GBC Buildings For Leisure LLP 

Bought a building for an art studio. £9000. It arrived late with parts missing. The finish was rough and now after only two years the roof is leaking. Only one year guarantee, so until I can find more money, the building is unfit for purpose.

Everyone concerned with my shed from those taking my order right through to the two men who constructed it couldn't have been more helpful and pleasant. I was kept informed throughout in spite of the pandemic.
I am pleased to have my shed though not 100% happy with some aspects.
Dropped door, [still locks and does not leak] rough edges, resin runs, misfired screw and bench larger than I ordered
I received a personal phone call to discuss my grumbles and was listened to politely and patiently and offered solutions. I was happy with the consideration I received and would purchase from them again but next time will know the questions to ask

If this were simply a review of the staff (Steve and Linsey) at GBC Buildings for Leisure at Nottcuts, Woodford Park, they would get at least three stars but as it is also a review of the company itself I can only award one star (and that is being generous). I ordered a Fort Harpford Barn on 13/07/2020 and this was delivered and installed on 30/09/2020. It rained the following day and the Barn leaked like a sieve and the floor was awash with rainwater. There were various other problems in the quality of workmanship in the joinery, and the shoddy way in which the shed had been installed. The Barn had been manufactured supplied and installed by Timber Garden Buildings Ltd. of Rotherham (also known as TGB sheds). Although I reported the fault to TGB sheds on 04/10/2020, customer service was so appallingly bad, inefficient and sometimes obstructive that repairs were not carried out for another four months during which time the shed was unusable. For more details see my Trustpilot review of TGB sheds. I have noticed in looking at reviews of similar problems on Trustpilot and Google that many people complain about GBC Buildings for Leisure when the fault lies with TGB sheds and this is unfair on GBC. However, I feel entitled to give a negative review to GBC itself because they should NOT be using a firm like TGB sheds to manufacture, supply and install the products they are promoting and selling when TGB sheds are clearly giving rise to a huge number of complaints from rightly dissatisfied customers. GBC should break the connection with TGB sheds. Until then potential buyers of sheds from any of the GBC locations should establish from the staff there which firm is supplying the item. My advice would be to avoid buying anything involving TGB sheds or you may well end up with a faulty building, not fit for purpose and without any hope of getting things put right without a lengthy battle, even when you involve the Managing Director of the firm.

After waiting for our Summer House for 5 months due to the Covid Pandemic I am delighted with our purchase. The staff at Dobbies where I bought it were very friendly and helpful when we made the choice. The company making the Summerhouse kept me well informed on its progress and delivery and installation were made on the day and time slot allocated. The standard of the house is very good for the money and the two men who fitted it together worked fast and left the area clean and tidy. I am a very happy customer and would recommend this company to my family and friends.

I purchased a Fort Shed from GBC, which was then supplied by TGB Sheds Ltd.
It leaked through the roof and walls.
Had numerous other faults, incorrect window, wrong door colour etc etc.
After two months GBC refunded my deposit.
However TGB Sheds (Fort) have just continued to ignore my communications.
I have now opened a case with Trading Standards.
Hopefully if all the other people who have paid for and received faulty sheds do the same, TGB will no longer be able to supply faulty sheds which are not fit for purpose.

I give one star to GBC Angmering, but no stars to Fort from whom we ordered a potting shed. As has been the case for many customers, the level of service from Fort was abysmal. They failed to deliver the benching and supports with the shed. Three weeks later the benching was fitted but there were no supports. I was told they would be sent to me. In fact, a few days later, Fort said they’d been sent. However they could never provide me with a tracking number. Needless to say nothing arrived and clearly they’d not been sent. In the end I was provided with secondhand supports taken from a similar shed on GBC Angmering’s site. I eventually collected new supports from GBC three months after the shed was first delivered, but with no compensation offered for the poor service.
GBC tried their best, but nothing really changed as a result of their efforts. Problems with Fort seem to be common and well known by GBC. Fort need to learn what customer service really means. GBC need to take more responsibility for the quality of their suppliers.

Just taken delivery of my second shed purchased from GBC, having recently moved.
The staff were very helpful and were happy to postpone delivery as I had issues sorting shed base delayed twice until March. Now delivered and installed by two very nice guys who within no time at all had erected shed and now able to use. looks brilliant.
Thanks again to staff at West End and the guys who put it up. Can't fault them.

We ordered a Fort Harpford Barn and a Fort Kingmoor from the GBC Staines branch on 22nd July 2020. We paid an additional £335.00 each for the buildings to be painted and was advised a delivery of 10 to 12 weeks

When Fort eventually delivered 14 weeks later the installers decided they would park their pick up on our newly re-turfed front lawn. We suggested they park it elsewhere. They seemed ill equipped for the job because they had bought the wrong size bench for the shed and when the light was failing, we had to lend them a light lead so they could finish the installation. We noticed that paintwork was covered with chips and scuffs probably as a result of miss-handling. They offered us four small tins of paint and we were told we could "touch them up ourselves."

We inspected the buildings the following day after it had rained that night and found both roofs had leaked. The floors on both buildings were also wet as if the water had seeped in through the bearers. The roofing felt on the shed was missing all the nails so that a gust of wind could blow it off. We immediately contacted their office complaining about the wrong bench, bad paintwork, the unfinished roof and the ingress of water. Their fitter came a few weeks later and addressed the issues with the bench, the roofing felt and the paintwork. He said he would raise a reject ticket for the water issue and their office would be in contact.

We were advised their fitters would repair our buildings on 27th November but we were phoned that day and told that visit was cancelled. Their fitters arrived on 21st December but they only had enough roofing felt for one building and that was the wrong colour. They inspected the buildings and advised that the corners had not been siliconed which probably caused the wet floors.

A further visit was arranged for 21st January but this was cancelled as one of their fitters was ill. They finally arrived on 2nd February to repair the roofs and to silicone the corners. We spent over a week drying out each building with an electric fan heater to see if this remedial work was successful. The roof and floor of the Hartford Barn appeared to be keeping dry. The roof of the Kingmoor was dry but the floor and sides were still leaking water.
We were getting tired of the Fort’s office “take it or leave it attitude” and we emailed the company’s managing director highlighting the unacceptable customer after care and asked for a senior member of staff to come assess the leaking building. We did not get any response.
We are now trying to find a solution ourselves.
Be warned, do not buy Fort Garden Buildings

I recognise much of what the previous reviewer wrote below. We have had a similar experience with GBC and Fort. We ordered a Fort shed from GBC Bristol in July 2020 and it has still not been installed (end of Feb 2021). We have done all the chasing and have got absolutely nowhere. The issue seems to be that the installers at Fort will not walk through my son's garden flat to access the rear garden where the panels are waiting to be erected. We understand the COVID restrictions but the company policy is not acceptable at a time when tradespeople are allowed to enter homes. We wonder what is going on at Fort. Have they furloughed some of their fitters? We will never deal with this company again. GBC have been better, as the previous reviewer says, but have not been proactive, given that we made the initial transaction with them. The company have had my son's money for 5 months and he still does not have the product installed. He is now going to have to pay someone independently to do it as Fort will not commit to any timetable for installing it themselves. Appalling service.

I ordered a Fort shed on the 1st of August 2020, the estimated delivery date was 10-12 weeks(October 2020) delivery date arrived, went and I had no communication. I contacted Fort-TGB Timber Garden Buildings Scotland (cc. GBC) to find out what was happening. I had no response so chased it a couple of times, Fort eventually got back to me saying it would be coming in January 2021, delayed because of lockdown etc. which I can understand though I should have been contacted and no apology was given, when I asked for one from Fort, no one responded again. January arrived and no communication, I contacted Fort again (cc'd in GBC)Fort did not respond even though I chased several times. GBC eventually got in touch and said they had been in touch with Fort, they would be getting the shed end of Jan and it would be delivered and installed beginning of Feb. Again...end of Jan arrived and no communication, I contacted Fort several times but no response, so I called GBC who contacted Fort, found out the shed had arrived but a part was missing and they were waiting for that to arrive before they could deliver and install it. I contacted Fort several times since then asking for an estimate of when this would be but again have had no response. To say service has been poor would be an understatement, GBC has been better than Fort but I have had to do all the chasing to get anywhere and I am still in the dark as to whether this shed will ever arrive. I realise we are in a lockdown, other businesses are still communicating with their customers and giving estimated delivery dates. I would never buy from Fort again and am unsure if I ever would buy from GBC again at this time. They seem quite happy to sit on my despot indefinitely with no timeline for delivery. Appalling.
(FRTSTG00147)

Well its the 1st of March and 7 months since I ordered my shed. No response from Fort on when it will be delivered/installed. I am starting to think they are just keeping my £400+ deposit and never sending me anything.

Great efficient service- lovely to deal with and installers very helpful

Good buying Experience at Cirencester Office.

The manager Elwyn, was very helpful, explaining options and technical matters clearly and without fuss. He made the purchasing process pleasant and enjoyable. Recommended.

All good but think Paul thinks we are paying for taking down and delivery plus erection quoted rather a lot for just putting up
Only when putting down the phone did I relies that there may be some confusion Can you check please

I recieved a very good service from the salesman,thorough explanation of the products.

Clear and concise and prompt handling on my order.

Very flexible and consultative - felt like we were being advised and not sold to.

Even with COVID restrictions, face-to-face ordering discussion was more straightforward than e-mail/telephone conversations. Janita (in Norwich) was willing to listen to our queries, etc., and remained courteous and professional throughout.

Despite the pandemic they have come good and I now have a delivery date!

Visited the Norwich branch and we were very happy with our experience in purchasing a summerhouse. The salesman took us through each stage, with no pressure to accept his suggestions, although most were very helpful in us arriving at our perfect build.We are now looking forward to having our summerhouse arrive in a few weeks time, hopefully in time for Spring.