ComplaintsforStanley's Hardwood Floors

• Initial Complaint

  09/01/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Contractor came out to give me an estimate to install flooring I was supplying. Flooring had not been decided yet. He knew I was trying to match existing. About a month later received a quote. About a month after that I contacted contractor to make sure quote was still valid and tell him I had purchased flooring and was ready to send a deposit. Never did he ask about the flooring or tell me anything I had to do before hand except remove furniture. I received an email on a Sunday night that he had time Monday morning. I was downstate and had to scramble to get someone to my place to prep the area. He showed up Monday, removed the closet doers and tear up over 4 X 12 foot section of carpet. He then proceeded to go out and throw it away in garage. Upon this he discovered the flooring I had bought and realized that it was in the garage and had not been acclimated in the house. Never had be mentioned this to me He then called and said he could not finish the job and that I cost him 3 days.

  Business response

  09/20/2021

  Business Response /* (1000, 8, 2021/09/20) */ When I went out to the customers house to give her an estimate, she had samples of waterproof flooring there. I asked her about it and she said that is what she was looking at to match her existing laminate flooring that I installed for the previous homeowner as they do not make that particular laminate anymore. It didn't make any sense to me, but it's her house. I gave her an estimate that clearly states it is for "waterproof flooring". I charge more to install other materials which is why I think she did not inform me she changed to a laminate floor. She said she wanted an install date in June, so her statement that it took me a month to get an estimate to her is also incorrect, I contacted her numerous times and she did not respond. Once I did finally hear from her I ended up having to send her the estimate 3 times as she kept misplacing it or something. When she decided to go with me, I told her I was booked out at least 4-6 months, but I could let her know if I ended up with a few days. When that happened I contacted her, it was completely up to her if she wanted me to come as she could have waited for the date we had previously scheduled, but she said yes come. Most of the time customers cannot be ready that quickly, but she wanted me to come. I gave up time off to do her job, also my decision, but she acts like she did me a favor? When I arrived, I went in and started getting the carpet ripped up so I would have somewhere to put the material when I brought it in. I had to go in the front door & then down to the garage. When I took the first part of the carpet out to the garage that's when I saw it was laminate, stored on the garage floor in the heat and humidity. it is a wood product and soaks up moisture, that is pretty much common sense, just like any wood product, meaning it cannot be installed properly until the level in the product & the level in the subfloor are within a certain parameter. I have 33 years in this business as well as countless education, I know the requirements from the manufacturer. If I had gone ahead & installed it, then she would have had a floor that would have been junk, she thinks she is mad now? I made the only decision there was to make. I called her to explain this, and she started yelling at me when I told her it would be at least 2-3 week to get the moisture down to a proper level, she hung up on me! I thought she would think about it and apologize, but then I started getting demands from her via text. She stated in her letter that she was at work & "her time is valuable", but mine isn't? I decided then I would never be able to make her happy so I wrote a letter explaining all of this again with a refund of her deposit less $350.00 for my time that I already have in it. I would normally charge $500.00 for a minimum labor, but I just wanted to be done with it. She then wrote me a not very nice letter telling me how much money I should make, how my business works, and how horrible I am. I wrote her back again explaining all of her points, but as I suspected, it still wasn't enough for her. In 33 years I have never had a customer that hung up on me, blamed me for all of her mistakes, and still wants vengeance. I feel I made the right decision, and have tried to be professional. I have all of this documentation, and I have way more than $350.00 into this job at this point. It is the customers responsibility when they do not purchase the material from me, to inform themselves about the product they are purchasing, or at the very least let me know she changed product & ask me for information. If I had sold her laminate I would have instructed her on where to store it. She accepted & sent a deposit for an estimate that clearly stated "installation of customer supplied waterproof flooring". I cannot read her mind, and if she would have just listened to me when I called her, she would have her flooring installed by now. She stated in her letter that I told her she cost me 3 days & she is sure my next customer could take me early, she doesn't know my business & for the record they couldn't take me early, so yes I lost those 3 days, not that it matters. I never want a customer to be upset or unhappy in any way. I pried myself in my customers satisfaction, & I have a very good track record of that. I understand she was disappointed that her floor wasn't going to be installed right then, but as adults we accept disappointment & move on right? I just don't understand all of this, it makes no sense. Life is way to short for this kind of unnecessary vengeance. At least it is for me. Thank You for the opportunity to explain my side of this mess. Sincerely, ************

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