Door Issues

So this is more a "What would you do?" thread than anything...

I bought all new windows and doors for the house. The company came in almost 4 grand lower than Pella and with the exception I'm about to outline-is quality material and good people.

The back door is a French style out in the back yard...and the door unit they brought-fell apart- as they were carrying it to install. The sill fell out and the frame twisted, making the frame un-usable.
Upon further inspection-The windows were installed backwards (so the blind control sliders are outside).
With all the issues-the project manager/foreman came and looked said they would get an answer to me that day. The supplier came out and said "Oh-We'll get you a new door."

That was 23JUNE. I got a call last Friday saying they'd like to come this week and put the door in- I just got back from vacation and said it needed to be today or later...so they said today was good. Then this morning called and said the door didn't come in last week.

So here I am sitting at the house having anticipated watching them work and then cleaning up...but they won't be here.
I was okay when the door broke...I didn't get real angry when it took them a couple of weeks to get the new door made. But now-I'm pretty ticked that they scheduled my time without even being sure they would be able to do the work.

I was thinking about talking with them about a discount on some other work...but at this point...I'm not sure I want them working on my place any more than required to get the door finished.
Is there anything else I should be looking at or thinking about doing??

Sorry that was forever long-Thanks for your time and opinions!!

 

The door came as one complete piece-frame, doors, center brace...so what shows up at my house better be a whole new unit. The windows could just be removed and turned 180 degrees-but I have that same concern about watertightness- Now those blinds and the controls have been weather for a month...I don't really want them any more.

 

Dam Mark Did the cat's show up yet? I hate to hear crap like this. Always check out how long they been doing work, BBB, and check up to date paper work.The windows have to go back there is only one fac. seal. You might want to tell them you want them to do more work on your house just to get this part done. How ever I would not use them down the road to build a sand box for the kids. Hope this works out for you but if it don't you might have to go full ass hole on them. Forty years as a carpenter in Orl. I cant tell you all this kind of shit Ive come across. Hope this one works out good for you, keep us posted. Jim

 

Yeah...I gave the project manager a pretty rough time on the phone...When I hung up he was just stuttering "I'm sorry" over and over. He came recommended to me from a friend, the price was great, and the window work is good. I have to clean and repaint the outside of the windows and clean sills and walls inside them but that's normal.
I'm expecting to hear from them today that the door is/is not in and we'll go from there.

 

I bought all new windows and doors for the house. The company came in almost 4 grand lower than Pella and with the exception I'm about to outline-is quality material and good people.

Hey Mark, did you check out the companies rep. to see if they stand behind their product? Installers are generally subcontractors so watch them like a hawk and make sure they do the job right the first time cause if there is a problem it might take forever to get them back to take care of it. Hope all works out for you.
Ken

 

Yeah...They were recommended to me by someone else who had windows done by them and have an A+ BBB rating. They are a local company (builders and installers) and the salesman has been available the whole time to talk to.
I don't feel like they are trying to get one over on me...but they are coming off as less than professional.

Thanks for the opinions guys...At least I feel like I'm not being a complete asshole now....

 

Sounds like you are lucky so far, when they get the door hanging and swinging check it out good fit, gaps all around, handle & lock work good. As John said its hell to get them back on small stuff after they leave. Jim

 

Brunes ,

What exactly happened to the door ?

I don't understand how it could fall apart , did the bottom sill just fall off ?

 

You are handling a lot better than I would have!
After seeing the door fall apart and windows in backward, I would have lost it! Two major mistakes are not acceptable IMO.

 

Yeah...I didn't have a chance to take photos but I told them I expected a new door so I wasn't worried about the damaged one too much.

2 installers were carrying it by either side of the frame. The sill dropped out of the bottom and the right side pulled in the shearing (I think) direction...so the nails just kinda pulled out a bit. The left side sheared and then twisted so the wood split. Ended up with the two doors attached to their respective sides, the header and the center brace, and the sill all as separate parts.

Quick look at the sill showed about 5 nails in about a quarter sized area on one end and no nails on the other side (only 6 inches difference...but i looked weird) and then the windows in backwards. I think it's poor workmanship on the door manufacturers part-A Friday shift door or Monday after a long weekend type of thing...

I'm going to make sure that I'm here when the new door arrives and that I get to take a good look at it before it goes anywhere.

I'm trying to be chill about it...in part cause it's hard to be like "This door bullshit cost me X$'s that I want back"- It sucks-I have two dogs and haven't had a back door to my yard in a month...but what is that really worth?? Plus-I need the door-so getting all pissed at them doesn't help that happen...and all it really means is I won't recommend them to anyone else or use them for future business. I gave the manager a hard time ...and I'm sure I'll have to talk to him again...but past that..It's not worth my energy to get pissed.

 

No retainage, like 10% up front, and then so much til the job is done and the final 10 or 5% at the end of the job I'm assuming?

I think I would have gone about it calmly til they scheduled you to be there for an install of a door that was never shipped. That crap is unacceptable and a reflection of poor management. I'd push to get a refund on the door on the basis of not having a rear door, dealing with the delays and now taking a day off of work because they scheduled you to be there for them to fix their initial screw up.

Good luck!

 

Next update: BLUF =(

Long Story: The door came in last week and they called Friday to set a date for the install. Tues worked for my wife to be around the house. They showed up later than expected (about 1030) after doing a few other small jobs on the way. They showed up with just a new frame-They were going to reuse the doors that they hung with the inside of the windows out. Good news is the new frame was built wrong so they are trying AGAIN.
At this point they are already saying sorry immediately upon picking up the phone, talking about a discount, and they are going to be looking for a professional painter to finish the door and frame, inside and out.

I've also retracted a few recommendations for the company. It's their fault that the new new door wasn't a complete door system and the scheduling issues, coupled with the poor communications just makes them a less than desirable company to work with....which sucks for them- cause the window install was great-but there were no issues that popped up.....

 

Getting a door correctly ordered and hung is not a difficult task , it should be especially easy for a door company .

They sound like total clowns .

 

Need some pointers on how to go bat shit crazy? Want to know y I cant go back to 2 toyota dealers. Jim

 

BLUF: Finally can walk into my back yard thru the french doors.

Long story: After the last issue-They rush ordered a complete new door system (Doors and frame). They were going to install Friday but ended up delayed on another job and came Saturday AM. I can understand delay like that cause of the weather around here.
They showed up about 9 and got right to it. Had to make a Home Depot trip cause the swazall blade was toast and they needed to get some lunch while they were out. They finished the job before any of our guests arrived for the party and did a good job cleaning up and what not.
Opened both doors and when I went to close them...They wouldn't latch up. So they came back this morning and adjusted the strike plates and it works again. The non-handled door has a channel with a floating faceplate to mount the strike plates too and it had shifted a bit. Some 3 inch screws took care of that.

Gunna have the project manager come out and look at it cause there are a few gaps in the weather strip that will need to be dealt with and we'll be talking about the discount and paint for the door.

So hopefully-I will have at most 1 more post to make in here about this whole debacle.