Complaintsfor3 Generations Improvements, Inc.

• Initial Complaint

  06/27/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  Transaction date 8.10.10 New siding and aluminum flashing over the trim installed with lifetime warranty. Flashing was described as maintenance free, never needing painting. Both products have failed. Siding is no longer being manufactured, and it's manufacturer settled a lawsuit for over 100 million, for allegedly faulty materials. On 4.24.23 I met with ******************* regarding the flashing, which had begun to peel. We met at the property (*******************************************************************) While there- we had a phone conversation with ***********************, owner& CEO of the company, and ****'s son. They offered to replace the aluminum flashing only, but refused to install it. I found this strange since they continued to solicit work in the area. I was left with no choice but to accept since the flashing was falling apart. On 6.01.23, **** supposedly went to the property to measure how much aluminum flashing was needed for replacement. Since then, I've made repeated attempts to find the status of the replacement, with no success. As of this moment, there has been no response, and no update. This is the same behavior **** exhibited when the materials were first installed. He is unreliable and I had requested to not work with him due to his lack of communication and productivity. Unfortunately, I had no choice to work but to work with him on this existing issue. I'm trying to avoid litigation. I want them to replace the flashing and install it. It had a lifetime warranty and advertised as maintenance free. Both products have failed. I'm wondering if this borders on consumer fraud.

  

  Business response

  06/29/2023

  The below is the same response we just sent to the homeowner.
  
  ******* - We are very sorry that you are having problems with your exterior and we are bummed that you continue to blame our company for these problems, continue to use intimidating and rude language and now threatening our business with your BBB complaint. Below is the complaint from the BBB and some answers and responses to your concerns. Please email us back with how you would like us to proceed. 
  
  We spoke to the manufacturer regarding the coil and although it appears to be an obvious warranty claim, they informed us that it would likely take 4-6 months to process the claim and get the coil delivered to us. As we told you and as another sign of good faith, we decided to pay for the coil ourselves to speed up the process ($633 for 3 rolls of coil). We informed you that we had to order the coil and we did not have an estimated time of delivery from our supplier, but we would contact you when it arrived. We would be happy to give you the name and number/email of the supplier that we ordered the coil from to confirm this with him (I just spoke with him and he said it is on the truck that is supposed to arrive on 6/30 or 7/3). Looking back at the communication, we apologize for not updating you more often, but we truly did not have an update from the supplier on delivery until this week. I am not sure what else we can do regarding this matter, we took two trips to the job, one to discuss the problem with you and another to measure ********** feet of coil and then we ordered the material. 
  

  You appear to be upset that we are not installing it. As we mentioned, we do not have available labor that will travel to your location to complete repairs (we are over 2 hours or 110 miles from you). When we work in your area, we are completing full remodels. Furthermore, just as this complaint demonstrates, we have the right not to work with clients who continually threaten our company and are stressful to work for. 
  

  As we have stated many times regarding the failure of CertainTeed Weatherboards fiber cement siding, we are very sorry for the performance of the siding and we too are very upset with its performance. The company left us and several of our clients in a difficult position. But, as we have stated many times, a contractor (or any company for that matter), cannot be held responsible for failures that happen at the manufacturing level (when recalls happen in vehicles, is it the financial responsibility of the mechanic or manufacturer to pay for or be held responsible for the repair?). Once we found out you were having problems with the material, we informed you of the class action lawsuit and advised you to take action. To our knowledge you did not file a claim with CertainTeed. Lastly, this material never came with a lifetime warranty, it was a limited 50 warranty with proration. 
  

  Disparaging comments about ****'s character, which does not represent him in any way and making a comment about "consumer fraud," is unfounded, unfair and not productive. Consumer fraud is commonly defined as deceptive business practices that cause consumers to suffer financial or other losses. You accused **** in person of knowingly installing faulty products and it appears you still feel that way. That accusation is a very big one and is categorically false in every way! 
  
  Based on your comments and language, it does not appear that you would like to deal with our company any longer. If this is the case, we can send you the details on how to file a warranty claim for the aluminum coil. Why would we continue to spend our own money and take countless hours of our own time if we have to respond to online complaints and not be treated with respect? As we have always been, we are here to help, but we are not here to be bullied, disparaged or threatened. Please let us know how you would like us to proceed. Thank you. 
  
  
  **** & ***********************;

  Customer response

  07/03/2023

  I am rejecting this response because: 3gen convinced me of a product that would never need to be maintained or painted. It was a great selling point. They have seen first hand the failure of their product. Their proposal for this lifetime warranted product was 3gen would supply the material but not install it. They mentioned distance as a factor in their conclusion. Are they suggesting that had my home been in closer proximity it would have been handled differently? 3gen continues to work in the area but won't do repair work because of the distance. I wish I had known that 12 years ago.

  3gen wishes they would have done a better a better job communicating. I also wish they had.

  3gen slogan "it's not just your home it's our legacy" apparently does not apply at my home!

  
  

  

  Business response

  07/07/2023

  ******* - We understand your frustration with the performance of your exterior and we too wish the products performed better for you. There is nothing in our business that frustrates us more than building materials not holding up as they should or as they are promised. If you would have considered us a partner in helping you fix some of these issues we feel there could have been a better outcome for you, but from the start you have blamed our company for the material defects and caused unnecessary stress for our entire team. Due to the threatening, unfair and derogatory language that you have conveyed to us both in person and now online, our entire team is no longer comfortable working at your residence. 
  
  With that being said, in addition to providing you with the 3 rolls of coil at a $633 expense to us, we will also mail you a check in the amount of $500 to help offset any labor costs. We feel this is going above and beyond, but want it to be a sign of good faith and leave you with a positive outlook on our small family business. If this is acceptable to you, we can drop off the coil on Tuesday (7/11) and can mail you a check promptly. However, we will consider this an end to our working relationship and feel it is best for both parties that we move on. We wish you nothing but the best. 
  
  

  **** & ***********************;

  Customer response

  07/20/2023

  I am rejecting this response because:

  Hi,
  I got your message yesterday. 
  I cannot accept there offer. The additional $500 is meager compared to what it is going to cost me to replace the failed product.
  The truth is I don't have the funds to have the repair work done. The aluminum flashing without installation does not help me at all. The only warranty that I got from 3generations was in the description of the flashing in that it would never need to be painted or maintained. **** himself assured me off this. It was described as there own custom bendable aluminum flashing with a lifetime warranty. I have since settled for a monetary amount with the company of the other failed product they installed. It is substantually much more than the $500 3generations has offered to include for a settlement. 
  It is 3generations that does not want to partner with me. 
  The $500 dollars might be enough to get the flashing painted but I will now have to do this periodically. **** knows that. Instead of having a clear mind I know that I will have to maintain and paint this flashing since I don't have the means to repair it. 
  I will accept $1000 dollars to pay off and maintain the flashing. The replacement flashing is of no use to me. They can keep.
  I would have liked to have partnered and hoped they would help me but instead I've had nothing but grief. 
  There are other alternatives but if they wish to pursue this so be it.
  I would like to see the warranty for this product since I never got one. I did get warranties for the window replacements and the fiber cement boards.
  As I said before I was sold on the fact that this product which they supported would never need attention. 
  I don't know but I suspect there are other remodels that are also now suffering the same consequences as I. 
  

  
  

  

  Business response

  07/23/2023

  ******* - As we have said multiple times through BBB, email and in person, we understand your frustration regarding the products installed, but the manufacturer defects have nothing to do with installation or how we represented the products nor could we have known the problems that arose. To be clear, we have processed a total of 3 aluminum coil warranties in the ******************************** *******************. With our high heat and high UV, this is a good record of performance. You told us to order the coil on your behalf and we did so and as we noted this was a special order. 
  
  We are doing our best to meet your needs, so as another sign of good faith we will mail you a check for $1,000 and keep the coil for our future use. Please let us know where you would like us to mail the check. However, we will consider this an end to our working relationship and feel it is best for both parties that we move on. We wish you nothing but the best *************** 

   

  Regards,

   

  **** & ***********************;

  
  

  Customer response

  07/24/2023

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to my concern, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  

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