EasyLife Kitchens quality and recommended contractor

I write this review because I consider it my duty to warn honest, hardworking people so that they can avoid a similar experience. I also want to detail that this is not about EasyLife Kitchens as a company, as the owner went out of his way to rectify problems, and i found him honest and easy to deal with.

1) ELK Tygervalley was recommended to me. it started well and to the franchisee's credit, the design of the kitchen was good. On the first day of installation, the installer had a problem and I contacted the franchisee, who texted me "Don't get panicky" and arrived and in a loud voice proclaimed that i had made a big hoo-hah. He also later stated to the contractor (who told me) that he didn't like me! And I ask, why should anyone pay a kitchen installer for this uneducated behaviour. 2) The installation had many preventable small problems eg cupboards not level, handles not aligning etc. They were fixed as they were pointed out, but not volunteered or inspected. There was the microwave specs that i sent to him, and paid Tafelberg furnitures on his approval, that proved wrong. A silly laugh ... 3) The drawers all had a 1-3 mm gap on the far side of the drawer. When pointed out, he mumbled something about factory tolerances. When I noted that they were all faulty, he said "the boss" would come and do an inspection, promptly disappeared with no further contact. I emailed the owner, who knew nothing of the planned inspection, and he came to my home, acknowledged the problem and had them all repaired. He also said that the franchisee had said that he would never apologise for his behaviour. 4) The engineered tops. I chose to change the quoted tops to something else. He mentioned the price difference per square meter to me and I noted it. The revised quote came in at R2000 extra. He blamed the old installer gentleman and then repaid the money. 5) The franchisee recommended MNC projects to me, and organised that we all meet at my home, because he said, this contractor "does everything" ie plumbing, tiling, electrical etc. 6 months later there was still a drain pipe protruding from my wall where it had been knocked through (a Weber had been placed in front of this defect to conceal it) and a piece of plastic was protruding in one of the zinc drains. The wall plug, that an electrician subsequently fixed, that kept tripping when i used the kettle, microwave and airfryer together. I had it fixed at my own cost, ie outside of the contractor's fee. I had agreed to do this with Jacques, if it wasn't too costly. 6) The franchisee also recommended MNC projects to me for my carport. This contractor suffered from severe inertia after receiving a 87,5% deposit, could not follow a simple council approved plan, as pointed out by the building inspector, or the items on his own quote, and was dismissed. He claimed that the balance of the deposit that the owed to me is "unadmitted debt" and considers the R200 000 lawfully his. There is an additional R50 000 for the breakdown of his faulty construction and the removal of the rubble, and for work outstanding since February 2026.

I record this so that customers can be careful who they deal with, and avoid being de*****ed by recommended contractors.