ComplaintsforPella Western Canada

• Initial Complaint

  23/08/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  We ordered a custom door and side panel for the front entrance of our townhouse, from Pella, May *, 2023. The cost was $******* broken into two payments of $******* at the time of the order and $******* at the time of installation. We had considered changing the hinges on the door to match our current hardware but decided not to. We did want to use our existing handle hardware as we had just purchased it the year before. The door was to be black on the outside and white on the inside. We gave Pella the measurements for a mail slot and ask to use our existing hardware for the handles. The came and did the measurements. In the previous two years we had completely renovated our town house and were happy with our Pella windows and doors.When the installers came to fit the door, there was black trim on the inside, instead of white, the mail slot that we gave measurements for did not fit, and the setback for the handles was less than our hardware and would not fit. We were uneducated in handle setback until that time.We feel the trim can be painted, the mail slot replaced, but from an esthetic standpoint we want the offset of the handle at *****" not *****. We want the door replaced. With the uploads i am showing pictures of the old door with handle. The new door. Another Pella door in our home with the proper setback.

  Business response

  18/09/2023

  The customer did not like the look of where their handle sits on the panel and feels we didn't do enough to explain where this handle would sit. The understanding was the customer would be getting new hardware and just needed dimensions from us to provide to the hardware supplier (those are the dimensions the customer gave to the supplier on ***** Screenshot #4).
  When a door is ordered, a bore hole is drilled to fit a handle and deadbolt. The hole sits back from the edge far enough so the handle can move freely. It is measured from the edge of the door to the center of the hole and is where the middle of the handle will be. ******** standard is * ***" for this. This is what they received. It's an industry standard due to do with where glass on an entry door normally sits. If the bore was moved farther in, anyone using a lever handle would end up banging their hand against the raised edge of the panel where the glass is.
  In all communication with the customer, it was never documented they had a preference for where the hardware sits. A door can be * ***" from the edge but this is a specialty bore usually reserved for doors wider than **".
  The customer was advised (***** Screenshot #1 above highlight area) the interior and exterior of the door frame would be black. Pella's door supplier can't paint the exterior frame a different color than the interior as it is one continuous piece. The door slab was ordered with a black exterior and a white interior. It was decided by the customer that the black exterior frame color was most important to them and is what they received. After the door was installed the customer was unhappy with the look of what they ordered despite this being explained in writing and verbally.
  We have offered a new panel for the customer at cost. We have done nothing wrong and that a customer's desire after the fact to have a piece of hardware sit .*" farther into a panel is not something we should be held accountable for.
  

  Customer response

  18/09/2023

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

  As was mentioned in the initial letter of complaint, we never discussed replacing the handle hardware.  We purchased the handles we wanted the year before.  They were on our old front door and matched with our basement man-door handle (and setback) into the garage along with other decor in the townhouse.  Why would we purchase another handle?  We did look at replacing the hinges to match the gold colour of our hardware.  They came to measure the hand back-set, we didn't give them measurements.  At no time did we talk about a window, so the comment that our hands would bang it are irrelevant.    In talking with our supplier of the handle, ************, they stated that leveler handles would cause knuckle banging on the outer frame if it was placed to close (* *** vs * ***).   We thought this was a custom order as they came to measure everything and didn't realize that they were giving us a stock door and core.

  We are unsure about what they are talking about in giving us a new panel?   Is there documentation that says they were offering it to us and for what reason?

  The first time we heard about the frame being black was when they came to install the door.  If they have some correspondence that indicated beforehand, we would be interested in seeing it?
  
  Sincerely,
  
  **********************

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩