Complaints

• Initial Complaint

  01/20/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  We had an issue with our large garage door, and it was stuck halfway up. We called after-hours and were excited they had a technician available to come within the hour. We were told the service charge was $150. When the technician (****) arrived, he quoted us $775 to fix it! We were stunned. But we couldn't leave the door halfway up all night, and no one else had called us back yet. It was 8:30 p.m. at this point. The new spring we had installed by another company had cost us half this amount just 10 months before this! After about 90 minutes, it was fixed (spring was installed incorrectly the first time), and when he handed us the bill, it was $925 (no parts were needed! That was just for labor)! We balked, and the tech got mad and said he wasn't going to get paid. We asked for a breakdown of the charges, and he didn't provide any. He stormed across our driveway, then told us technicians only get 15%, so he was going home after fixing our door without pay. Is $925 a fair price for 90 minutes to repair a garage door that doesn't need any new parts? Heck no! Did we have a choice at that point? Not really. We didn't feel we did, anyway. It was 10:00 p.m. We called the offices the next morning to complain and ask for a partial refund (or at least a breakdown of their hourly rate) and were told "thanks for feedback; too bad." They give us anything. Unreal. Do NOT use this company!!!

  Business response

  01/23/2023

  Your husband called us after hours wanting emergency service.
  
  We offered to come out the next day to save you the emergency after hour fees.
  Your husband insisted on someone coming out as soon as possible. We dispatched a technician. 
  The technician was there in 30 minutes. The garage door is 18'/10' , a very large door. It is on the verge of being a commercial size door. We found that the springs were not installed correctly by another company. causing this huge door to get stuck halfway with cables off on both sides. The technician disclosed the pricing and work needed with your husband before he did the job. Your husband  approved the amount given.
  We fixed what the other company did and additional repairs caused by this faulty spring install. Cables were put back on the pulleys, adjustment, balance and tune up were made for the door, springs and motor unit getting all mechanisms back in order. We don't charge by the hour. A door that huge is considered a dangerous job,  Physical strength and stamina are essential qualifications for this job which all of our technicians must have.
  You were not overcharged by any means. This was a big job!
  When you called the following morning, there was no discussion regarding the job, refund or a discount. You were Just yelling ugly things at our representative and hanging up after threatening to leave a bad review everywhere. A recording of the call can be provided.
  
  We take pride in **************'s fast response and professionalism,
  making sure the job is done correctly and efficiently.

  Customer response

  01/24/2023

   
  I am rejecting this response because:
  

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to my complaint. They did not share the whole story, which includes the technician increasing the price/invoice after the quote was given (from $775 to $925 for 90 minutes of work). They also didn't include the fact the technician yelled and slammed the papers on his truck while storming around on our driveway when we questioned the price increase. Finally, they did not include the fact my husband called first the next morning and asked for a breakdown of charges (which we also asked the technician for but did not receive). By their admission, this company doesn't do hourly pricing, merely pulls figures out of the air while they have you cornered on the driveway after already charging to drive there. We admit it's a big door. We admit it was after-hours. I even admit I lost my temper on the phone after they dismissed our requests and concerns the first time we asked for an explanation. But who has almost $1,000 for this 90-minute fix? We also think increasing the price after the work is finished AND storming around in anger on a customer's driveway at night AND not charging an hourly rate like EVERY other company amounts to poor customer ********************** and even bait and switch. No garage door technician deserves over $600/hour, which is what this amounted to. Doctors don't make that much. And if it was that "dangerous" of a job, the technician should have said so and not done the work until he had someone else with him.

  All we have asked for is a breakdown of charges, and they can't even provide that. But we're finished here. Obviously, they are not going to change the outrageous fee or provide us with a breakdown of the chargessince we've asked for one 4 times without anything. We're done going back and forth. It's not worth our time. We stand by their poor business practices and hope this is made public.
  
  Thank you. 

  
  

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