I have been a very loyal customer of Menards for the past few years that they have been in Chicago. Last year I began a complete rehab of my residence and ONLY used Manards for all my materials. As of now I would say I have purchased about 15 to 20 thousand dollars in recent purchases. Many of my purchases have been through the contractors department. I had only great things to say about this company and it's employees.
However, today I am not in the group of happy customers. Recently I ordered floor/roof trusses for a block garage that I built. At first I ordered the wrong items due to a miscommunication with my builders. Menards (CICERO, Chicago) did not hesitate to charge me a steep restock fee to cancel the order. I was not happy, but because the error was on my part, I accepted this and cancelled the order.
So I then placed a new order for CUSTOM engineered trusses at a higher cost but supposedly stronger product. I had to wait an extended period because these trusses were custom from Midwest Manufacturing, and I agreed to this. I received the trusses on a Saturday and many of the trusses were in bad shape. I tried unsuccessfully to reach someone that could help me but due to the weekend I was not able to do so.
Come Monday Menards did send out a rep to look at these trusses and they took photos and agreed that the product was in very poor condition. Basically all the trusses seemed to have been manufactured with low quality lumber. Some of the trusses had split wood, splinters, cracks, and such. My carpenters agreed to fortify and double up on some of the wood to prevent further damage. Bottomline I had to incur additional cost for more lumber and more work and time for the carpenters to FIX my custom trusses. Why did Menards agree to work with a 3rd party manufacturer of this caliber, is beyond me?
Hours later the reps at Menards put all the blame on the manufacturer and suggested I return them. I could not do this because I would have had to pay my carpenters and bricklayers their day rate, which would have been more expensive than the trusses themselves. Plus I had installed the trusses on most of the roof by the time Menards called back. Menards reps told me all they could do was replace (3) of the worst trusses, but delivery would take a week, or so. At this time replacements do me no good. The roof is installed and has all the rubber roof surfacing is applied.
I suggested I have a cost reduction, partial refund, store credit, etc. I never heard from Menards again. I then mailed a complaint to Menards headquarters. Menards HQ sent me a CC letter that they sent out to Midwest manufacturing. Weeks later Midwest Manufacturing sent me a letter stating there was NOTHING they could do for me.
Basically why am I left in the sidelines. Am I not a loyal customer? Why do I go out of my way to by a superior product and receive horrible service. I do not really care to hear who's fault this is. I just want it fixed.
I have lots of work to complete, and if I have to go elsewhere, be it HomeDepot, Lowes, I will do so. I told this to Menards and they did not seem to care and told me "Sorry you feel this way".
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