ComplaintsforCastlewood Doors and Millwork LLC

• Initial Complaint

  06/21/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  June 14th, I emailed the owner, *******************, to resolve the issue on our own. He hasn't responded to my email, tired of constant back and forth, it's been a project since Feb 2023.We have a failure to deliver the product as per our agreement.In early February, ****** and I agreed to a project, I pay for half before the project would start.At this point, no design had been created, so zero design time had been spent. (we even changed designs before the project started, zero design time)We had the wrong measurements, which I pointed out. I reminded the team to look at the previous emails, floor layouts, and pictures I provided of the work site. This change to correct the dimensions took a long time, which added to the confusion on which door is which measurement.We had multiple billing problems, even simple questions would take weeks or multiple days to answer.Billing problems, correcting measurement mistakes, product questions took weeks or days. I was very concerned and reached out to **** the owner. We agreed to a few changes, but those changes never occurred.Then ***** (project manager) then mentioned, my project needs the bifold doors tracks for another $600, and the team cannot install them. (never was this mentioned) This was another surprise and delay. Then I was told the doors would come till late August or September, which our agreement was *** or June. I asked *********************** for the invoice, which shows the total bill, already paid, and remaining balance. She Would not provide that information.For two designs, countless mistakes, and basic questions. I feel that administrative hour costs that were added are extremely over the top. no customer or business could justify that cost.I am requesting 75% refund on the initial Deposit of $7,378.69, which is $5,534.02.The partial refund you have already issued was $3,531.69, leaving the remaining requested balance $2,002.33 Leaving $1,844.67 to pay for your design team and administrative hours.

  Customer response

  08/16/2023

   
  Complaint: 20216804
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  

  //In response to the owners statement: 
  
  I met with him personally to better understand what he was asking for which we promptly changed yet again all of our drawings, however,  In the end I believe he changed his mind in the middle of the project for possibly something that cost less and felt it was not necessary to pay for all the time and money we invested on his behalf for his project. 
  
  
  //**** and I did chat on the phone because I reached out to express my concern with the project, we never met personally, but he is correct after the surprising bill of $30,000 for seven interior doors I did request "what can we do to lower this cost?"
  
  
  //One of our topics during our conversation was billing, which I've addressed in previous emails, any adjustments to the project was to lower the cost. I expressed how these weren't the estimated prices before making the designs. The estimate shows "each door is XYZ '' yet the final bill was wildly over that estimate. I requested in the future for billing, to avoid these situations, state three things: amount paid, amount due and overall bill. **** agreed those changes would be made. (They were never corrected during our entire project)
  
  
  //I should add, to understand their billing process, they dont show or state any of these categories. I kept getting emails saying "you owe XYZ more" to which my response was, how? or why? "Can you please provide: ****** paid, Amount due and overall bill?" ***** never occurred, despite the painful amount of times I requested it. This is 100% on billing. 
  
  In response to the Project Manager: 
   
  
  We have a failure to deliver the product as per our agreement.
  
  
  

  
  1.     Change of design concept customer change original design concept to a combination of sketch Face and double sketch face concept) Changed submitted by 2/14/2023 over phone (email evidence on this can be validated on 3A. Change order #1)
  

  //One only design has been submitted to the design team, which is important to add, that's what the majority of the bill is for.
  

  2.     Adding door that was skipped by customer during contract creation Change submitted by 2/21/2023  (email 3A. Change order #1)
  

  //Correct, we added a 7th door, which is me saying "can we add another door, same design, measurements are 50 x 80" Normal request, still nothing yet sent to the design team.

  3.     Re-confirmation on jamb sizes   Change submitted by 2/21/2023 (email 4A. ****** - Second batch of changes)
  

  //Correct, This is where I noticed incorrect measurements. I sent an email with the measurements clearly stating Rough Opening measurements, with floor plans and actually pictures of the door spaces. (stating multiple times, this is a new build) The document sent for signature showed the measurements I sent as the door sizes, which I pointed and we eventually corrected. I will add, this was one of the most painful parts of the project. 
  

  4.     Addition of Stain and finish Clear coat option Change submitted by 2/22/2023 (email Evidence 5A. ****** - Third batch of changes - Part 1)
  

  //This is a 2 minutes normal conversation.

  5.     Change of flush pull selection - Change submitted by 2/22/2023 (email 5B. ****** - Third batch of changes - Part 2)
  

  //This is also a normal 2 minute conversation.
  

  Through the course of this order, customer was constantly hesitating on wood species selection
  
  //Incorrect, the wood species was never changed, always white oak. It was the way it should be cut. (Each high end door has a distinct look based on how it's cut. Plain Sawn, Quarter Sawn, Rift Sawn) The way it was cut changed from our previous bid, I asked, why was it changed? Another simple question.

  
  The majority of this is the correct statement, please see each response in "//": This is essentially a long way of saying "Before we submitted anything to the design team, ****** found a door design in our showroom he liked. No time has been spent on the design yet" It's important to add, only one design has been submitted to the team. 
  

  In early February, ****** and I agreed to a project, I pay for half before the project would start. At this point, no design had been created, so zero design time had been spent. (we even changed designs before the project started, zero design time) Design created upon deposit
  
  
  //"Prevented *** design team" Correct, we didn't have the correct measurements yet, billing wouldn't send me the information I requested multiple times, which prompted my concern and call to ****. Why would we proceed with the *** design team if we havent confirmed a project price or confirmed the correct measurements?  
  We had the wrong measurements, which I pointed out. I reminded the team to look at the previous emails, floor layouts, and pictures I provided of the work site. This change to correct the dimensions took a long time, which added to the confusion on which door is which measurement.
  

  BG: ** standard *** Process, Customers are always required to provide Door Dimensions or ROs for *** to work with. Original Door dimensions for this order were confirmed on original signed contract by the customer (attached) and re-confirmed constantly to the team as per my previous statement, until 3/22/2023, date in which ***/Customer had a sync meeting were the parties were able to align on jamb/door dimensions). However, besides the fact that during meeting door/jamb sizes were confirmed, customer mentioned a possible new change on wood species to save costs ( Email evidence 14A. Revision B released + new wood cost confirmation).
  

  //Partly correct, as previously stated, when we discovered the measurements were wrong (not from my previous emails) we made those changes, which took a very long time. I understand they have other customers, their factory operates out of another county which creates a serious logistical jam and this project is becoming rather difficult. Again, wood species never changed, it was the direction of how its cut. A simple question, to reduce costs was this "***** method of wood cutting is cheaper?" That question took weeks to answer. I hopefully can show how simple questions made this project drag out for weeks or months. This isnt a customer being difficult, these are normal operating procedural questions for a project of this price tag. They simply don't have the answer to most basic questions without confirming with its factory in ******. 
  
  We had multiple billing problems, even simple questions would take weeks or multiple days to answer. Billing problems, correcting measurement mistakes, product questions took weeks or days. I was very concerned and reached out to **** the owner. We agreed to a few changes, but those changes never occurred. Then ***** (project manager) then mentioned, my project needs the bifold doors tracks for another $600, and the team cannot install them. (never was this mentioned) This was another surprise and delay.
  
  
  

  
  //Partially correct, I did approve this additional surprise expense, because we have spent MONTHS refining this project. I would have agreed to anything to keep this ship afloat. But make no mistake, this was a surprise expense, if not, then why wasn't it in the original bid? Why was this never addressed until production got a hold of the designs? The project manager, had to wait multiple days to figure out what the ware house was capable for installion, we had no answers or clue why the warehouse couldn't install the hardware. This was a total surprise. This sliding track wasn't considered hardware, it was considered a function part of the door, just like the hinges (which are...included in the original price)

  
  Then I was told the doors would come till late August or September, which our agreement was *** or June. *** is unable to mve fwd until drawings are approved.
  BG: since day 1 (email evidence 2A. Kick Off Meeting), PM clarified to customer that *** Policy in which  manufacturing lead time get started once shop drawings are fully approved by customer PM Confirmed a ***** weeks Lead time after Shop Drawing approvals.
  

  //I understood their policy, which is why every email I stated the importance of our timeline. This was never challenged, they knew the importance, given the price tag for 7 interior doors it felt like we knew the project perimeters.  
  

  //I asked *********************** for the invoice, which shows the total bill, already paid, and remaining balance. She Would not provide that information. For two designs, countless mistakes, and basic questions. I feel that administrative hour costs that were added are extremely over the top. no customer or business could justify that cost. I am requesting 75% refund on the initial Deposit of $7,378.69, which is $5,534.02.
  
  
  BG: Desing and Administrative hours for this order: 38 Hours Total cost: ******** per cancellation notice (email evidence 25A. Cancellation Notice). Worth mentioning that customer was aware of signed contract refund policies and mentioned the following statant to *** CEO on  05/10/2023 (email evidence 25B. No refund confirmation)
  
  

  //I sent ******* multiple emails requesting this information, after the project manager and I finally resolved all our issues, she never responded. That's when the project officially died. Even with partial the refund ******* sent, it didn't go to the correct address, we agreed to a wire transfer, but instead she sent a check without confirming with me the mailing address or refund process. It was just painful to watch how everything transpired. 
  

  //This contract was a massive failure to deliver, which is why in requesting $2,002.33, leaving $1,844.76 to pay the design team. 

  In summary: The bill for an interior door design exceeding thousands of dollars is wild, in no way can that even be justified, a design from the showroom. A design which has 2 vertical lines and 5 horizontal lines, is so out of touch with reality you can't help but to laugh. How can any company justify that? It was endless hours wasted that I was billed for. 

  An average bill of $4,000 with no product.

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

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