You know how they say war is Hell? While I’m sure that’s true, I’d like to add an addendum…
Custom made windows are the absolute bottom, flame filled, covered in kale and cilantro, merciless pit of no return, bad hair day Hell.
After waiting a month and half with two faulty windows already installed, and after having two separate store rep / window experts make home visits to tell us the windows were indeed faulty, we went to the store from which they were purchased to seek satisfaction yesterday.
(Please keep in mind both supposed experts suggested we get a refund.)
Our plan was to shop for a similar high grade window made by a different company. After explaining our problem, a nice salesgirl helped us start looking and things were going well until we were interrupted by the manager.
It went downhill from there. And it went downhill very quickly.
Ice covered mountain road with bald tires slathered in butter kind of quickly.
We introduced ourselves politely, stated our issue succinctly and got absolutely nowhere. After a long discussion about quality control at the manufacturing level (it’s non existent), and a longer discussion about expecting to get what you pay for (that was us) we were told –
1. No refund would be forthcoming because it was a special order.
And –
2. I’m quoting here, “Nothing is perfect.”
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To say we were stunned is an understatement.
To say my husband was ready to explode is right on the mark.
Oh, the manager said if the report filed by the second store rep expert came back showing faulty construction they would replace the off square sashes, but chuckle chuckle, hey…. they might be off square as well.
What the utter f*ck?
Are we supposed to pay over $5,500 and shrug our shoulders at defective merchandise? Apparently so.
My husband didn’t punch the manager. He didn’t even curse him out which I felt like doing repeatedly, but he did threaten to get a lawyer as we walked out.
Here’s the problem with that… technically we did not purchase the windows. Our contractor did… for us. So by the letter of the law the store doesn’t owe us anything. I’m having a hard time making my angry as all get out husband understand that, but that’s where we are.
We spoke with our contractor after this fiasco and he will be going to the store as soon as he can to fight for a refund on our behalf. To be honest I don’t see it happening.
The day finally arrived, as did the supposed window expert.
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We’d had rain, sleet and snow in the morning but by the time he showed up at 2:30 it was just wet and cold.
After a thorough exterior examination with our contractor, the inspection moved inside.
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Measurements were taken, levels were checked…
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Pieces and parts were removed and given a complete going over.
The result?
A determination that the windows themselves weren’t square and one was 3/16ths off plumb. Which is what we told them a month ago.
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Pictures were taken for the report and we were left with two options.
1. Completely new sashes could be ordered for four out of the five windows. This would take at least 7-8 weeks with no guarantee they would be any better than these.
2. A complete refund could be requested and 5 new windows ordered from a different company… which will also take 7-8 weeks.
I can’t stress how much of an inconvenience this has been and will continue to be. Either option will force our contractor to be installing windows in January.
In Maine.
Grrr… not to mention brrr.
We’ve decided to go with door #2 and will be heading over to the store later today to argue for a full refund and begin the entire window selection process again.
As you know, I’m all about the creative cocktails. Infusions? Yes.
Fresh herbs and dried fruit? Perfect.
But lately I’ve noticed a disturbing trend toward absurdly over sugared, cake and cookie rimmed dessert in a glass concoctions and I think they’re getting a little out of hand.
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Enough already. Sitting at a bar shouldn’t rot your teeth. Your liver, sure. But no one needs a vodka driven cavity.
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Do not f*ck with the British.
🤣
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Pot is legal in Maine and has been for a few years. Stores have popped up everywhere and while that’s hard enough to get used to…. I had to laugh at this flyer I saw the other day. It was distributed by the government who apparently have an “Office of Cannabis Policy”. My teenage self… who went to great lengths to hide her stash… is silently chortling that a free lunch is provided. At least they know their audience.
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The required photo of Lord Dudley Mountcatten, just because.
The Marvin window specialist didn’t show up the day they were scheduled, which for once was a good thing. Our contractor is back in town now and thankfully will be meeting the rep at our house later this afternoon.
That’s the good news.
The bad news looks like this :
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Not exactly optimal window repair and/or extraction weather.
And while I feel sorry for our contractor… it seems like the expert is getting what he deserves for making us wait an entire month.
I’m thoroughly enjoying my Goodreads app. It’s a great way to catalog and keep track of what I’ve read and what I want to read in the future.
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No more buying books only to realize it’s familiar after finishing the first chapter. A definite win in my book.
Oh look, I made a funny. 😉
Living with algorithms that constantly bombard me with pickles and ridiculous cat products, I was a little surprised to learn my Goodreads app doesn’t seem to know me that well.
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Need help finishing it?
Uh, no. I completed and surpassed my goal quite a while back.
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Okay, I drastically underestimated the amount I read in a year. Sue me, I’ve never counted before. Next year I shall be more on point.
But short reads? Please. Don’t recommend those skinny little overnight books.
When last I blogged about the bedroom renovation project from Hell, we’d decided to throw in the towel and get a full refund on the faulty custom built windows. Our contractor was going to handle that for us since they were purchased through him on his account. It’s not the route I wanted to take, but something had to be done.
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Yeah, I should have known it wouldn’t be that easy.
Our contractor attempted to get the refund and spent a half hour arguing with the sales rep before being bumped up to the manager who told him no refund could be made by the store until the Marvin window service expert approved it.
This is the expert for whom we’ve been waiting over three weeks and the reason my husband has smoke coming out his ears while he sputters about small claims court. They keep saying he’ll be here but he hasn’t shown yet.
After endless phone calls our contractor tentatively got a date to meet the service expert here and then… yes, you know there had to be a then…. then he had an unexpected death in the family and had to fly to Virginua.
Of course he did.
I expected nothing less.
Our contractor wants to be here because he knows if the expert tries to weasel out of a full refund they’ll blame him for faulty installation and he wants to defend himself. I want him to be here because while I know he tried everything to make the windows work… I don’t know exactly what steps he took.
So as it stands now… the expert is supposed to be here tomorrow, but our contractor won’t be, as his flight doesn’t get in until midnight.
I’m honestly hoping the expert is true to form and arrives a day or two late as I don’t want my husband to burst an artery arguing with the guy.
What a f’ing mess.
🥴
Where there's only one step from the sublime to the ridiculous.
River's world..... 