New window treatments on 12 exterior windows for condominium
Liked their Yonge St showroom! Salesguy came. Smooth sales pitch. He measured, remeasured our 12 exterior condo windows, cost $9,100. MUCH higher than comparable estimates from several other firms but I really liked the product, thought it heads and shoulders above the rest, and he promised top quality completed within a month of signing. I was sold, paid the customary 50% downpayment, believed the company one of integrity. Won't make that mistake again. With a couple weeks delay, installers removed all existing treatments from our southfacing windows.. One of the 2, barely a man, nice young man who made it clear from the start his specialty was automation and other aspects of the business did not interest--an attitude clearly evidenced thru his careless inattention...to just about everything. His installations were anything but perfect; his worst, a cassette installed butted up too close to huge LR bay window. It can since be only forced open almost halfway...Brading could not fix it, neither could any of the many other trades I've brought in since. The other of the pair was great! Really knew what he was doing, worked hard, efficiently, clean. He said He does all measurements at initial salescall, didn't know why salesguy did himself; should've come 4days later when returned from vacation. He said salesman erred in measuring windows, remeasured, said most of 12 shades ready to be installed had to be recut, so work could only resume in 2-3 weeks. Zero communication as these weeks & more sped by. My calls go unanswered, runaround from their office & warehouse about being really busy, lots of work, needed put out second team of installers.... With all our previous coverings removed and months of no work continued, we used big cardboard box sides to try keep the hot summer sun from damaging our antique furniture, rugs and paintings. Almost 3months from signing, installs resumed but more installation problems blocked further progress. The Brading that had said they do alot of condos just like mine & project would be routine, required the Owner to visit who listened to the problems his excellent worker points out & my concerns. Very personable, says how great the kid and all his workers are because HE TRAINED THEM, arrives at a solution. Guru installer whose workstyle I really respected came to finish installation. Again without the young one who either left or was relieved of his duties--excellent business decision by Brading. He was very rushed. But Job finally done, imperfectly but better than adequately, & in some ways better than expected given the lack of levelling of our condo ceilings. This installer was terrific, resourceful, rightly bringing in Owner when he was uncertain. Tho imperfections remained, wanting the job done already and our home back to normal, I paid balance out in full. 1year later product remains as good as when install completed. I'd hire that one worker again in a heartbeat, but not likely the company. Sales pitch forward the project was unnecessarily an unorganized mess, altho given what I read & hear, I should be happy the job got done at all, and I am. But the "within 1-month" project after contract signing turned into a 6-7 month ordeal, with my having to chase them down to get work completed. One super great overworked worker having to cover & fix other workers errors. Great product, but not best solution for our windows (my error as much as salesguy). Overly high prices for quality delivered. Reasonable client-centric approach by Owner, but ultimately more concerned with pavyment of balance delivering the promised perfect installation. No surprise price increases. Project completed definitely not on-time, but completely more than adequately. Great product. Better company. Likely much better service delivery with young guy no longer with firm (reason I rate Brading a 6 vs a 3or4), but despite that one truly superb installer, by my overall experience, I would not hire again
- Approximate cost of services:
- $9,000.00
- What could this company do to improve their services?
- A good company that could be superb in every respect. Ensure only people expert in what they do, do that and nothing else. All problems and delays (& thus additional costs cutting into profit margins) could thus have been averted. Brading's one known superb installer should be made Partner--to reflect the valiant effort and correct business judgement exercised to fulfill and amplify the Brading experience and image. Releasing the young installer was a brilliant decision, but long overdue, a big let-down to the image of Brading quality installation who clearly showed no interest tward either his employer or its clients; I suspect with his absence things are running more smoothly. Salesman has honed a highly enjoyable salespitch, and it works, however his promises need be curtailed to more closely match client needs (in my case, likely another type of window covering) and to more attainable project timelines--or else he may surely attain the Sale, but the remainder of the Sales cycle, almost by default, is far less than as promised; also, as eager as he was, he should have delayed measurement taking to the adept, or had his measurements verified before commencing cutting of each treatment; Brading's salesguy, as good as he is & as much as I liked and trusted him, ended up costed Brading unnecessary expenses/delays/scheduling problems, and ultimate delivery. And my good experience and opinion. Busy or hyperbusy, they must fill their client promises, & not ignore or hide from them, but maintain phone/email contact. I still believe Brading is potentially heads-&-shoulders above its competition--or damn well could be! I wish them well.