure everything was completed and I was happy.

I had my main bathroom renovated with Beams. It was my first renovation project, so I wanted something as seamless as possible. I was very happy with the design, and everyone involved was very friendly and professional.

I’ve been working with Beams for about four months now, but I’ve known about them for over a year. In that time, we’ve tackled five projects together, and I’ve got to say, it’s been a solid experience.

One of the best things about working with Beams is they send us projects that are ready to go, and they’re always in areas we’re already working. That means less time wasted driving all over the place and more time spent actually building. It keeps things efficient and, honestly, it’s better for the environment too—a big plus for us as a conscientious contractor.

Their job documentation is spot on. They provide everything from 3D surveys and site drawings to design renders. It’s all clear and detailed, so we’re not dealing with unexpected surprises or extra costs cropping up midway through a project. That level of accuracy makes a huge difference. When the odd issue does come up, they handle it fairly, which keeps everyone on the same page.

Another major benefit is that Beams handles all the payments and legal side of things. They sort out the contracts, responsibilities, and payment terms upfront. Plus, they’re always on hand, whether it’s through site visits or quick remote support when we hit a snag. It means we can focus on getting the job done rather than chasing payments or sorting out admin headaches.

We did hit some delivery issues on our first project, but Beams jumped in straight away—chased suppliers, rearranged schedules, and fixed the problem. Since then, they’ve streamlined things by switching to a distributor, so now second fix deliveries come in one neat pallet. That’s saved us time and made things a lot smoother for the customer too.

Overall, I’m really impressed with the steady flow of work and the support Beams provides. They genuinely care about delivering quality builds, and it’s been a pleasure working alongside them. I’m confident we’ll be working together for a long time, and I’d happily recommend them to any contractor looking for a reliable partner.

Beams nailed it. I set them an unreasonably short deadline to redo the family bathroom while we were away on holiday. I expected to come back to a house full of contractors, instead I came back to a house with a brand new bathroom. Basically the home refurbishment fantasy. Fun, friendly, professional and most importantly reliable.

We chose Beams as we wanted someone to manage our kitchen refurb. We are delighted with the quality of the finished kitchen and feel that we got good value for what we paid. We appreciated that the build stayed on budget. The custom built kitchen is of an exceptionally good standard.

Using Beams took a lot of the stress out of the build for us and overall it went smoothly, with a few inevitable glitches and frustrations on the way. However, they were all resolved quickly. We found that both Beams and the building team listened and took on board any of our concerns.

The process started with three online meetings with our allocated designer, Suzie. She helped us to visualise what we were hoping to achieve and offered ideas and suggestions.

We feel that it could have been helpful if she had come to our home, to get a sense of who we are and also to get a view on the size and scale of the kitchen, as she ordered a couple of items which were much too large for the space. Overall to work with a designer was a great help.

Beams matched us to a contractor who they felt was best suited to our job and on the whole we were really happy with the quality of their work and the way they interacted with us. The lead builder, Daniel, was a real asset as he made a point of checking in with us on an almost daily basis, listening to and taking on board any concerns and suggestions. He worked to a high standard and wanted us to be delighted with the end result. We really appreciated some additional touches and how he resolved some of the unforeseen big challenges.

We found the WhatsApp group set up by Beams to be extremely useful. It meant we could directly interact with both Beams and the contractors.

We would to highlight the excellent support we have had throughout from Tim, the Head of Builds, in particular his support in sourcing our beautiful French doors and taking on liaison between the door company and the contractors. He has shown a commitment to our build and this is still ongoing after completion in helping to sort out a couple of little snags. It is good to know that Beams' involvement and support does not stop straight after completion.

We like that Beams are keen to receive feedback, both the positive and negative.

In conclusion, we are very happy with Beams and would recommend the company and may choose to use them again in the future.

My experience as a client of working with Beams Renovation has been first rate at every level. The Head of Build, Tim Hill, is incisive and highly efficient, always on top of the project as a whole, whether it is current progress or forward strategy. He keeps tight control over timing and the budget, laying out all financial implications clearly. He liaises between myself and the contractor every week at a set time in an on site meeting which has meant I fully understand what is going on, which decisions both Beams and I need to make, and by when. The Senior Interior Designer, Auguste Juozapaviciute, is extremely professional and unfailingly courteous, always on top of multiple drawings she produces at each stage, explaining to me as a lay person what they refer to and what my options are. She is always ready with suggestions where there are choices to be made, very flexible and brilliant at communication. Both she and Tim Hill push the project along very successfully. I have had fewer dealings with Simon Ribchester, Head of Design, probably because from the start of the project I have employed an external interior designer. All my conversations with him have been very helpful as he gives careful thought and consideration to the quality and cost of the materials used in the build, particularly with that part of the joinery that Beams is responsible for, such as the floorboards and some finishes on cupboards and doors. His assessment of what treatment existing windows, drawers and some shelving and cupboards require has been most useful and has saved unnecessary expenditure. Last but not least, I commend Beams for recommending the building contractor, Builtain Ltd. I don't have a single complaint about them. They work hard and fast, and are very knowledgeable, intelligent and solid in all conversations at the site meeting. They are tidy and efficient. They respect the fabric of the house and my neighbours, and are always courteous and approachable. Charlie Longe, the managing director of the company, is a builder you can usually only dream about: responsive to issues raised, highly present and always ready to help when he can. He works under pressure and gets the job done.

I edited this review, after Beams response below, after a phone call with them where they acknowledge that the level of service was not what they promise and their ~2-3% compensation offer.

Deliveries were poorly managed and it was far from stress free.

For example for half of the tiles:
- they needed to be changed last minute, because out of stock when the works started.
- they were delivered with 2 weeks of delay preventing the works to progress,
- they were dumped in front of my building, and I had to carry them upstairs on my own,
- they were miscalculated and as result I have no spares left.
- the trim was bought too small for them and that caused more delayed because the builder had to go and buy it.
- the grout was the same of the other tiles and it looks too dark for these ones.
- the started getting mouldy less then one week from the installation.

Another example: the old toilet was removed before getting the new one, a temporary one was rushed and installed but I was left without it for a night.

The sink was meant to be received on the 6th December, on the 17th December I was offered a switch to another sink because the original one wouldn't have been delivered until 6-13th Jan.
On the 19th the alternative sink was received and the builders rushed to finish on the 20th December.
From the 6th till that day everything was stuck.

The design was not feasible and everything looks too big for the actual available space.

The whole management on the project was purely reactive on the back of the next thing that was going wrong.

The actual work was ~1 week but my flat was left as a building site for ~6 weeks just waiting for deliveries.

Given that Beams had the full cash upfront, I felt they have no interest or incentive for material to arrive or work to finish before the extremely conservative predicted 6 weeks.

The major points from our bathroom renovation:

Firstly the measure and design process is good. Beams gave a good selection of quality hardware, and some nice base design ideas and sample renders.

Once the build began, the majority of the time we found that Beams had a lack of ability to coordinate with the contractor. The quickest and easiest option became to communicate directly with the contractor ourselves.

Beams promised a 6 week to total completion, but the build took over 24 weeks to complete. We ran into several issues with 1st contractor, including decisions made on site without consulting and even against our direction (e.g. the spacer size inbetween tiles was increased). Additional examples include badly skewed wall tiling, and incomplete floor grout and wall painting, installing multiple marble floor tiles with large cracks (broken by contractor) toilet not mounted square to the wall and the radiator mounted askew. After the six week period all of these additional problems were still to be resolved and were not resolved until beams finally replaced the contractor ~20 weeks into the build. Beams attempted to justify or distance themselves from this by rolling out the term “practically complete.”

Prior to build Beams offered explict assurances that the new hardwood floor would be fully protected but several chunks were taken out of it (Beams did cover repair ~£500 for this).

Beams eventually replaced the first contractor (several weeks after the initial deadline, well after we first requested a new contactor). The second contractor was professional, communicated well and completed the work promptly to a high standard.

Beams compensated a total of £1000 for the shortfalls in standard, and the end product was 80% of the standard I’d been led to expect. Honestly though, I’d have happily paid more and had the promised service.

My experience with Beams began brilliantly: Suzi, my designer, was a total joy to work with. She understood from the get-go exactly what I wanted, from colours, to cabinet style, type and placement. It was one of those great experiences where more or less the answer to everything was "yes". I wouldn't hesitate to reach out to Suzi directly in the future for other projects.

I received an email to say my kitchen components had all been ordered, and I would soon be assigned a contractor to carry out the work. Branko (who's company build the stunningly good kitchen cabinets) came to view the space and assigned his colleague Peter to carry out the work. Peter was the best builder I've had the pleasure of knowing. Every day (as is often the case with old buildings) he encountered "issues" which required him to adapt designs on the fly and improvise. His work was always meticulous and completely professional in finish and process. Again, I'd call up Peter in a flash for future projects.

Where the process fell somewhat is in logistics, and deliveries. Parts for the kitchen arrived randomly, often without warning and in an illogical order. Meaning my home was full of large boxes that wouldn't need to be opened for weeks. I would have hoped from such a premium priced service that I would have been presented with a concise delivery schedule for the items. Even one large delivery each Tuesday, for example, would make more sense to prioritise parts logically.

I'd really have thought all the components for my kitchen would be collected, itemised, and labled in a warehouse, before we broke ground.

*update* I have been told by Beams this side of operations has been much improved since my build.

So as you can tell my overall experience was a mixed one. However it's important to say the final result is fantastic, and pretty much exactly what I described to Suzi in our first design meeting. The cabinets are as good as cabinets get. Hugely premium, including all hinges and opening mechanisms. The paint job on them is flawless. This is a hugely premium renovation service. Don't think you'll spend under £30k for even a very small kitchen like mine. And for that price, I would have expected much better organisation. It is doubtless though that Beams have networked with the best.

They have been great to deal with. The design process has been excellent so far and have been super helpful in getting the build underway.

All about trust. I felt comfortable with my money, my project, and my home knowing that the outcome would be to my satisfaction or would be made good.

We had a great experience with Beams - the design and contractor matching process worked very well, the Beams team and Contractor were really easy to deal with and the quality and finish of the end product was excellent. I’m not sure that we would ever have managed this project without their help.

I love the proposition of Beams - they take the hassle out of bathroom refurbishment. We were allocated a fab designer who helped me make good design choices and sourced everything we needed for the bathroom to create a beautiful and unique bathroom. I have given 4 stars because the lead time to get the materials sourced was quite long, and then the build time was too. But, I realise that bathrooms take alot of detailed work and the end result is worth it.