Hortons Log Cabins

Hortons Portable Buildings

Quality Log Cabins Since 1985

Open 7 Days

Call 01403 888 222

Terms & Conditions

Terms and Conditions

NOTE:

***Please note that all telephone calls will be recorded.***

By ordering online or offline from Hortons Portable Buildings Limited You agree to be bound by and accept the Terms and Conditions ("T&C") contained within this Website at the date of Your Order. Would You please ensure that You read all of the T&C very carefully before placing Your Order. You should also print out and retain a copy of the T&C.

 Please contact Us by telephone on 01403 888 222 or email (sales@hortonsgroup.com) before You order if You have any questions relating to the T&C. All calls are charged at the national rate (BT only, other networks may charge differently). 

We will also request that You confirm that You have read and understood the T&C as part of Our processing procedures.

Background

This agreement applies between You, the User of this Website and Us, the owner of this Website. Your agreement to comply with and be bound by the T&C is deemed to occur upon Your first use of the Website. If You do not agree to be bound by the T&C, You should stop using the Website immediately.

No part of this Website is intended to constitute a contractual offer capable of acceptance. Your Order constitutes a contractual offer and Our acceptance of that offer is deemed to occur upon Our sending a dispatch email to You indicating that Your Order has been fulfilled.

1.     Definitions and Interpretation

In the T&C the following terms shall have the following meanings:

 

f

"Carrier", "Carriers"

means any independent third party who is responsible for transporting purchased Goods from Our Premises to customers' premises;

"Content"

means any text, graphics, images, audio, video, software, data compilations and any other form of information capable of being stored in a computer that appears on or forms part of this Website;

"Goods"

means any product We advertise for sale through this Website;

"We"; "Us"; "the Company"; "Our"

means

Hortons Portable Buildings Limited

 

Company N° 4684795
VAT N° 395 3671 15

"Service"

means collectively any online facilities, tools, services or information that the Company makes available through the Website, either currently or in the future;

"User" / "Users", "You", "Your"; "Yourself"

means any third party that accesses the Website and is not employed by the Company and acting in the course of their employment; and

"Website"

means the Website that You are currently using and any sub-domains of this Website unless expressly excluded by their own T&C.

"Order"

Purchase of the Goods by ordering online, offline or face-to-face.

   
   

 

2.     Age Restrictions

For legal reasons, anyone under the age of 18 should use this Website only with the supervision of another person who is at least 18 years old. For legal reasons, payment Information must be provided by or with the permission of another a person who is at least 18 years old.

3.     Business Customers

These Terms and Conditions do not apply to customers buying Goods in the course of business. Please click this link to go to our business to business terms and conditions - https://www.hortonsgroup.com/business-2-business-terms

4.     International Customers

4.1.  We are not able to accept orders from the following European Union and European Economic Area countries:  Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Republic of Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden.

4.2.  We are unable to accept online orders from outside of the UK.  Please contact us by telephone first to discuss your requirements.  We are unable to deal with such orders via email communication initially.  

4.3.  The current and ongoing ‘Brexit’ negotiations may impact on Our T&C in the future.

4.4.  We are unable to accept, discuss or process orders from  any countries that are not included within this list due to local legal/customs requirements and the risks to Us of non-compliance.

5.     Intellectual Property

5.1.   Subject to the exceptions in Clause 6 of the T&C, all Content included on the Website, unless uploaded by Users, including, but not limited to, text, graphics, logos, icons, images, sound clips, video clips, data compilations, page layout, underlying code and software is the property of the Company, Our affiliates or other relevant third parties. By continuing to use the Website You acknowledge that such material is protected by applicable United Kingdom and International intellectual property and other laws.

5.2.   Subject to Clause 6 You may not reproduce, copy, distribute, store or in any other fashion re-use material from the Website unless otherwise indicated on the Website or unless given express written permission to do so by the Company.

6.     Fair Use of Intellectual Property

Material from the Website may be re-Used without written permission where any of the exceptions detailed in Chapter III of the Copyright Designs and Patents Act 1988 apply.

7.     Links to Other Websites

This Website may contain links to other sites. Unless expressly stated, these sites are not under Our control or that of Our affiliates. We assume no responsibility for the content of such Websites and disclaim liability for any and all forms of loss or damage arising out of the Use of them. The inclusion of a link to another site on this Website does not imply any endorsement of the sites themselves or of those in control of them.

8.     Links to this Website

8.1.   Those wishing to place a link to this Website on other sites may do so only to the home page of the site http://www.hortonsgroup.com without prior permission. Deep linking (i.e. links to specific pages within the site) requires the express permission of a Director of the Company.

8.2.   To find out more please contact Us by email at sales@hortonsgroup.com, or 01403 888 222 or at Our Premises.

9.     Use of Communications Facilities

9.1.   When using the enquiry form or any other System on the Website You should do so in accordance with the following rules:

9.1.1.   You must not use obscene or vulgar language;

9.1.2.   You must not submit Content that is unlawful or otherwise objectionable. This includes, but is not limited to, Content that is abusive, threatening, harassing, defamatory, ageist, sexist or racist;

9.1.3.   You must not submit Content that is intended to promote or incite violence;

9.2.   Submissions must be in English as We cannot respond to enquiries submitted in any other languages;

9.3.   The means by which You identify Yourself must not violate the T&C Us or any applicable laws;

9.4.   You must not impersonate other people; and

9.5.   You must not use Our System for unauthorised mass-communication such as "spam" or "junk mail".

9.6.   You acknowledge that the Company reserves the right to monitor any and all communications made to Us or use of Our System.

10.Goods, Pricing and Availability

10.1.                    We try to ensure that all details of the Goods (descriptions, prices, log thickness, design options, delivery and other details We add to the Website from time to time) that appear on the Website are complete and correct. The images on the Website are representative of some of the options that We can provide. The images do not represent exact specifications or every option that can We can provide.

10.2.                 The details of the Goods on the Website may not be an accurate reflection of what is available at the exact time when You make Your Order. Please call Us on 01403 888 222 if You have any queries.

10.3.                 Where appropriate, You may be required to select the required size, model, number and log thickness of the Goods that are Your Order. These details form the basis of Your Order so please check them carefully. If You realise that You have made an error, please call Us as soon as possible on 01403 888 222.

10.4.                 We do not represent nor warrant that such all Goods will be available. Stock indications are not provided on the Website. Please call Us on 01403 888 222 if You have any queries.

10.5.                 All pricing information on the Website is correct at the time of going online. We reserve the right to change prices and to alter or remove any special offers from time to time and as necessary. All of Our pricing information is reviewed and updated regularly.

10.5.1          We currently have to verify each price when ordered with these suppliers before processing the order and taking a deposit. This does not apply to "Hortons" products which are fully under our control, and only applies to the following products - Lugarde, Woodpro, Bertsch Holzbau and standard garden sheds.

10.6.                 We will contact You prior to Your Order being processed if the price will be different from the original price and You will be able to cancel Your Order if You wish.

10.7.1              Click here to view the terms and conditions and specifications for Lugarde products which vary slightly from that applied to Hortons log cabins and buildings as they are delivered directly to the customer's address.

10.7.1              Click here to view the terms and conditions and specifications for post and beam garages and carports which vary slightly from that applied to Hortons log cabins and buildings.

10.8.                 All prices on the Website include Value Added Tax ("VAT") at the applicable rate for the United Kingdom.

10.8.1          Our prices are fixed at the time of order. However if you delay delivery and fuel prices increase dramatically, We will need to compensate for fluctuating fuel expenses and a surcharge will be applied if diesel exceeds £1.45 /litre - this is imposed by our haulier over which we have no control. 

11.  Payment Schedules for the Goods

11.1.                 The date of Your Order is the date when We receive the deposit funds. If there has been a price increase after We quote for your buiding but before You pay Your deposit, then We reserve the right to apply the appropriate price increase to Your order, we therefore advise immediate payment of your deposit to guarantee the prices quoted.

11.2.                 We provide an outline of Our payment schedules below. We will confirm the precise schedule for Your Order.

11.3.                 The schedules are subject to change.

11.4.                 Standard Buildings

11.4.1.                      50% at the time of the Order

11.4.2.                      Outstanding balance before delivery

11.5.                 Bespoke Buildings

11.5.1.                      80% at the time of the Order

11.5.2.                      Outstanding balance before delivery

11.6.                 Buildings in excess of £20,000 cost

11.6.1.                      40% at the time of the Order

11.6.2.                      40% at the confirmation of the plans

11.6.3.                      Outstanding balance before delivery

11.7.                 Log cabin and garden building repairs

              11.7.1.               40% at the time of the Order
 
              11.7.2.               40% just before site attendance
 
              11.7.3.               Outstanding balance on completion

11.8            If you ask us to delay your delivery and store Your goods in our yard, we still expect full payment for Your goods (we will provide photographic proof of Your goods in our yard). We will also ask you to sign a disclaimer regarding long term storage of timber goods wrapped in polythene (see Clause 10 in our Delivery Policy). We also reserve the right to charge for such storage.

 11.9            Plans required for submission to Planning departments (UK only)

Charges vary. Please advise Us at the time of Your Order.

12.Goods made from timber

12.1.                 You should be aware that Timber is a natural product and does not have the same properties or consistency as synthetic products. Our buildings are in a "planed" state and not sanded, therefore there may be some parts that have a slightly rougher feel and look to them - You can sand these down if you prefer (and re-paint if You have ordered a factory painted cabin). 

12.2.                 Timber will move and weather as it seasons;

12.3.                 Small splits may occur in the timber when it dries and warping may occur when it dries quickly. An increase in humidity will normally rectify these issues.

12.4.                 These are natural characteristics of timber and do not indicate that the Goods are faulty.

12.5.                 Our timber Goods are kiln-dried but will also require the application of a preservative. Please see Clause 16.

12.6.                 We stock several ranges of preservative but You are free to chose other products if You wish. The sales prices of Our Goods are not dependent upon purchase of these products.

12.7.            The timber we use in our buildings does not necessarily come in complete long lengths. They can be supplied in shorter lengths and then joined when the building id being installed. This is always the case with non-structural pieces, trims and finishing pieces. 

13. Installation

13.1.                 Upon request, We can provide details of an independent installation company. 

13.1.1          You are required to have a person of authority available at short notice for the whole duration of the build (which may be a number of days) in case there are decisions that need to be made, or if the installers have any questions that need immediate answers.

13.1.2          The installation company will require a site with a clear (temporary or permanent) "clean" footpath leading to the base (if a muddy track is provided then You waive all rights to a clean building on completion of the build), good clear access all around the base, free access to mains electric, and also running water if any basework is required. You must warn the installers if either of these are not going to be available. If a generator needs to be hired for electric on site, this will be at extra cost to You.

13.1.3          Neither Hortons, the installation company (nor the employees of the installation company) possess CSCS cards and are not CIS registered. You must not order our installation service if either of these are conditionally required by You.

13.1.4          If the installers are required to attend an induction course by You, the time taken for this will be charged at an extra hourly cost.

13.2.                 If You choose to employ this company to undertake installation work in connection with Our Goods then You agree that the company has full responsibility for undertaking the work, under their own Terms and Conditions and in accordance with their own Guarantee, and that the company is responsible for resolving all and any issues in connection with their installation work. The installers will build to within +/-1% tolerance of the building "as supplied", not withstanding that the pysical building the tolerances of the building at manufacturing stage are also an additional +/-1% as well. NB - Log cabins will change heights according to the season, so this cannot be included within these tolerances.

13.3.                 Your employment of this company is not a condition of purchasing Our Goods, nor does it affect or reduce the price of Our Goods.  No obligation exists on Your part to employ this company.

13.4             The installing company will not fix Your building down to Your base - this is not part of the contract.

13.5             You are responsible for any problems caused to the building or structure by extra fixings and/or works carried out by You or other contractors that You employ during or after the installation is complete and signed off. It is not Our responsibility to correct any problems caused, including any reparations required, to the original structure by Your extra works or contractors. This can include but not limited to - lining and insulating the building in a non-approved manner, fixing vertical shelving units, fixing of curtain poles, fixing of cabinets, installation of plumbing and/or electrics, cutting any part of the building, cleanliness and tidiness of the building during and after their works are complete .

13.6             All timber buildings require ongoing maintenance and adjustments (including but not limited to - any and all vertical post height adjustments to re-level the roof, hinge adjustments in windows & doors, lubrication of hinges and locks, movement in ceiling boards, roofing materials, painting/preserving the building) - this is Your responsibility and not Our responsibility or of the installers.

13.7             It is Your responsibility to inform the installers if you intend to heat the building- 

13.7.1          The installers will fit the floor boards without floor board clamps (ie the default option) and it is not the installers responsibility if the floor boards develop gaps between them. At Your request, the floor boards can be left within the building to acclimatise to the internal moisture content before being laid - either by You or, for a pre-arrange extra cost by the installers on a mutually convenient later date.

13.7.2         Conversely, if You request that the floor boards be fitted with floor board clamps (ie very tightly together), and the building is not heated sufficiently during winter such that the floor boards swell up and buckle, then it is not the responsibility of the installers to re-lay Your floor boards. 

13.7.3         Floor boards can be laid either way up (V joint showing or not) - there is no set way to lay them. Therefore it is the responsibility of the customer to advise the installers if they have a preference. The installers will not re-visit to change this after they have been fitted.

13.8             If ground or site conditions are deemed unsuitable, it is still Your responsibility to pay the installers for the works carried out so far. If extra works or more contractors are required to carry out extra works not quoted for or not known before the works started (skips, excavators, retaining walls for steep slopes, structural engineers for ground stability), You are liable for these extra costs. It is your responsibility to declare an unlevel site beforehand as this will save any unknown extra costs that you may incur as work progresses.

13.9            If You lay a base and ask us to install a building upon your base, it must be level, square and large enough to fully support the building. If the base is not level, square or large enough then the installers are entitled to deem an aborted visit and arrangements will need to be made to re-visit once the base is corrected. A base made from Type 1 MOT, Pea Shingle, Tarmac, road planings or scalpings (and in certain cases, plastic ground grids) will be deemed as not suitable (they are invariably not level, have dips and troughs and will move over time after point loads are placed upon them).

In certain circumstances it may be possible to still build upon the faulty base, if this is the case then You will be asked to sign a base disclaimer. By signing this base disclaimer, you waive all guarantees for the building and the installers will build the building in the best way that they see fit. This may mean that the building is not true and square, doors and windows may not be level in order to keep their frames square. There may be a number of options available in how to install certain items - if You are present at the time of installation, the installers will ask for your preference, however if You are not present then the installers will install it as they see fit (as previously stated, You waive all recourse if you would have preferred a different method of install).

If Your building is built on Your unlevel or "out of true" base then We cannot guarantee our buildings because this discrepancy will manifest itself somewhere in the building structure - the larger the building the more likely it is that something will not line up (whether at ground level or transferred to higher up in the building - the higher up, the worse the problem could be). We will endeavour to build the best building possible, but it is Your responsibility if You require any corrections to be made to the building in order to counteract any imperfections caused by Your faulty, inadequate or unsuitable base.

13.10          We will always try to estimate the time taken for an installation in advance if requested to do so, but this is not guaranteed as there are many factors which could alter this (traffic travelling to site, distance to carry the goods, site accessibility, weather, etc). If you have booked other trades or works (electricians, plumbers, landscapers etc) to tie in with the installation, we will not be liable for any extra costs you may incur should the installation be longer or shorter than anticipated. If You employ other contractors (plumbers, electricians, etc) to work alongside the installers whilst the building is being built and they delay the installers, the installers will charge You for their lost time. 

13.11          We do not install plumbing or electrics but if YOU are going to install these then YOU and YOUR plumber and/or electrician need to read the relevant passages in our FAQ page here - https://www.hortonsgroup.com/faqs. If installed incorrectly, this will contravene our terms and conditions and we will not be liable for any costs incurred to rectify the resulting problems that will occur.

13.12          If You ask the installers to cut or alter the building (either during the installation or once complete), they may do so at their own discretion but they also reserve the right to refuse to do so and install the building as supplied and as shown on the plans that You have approved. The cost for any such work is chargeable and either the cost agreed beforehand, or an agreed hourly rate should it not be possible to do so due to the nature of the work. However, if the building has already been factory painted, then the installers will not re-paint under any circumstance, this is Your responsibility.

13.13          All packaging and spare parts are Your property. If You, or your main contractor, arrange for a skip (or similar) to be available on site at the time of installation, the installers will dispose of any waste directly into this skip for you before they leave site. Alternatively Hortons can arrange for a skip (or similar) to be onsite - there will be an administration fee applied over and above the skip price for this service. You must advise Hortons of this requirement at least 2 weeks BEFORE any work starts to allow enough time to arrange for this. The minimum fee for clearing waste/rubbish is £100.00 inc. VAT. Hortons will only clear waste resulting from the installation of the building, We are not a general rubbish clearance company.

13.14         Any installation prices published on Our website will need to be revised if Your site has restricted hours of work (installers commonly start before 8am and can finish as late as 8pm), if installers are required to attend any lengthy induction courses which delays the start of the actual build or if scaffolding / plant / specialist equipment of any sort is required by Your site code of practice, or further than 50m from the delivery point. Any extra time taken due to (but not exclusively) the afore mentioned, You will be invoiced by the installers for the extra time taken (it is not always possible to estimate this extra time beforehand). Our prices do not include scaffolding of any sort - it is the customer's responsibility to organise scaffolding where and when required.

13.15        You (or Your contractor / agent) are responsible for providing a clean site with clear and unobstructed access both to the build site and all around the base (minimum 1m wide clear and clean pathway or temporary ground protection). If this is not provided, the installers will still install your building, keeping everything as clean as they can but they are not responsible for cleaning any mud or dirt off of the completed building.

13.16        You (or Your contractor / agent) should also restrict anybody other than the installers (friends, family, other contractors, etc) from entering the building (until it is completed and signed off) as this could lead to muddy/dirty floors, doors, etc -  our installers are not responsible for cleaning muddy footprints and marks etc left by other people / contractors.

13.17        If damage is caused to Your building (including any roofing material) by very strong winds and/or very heavy rain during the period covered by a  "named storm" weather warning issued by the Meteorological Office (Met Office), this will not be covered within the installers 12 month workmanship guarantee, nor under any materials warranties/guarantees.

13.18        If the kit has been delivered to your driveway, the driveway may potentially be blocked for the duration of the build. The installers are not obliged to carry every part into your garden or to the build site immediately as it may be much more efficient to only take the parts required as they are built.

13.19        It is Your responsibility to make sure that someone of authority is available to inspect and sign the job off on completion. The installers will not make a special return journey if you later produce a "snagging list" after they have left site - You will have to wait until Your installers are in your area again if these need addressing.

13.20       If WE are installing a framed and clad building, and your electrician wants to fit the first fix wires within the walls and ceiling using metal patresses, then this will incur extra installion fees if WE are also insulating and lining the building. This is because WE will have to cut our lining material around each of these patresses which takes a conciderable amount of extra time. To avoid these costs, YOUR electrician should use plasterboard dry lining (clip-in) patresses as part of the second fix instead. This enables the installers to just pull the electric cable through a simple hole drilled into in the lining material and leave them as "tails" ready for YOUR electrician to insert the patresses and second fix.

13.21       Extended Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) and other Clean Air Zones (CAZ)

If you require your building to be installed within the ULEZ or any other CAZ, the Installers will invoice you directly for the appropriate amount of visits to complete your installation.

The current charge for vehicles to enter the ULEZ is £12.50 per day, payable by midnight of each day. You can check whether you are within the ULEZ by using this link - https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/ultra-low-emission-zone/ulez-where-and-when#postcode

Alternatively, you can check whether you are within any othe CAZ here - https://www.gov.uk/clean-air-zones

14.Delivery

14.Delivery

14.1.                 Our independent Carrier will advise You of Your delivery date by telephone or by email.

14.2.                 The Carrier is independent of the Company, and works for other clients, however, We organise delivery of the Goods and maintain an overview.

14.3.                 Our Carrier will try to accommodate Your request for a different delivery date, for example, if You will be away from home on the proposed delivery date.

14.4.                 If You do not respond to this communication, either by telephone or by email within 7 working days then Our Carrier will store Your Goods and will charge the storage costs to You for the period of time until You re-arrange Your delivery. If You respond by email then please copy Us at sales@hortonsgroup.com.
 

14.5.                Our Delivery Policy is here (Central London - Please call Us on 01403 888 222 for further information if You require a delivery to Central London).

14.6            Once delivered, the goods are Your property and it is your responsibility for their safekeeping and to insure the goods from that point, even if our installers are constructing the building for you thereafter - it is Your site and they are Your goods and it is Your responsibilty to insure them against theft, fire , etc. We cannot be responsible for the security of Your site or property. 

14.7            YOU should not instruct the delivery driver to set the cabin packs down onto your base. Otherwise this then means everything will need to be moved off the base before installation cab begin. If YOU have engaged Hortons to install YOUR building, the installers reserve the right to charge for the extra time it takes to move all of the materials off the base in order to start the work they they have been contracted to carry out.

14.8            If you have ordered uPVC joinery, these items will be delivered directly to you from our supplier. This delivery is made in a small van and the driver will off-load the items, there is no need for extra labour from our customers to help with this. Please make sure that there is a clear safe area for the frames and glass to be stacked. Because this is effectively a separate delivery, it is not guaranteed to arrive at the same time as your building - we try to make sure that these items are delivered well in advance of your building.

15.Cancellation and Returns

15.1.                 We do not hold stocks of the Goods at Our Premises or elsewhere. All the Goods are made to order.

15.2.                 Cancellation of Your Order under the Consumer Protection (Distance Selling) Regulations 2000. Refunds will only be made once any payments recieved are cleared funds in our bank.

15.2.1.                      You can cancel Your Order provided that You notify Us up to 7 working days after the day on which You receive the Goods. The notification can be made via telephone on 01403 888 222 and confirmed via email to sales@hortonsgroup.com to avoid any confusion.

15.2.2.                      If You change Your mind and wish to cancel Your Order after it has been dispatched to You then, provided that You notify Us up to 7 working days after the day on which You receive the Goods. Our Carrier will invoice Us directly and We will invoice You once cleared funds have been received, Our Carrier will arrange the date and time of collection with You directly. The goods must be at the front of your property (ie where they were delivered to) and be packaged up onto the pallets(s) on which they were delivered and securely banded suitable for transport, we require some photographs once packaged in order to arrange collection - the carrier will refuse to collect a loose pile timber on your driveway.

15.3.                 We will refund the Order price less any included transport costs. You must take reasonable care of the Goods (for example, ensuring that the Goods are not exposed to adverse Weather by storing them inside or covering with a polythene sheet) and You must not have assembled or painted any parts. We will consider that You have breached Your statutory duty of reasonable care if the Goods have been assembled.

15.4.                 Your right to return or cancel Goods does not apply to bespoke/personalised Goods, nor to the custom made plans (should they have been drawn before your cancellation, then they will still be chargeable at £500.00 including VAT).

15.5.                 Incorrect Goods

15.5.1.                      If You receive incorrect Goods You please refuse delivery of the Goods by

15.5.1.1.    noting Your refusal in writing on the delivery note; and

15.5.1.2.    contacting Us immediately on 01403 888 222.

15.5.2.                      We will offer You

15.5.2.1.    a refund of all costs (including the delivery cost);or

15.5.2.2.    replacement of the incorrect Goods/Parts (assuming they are unused and "as new") with the correct Goods/Parts.

15.5.3.                      We will advise You if there will be a manufacturing delay for Your replacement Goods/Parts. You can ask for a refund if the delay would inconvenience You. Should You choose to wait for replacement Goods/Parts, we will not pay any compensation against any claim for Your lost time, nor against any claim for cancellation of independent contractors that you may have employed and pre-booked.

15.5.4.               You (or your painting contractor in your presence) MUST open the tins of paint to ensure the colour is correct BEFORE applying to the building. If the wrong colour has been supplied then We will exchange it for the correct colour free of charge. No refunds or compensation will be be given if the wrong colour of paint has been applied to Your building.
 

15.6.                 Faulty Goods

15.6.1.                      Timber Goods

15.6.1.1.    We know that the size of Our timber Goods, when delivered, prevent You from making a close inspection. We require that You inform Us of any damaged parts within 14 days after the day of delivery on 01403 888 222 or sales@hortonsgroup.com. If the goods are off-loaded by hand and damage is evident, then You must sign the delivery note stating that the goods are damaged. If the goods are signed for without any additional comments then they are deemed to be in good condition.

15.6.1.2.    We require that You send Us colour photographs of the damaged Goods so that We can assess the problem and take the appropriate action. We prefer digital photographs which will enable Us to remedy the problem as quickly as possible. If You do not have access to a digital camera then please advise Us and let Us know when You will be able to send the photographs by post.

15.6.1.3.    If You will not be able to inspect the Goods within 14 days after the day of delivery for any reason then You must contact Us on 01403 888 222 or sales@hortonsgroup.com to advise Us when You will be able to inspect the Goods. If You do not contact Us within the 14-day period then We will consider that Your Order has been completed. You or Your Contractor should not start to install the building without checking all parts against the parts lists provided with the cabin. Hortons will not accept any claims for compensation if the building installation cannot be fully completed due to damaged or missing parts if You have not notified us before starting to build.

15.6.2.                      Non-timber Goods

Please advise Us within 7 working days after the day that You received the Goods on 01403 888 222 or sales@hortonsgroup.com for replacement or refund.

If you have received broken or cracked glass in a door or window, then We will send replacement glass for You to re-glaze on site.

All paints and stains are ordered as special items from our supplier, we do not hold any of these in stock - they are water based and require a heated store room through winter to avoid freezing (which we don't have), They are therefore non-returnable, so please try a sample pot before you order.

15.6.3.                      Goods damaged in transit

If apparent damage to the Goods is visible on delivery then please refuse delivery of the Goods by

15.6.3.1.    noting Your refusal in writing on the delivery note;

15.6.3.2.    ensuring that Our Carrier counter-signs Your refusal; and

15.6.3.3.    contacting Us immediately on 01403 888 222

15.6.4.                      We reserve the right to exercise discretion with respect to any returns under the T&C. Your Statutory Rights are not affected by the T&C.

15.6.5                Any other faulty non-timber goods will need to be returned to us. We will either refund the cost of the goods or send a replacement on receipt of the damaged / faulty goods. 

16.Treatment of Goods made from timber

16.1.                 You must apply a high quality waterproofing preservative treatment to the Goods as soon as they have been constructed into a building (shed or fence stains/paints are not adequate - they need to be the same quality as would be used on a house). Tanalith pressure treated buildings are only protected against insect and fungal attack, Tanalith is not a waterproofer. Tanalith adds a pale green colour to the timber which fades in time, but You must still apply a waterproofing treatment immediately after construction (unless the building is ordered with factory painting as well).

16.2.            If you choose the factory application of timber treatments, the timber is planed but not sanded before the treatment is applied and no blocking primer  (or "knotting") is used to guard against resin and extractive discolouration. The timbers are painted individually at the factory and it is therefore entirely possible that adjacent timbers may be slightly different colour shades (much more apparent if you have chosen a translucent stain rather than the opaque paint finish) as each timber part may be a slightly different colour even before the staining/painting process and also absorb slightly different amounts of stain/paint (depending on the wood grain density and direction). Windows and doors are made from glulam timber and a different batch of timber, and may therefore finish a slightly different colour shade to the solid timber (not glulam) wall logs. These colour differences are most apparent when new and will ease and blend as time goes by, and does not constitute a fault with the factory painting process.

16.3.           Resin (occurs around knots) or sap pockets naturally occur in timber and does not constitute a fault. You cannot stop sap running out of the timber, it is a case of letting the sap pocket empty over time which happens more quickly during hot weather (and cleaning it off intermittently as required). Sap can easily be cleaned off the timber by scraping the initial globule(s) and streaks using a paint scraper and then cleaning the residue off with a rag and white spirit. In some extreme  cases sap can run out behind paint and cause it to "bubble up" (paint makes film over the timber whereas stain soaks into the timber, therefore stain will not bubble up). This is solved by cutting a hole in the paint bubble, cleaning the sap away and then touching up the paint as required.

16.4.            We do not factory paint roof boards, floor boards, skirting boards, roof covings/flanges or roof purlins (you may need to purchase extra paint if a colour match to the rest of the building is required). No fixings applied at the factory will be countersunk, filled and over-painted as various fixings (screws) will need to be accessible during the installation process. Spare "touch-up" paint is provided with all factory painted cabins should any timber require cutting or is scratched during transport or installation. You should not use this touch up paint for painting roof overhangs and canopies etc - You will need to purchase extra paint for this purpose. If you have purchased a Twinskin with different internal and external log colours, you will also need to purchase extra external paint if you wish to match the colour of the internal log ends with the external colour (where they protrude through to the outside).

16.4.1         The quoted prices on our website for self-application paints are worked out from the area coverage (sqm) quoted and recommended by the paint manufacturer. We will not supply extra paint free of charge if you over-apply the paint and run out before completely painting your building. As stated in 16.4, you will need to buy extra paint if you want to paint any roof overhangs and canopies to match the walls. You (or your painting contractor in your presence) MUST open the tins of paint to ensure the colour is correct BEFORE applying to the building. No refunds or compensation will be be given if the wrong colour of paint has been applied to the building.

16.5.                 Wherever possible, this work should be done when both the building is dry and the weather is dry (this is especially important with framed buildings - if the cladding is not fully dry when painting with a coloured preservative or paint, then this will result in unpainted lines revealing themselves when the cladding does dry and shrink back, thereby exposing the raw unpainted timber). You must follow the manufacturer's instructions on Your preservative product.

16.6.                 If you paint the building elements before assembling, we advise careful painting of the wall timbers of log cabins before assembling them so that You do not clog up the notching joints. We do not advise You to paint any roof or floor boards before assembling at all as they will be very difficult to slot together and could result in damaging the boards. If you are using a stain that soaks into the timber rather than one that forms a film over the surface of the timber then this will not cause a problem.

16.7.                 Note that the treatment must be applied to all exterior surfaces (walls, roof overhangs/canopies, fascias, trims, windows and doors) and the interior of the building, including the ceiling. You must ensure that all joints between the wall boards are thoroughly painted such that there is a seal between the boards, there should be no breaks in this seal around the external faces of the building - in extreme weather conditions, wind pressure can drive rain through timber joints, be they vertical or horizontal, and cause dampness inside your building. We advise that a flexible paint is used to allow for any timber movement without breaking the paint seals between timbers. We will refuse to consider any claim of any kind if You have not treated the building in accordance with this. It is Your responsibility to care for the building because it is Your property.

16.8.                 You must apply an antifungal basecoat treatment immediately to the Goods, at the very least, to avoid mould and fungal growth on the timber. These treatments are (usually) clear and therefore will not affect the finish of Your constructed building.

16.9.                 Note on timber doors and windows

16.9.1.                      Please call Us on 01403 888 222 if You can no longer open, close or adjust a door or window.

16.9.2.                      We will offer You some general advice.

16.9.3.                      Please contact Us again if the problem persists. We will then request photographs of the problem so that We can work on a more accurate solution and will offer You some further advice.

16.9.4.                      If the problem persists, please contact Us again and We will send another door or window frame to You. The door or window casement will be unglazed, unless the glass in the original frame was broken as a result of the problem, and You will use the glass form the original frame to glaze the new frame.

16.10.                 The replacement part(s) will be delivered to You free of charge. The replacement part(s) may be configured differently to the original part(s). ie 2 smaller pieces may be supplied instead of one large piece, but will replicate the same function and appearance once installed.

16.11.                 Packaging [Clause 10 in Delivery Policy]

16.11.1.                      The Goods are wrapped in a plastic, waterproof, non-breathable membrane which is designed to be weather-tight.

16.11.2.                      We cannot guarantee that they will remain in perfect condition if they are stored on Our Premises for an extended period of time because any moisture that is within the wrapping cannot escape and would cause "sweating".

16.11.3.                      "Sweating" may degrade the product and in certain cases cause mildew / mould growth.

16.11.4.                      If You do not intend to construct the Goods as soon as You receive them You must loosen but not remove all of the plastic wrapping to aerate the timber. We emphasise that the plastic wrapping must be placed in such a way that it remains a weather-proofing layer.

16.11.5.                      We will not accept any claim for damage if the weather-proofing layer has been completely removed and the Goods have been exposed to the elements. The Goods are Your property and You must take reasonable care of them.

 

17.Additional terms and conditions for cabin repairs and maintenance

17.1 Log replacement – The whole process of jacking the cabin up and then back down again can cause the cabin to skew and twist to a certain degree. This can therefore mean that the roof is under stress during this process – if YOUR roof covering is not in perfect condition, it can cause it to leak. WE do not allow for re-roofing the cabin in the above quote, but we can of course undertake this work as well. If WE are replacing wall logs, there will be screw holes left in the cabin walls - WE do not fill & paint these as a standard part of the log replacement process.
YOUR electrician will need to disconnect the feed going into the building and also entirely disconnect and remove any sockets and fitting that are within 700mm of all corners up to a height of 1.5m (this is where we will need to connect our lifting equipment which fixes tightly to the walls in each corner.
YOUR plumber will need to disconnect any water pipes and drains going into the building and also entirely disconnect and remove anything that is within 700mm of all corners up to a height of 1.5m (this is where we will need to connect our lifting equipment which fixes tightly to the walls in each corner.
 
17.2 Floor boards / Roof boards / Cladding - If the remedial works involve lifting / removing any sort of tongue & groove boarding (which are to be re-used later on), they could be damaged during this process as it is likely that they are nailed down. WE obviously try to lift these boards as carefully as we can to reduce the risk of damage. However, WE cannot guarantee that none will be damaged. WE do not allow for any replacement boards at the quotation stage as it is not possible to forecast any damage that might be caused during this process. Therefore any replacement boards required will be charged to YOU on completion of the works..
 
17.3 Re-felting - If WE are asked to refelt a building with felt shingles and the customer has not paid for a cabin survey, WE rely on the customer's roof measurements to be correct. WE also rely on the customer to check the roof angle - felt shingles require at least a 12 degree roof pitch to be water-tight. WE strongly advise that an underfelt be used if less than 15 degrees, however this is at the customer's discretion (no guarantee is offered if the roof pitch is less than 15 degrees AND the shingles are installed without an underfelt).
 
17.4 Re-painting – please remember that painting over an old garden building may not produce a “factory finish” as this is somewhat dependant on the state of the building beforehand. Please also bear in mind that re-painting is weather dependent, so WE cannot guarantee any finishing dates. No painting / treating / decorations are allowed for other than if you have contracted us to specifically paint your building or new replacement building parts.
 
17.5 Payment schedule for cabin repair and maintenance works - WE require a 40% deposit allowing us to get the materials required on order, a further 40% just before site attendance and the balance payable on completion - obviously with the uncertain nature of this type of work, this may vary depending on the actual work carried out.
 
17.6 No painting / treating / decorations are allowed for within the remedial works – no new timber parts will be painted and there will be screw holes left in the cabin walls. We do not fill & paint these as a matter of course. We can however, quote seperately for painting buildings.
 
17.7 When initial estimates are given, they will still only be an estimate / guide price because you don't know what you will find once the work starts (we will list what we have included in our estimate) - there are usually a number of "unknowns" that get exposed when the dismantling phase begins. However, if YOU request a “non-invasive” survey then it  should limit these "unknowns" to some degree. Anything not listed (ie, currently unknown) above would be charged at £43.75 inc. VAT per hour per man plus materials at cost + 15% + VAT (anything involving this would be noted down and signed off by you at the end of each day).
 
17.8 Repair work is carried out as and when WE are able to fit it into our normal schedule of works. Therefore if any unexpected / unscheduled extra work is required, it may not be possible to finish within the time period allowed and another later visit my be required once some more “clear time” has become available. We cannot postpone any other works already booked in to “follow on”. WE always try to finish a job once started, but this is not always possible as the weather plays a big part in our operations (new cabin builds as well as cabin repair work) over which WE have no control. Therefore YOU should not book any other trades to follow on until WE have finished our work
 
17.9 WE will not pay any compensation (for inconvenience or any other reason) for jobs that overrun the intial estimated timescale.
 
17.10 Initial cabin surveys are carried out by experienced cabin installers, who do not have any specific qualifications nor are they members of any official body. Therefore garden building surveys carried out on behalf of Hortons do not come with any guarantees, warranties or insurance. The surveys are visual and "non-invasive" - if any part of the building cannot be clearly seen, then it will not be included within the survey report. WE do not move/remove anything in order to gain access or to be able to view areas of the building - this is YOUR responsibilty to ensure that we have full access and everything is visible (internally and externally). It should not be assumed that our surveys will be accepted by banks or insurance companies for valuation purposes - we do not offer valuations. Our surveys are purely to assess the health of a garden building and the associated costs to repair or maintain it if required. Surveys have a fixed set of inspections to be carried out. These inspections are statements of fact rating each inspected item from 1 to 10 which indicates whether that item is"advised" or "highly recommended" for remedial/repair work to be carried out - we do not write extensive "wordy" reports with opinions of what has caused any issues with the building, but we may recommend a certain course of action to prevent any further problems in the future. We will then also generate no obligation estimates for each item identified as requiring work.

18.Privacy


Use of the Website is also governed by Our Privacy Policy.

 

19.Disclaimers

 

19.1.                 We do not warrant or represent that the Website

19.1.1.                      will meet Your requirements;

19.1.2.                      will be of satisfactory quality;

19.1.3.                      will be fit for a particular purpose;

19.1.4.                      will not infringe the rights of third parties;

19.1.5.                      will be compatible with all systems;

19.1.6.                      will be secure; and

19.1.7.                      that all information provided will be accurate.

19.2.                 No part of this Website is intended to constitute advice and the Content of this Website should not be relied upon when making any decisions or taking any action of any kind.

19.3.                 No part of this Website is intended to constitute a contractual offer capable of acceptance.
 

20.Plans, Planning Permission and Building Regulations

20.1.                 You must ensure that You have obtained any and all relevant Planning permissions, including the submission of any calculations required for Building Regulations approval, before You Order Your Goods.

20.2.                 We are not liable for any infringement of Planning laws and We do not offer any form of advice.

20.3            We are not responsible for employing a structural engineer to make the calculations for submission to Building Control (for Your building or for Your base) on your behalf - this is Your responsibility. We do have standard calculations (for insulation values and for the roof purlin structural strength) which we can supply to You, but we do not have one-off calculations available for Your unique building, these are Your responsibility. Extra appropriate charges will be made if any changes or alterations are required to the structure by Your structural engineer  (before or after manufacture / installation).

20.4            By confirming the production plans in order to us to start manufacture, You are confirming that You have checked and confirmed every detail on the plans and that they conform to your required design - Your building will be manufactured according to the approved plans. You are also confirming that You have submitted and received approval from Your Local Council Office for all / any relevant Planning Permission applications and Building Regulations submissions / calculations.

20.5           If you are hving the bulding installed, You must tell the installers where to position the building exactly before they start to install. If there are any planning restrictions or building regulation rules that apply, then this is VERY important - it is the customer's responsibility to check with the local building control and planning office for any restrictions and laws/rules which must be adhered to - neither Hortons not the installers offer advice regarding this. Neither Hortons nor the installers will be responsible if You do not give precise instructions and the building is not built where required.

21.Changes to the T&C

We reserve the right to:

21.1.                 modify or withdraw, temporarily or permanently, this Website (or any part of it) with or without notice to You and You confirm that We shall not be liable to You nor to any third party for any modification to or withdrawal of the Website; and/or

21.2.                 change the T&C. Your continued Use of the Website (or any part of it) following any such change will be deemed as Your acceptance of the change. You must access the Website regularly to find out if the T&C have been changed. If You do not agree to any change to the T&C then You should not Use the Website.

22.Availability of the Website

22.1.                 The Service is provided "as is" and on an "as available" basis.

22.2.                 We do not warrant that the Website will meet Your requirements nor that it will be uninterrupted, up-to-date or free of errors, nor that defects will be corrected nor that the site or the server that makes it available are free of viruses or bugs nor that the site or server represents the total functionality, accuracy, reliability of the Website. We will not be responsible or liable to You for any loss of content or material uploaded or transmitted through the Website.

23.Limitation of Liability

23.1.                 To the maximum extent permitted by law, We do not accept liability for any direct or indirect loss or damage, foreseeable or otherwise, including any indirect, consequential, special or exemplary damages arising from the use of the Website or any information contained therein. Users should be aware that they use the Website and its Content at their own risk.

23.2.                 Nothing in the T&C excludes nor restricts Our liability for death or personal injury resulting from any negligence or fraud on Our part.

23.3.                 Nothing in the T&C excludes or restricts Our liability for any direct or indirect loss or damage arising out of the incorrect delivery of Goods or out of reliance on incorrect information included on the Website.

24.Severance

If any part of the T&C is deemed to unlawful or void or unenforceable for any reason unenforceable, then that clause of the T&C will be deemed to be severable from the T&C and shall not affect the validity and enforceability of any of the other clauses in the T&C.

25.No Waiver

In the event that any party to the T&C fails to exercise any right or remedy contained herein, this shall not be construed as a waiver of that right or remedy.

26.Previous T&C

In the event of any conflict between the T&C and any prior versions thereof, the provisions of the T&C shall prevail unless it is expressly stated otherwise.

27.Notices

27.1.              All notices and/or communications shall be given to Us either by post to Our Premises or by email to sales@hortonsgroup.com

27.2.                 Any such notice or communication will be deemed to have been received 5 days after posting, the send date if the email is received on a working day and on the next working day if the email is sent on a weekend, or on a public holiday.

28.Law and Jurisdiction

The T&C are governed by and are construed in accordance with the laws of England. You irrevocably submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England.