Are Home Observatory UK still in business ?

[Graham Beamson]

Thank you Malcolm, What you say is very true. Good communication makes a huge difference to a customer's experience.

As it happens I've just had a telephone call from Gareth at HOUK - he must be doing what you describe - making his 'phone calls at the start of the week. He has 2 more observatories to do and then he is on to mine, so it will be another 6 weeks or so. Phew !

Unfortunately Nathan no longer works for HOUK. 

Graham.

[malc-c]

Well that's good news, maybe Gareth has been following this thread 😟

It's sad that as a company he's experienced staffing issues, but I'm sure if he had made that call to you weeks ago this thread, which discusses his company and business practices wouldn't exist in the public domain.

So we can look forward to a new observatory build thread in August then

[Keith Dutton]

Hi Everyone

Regarding Home Observatories.

My freind and I have the same problem as we paid a substantial deposit to them August 2020 and had not heard of them since except a phone call from Gareth a week ago, my time of posting is 28 May 2021 by the way.

He said he would be installing Saturday 29 May 2021 and would give us a call the day before so let us know time of arrival - this has not happened so far so not looking likely?

Nathan no longer works with them as he became ill apparently - along with cutting off part of his finger in an accident, this was from Gareth.

They seem a genuine company who have fell on bad times - but the communication from them was zero - I dont think it would take much to let people know they are going to be late on installations?

We are hoping they have not gone out of business as we paid by bank transfer and this is not recoverable.

I hope they will sort it out ASAP and I personally do not bear them any ill will at this time - its just really frustrating.

Keith

 

 

 

[Keith Dutton]

May I also add to my previous post?

They are accepting new orders and quoting minimum 14 weeks delivery.

I am not sure whether that is time to listen to Alarm Bells? - Maybe not?

Keith

 

[malc-c]

Sorry to hear of  your issues, which seem to be following the same pattern as Grahame.

It's really sad that they appear to have let you down.  As mentioned in my post above, most people will be quite understanding about delays if they are kept in the loop. I'm sure that the order volume on their books isn't that great that they couldn't spend a couple of hours on a monthly basis just calling customers to advise them of any revised installation date or if everything is running to schedule.  Most family run businesses tend to draft in husbands / wives, sons or daughters to help out in times of need if they are not able to do that themselves...

Personally, I would never part with anything over £100 via bank transfer.  That is as good as giving them cash.   If they do end up folding then you have no redress to get any money back.  Under the credit consumer act, even a part payment of £100 or more on a credit card still gives you the ability to recover the full cost of your deposit or purchase.  But lets hope that it doesn't come to that, and that HOUK can soon manage to find a replacement for Nathan, and get back on track.

Edited May 28, 2021 by malc-c

[malc-c]

Quote

Payment can be made by bank transfer, via PayPal or cheque.

Just read this on their website... this would sound alarm bells to me.  A business that sells products that cost over £3K for the most basic product yet doesn't accept payment via credit cards !

[Gmac]

Hi my name is Gerard. I placed a order for a roll on roll off shed observatory with Home Obsevatory  Ltd at the end of August last year, I paid a deposit of £1300. Despite several emails and telephone conversations I have had no response except om 8 may I received a phone call telling me that they have had problems and would be sorting things out soon. I receives a email last week informing me the observatory was ready and would be delivered next weekend. I telephoned them today only to be met with a answer phone left them a message, so far no response. To say I am angry dose not do it justice to how I do feel. If I get no response by this weekend I will be pursuing or legal means possible to take action.

 

[Gasman]

Don't like adding to your woes guys but there are 18 companies at that postcode, no mention of 'Home Observatories UK' unless trading under a different name?.

https://suite.endole.co.uk/explorer/postcode/nr16-2qn 🤔

[bottletopburly]

29 minutes ago, Gasman said:

Don't like adding to your woes guys but there are 18 companies at that postcode, no mention of 'Home Observatories UK' unless trading under a different name?.

https://suite.endole.co.uk/explorer/postcode/nr16-2qn 🤔

To be fair it’s an industrial estate if you look on satellite view on maps so wouldn’t be alarmed at that .

[KY Cygni]

Hi All

I have also had an order in with HOUK since Feb 2021 and am having the same issues getting a response. I was skeptical about using their preferred payment methods but went ahead after checking out many glowing testimonials. 

I don't mind waiting and am sympathetic of their situation but how hard is to send the odd bulk email to customers?

I have emailed requesting an update and have indicated that if they don't respond I will begin proceedings to recover my deposit.

Steve

 

[malc-c]

I have been in private communications with Keith who finally received communication from Grahame and a  delivery / erecting date was set for Sunday just gone.  I was hoping that Keith would have updated the thread just to put others waiting at ease as suggested, but so far he hasn't.  Gareth  arrived on time with the building, however,  and in Keith's words "there was a problem" in that a 2' square 30" deep plinth had to be formed for the floor to sit over.  Now it's not clear where the breakdown in communications was but it meant that Keith has had to store the observatory whilst he constructs the plinth.  The plan is for Gareth to return in 3 weeks and complete the build.  Now I don't know if this is required with all of their builds, but if it does and other customers haven't been informed then they too could be in the same boat.

Its a shame I don't live anywhere near Graham as I would reach out and offer my time to ring round his customers for him and take the pressure off.  Lets hope things improve.

@KY Cygni If they have just delivered an order placed in August 2020, then I'm guessing they are way behind on construction, and it could be four or five months before your order comes to the top of the pile, unless Grahame has sourced a replacement for Nathan and can catch up on the backlog.

[Robindonne]

I must admit, we woodworkers hate hanging in the phone all day.  I have to admit when machining my stairparts, the doors are locked, radio at 10 and phone far away from me.  It happened too much that while being in a conversation, a piece of wood moved during machining and ruined in 3 seconds the work of 3 hours.  We are a bit strange but dedicated to our products😅.  I feel sorry for those that have ordered and still waiting but I recognized so much behaviour in the reviews here, that i needed to explain a woodworkers mind.  

[malc-c]

46 minutes ago, Robindonne said:

I must admit, we woodworkers hate hanging in the phone all day.  I have to admit when machining my stairparts, the doors are locked, radio at 10 and phone far away from me.  It happened too much that while being in a conversation, a piece of wood moved during machining and ruined in 3 seconds the work of 3 hours.  We are a bit strange but dedicated to our products😅.  I feel sorry for those that have ordered and still waiting but I recognized so much behaviour in the reviews here, that i needed to explain a woodworkers mind.  

But I bet you would call the customers at some point, either at the weekends or at a time when the machines are yet to be stared?

[Robindonne]

11 minutes ago, malc-c said:

But I bet you would call the customers at some point, either at the weekends or at a time when the machines are yet to be stared?

Of course.  And delivery times as i want to keep using are 5-8 days.   So no long waiting for customers.  But when they call at day 5 midweeks they already have the product before the weekend.   Im not trying to justify the long periods of not returning calls.  Definitely not.  But i can understand a bit how a small company works.   And i also faced now and then a customers mind when they start to worry.   I hope the home obsys are delivered in the end, but i just wanted to share an insight of a production worker who is responsible for multiple tasks.  Sometimes you have to choose to spend your hours in the core job.  Produce as quick as possible.
 

And one great but difficult solution is to halt new orders for a short time.  It feels like losing orders but in the end every day in the company will still be filled and the delivery time is not getting dangerous extended.  But again, its hard to say no to orders.   
 

anyway.  I hope it all sorts out with the observatory delivery before the last stars vanish.  

[KY Cygni]

3 hours ago, malc-c said:

I have been in private communications with Keith who finally received communication from Grahame and a  delivery / erecting date was set for Sunday just gone.  I was hoping that Keith would have updated the thread just to put others waiting at ease as suggested, but so far he hasn't.  Gareth  arrived on time with the building, however,  and in Keith's words "there was a problem" in that a 2' square 30" deep plinth had to be formed for the floor to sit over.  Now it's not clear where the breakdown in communications was but it meant that Keith has had to store the observatory whilst he constructs the plinth.  The plan is for Gareth to return in 3 weeks and complete the build.  Now I don't know if this is required with all of their builds, but if it does and other customers haven't been informed then they too could be in the same boat.

Its a shame I don't live anywhere near Graham as I would reach out and offer my time to ring round his customers for him and take the pressure off.  Lets hope things improve.

@KY Cygni If they have just delivered an order placed in August 2020, then I'm guessing they are way behind on construction, and it could be four or five months before your order comes to the top of the pile, unless Grahame has sourced a replacement for Nathan and can catch up on the backlog.

Thank you Malc, yeah I realize that, as others have said the timescale I can live with but the attitude towards communication is a potential deal breaker. I assume the lady on the landline answerphone is the owners wife so it seems like they have the capacity to answer enquiries without disrupting installation activities.

I don't know how others feel but I be happy to receive my obs and construct it myself.

 

Edited June 2, 2021 by KY Cygni
missed word

[Paul M]

Keep giving them more time is just asking for more trouble.

I'd have long since issued a Letter Before Action and gone on to Small Claims. 

If people want to operate like it's a hobby they shouldn't advertise as a business! These are just custom sheds. They should be knocking them out weekly if they are tooled up professionally.

[malc-c]

1 hour ago, Paul M said:

Keep giving them more time is just asking for more trouble.

I'd have long since issued a Letter Before Action and gone on to Small Claims. 

If people want to operate like it's a hobby they shouldn't advertise as a business! These are just custom sheds. They should be knocking them out weekly if they are tooled up professionally.

I must admit that whilst I'm sympathetic to the company, deep down I totally agree with you Paul.  Whilst we don't know what contracts they have with suppliers, or if they import timber from outside the UK, or any of their other business operations, taking 9-10 months to fore fill orders is really not ideal, and does give the impression that they are not a full time business, despite the glossy website (which we all know can be easily produced with most hosting packages).  

One other member posted the fact that there is no listing for them at the industrial park, and google maps does indeed back that up, but there is a sectional building company on the estate and it could well be that this business is the main business and OHUK is a side line that is operated from the same owners or premises and doesn't have the priority.  

I have said to Keith that I admire his patience - I would be becoming a very irate customer by now....

[iapa]

No one seems to be taking account of the issues caused by Brexit and the pandemic wrt availability of staff due distance regulations.

This does not generally mitigate lack of comma.

It was quite a while between my request for quote, and receipt.

[Keith Dutton]

just a quick update on Home Observatories  - They are still in business and erecting Observatories - in fact they have recently built one in Anglesey, North Wales this year. Gareth said he was slightly Dyslexic and not the best communicator.

I have been talking to Gareth quite a few times now since Nathan no longer works for Home observatories.

The shed was due to be erected last Sunday and was all ready to go until Gareth seen that there was no concrete  plinth.

We had not planned to use a concrete plinth and pier just a Tripod Telescope -but Nathan never communicated this to Gareth

However Gareth has designed the floor with  a 2ft x 2ft concrete plinth in mind, 26 inches deep and about 3 inches off the ground.

We decided to dig the hole and make the plinth, after which Gareth would come back and finish the building so I imagine about 2-3 weeks time.

We paid our deposit in August 2020 and did not recieve communication from them for a long time.

They have had quite a few personal problems and business problems, as they are a micro business and with Nathan not working with them found it difficult.

They have now seemingly got back on track and are doing their best with the backlog.

Gareth and his new work mate are genuine people and they could not apologize enough.

I suppose that patience is a virtue in this case, but you need a lot of it  - after the time scales involved. I am hoping that he may have started work on the next person on the list which presumably is anyone who put their deposit down soon after mid August 2020?

I apolgise for the late posts on this  - I have been busy renovating my home but will keep doing updates on this post.

 

[KY Cygni]

I have heard back from Graham today, he seemed genuinely apologetic and explained that he is older and not IT savvy, he was using Nathans address so I guess he doesn't have his own.

I explained about bulk emailing customers with generic updates and offered to assist if needed.

Keith! that info may have saved a lot of stress and hassle. My set-up will also be tripod mounted so I have passed that info on.

Edited June 3, 2021 by KY Cygni
spelling

[JeremyS]

1 hour ago, Keith Dutton said:

just a quick update on Home Observatories  - They are still in business and erecting Observatories - in fact they have recently built one in Anglesey, North Wales this year. Gareth said he was slightly Dyslexic and not the best communicator.

I have been talking to Gareth quite a few times now since Nathan no longer works for Home observatories.

The shed was due to be erected last Sunday and was all ready to go until Gareth seen that there was no concrete  plinth.

We had not planned to use a concrete plinth and pier just a Tripod Telescope -but Nathan never communicated this to Gareth

However Gareth has designed the floor with  a 2ft x 2ft concrete plinth in mind, 26 inches deep and about 3 inches off the ground.

We decided to dig the hole and make the plinth, after which Gareth would come back and finish the building so I imagine about 2-3 weeks time.

We paid our deposit in August 2020 and did not recieve communication from them for a long time.

They have had quite a few personal problems and business problems, as they are a micro business and with Nathan not working with them found it difficult.

They have now seemingly got back on track and are doing their best with the backlog.

Gareth and his new work mate are genuine people and they could not apologize enough.

I suppose that patience is a virtue in this case, but you need a lot of it  - after the time scales involved. I am hoping that he may have started work on the next person on the list which presumably is anyone who put their deposit down soon after mid August 2020?

I apolgise for the late posts on this  - I have been busy renovating my home but will keep doing updates on this post.

 

I hope you managed to get out of that hole OK, Keith! 😊

[Keith Dutton]

Best bit of execise I had all year after this lockdown! Not the best thing to do at my age - was aching in places I did not know we had muscles!

Got a bit over enthusiastic about it though and dug a little too deep - only realized when my brother said he could hear kangaroos!!

 

[malc-c]

33 minutes ago, Keith Dutton said:

Best bit of execise I had all year after this lockdown! Not the best thing to do at my age - was aching in places I did not know we had muscles!

Got a bit over enthusiastic about it though and dug a little too deep - only realized when my brother said he could hear kangaroos!!

 

That's deeper than the hole I dug for my pillar to mount the HEQ5 on !  - I bet you were secretly trying to make your own version of the old classic Journey to the centre of the Earth

[Keith Dutton]

You have let my secret out Malcolm!

We have 4 scopes:

But all on tripods. So hopefully a good move to mount them on a pier/pillar?

I have the older type EQ6 PRO but still in great condition. I hope we can start to get longer exposure photograpy especially as it will now be far more stable and accurately polar aligned.

Polar aligning each night using the tripod is a pain as you all know, so maybe serendipity has played a part here, making us think to mount the scope permanent?

We have a 6" Achromat, Meade 12 SCT, 90MM Ha scope and an Orion UK 12" DOB.

We have a big wedge for the SCT so will attempt to mount that sometime in future. But looking forward to some Solar imaging with the Sun starting to become a bit more ative.

I will upload a photo of the concrete plinth when done - might be of help to someone?

 

 

 

[Keith Dutton]

Hi Graham and Others

Regarding the fact that others may already have a full concrete base for the intended Obsevatory:
This may contain some useful information?

Gareth asked me to make the plinth 3 inches higher than the flag level.

Looking at the floor base he has left in the garden, it would seem that there is a square hole in the middle of the base that just fits over that.

Then the wood  flooring is laid around it - just a guess really but i think I am correct.

I will try and upload some pics for you.

My initial thought was that there was no internal wood floor and the scope would just be on the flag stones using the scope tripod.

But the descision  has been made now, partly for us, that we will use a plinth and pier - much better for Astro Photography anyway and less hassle in the long run?

Concrete and mixer hire going cost £150.00 in total and bit muscle aching work!!

I guess you could get away with it being flush but you would have a 2ft x 2ft, 3 inch square deep hole below the floor level so maybe a chat with Gareth a good idea.

Unless he constructs the building with no wooden floor and the rest of the structure just sits on the flag stones?

Regards

Keith