ComplaintsforBadger Fence

• Initial Complaint

  12/13/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  We had fence installed by Badger Fence. The job was completed on 3/30/2015.This summer we noticed that the fence was starting to fall down, and it appeared like three of the posts were failing.From everything that I have read on the subject, you should be able to expect 15 to 20 years service from well installed cedar fence. This fence failed after about eight years.Badger fence sent somebody to look at our fence and told us that our fence was out of warranty as the warranty is only good for seven years. There is no mention of any warranty date or limit to warranty both in our paperwork or on the badger fence website. Apparently badger fence does not stand behind the quality of its work, which I find hard to believe because they have been in business in the ********* area for many years. We were told that it would cost us $695 for them to come out and fix the fence by installing three extra posts. That does not seem reasonable for me to pay for some thing that wasnt probably done right in the first place.

  

  Business response

  12/18/2023

  With every cedar fence we install, a 7 year limited warranty is included. This customer's ********************** was install in 2015 which is outside that warranty period, however our repair estimator did go onsite to inspect the issue. Upon arrival they found bushes and rocks around the post which would hold moisture in the post and cause rot. The customer's posts were not a result of material defect or workmanship and would not be covered. This was explained to the customer. 

• Initial Complaint

  08/02/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Twelve weeks after signing a contract and paying a downpayment for a fence from Badger Fence, *********************, the owner of BF, refused to build the fence. Although **** claimed he would return the down payment, that is not satisfactory. I am behind 13 weeks and will have to pay more for the fence from another company since the cost of materials and labor has risen with inflation. On 5/2/22, I signed a contract for BF to construct a fence at my residence. I made a down payment of $1,315 and BF cashed that check on 5/11. After cashing the down payment, **** said that he expected the fence would be completed in 5 - 8 weeks. (The contract said 5-7.) Around 7/25 (~ 10 weeks after cashing the check), **** said that construction would start 7/28 and finish the next week. On 7/28, no one came to begin construction. **** did not call to explain. On 7/29, I left a voicemail for ****. On 8/1, **** called and told me that construction would begin 8/4 or 8/5 and end the following week. I then asked **** to help me understand what had happened with the schedule such that the fence would not be completed for 13 weeks after he received our down payment (instead of 5-8). **** said that the schedule simply filled up, he was busy. I said that I wished I had known in May that it might be 13 weeks before completion of the fence because I may have chosen a different company to do the work. He said that I could cancel the contract if I wanted and he would return the down payment. I asked **** to keep me on the schedule and he said he would. **** immediately called back, angry and annoyed, and told me he would not complete the work. He said he was sending back the down payment because I had "expressed dissatisfaction already." I said that I wanted him to complete the work, that he was contractually obligated to do so. He said that he does this all the time, simply sends the down payment back. So Badger Fence is regularly violating contracts and leaving people like me stranded.

  

  Business response

  08/03/2022

  Badger Fence salesman, *********************, gave an estimate to the customer on March 22, 2022 with an estimated lead time install of 5 to 7 weeks. The contract for $2,630.00 was signed by the customer on May 2, 2022 and received by ********************** on May 5, 2022. Due to customer volume in the month of May, the estimated lead time on a fence install quickly went from 8 to 10 weeks to 10 to 12 weeks. During the spring and summer season, we encountered at least ***** business days of rain that prevented work and several days of high heat index making it difficult for our crews to work full days in the elements. With the new install timeline, the customer was provided an install date but was not satisfied with the reasons stated above. With no earlier indication of disapproval, the customers dissatisfaction seemed to arise quickly. We believed Badger Fence would not be able to satisfy this customers desires and felt it was best to cancel the contract and refund the down payment in full, which was mailed on August 1, 2022.
  Since ****, Badger Fence has been striving to provide quality products and workmanship and terminating contracts is not a regular practice or desired outcome. We as a company apologize for getting so far behind schedule and our doing our best to catch up on these timelines.

  *** Robinette President **************************

  Customer response

  08/03/2022

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
  
  Mr. Robinette has not accurately represented what happened. I asked why the company had fallen behind in its schedule and nearly immediately ********************* cancelled the contract unilaterally. When he offered to send back my deposit and cancel the contract, I said I did not want to do that at the time and wanted him to keep me on the schedule. When he told me he was cancelling anyway, I made clear I did not want him to do that and I didn't think he had the right to. **** showed his anger and irritation toward me for asking a simple question in a calm and polite way. Mr. Robinette's defense of him shows that the company as a whole does not respect the promises it makes to build fences and will abandon a customer who dares to ask for an explanation of a five-week delay. 

  What's worse, the letter that Badger Fence sent with the return of my deposit claimed that I canceled the contract. That is not true. In fact, I do not have the right under the contract to cancel after three business days. If Badger Fence can cancel after the customer has waited 12 weeks, when the customer has no right to cancel, without any consequences, the company holds an unjustifiable amount of power over the consumer. 

  I am considering a small-claims lawsuit but would rather resolve this out of court and hope that the BBB can help negotiate a resolution.

  Regards,
  
  *********************************

  

  Business response

  08/04/2022

  The customer was given a solid installation date, she indicated our reasoning for not being there the week before was not adequate. The customer was asked if she would like to cancel and have her deposit returned. She stated she needed to get back to **** on that discussion. Since there was an installation date already in place and a decision was needed for our scheduling purposes, we were not able to reach a resolution, the contract was canceled and the deposit was returned 100%. The customer is now wanting the total cost of the quoted fence to be paid out to her which is not part of our canceled contract policy. We do not feel being threatened with legal action is necessary.

  ***

  Customer response

  08/16/2022

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
  
  In response, I clearly told **** that I wanted him to install the fence and did not want to cancel. He called back to say that HE canceled. I was not unclear or equivocating. Also as I wrote in my original message, I did not receive a clear install date as badger Fence claims. The install date was 5-7 weeks on the contract. **** shouldnt find the time within 11 weeks to install a fence that would take, by his estimation, two days of work. And when he said he would be out, July 28, he did not show and did not call.
  
  Finally there is no policy that allows Badger Fence to cancel. They are bound by the contact to complete by substantial performance, according to the law and contract.

  
  Regards,
  
  *********************************

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