Complaints

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• Initial Complaint

  Date:01/17/2024

  Type:Order Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  We signed a contract in august of 2023 to have a custom closet and desk built. The proposed completion date was October of 2023. The employee who came to do the bid and measure assured us that we’d be getting a custom solution and then we paid our deposit.
  
  Ever since then, it’s been a disaster. One of the employees, ****, lied to us and said our shipment of materials was in but damaged after weeks of no communication. Then I spoke with the owner, *** ** told me that not only was out stuff not damaged, it wasn’t even there.
  
  Once install started, it was a comedy of errors. Wrong handle colors in the closet. Forgot to order the correct amount of desk tops. Damaged components. And the best part, they asked my permission to cover up the outlets. I was given 2 options - I pay to move them or we lose them as the desk will cover them up. **** also told me they don’t do electrical work.
  
  After many emails back and forth, we’ve gotten nowhere. What was sold to us was as custom soliton which included hidden electrical placement.
  
  Our last email was on December 18th after they asked where the outlets were and how many items we needed to plug in. Mind you, this is the company who asked me to move the outlets up so the desk wouldn’t cover them.
  
  We’ve had no response since. I called today and spoke to *****. She said she thinks the materials are in but needed to check and call back. As usual, there is no call back.
  
  There is one common theme and they keep blaming someone who doesn’t work there. The guy who wrote up the bid. Supposedly he didn’t include outlets though he told us he did. He ordered the wrong materials. He ordered the wrong colors. They just keep using him as an excuse.
  
  It’s the middle of January and it’s still not done and we have no idea if they will do the electrical or not. If I could get my money back and go elsewhere, I would.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 01/25/2024

  We greatly empathize with the frustrations voiced herein and
  acknowledge that this project has been a continuous challenge. Firstly, all the
  concerns noted have previously been addressed and/or corrected. Secondly, as
  the client noted, many of their concerns stem from the fact that their sales
  rep is no longer with the company. Though we are accountable for both current
  and past employees, it has been difficult to substantiate several of their
  claims as they reference conversations and expectations as opposed to any
  correspondence via email or what was agreed upon when they approved their
  designs and signed their contract. Giving our clients the benefit of the doubt,
  however, we have made several accommodations at our own expense. Regrettably, those
  efforts have not been recognized.

  Communication grievances mentioned were most often the
  result of contentions between the couple themselves. Though interactions would
  be pleasant in person with the individual present at the time, the other would later
  call irate about decisions made during the installation. One such call was
  escalated to an officer unfamiliar with the clients’ project and assumed the
  open purchase order on file was for the entirety of their project as opposed to
  replacement uprights damaged during shipping. As a result, we have begun internally
  assigning a primary point of contact within each team as well as in the
  client’s household.

  We do acknowledge, however, that the timeline of this project
  exceeded well beyond the norm. Regrettably, most is unfortunately beyond our control.
  To provide some context. We create custom designs and storage solutions for
  both residential and commercial properties. Designs are provided with synopses
  of each space and after revisions are approved, clients sign off on the design
  and quote. Approved designs are then sent to our various manufacturers to begin
  production. In this instance, Ontario, Canada. To our customers’ benefit this
  minimizes our overhead compared to those who manufacture their products in-house,
  making us more affordable than our competitors. Conversely, we are limited by
  our manufacturers’ lead times which can further be delayed by either damage or
  scheduling constraints of the shipping company. Though we are transparent with
  our lead times, and delays are unusual, they do sometimes occur.

  This was summarized to our client on 8/30 when she called to
  make her deposit. Though she may have previously been advised that we could complete
  it by her closing date (10/6), she was explicitly informed that it was now a
  very tight window; though it was possible to meet her deadline, we could not
  guarantee it. Regardless, the constraints of the timeline were accepted, and
  the deposit paid. Unfortunately, though her product was shipped on 9/16 there
  was visible damage to many of the boxes. Later, after the materials had been
  stored in her home, additional damage was discovered to a drawer front concealed
  in an undamaged package. Each of these required a claim and additional
  materials sent from the factory which of course delayed completion.

  To further perpetuate the delays in this project, due to a
  glitch in the design software, the complete parts list did not transfer to the
  itemized purchase order resulting in several items, including their custom
  desktop, not included in the original quote. Likewise, they were never ordered and
  thus were not included on packing list so we could give no forewarning to our
  customers that it was missing. This was an entirely new anomaly for both us and
  our manufacturer. After working with their tech team, they assured us that it
  was a software bug with the most recent implementation, and we shouldn’t run
  into that again. Despite those assurances however, we have also implemented
  additional quality assurance steps in both our purchasing and receiving
  procedures. In turn, our clients benefited from over $1200 in product plus the additional
  labor at no cost to them.

  The final complaint of our clients is the placement of
  electrical outlets within their office. This was decided upon well before we
  were involved in the project. There are just two outlets, placed at standard
  heights low on the wall. As the clients wanted to face into the room with their
  window behind them, these fell at the sides of the desk as opposed to at the
  back. Three grommets and a 5” channel was included in the original design to
  aid in cord management. No other electrical/power accessories were included. When
  assembling the desk, the client was brought in to discuss grommet location. During
  that conversation our installer advised how to remove the drawers and snake any
  cables/wires around the drawer boxes to reach the outlet. The client responded,
  “I don’t want to mess with all that” a few options were discussed when he asked
  if we could move the outlets to above the desk. Our installer advised that we
  are not licensed electricians and though it is a viable solution he would need
  to contact an electrician to handle. The client advised that he’d call the guy who
  wired his house. This meant however, that our guys needed to disassemble the
  desk for the electrician as it’s attached to the wall. We advised we’d return
  once the missing components were received.

  Days
  later, we were notified of a ****** review from one of the clients noting the
  delays in the project and shockingly, their displeasure at the new placement of
  the outlets. We reached out to her directly, apologizing for her experience. We
  noted that though there are various options available other than moving the
  outlets, now that they elected to have them moved, we were limited. We invited
  her to select another space in her home in which we could assist so we could demonstrate
  from beginning to end the quality customer service our clients have come to
  expect over the last 40+ years. This is a portion of her response: “We will
  not be satisfied with the desk until the electrical component is resolved. We
  would like to actually be shown what the options are to have hidden electrical
  in a drawer, in a side panel, under the tabletop, or in any other location than
  above the desk. You know the layout of the office area. You know the layout of
  the desk. You know the original and new location of the outlets. You tell us
  where your company is capable of hiding the electrical. You show us how
  your 40 years in the business can lead us to having a VIP experience."

  We got to work and treated the project as if it were the
  initial consultation, asking what electronics she was planning to store as
  solutions vary depending on the tech. She shared no specifics other than they
  had a minimum of eight devices. Eight or more electronics for just two outlets
  was a significant design challenge though we worked with both our cabinet
  manufacturer and our electrical supplier to see what solutions we could
  collectively come up with. Now that the components were above the desk, we were
  limited to just two, a sleek socket and a cable management channel which would conceal
  any visible wiring. These solutions, however, were declined and we were asked what
  was available if the outlets were returned to their original positions. We
  again asked what specifically needed to be stored. For instance, small
  electronics like tablets, phones or handheld gaming systems could be stored
  within a drawer with an internal charging system whereas something like a
  Cricut, which is used only occasionally may benefit from popup electrical
  grommet. Again, no list was provided, their narrative unchanged.

  Finally, the client advised that he simply wanted a 16-plug
  power strip mounted beneath the desk and that he would have the electrician
  return the outlets to the original position. We provided him with a rough
  diagram of what that would entail for both us and him. Detailing where we
  would drill the additional grommets and where he would have to snake the wiring
  around the various drawer boxes. As this was the exact situation, he previously
  advised our installer he wanted to avoid, I asked for his electrician’s contact
  information so that we could find a more viable solution. I suggested that we could
  advise where the cavities are within the cabinetry, and he could pull Romex or
  run conduit to the desktop and hardwire a custom power strip. This too was declined;
  a second review was left on ****** by him as well as a review filed here with
  the BBB. The client’s final email advised that he would take care of
  the grommets and electrical himself. He asked that we again, disassemble the
  desk and once the electrical was complete, return to reassemble.  This has been scheduled and will be completed within
  the next two business days.

  To date we have:
  - Delivered temporary clothing racks and offered various drawer stacks when it was determined their closing date would be missed.
  - Completed their primary walk-in closet which she advised she “loved.”
  - Though chrome hardware was included in all designs and approved when the contract was signed, we replaced with black hardware at our own expense.
  - Absorbed the cost of the missing components rather than requoting the project.
  - Absorbed the cost of the additional labor hours both omitted from the original quote and in the assembling and disassembling the desk on two separate occasions.
  - Delayed our billing terms due the first day of installation.
  - Delayed our billing terms for the final 10% due for the closet completed in October.
  - Offered a VIP experience for a different space in their home.
  - Offered to redesign their currently approved office design to better reflect their needs.
  - Satisfied the terms of the original contract.
  - Scheduled both the disassembling and reassembly of the desk.
  

  We again thank the clients for their candid reviews of our
  company though we are of course disappointed that the efforts made fell short. Nevertheless,
  we appreciate their patronage and wish them well. We also hope that the lessons
  learned from this project coupled with the newly implemented quality assurance practices
  will prevent future clients from experiencing similar concerns. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 01/31/2024

  Complaint: ********
  
  
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  I agree that the total bill was the amount they listed. I also understand they did the closet to the amount of about $8,000. 
  

  My complaint is for the desk which is not complete. I would like refunded for the desk. Not the closet. 
  

  As you can see in the photos, this is not only not what we agreed to, it’s poor craftsmanship and quality control.

  
  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  
  
  ***** ******

  

  Business Response

  Date: 02/09/2024

  The clients’ additional concerns were certainly disappointing
  to hear, especially as it is our procedure to confirm that the client is
  satisfied prior to leaving their home. As most of these points could have been immediately
  remedied at the time of installation, and as the clients have consistently
  questioned the timeliness of the project, it is unclear why they are prolonging
  the completion of this project further. That said, after hearing of the clients’
  additional concerns, we immediately filed a claim with our manufacturer regarding
  the delamination of the desktop. This was just approved today, (2/9) and is scheduled
  to ship out of Canada later this month. I also reached out to the clients to determine
  when they’d prefer, we return to correct the items noted within. Rather than scheduling
  the repairs however, we were instead asked to provide a detailed list of remedies.
  We were advised that should a list not be provide or should they disagree with
  the remedies offered, they intend to hire another company to complete the repairs.
  Furthermore, they insist upon an additional discount for their hardship.
  

  A list of proposed solutions was provided along with a
  couple of caveats. Simple fixes include: the privacy panel gap, shim
  replacement, missing filler strip and warranty claim. The counter depth concern
  may also have a simple solution though, as this is a modular system and cannot
  be scribed, cut nor painted, if the wall and/or floor is/are not plumb,
  solutions will be limited. Again, troubleshooting would be required rather than
  speculation through a photograph. Finally, the concerns regarding the desktop
  not being adequately fastened and the immoveable filler strips are the result
  of design decisions the clients made and approved. Still, we provided
  additional solutions to secure the single corner not fastened (the desktop is in
  fact fastened at multiple touchpoints) and have previously offered solutions to
  access the outlets; solutions which the clients declined.  
  

  At this time, we have yet to receive a response from the clients
  as to how they would like to proceed. We are willing to return
  to the clients’ home once more to replace the desktop and correct the concerns listed
  herein. Should the clients wish to enlist the aid of another company, they are within
  their right to do so however, they were also advised that all future warranty
  work will be void as we can only warrantee the work performed by our company.
  As my previous response accounts, we have fulfilled our commitments to the approved
  design and contract. Their account however is now in arrears as warranty work is outside
  the scope of the original contract and the terms agreed upon was “due upon
  receipt.”  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 02/12/2024

  Complaint: ********
  
  
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  The quality of work provided is not acceptable. The fact that they even attempted to pass off their product as 'quality' or 'complete' is laughable. That is the very reason I filed the complaint with the BBB. They should have to answer for their actions instead of making excuses. Blaming prior employees, forgetting to order materials, neglecting the electrical and lying about it, and using scrap pieces of trash cardboard as shims speaks greatly for who they are as a company. The BBB rating should reflect that. This should serve as a warning to others who reach out for their 'custom' solutions and hopefully prevent the headache that we are still going through. It should also be a time for them to reflect on their actions and do their best to make it right. We all make mistakes but the difference is how you handle it when it's brought to your attention. Their actions, on this project, are inexcusable at this point. Not once did they apologize for their actions. They do work very hard to make it seem like everyone around them is a bad guy.

  They did provide that list of proposed fixes. The filler strip is an item they forgot from the beginning. The shim replacement with a commercial product is something that should've been done to begin with. The counter depth 'fix' is not correct. The drawers close flush so there is not a guide adjustment that can be completed. And, if it was just a quick adjustment, they should've done that before they left. Much like they should've caught all of the other errors in their work. 

  As far as I'm concerned, there are 2 options. Option 1 is to refund the entire amount of the desk and the desk only. I will set their materials aside and have another company come in and do it correctly from the beginning. Or, option 2, accept they have not completed the project and, thus, not collect the remaining 10% payment. I will use that money to pay another company to come in and correct their errors. 

  Sincerely,
  
  
  
  ***** ******