SNZ Designs: Detailed Honest Review with Images

SNZ Designs Detailed Review: Oh Hell No!!!

   

We engaged with SNZ Designs during the period of May 2019 to Aug 2019 for our 3BHK in Four Bungalows, Andheri West. This review is a bit delayed but I believe it is required.

One Line Review: Overpaid Moderate Quality Contractors Masquerading as Designers.

Detailed Review: Read On

Selecting an interior designer for creating your dream house is a difficult task. So, to simplify this tough process I will breakdown the review into 4 areas:

1.      Design Capabilities

2.      Quality of Work/Finishing of End Products

3.      Professionalism/Work Ethics

4.      Costs

1. Design Capabilities:

SNZ Designs is headed by Supriya, an interior designer. Overall I think I wouldn’t rate her more than 2/5 stars, Why? Because, first of all her knowledge of designs is limited to Pinterest. Her ability to suggest even a colour palette is doubtful and she is utterly unwilling to budge/incorporate client feedback.

What we need from a designer is the ability to listen to your requirements and shape their recommendation as per the requirements. However, it happened multiple times that when we told Supriya that we don’t like what she is suggesting she would just switch off. Start saying things like “so why don’t you do it yourself”, “why hire a designer etc.” Eventually, nothing is designed by her, everything is lifted off from Pinterest and then when actual design doesn’t match – she will say that the difference is that Pinterest only has 3D renderings. A few screenshots to prove the point about her rude behaviour towards the clients:

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2. Quality of Work/Finish of End Products

This part is actually what triggered me into writing the review. I had forgotten the bad experience because shit happens. Also, at the time of handover I thought the work quality wasn’t that bad.

But here are a few images of what we went through during this time. It was a fight to get anything done properly, especially since the designer had pretty much left the site and decided to let the contractors do the job.

a.      Image 1: Here is Supriya explaining to us that the ‘only way to stick a glass on the dinner table is using this ugly glue, on the right is a simple weighing scale which looks neat. Eventually, after fighting SNZ Designs did change it  - remember the keyword: AFTER FIGHTING

b.      Image 2: The utter lack of willingness in finishing the job meant we are left with these accessory drawers. The designer claims that these are finished and that is how they look. l!!! 

c.      Image 3: The drawing room flooring: we identified the marble (same one, I don’t disagree) and I repeatedly asked Zuber and his team – will it look the same and they repeatedly told me “YES IT WILL”. Even after installation and before the final polishing, I told Zuber/Ahmed that it looks grey to me to which the response was “don’t worry, it is just a cement layer, it will look the same”. But finally the end result? The marble is the same but the 2 don’t look the same. Spent around 45k for it to look like this, could have spent another 45 and made it better if they had guided properly. Their response: You didn’t want to change the marble. My response: You should have told me that it may not look the same instead of repeatedly assuring me that it will.

d.     Image 4: Wardrobe 1: color issues, handle is already coming off. I had to get the PU re-done from a different painter – his response “poor quality of material was used”

Handle coming off already:

    

 

Color/quality issues: The original color vs. what SNZ gave us. First image the color of the wardrobe, it was planned to be aqua and it became dark green within 3 months. The right most pic explains the difference very starkly. Same thing happened with the peach color as well but well you get the gist. Peach became dark orange and the wardrobe started looking the tricolor :)      

              

  

           

Image 5: Zero precautions, totally screwed the tiles and marbles despite multiple warnings given by us. This is room 1 for which we had asked them to be careful in the chat below:

             

        

 

This is the drawing room marble. Couldn’t get rid of the spots despite polishing it – the only solution now is to remove and redo it. That is goodbye 3-4 Lakhs rupees 😊

 

Image 6:

Cracks cracks everywhere – poor quality finishing

    

   

 

Additionally, the quality of hinges/raw material used was pathetic. The wardrobe just wouldn’t close. Finally had to call a carpenter and get that removed/changed. There are many such things, some small some big but overall the experience has been pathetic.

 

3. Professionalism/Work Ethic

I have already about Supriya – she operates on ‘my way or the highway’ concept. Zuber is overall a decent human being, if it wasn’t for him I would have probably written this review last year itself and I would have had way more content (images/chats etc etc).

Anyway, I think overall the team is not at all professional. They are just a bunch of guys trying to run a company.

1.      You don’t get what you see: Supriya visited the site hardly 4-5 times, Zuber visited often but overall the site was managed by just kids trying to make some money. Half the time, the site manager was an unpaid intern and the other half there was a dude called Ahmed (Lofty promises, zero substance/knowledge)

2.      Zero anticipation/thoughtfulness: multiple times, the challenges were faced because their site manager/contractors/designer don’t anticipate what will the client say. For example, this wardrobe – the gap between the two doors was wide enough for anyone to peak what’s inside. Finally, we had to fight and get it fixed but here is the first response from Site manager and the designer:

       

 

3.      Willingness to listen/make changes: Already commented on the designer, rest of the team was similar as well.

 

4.    Costs: Overall high for the quality of product and services.

 

1.      Designer services were negligible, like I said ‘it’s either ma’am’s way or the highway’ – which meant that we had to do most of the selection ourselves. Thanks to Pinterest it wasn’t that hard but where you really need the designer is to guide you in case you are going wrong and not belittle you

2.      They are basically contractors with an intern called site manager: charging a commission on everything, using poor quality raw materials (as shown by wardrobe paints, handles coming off etc etc)  

 

I am honestly tired now but there is so much more.

1.      The story of the 70,000Rs wall (which we didn’t want but they made, never told us the price and one day asked us for the money)

2.      The story of master bedroom wardrobe: the veneer was spoiled, earlier they claimed it isn’t their fault but then after some argument, they changed it. Then their painter fucked the veneer again by adding white color in the polish (even though I had asked him not to add any color and agreed on a sample). That would have been hilarious except that I had to pay 40k to another guy to polish it again.

3.      The story of the dining table lighting which doesn’t stay stuck

4.      The doors in modular kitchen which either don’t close now (too lazy to add more images now) or they are mismatched. It’s beautiful – I see it everyday and I notice they aren’t even aligned. Call me picky but the lease their carpenter can do is to fix the damn thing correctly.

… there are many more but I think you get the gist.

 

If you still have some doubts, you want more images or you want to come and see the house: drop me a comment in the blog and I will reach out to you.