The Window Company
Koontz - Realized I haven't updated on my window company dilemma. Here's the news to date:
The window company came out to look at the problems on the installation job of their windows and though they talked a good story, what they actually did was give the installation contractor a heads-up that I would be calling him and they left it to me to resolve the problems. So after many calls, I get the contractor back on the job. He was polite, talked a bunch of bullshit and made another appointment to come back and do some corrections. He did return, did most of the corrections we talked about and blew out once again. My partner or I will have to finish correcting the issues on the install-some simple, like they didn't shim under the window joints, (three windows are tied together on one wall and in an effort to level them, shims were inserted under the windows at either end-but not where the windows are screwed together, so they are pulling apart because they are unsupported). A stupid mistake that will undermine the window and the client will never know why things are going awry, because the mistake will be covered by trim work. It infuriates me and I am beginning to think that consumers cannot trust anyone to do quality work without supervision.
Forewarned is forearmed they say-so here's a heads up for everyone. When you go to a large company to contract for a job, you speak to a counter-person, who then directs you to a sales-person. The sales-person then sets up an appointment for the estimator to come out to the project site. The estimator then sets up the project with a contractor. The job date arrives and a crew of people you've never seen before shows up to do the work, (and the contractor, whom you've possibly still not met, may or may not be on site at that point. Chances are if he or she is on site, they won't stick around for long...that's what they have the crew for).
If there's a problem on the job, the client might talk to the crew, who refer everything back to the contractor, who blames it on the estimator, (who didn't know shit from shinola regarding installation techniques), and the estimator tells you that it's the sales persons' fault for not explaining things correctly in the first place. Apparently the only one off the hook is the receptionist! NO ONE is responsible and no one really cares; or so it seems to me...
Solution-The best one I've come up with is to only use companies where the people I deal with have a vested interest in how the job turns out and what I later say about the company. Usually that means I try to deal only with family operated and/or small companies, where everyone involved gives a damn because it's more than just an hourly wage to them.
Does anyone else have horror stories about well known companies? Would love to hear them and be forewarned by them!
The window company came out to look at the problems on the installation job of their windows and though they talked a good story, what they actually did was give the installation contractor a heads-up that I would be calling him and they left it to me to resolve the problems. So after many calls, I get the contractor back on the job. He was polite, talked a bunch of bullshit and made another appointment to come back and do some corrections. He did return, did most of the corrections we talked about and blew out once again. My partner or I will have to finish correcting the issues on the install-some simple, like they didn't shim under the window joints, (three windows are tied together on one wall and in an effort to level them, shims were inserted under the windows at either end-but not where the windows are screwed together, so they are pulling apart because they are unsupported). A stupid mistake that will undermine the window and the client will never know why things are going awry, because the mistake will be covered by trim work. It infuriates me and I am beginning to think that consumers cannot trust anyone to do quality work without supervision.
Forewarned is forearmed they say-so here's a heads up for everyone. When you go to a large company to contract for a job, you speak to a counter-person, who then directs you to a sales-person. The sales-person then sets up an appointment for the estimator to come out to the project site. The estimator then sets up the project with a contractor. The job date arrives and a crew of people you've never seen before shows up to do the work, (and the contractor, whom you've possibly still not met, may or may not be on site at that point. Chances are if he or she is on site, they won't stick around for long...that's what they have the crew for).
If there's a problem on the job, the client might talk to the crew, who refer everything back to the contractor, who blames it on the estimator, (who didn't know shit from shinola regarding installation techniques), and the estimator tells you that it's the sales persons' fault for not explaining things correctly in the first place. Apparently the only one off the hook is the receptionist! NO ONE is responsible and no one really cares; or so it seems to me...
Solution-The best one I've come up with is to only use companies where the people I deal with have a vested interest in how the job turns out and what I later say about the company. Usually that means I try to deal only with family operated and/or small companies, where everyone involved gives a damn because it's more than just an hourly wage to them.
Does anyone else have horror stories about well known companies? Would love to hear them and be forewarned by them!
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