Late last summer I signed a contract with Next Door and WIndow for vinyl replacement windows for my home. One of the windows was to be a 12' bowed window for my kitchen. The total contract came to $11,700.00. A large portion of the cost was for the bowed window but they did not supply me with an individual price break down, so can;'t say exactly the cost of the bowed window.
Prior to signing the contract I was very specific what I was looking for. Brown exterior and wood grain (oak) vinyl clad interior. I was given a sample of what my window would look like. I was happy with both the interior and exterior finishes of this sample piece - so I signed the contract.
After a very lengthy wait, my windows were installed around Thanksgiving '03. The second the bowed window was hoisted into the chopped up hole of my previous kitchen windows I KNEW it was the wrong window. The window they were installing was not maintenance free interior wood grain (oak) vinyl, but rather a real wood, pine veneer.
I immediately called their office to report the problem. Justin seemed to be confused and couldn;t understand what I was talking about. I slowly explained it to him and he claimed the Thermal Indistries does not even make a window with those finishes. I was in the middle of construction and could not lay my hands on that sample I was given (I have it now.) I asked him to come over and look at the window and discuss how we could take care of the situation.
I told him I did not pay that kind of money for a pine interior window - pine does NOT stain well. Pine is good for a painted surface but not attractive stained. Since I had no plans on covering the window with curtains, the wood finish was to be the focal point of the room.
I explained that his brother (Scott,) the sales person made a big point of explaining that the seat ceiling and sides of the windpw would be oak wood needing to be stained. However the window units themselves were the oak look vinyl vinyl. I totally understood that and based my decision to sign the contract on the information he gave me.
Solution was to talk me into letting a "professional" stain the window and I will "love the results. And Justin promised "We'll go from their, once the window is stained. Trying to be agreeable I thought perhaps a professional has tricks up their sleeves and can make pine wood look better than I can. I was trying to salvage a bad situation. I agreed to let the professional they recommended finish the window to the tune of $750.00. Next Door and Window agreed to pay for half of the stain work. Personally I don;t feel like it should cost me a cent since they did not deliver what they promised.
THe result of staining the window was predicatbale. They had no tricks up their sleeve and I could have done the same job, possibly it would have taken me a bit longer to apply the verathane. But pine is pine is pine - it looks terrible. I WANT the window they promised me - but they refuse. Here is their defense.
They claim they delivered what the contract called for. And true enough they did.in the contract tehy called the finish "Dream Wood 2" I have no idea what "Dream Wood 2" is - I assumed it is the sample they had handed me. But it isn't! The sample I have is what Thermal Indistry calls "Real Wood" (what a confusing mess.) So am I responsible if the salesperson does not know what the finish is called and writes down the wrong one? Is it my responsibility to be familiar with the acrynyms the companies use for their finsihes? That is why you have a sales rep, someone that explains what is what. Scott (the sales rep) was a very personable young man and sounded like he knew what he was talking about.
Now that the damage is done, Justin, the office contact tried to tell me they do not even make the finish I described. So I took it upon myself to call Thermal Industries and ask. YES - they do make it in that finish and I was advised by them that I should stick to my guns - the salesman made a mistake.
I understand everyone makes mistakes. But I do not see why I should be the one to bear the consequences. Next Door and Window needs to stand behind their own mistakes and either give me the winodw that I ordered or come up with one hefty financial settlement. I prefer the RIGHT window. A refund will not make this pine window look any better in my home.
Apparently this is a family owned and run business. On one of my numerous calls to the office I was informed that Justin was out of town and a gentleman by teh name of Ron offered to help me. I attempted to decline thinking Justin was the authority figure and was familair with my situation. It turned out that Ron was the Father (owner) of the company and was quite familiar with my situation. I can totally understand why he lets Justin run the office. Ron apparently has no civil communication skills with customers. He was unbelievably rude and verbally abusive on the phone. He screamed so loud that I thought he would pop a vein in his neck or temples. I wish I had a tape recording of it - would have sounded good in court.
The bottom ine is, if Next Door and Windows makes a mistake, they will not stand behind it if it costs them money to do so. I have filed a complaint with the BBS and the Village of Oak Lawn against their business liscence. And unfortunately the only way to get the window I paid for is to see them in court.
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