Vacation Lover
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Oct 29, 2006
Okay, here's the back-story. We recently installed a large patio & fireplace in our backyard. The contract we signed was basically a printout of the quote --it didn't have a picture of the final structure or anything like that. I gave the sales rep a picture of what I had in mind, and we went by that.We paid half up front with the final payment due upon completion.
When we ordered the fireplace they suggested for us, we were shown a picture of a fireplace with a square, dark copper-colored decorative cap. Apparently the manufacturer stopped making those caps and now the cap that comes standard with the fireplace we ordered is different. We were not told this until it was installed on our fireplace and we questioned the different.
We love everything about the patio & fireplace but we HATE this cap! The first thing I see when I look out my kitchen window is the sun glinting off of this round silver cap. Since we never approved that cap, and were shown something totally different when we signed the contract, I think the company should pay for a decorative shroud to hide the ugly cap. That's where the conflict comes in.
The sales rep agreed that the silver cap doesn't look like it goes with the rest of the fireplace and that we were shown something different when we ordered this fireplace. She then gave me a quote of $2,200 plus $400 installation for a decorative copper cap. I had already had "words" with this sales rep during the installation process (long story there, but not really relevant to the story, except that she's incredibly rude and we were unable to work things out.) I about blew my top at this quote; we had already put over $16,000 into the patio & fireplace. Needless to say, we are now working with the owner of the company. (And, yes, we paid them in full upon completion, thinking they would work with us on finding a solution to the cap issue, so no chance of getting things worked out that way.)
After a lot of research, we came up with 2 less-expensive options than a copper cap. The one my husband and I like best is a decorative shroud in painted steel that covers the silver cap. The owner of the company gave me a quote of $1,400 retail for the shroud, but she would do it for $900 (most likely her out of pocket cost). I don't think I should have to pay a penny more since I didn't get what I ordered, but I told her that if cost was $900, I would split that with her and we could each pay $450. She said no, absolutely not, that she's sorry if I misunderstood that the out of pocket cost was $900, but she can't do it for less than $900. I told her that I would consider my options after talking with my attorney and she pretty much hung up on me. I talked to "my attorney" (my dad, a retired attorney in another state) and he pointed me in the direction of small claims court. I feel a little silly that this has come down to a battle over a few hundred dollars, but at this point, it's almost the principle of it as much as the money. (But if we take them to court, we'll be asking them to cover the entire cost of getting it fixed, not half.)
Here's a picture of the finished product:
Thanks for letting me vent about this annoying issue. Comments/suggestions?
When we ordered the fireplace they suggested for us, we were shown a picture of a fireplace with a square, dark copper-colored decorative cap. Apparently the manufacturer stopped making those caps and now the cap that comes standard with the fireplace we ordered is different. We were not told this until it was installed on our fireplace and we questioned the different.
We love everything about the patio & fireplace but we HATE this cap! The first thing I see when I look out my kitchen window is the sun glinting off of this round silver cap. Since we never approved that cap, and were shown something totally different when we signed the contract, I think the company should pay for a decorative shroud to hide the ugly cap. That's where the conflict comes in.
The sales rep agreed that the silver cap doesn't look like it goes with the rest of the fireplace and that we were shown something different when we ordered this fireplace. She then gave me a quote of $2,200 plus $400 installation for a decorative copper cap. I had already had "words" with this sales rep during the installation process (long story there, but not really relevant to the story, except that she's incredibly rude and we were unable to work things out.) I about blew my top at this quote; we had already put over $16,000 into the patio & fireplace. Needless to say, we are now working with the owner of the company. (And, yes, we paid them in full upon completion, thinking they would work with us on finding a solution to the cap issue, so no chance of getting things worked out that way.)
After a lot of research, we came up with 2 less-expensive options than a copper cap. The one my husband and I like best is a decorative shroud in painted steel that covers the silver cap. The owner of the company gave me a quote of $1,400 retail for the shroud, but she would do it for $900 (most likely her out of pocket cost). I don't think I should have to pay a penny more since I didn't get what I ordered, but I told her that if cost was $900, I would split that with her and we could each pay $450. She said no, absolutely not, that she's sorry if I misunderstood that the out of pocket cost was $900, but she can't do it for less than $900. I told her that I would consider my options after talking with my attorney and she pretty much hung up on me. I talked to "my attorney" (my dad, a retired attorney in another state) and he pointed me in the direction of small claims court. I feel a little silly that this has come down to a battle over a few hundred dollars, but at this point, it's almost the principle of it as much as the money. (But if we take them to court, we'll be asking them to cover the entire cost of getting it fixed, not half.)
Here's a picture of the finished product:
Thanks for letting me vent about this annoying issue. Comments/suggestions?