New Stairs (Part 1 of 3)

The Staircase Saga: How a Supplier Shattered My Trust (Part 1 of 3)

ATOZ had been sending Mailchimp newsletters for years. When it finally came time to choose a window supplier, I thought, why not respond and get a quote?

I asked for references and was given an architect’s details. He told me Vlad was “great to deal with.” Tick — due diligence done.

At the start, Vlad was charming, full of promises: “I’ll manage this for you, take the stress out of this for you.” What followed turned out to be nothing short of dreadful. The gaslighting, the lies, the endless delays, the total inability to take accountability — and a blatant lack of care. In my 25 years in this industry, it was the worst experience I’ve ever had.

I sent him a list of windows with sizes (subject to site measure) for an estimate, and a site visit followed. He took photos and understood that the back extension and loft conversion were yet to be built — so most of it was off-plan for now, with a proper site survey to follow later.

Vlad also mentioned he could help with joinery. I was delighted. I needed wardrobes and a staircase from the first floor to the new loft level. He was keen to help and recommended a company called Timber Staircases, who were supply-only, but he used them “all the time.” Vlad offered to fit them himself. Brilliant, I thought — he’d oversee the whole thing.

He forwarded me Jon’s details so I could send photos, and someone came out to design the stairs. The quote was sent directly to me via Vlad, so it all felt like it was under his control.

All the correspondence is saved — and it’s an eye-opening read.

Vlad quoted £1,800 to install the stairs. Three weeks later, when he arrived with his team to install, he emailed me to say it would actually be £4,500, claiming he hadn’t realised it was two flights.

Now, we had discussed on site that there were two flights of stairs — one from ground to first floor (which he could literally see) and another from first floor to the loft. They were also clearly shown on the architect’s drawings, which had been sent to both Vladimir and Jon. The staircase quote came via Vlad, so he knew exactly what was being installed.

I felt cornered — total fight-or-flight. You don’t change your price on the day. Not knowing what you’re installing is your problem. I’ve made mistakes before. We all have. But when you quote for work, you honour it. You don’t try to offload your errors onto your client.

We went back and forth, and I told him I wasn’t accepting it and to pack up and leave site. I felt sick. What do I do? I’d rather delay on principle than be bent over a barrel. He’d shown me who he was. I’d given him the window order and a significant amount of money. (The windows are another story.)

I went to the house and met the installers, who were understandably cross. I explained what had happened — they were shocked. I asked how long they’d worked for him and was told this was their first job. First and last, they said. They told me what they were being paid and that “he doesn’t know anything about joinery.” They even pointed out that the stairs didn’t fit.

I’d been CC’ing Jon from Timber Staircases in all of this, so I called him to ask what to do. Clearly, he had a relationship with Vlad, so he wasn’t going to say too much. He kept repeating that they were supply only. I said, sure — but you got the order through this guy, you’ve seen what’s gone on, and you agreed those costings weren’t right.

At that point, I had two problems: the stairs on site didn’t fit, and I had no fitters.

This still haunts me. Every time I go up the stairs, I think of it. I’m hoping that once the decoration is done and a stunning runner is in place, I won’t think of him anymore. I’ll try to remind myself that I boss-bitched my way through it — and now it’s done.

Lesson learned: use a staircase company that designs, manufactures and installs, so you don’t end up stuck in the middle with companies blaming each other.

Has anything like this ever happened to you — where a supplier or contractor completely blindsided you? I’d really love to hear your experiences.

And that was just the stairs. Wait until I tell you about the windows saga… that one’s so much worse.

The staircase saga didn’t end there. Timber Staircases and a local contractor promised to fix the mess — but the story got even more complicated. Read Part 2 → Timber Staircases: How “Supply Only” Became a Nightmare

This post reflects my personal experience with these suppliers; others may have had different experiences.

The following PDF contains factual email correspondence from my own project. Personal details have been redacted for privacy. Download the PDF