Looking for a little help here...
I hired a company a couple months back to replace all the windows in my house. As cash was a bit short at the time, and some windows were more of a priority than others, I only had half of them done at first. They did a great job on everything, I was very happy...paid in full about $6000 for that job.
I decide pretty much on the spot I'm going to hire them to do all the rest in a month's time & get a quote for $7000 more, which they are installing today.
Now they arrive on site today and two of the windows have been cut to the wrong size. I specifically insisted that the large windows at the back of the house, main floor, have a sliding section which is 15?" high, so as to fit an air conditioner into each. (Large pane on top, sliding section at the bottom of the window which must be 15?"). When they arrive I immediately notice there is no way an AC is going to fit. I measure the opening, and sure enough it is 13".
When he was giving me the estimate we were sitting in the kitchen when I brought this up and he said "go measure your air conditioner and let me know how much space you need". It measured 14 3/4" high...and I need a bit of leeway, so he said "So 15? is good then?" and I said Yes.
So I get on the phone with the rep (who is also the VP of this little company) and let him know about the problem. Now unfortunately, when he was here *I* was the one who measured the air conditioner... he took all of the other measurements. He now claims I told him 15?" from the bottom of the frame to the top of the cross-frame. Now, why on earth would I measure a window that way? I was asked to measure the air-conditioner, not the existing window, or give him a number from "inside the bottom of the frame to above cross beam". I think the guy is full of shit, didn't give his workers the proper instructions, the windows got cut wrong, and now he's not going to take the blame for it.
So I tell him that I want it fixed. He blames me saying the only measurement that is "wrong" is the one I took. I ask him why he didn't measure it, since he measured everything else. In my opinion that is his responsibility. I tell him to go ahead and install the other 4 windows, but hold back on these 2, and I will hold back payment until it is corrected.
At this point he comes very close to threatening me (though he doesn't say anything stupid enough to get himself in trouble), but does let me know that that's not the way this business works, and everything is due on delivery. He tells me I should put in central air anyways. Not that that is his decision to make (spend my money for me why don't ya?)...but the furnace here is ancient and that could be very costly and a real ordeal...so I don't want to do that yet. He offers to buy me a new air conditioner. I tell him I need two of them because of the size of the house, and they must both be 10000 BTU's each because that's what it will take to cool the house (and it's what I have now), and how much that will cost. Again he goes through the roof and says no way will he foot that bill.
So...this is where we are at. He puts the blame on me for measuring incorrectly (which I didn't). He refuses to rebuild two new windows at his expense. He refuses to find air conditioning units which are smaller in size but of the same strength as my existing units. And he says if I want a new, proper window I am going to have to pay for it. I can't really go to anyone "higher-up" in this company since I am pretty sure the Pres is a relative (brother maybe?)...it's not an option. I've spent $13 grand with this company and the guy won't budge, and I feel I am due a proper job. And I've got a couple windows missing on the house right now (not the ones that were cut wrong, but others). I do not want him, obviously, to stop work on the spot when it is 34? outside.
How would you proceed from here?
Thanks.
I hired a company a couple months back to replace all the windows in my house. As cash was a bit short at the time, and some windows were more of a priority than others, I only had half of them done at first. They did a great job on everything, I was very happy...paid in full about $6000 for that job.
I decide pretty much on the spot I'm going to hire them to do all the rest in a month's time & get a quote for $7000 more, which they are installing today.
Now they arrive on site today and two of the windows have been cut to the wrong size. I specifically insisted that the large windows at the back of the house, main floor, have a sliding section which is 15?" high, so as to fit an air conditioner into each. (Large pane on top, sliding section at the bottom of the window which must be 15?"). When they arrive I immediately notice there is no way an AC is going to fit. I measure the opening, and sure enough it is 13".
When he was giving me the estimate we were sitting in the kitchen when I brought this up and he said "go measure your air conditioner and let me know how much space you need". It measured 14 3/4" high...and I need a bit of leeway, so he said "So 15? is good then?" and I said Yes.
So I get on the phone with the rep (who is also the VP of this little company) and let him know about the problem. Now unfortunately, when he was here *I* was the one who measured the air conditioner... he took all of the other measurements. He now claims I told him 15?" from the bottom of the frame to the top of the cross-frame. Now, why on earth would I measure a window that way? I was asked to measure the air-conditioner, not the existing window, or give him a number from "inside the bottom of the frame to above cross beam". I think the guy is full of shit, didn't give his workers the proper instructions, the windows got cut wrong, and now he's not going to take the blame for it.
So I tell him that I want it fixed. He blames me saying the only measurement that is "wrong" is the one I took. I ask him why he didn't measure it, since he measured everything else. In my opinion that is his responsibility. I tell him to go ahead and install the other 4 windows, but hold back on these 2, and I will hold back payment until it is corrected.
At this point he comes very close to threatening me (though he doesn't say anything stupid enough to get himself in trouble), but does let me know that that's not the way this business works, and everything is due on delivery. He tells me I should put in central air anyways. Not that that is his decision to make (spend my money for me why don't ya?)...but the furnace here is ancient and that could be very costly and a real ordeal...so I don't want to do that yet. He offers to buy me a new air conditioner. I tell him I need two of them because of the size of the house, and they must both be 10000 BTU's each because that's what it will take to cool the house (and it's what I have now), and how much that will cost. Again he goes through the roof and says no way will he foot that bill.
So...this is where we are at. He puts the blame on me for measuring incorrectly (which I didn't). He refuses to rebuild two new windows at his expense. He refuses to find air conditioning units which are smaller in size but of the same strength as my existing units. And he says if I want a new, proper window I am going to have to pay for it. I can't really go to anyone "higher-up" in this company since I am pretty sure the Pres is a relative (brother maybe?)...it's not an option. I've spent $13 grand with this company and the guy won't budge, and I feel I am due a proper job. And I've got a couple windows missing on the house right now (not the ones that were cut wrong, but others). I do not want him, obviously, to stop work on the spot when it is 34? outside.
How would you proceed from here?
Thanks.
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