Does anybody have an opinion about a kitchen maker called ' Robert Fehr AG' in the Zurich Canton ? It is a carpenter company - and seems the owner is a pretty controversial figure even within his own village. Went with my hubby last week for a ' consultation' on a potential kitchen design / ordering from them, and was shout at by the owner...(and I'm the -potential- customer!).

Not that I care, if they make a good job, but well, if I am the buyer, and I don't want an oven-microwave combo...and the answer from the guy is (looking at my hubby) 'women!(and then something in dialekt that I didn't catch.)... is she always so hog-headed!!!??...' ... well... alarms ring on my head about 'tailored service provided'...

Any feedback on them / their quality / their service?
(or, any suggestion beyond Fusst?)

Can't believe you're even still thinking about giving him your business

I thought the world had moved on.

Reminds me of what happened to my mum in the 1980s. She went to buy a new car and asked for a test drive.

The dealer said it would be better if she came back with her husband and let him drive.

They bought the car at another dealer.

For kitchens, we had excellent service and advice from https://www.renova.ch/, a long-standing family company.

I would avoid Fust like the plague.

Had no opinion on this topic, but in the light of this

wouldn't even consider working with that company. Just why?! There is enough stress in renovations even without dealing with aggression and bad customer service of contractors. Unless they are much cheaper, than big furniture store (which is likely quite the opposite), there is no reason to leave a dime there.

Diga Moebel makes some well built kitchens, didn't have any problems with them. But the price tag in the end was slightly shocking.

Apart from xxxlutz, Hornbach, Bauhaus... have you considered IKEA? My friends have one of their kitchens in the new building, and it is shockingly well made and nice to operate. Especially, when you consider the price (4 times less expensive, than a similarly looking and functioning kitchen from Diga).

You might find a great kitchen here.
https://www.ausstellungskueche.ch/

What's wrong with Fust? Our kitchens are from Leicht but sold through Fust.
https://leicht.com/en/kitchen

Had a kitchen from Veriset before which was of a very high quality.

From someone who has zero issues to belittle you directly for having a wish/comment/question, how could you expect good work?
In my world, part of good work is listen to customer's wishes and then give proper and professional advice, because how otherwise they can provide good work for you if they ignore your input?

Bad solution with which you aren't happy at all will be most expensive one in the long run, no matter the initial price now.
Now is the oven, what will be tomorrow? Denying you drawers, or not making some stuff 'because what you know'?

Be grateful that they were to blunt and open, and avoid them like a plague.

People with good intentions make mistakes and you'll have a fuss to resolve, but people with bad intentions, can't even imagine how bad that could turn out.

Also, next time, remember that you can show the door to such person, or to turn around and leave immediately, you don't need to understand each word to interpret the tone. And even in small Switzerland I highly doubt there's just one company doing some thing, for any given thing.

This sounds also a bit like the swiss phenomenon that I like to call: 'The-I-already-have-too-much-money-and-I-don’t-want-yours-phenomenon’

Copied and edited from an old post of mine:

The phenomenon is businesses in Switzerland (of all types) generally not behaving like they are interested in getting your business

[Side note – I am going to make a general complaint about Switzerland which is something that I generally try to avoid. As a rule, I am pretty positive about living in Switzerland and I don’t like to complain and I especially don't like vauge and general compliants].

So, some examples:
- You talk to a repairman or Handwerker or whatever. They begin by telling you how complicated your request is and what a problem it is . I always feel like... 'if my business is such a problem for you, I’ll hire someone else'.
- You come to a restaurant and there are a lot of empty tables outside. You sit outside and someone comes and tells you that you can’t sit there. It isn’t open or whatever.
- You want to get your bike serviced in spring --> and you have to make an appointment in Summer. I mean, come on, you are a bike store - you've got nothing to do October through Febuary - March, April and May is the time to do a ton of overtime and make a ton of money.

You are so right. It's really cute..And it's not just in business. I saw reversed psychology already on the sandpits here. It exists elsewhere, too - risk averse people will do that.

Not the actual kitchens per se but as Fust use sub-contractors for the fitting, some simply do not provide a good service and it's difficult to get faults in both fitting and manufacturing faults rectified.

Of course you may get lucky but should people have to, or want to, rely on luck when spending a five-figure sum on something?

So lets get this straight... he has a terrible reputation in his own locale, you as the customer were shouted at and he made sexist comments in front of you... and you are still looking for a reason not to use his business?

Gotta love EF.

The guy who fitted our Fust kitchen was superb - absolutely no issues, edges and corners flawless, and also fitted the extractor hood and some smaller bits for me which weren't part of the deal.

The post-fitting check from the Fust person was detailed - I thought she was going to climb into the cupboards, and she brought her own ladder so she could check the top of units.

I would treat the bigger suppliers no different to a local shop - the branches are very independent where fitting is concerned. Go in and see them, see if they know what they're talking about, ask for a reference.

Did you know that after Fust has had your kitchen fitted, they send you a questionnaire.

If, on the final question, "Can you recommend us?”, you tick "Yes", Fust will send you a 200 CHF voucher.

If you are not satisfied but want that 200 CHF voucher, you can still tick "Yes" and get the voucher.

Who's going to tick "No" and not get that voucher?

I think this kind of thing is illegal in other countries.


link

I've been wanting to renovate my kitchen for a good decade now, but have been unable to find a local firm who will do a small kitchen.

If you grovel and tug your forelock you might get a clerk to answer a question - but are more likely to be told that they can't be bothered.

Apparently I live on the wrong side of town, our grubby little houses are not worthy of the local kitchen Artistes' time.

Have you tried Hornbach? We got a quote from them and they have a great kitchen planning service - we didn't go with them in the end so can't give further recommendations, but they didn't seem to have a problem with kitchen size or property location.

Unfortunately I don't have any suggestion yet, but I have to tell you that I'm constantly surprised by the stories I read on EF. How on earth do you guys find such terrible businessmen?

Almost everyone I encountered here was nothing but nice and cordial, looking forward to having an agreement. They can say what they can do for you and if you don't like their offer or their style, just look somewhere else. I wouldn't lose sleep over this guy's screaming and customer bashing, it is so unprofessional. His village compatriots might accept him as he is, you know the kind of local character people know for a long time and accept their peculiarities, but you, you don't have to. He also has to adapt if he wants his business to thrive.

They don't just send you 200 CHF for ticking the box (or at least they didn't ). You have to actually recommend somebody, then you get the payment when they go for a consultation.

That's not illegal anywhere I know of - frequently dubious no doubt, but less so than most advertising and a lot less than the fake reviews and "influencer" rubbish that pervades the internet.

The knock-on effect of local protectionism and a long housing boom in the area, where every square centimeter is being built on.

We need to use someone local or risk not getting the permits needed. Local businesses know that they have you over the barrel, and act accordingly.

Permits for a new kitchen???

I want to make some structural changes so in this case yes, permits needed.


(Otherwise it makes no sense to spend the kind of cash required for a Swiss kitchen.)

What I don't get is - is it legal to have the permits guys connected to local entrepreneurs?

I mean back home we have tens if not hundreds of law suits and people sent to prison exactly because of these practices.