Looking for a countertop, I was impressed with the information and the knowledge of the younger gentleman I spoke to at the Home Show at the Hamilton Airport in the spring...so much so that I would give them the job after I have been at several other businesses.
I went directly to the shop, which had a sign on the door saying they were closed with it being the long weekend...might have been nice to put that on the website I looked on to be sure I had the correct address.
I went again the following weekend, which is the only time I could go seeing as this place has more-or-less Drs. hours rather than business hours. (close @ 4) Most other establishments I visited close @ 6 or 7pm.
Once there I spoke with Michael, the owner, who was the only one present on that Saturday. After a lengthy talk, I found that I was leaning to purchase quartz as opposed to the granite, I knew I didn't want marble. I said I'd need to think a bit, not wanting to make on the spot rash decisions.
One week later, I returned to the office to confirm my choice of product. He said it was 75% down, which came to $22oo and change, I told him to round it up to $2300. He then put all the particulars on a "work order", such as material thickness, edge finish, type of material, etc. He gave me a copy and a receipt and we're done.
A week or two go by, and I get a call from the office, the need to come on site to make a template ... no problem, I can't be there, but I have a house guest who will, so you have access.
I believe it was later that evening, I received a call from Adam, who was in to do the template ... starts asking me what thickness did I want and what edge finish ... I told him your office already has all this info, taken by Micheal. He said he hadn't seen the info and would like to have verification anyhow. Fine, we went over everything again. The last thing he asked me (which Micheal did not) was the existing countertop being removed by them, or was I taking it out? I replied with, "don't know, what do you charge, $100, $200?". He says, "No, it's only like 50 or 60 bucks." That's an exact quote. That's it? ... ok, your guys can take it out.
Then I let him know that I had a wedding to attend in Alberta beginning of July and would be gone for 10 days ... when I return on the Sunday, I have Monday the 9th booked off work and this would be perfect as an install date, he agreed.
While in Alberta, I received a call on my cell on July 2nd from Dessco saying they'd like to schedule my countertop install for Friday the 6th! So, of course I need to call to explain, AGAIN, that I'm really, really far away and I was of the understanding that when I spoke with Adam, the install was to be on the 9th ... ok, fine, the 9th it is.
The installers arrive on the 9th and look at the counter in my kitchen and ask me if they're supposed to remove it ... yes, I said, I had arranged with your office that you were removing the old top. Then I said to him that there seems to be pretty much ZERO communication in your company, I've made arrangements with 3 different people and NOBODY seems to know what is going on.
They proceed to remove the top (about an hour ... one man, the crew leader pretty much hung outside on his phone).
An hour later, I get a call on my cell and it's Fahad from Dessco, the same guy that called me in Alberta ... he called to inform me that the top removal was a $300 charge! I let him know that that is not what I was quoted, and you're NOT going to charge me 5 times what I was quoted AFTER the top is already out! If someone had said it was $300, I would have removed it myself!
Now the installers are having issues, there's a height problem with the cabinets, and for some reason, they've torn the drain pipe off the wall. Adam told me before that the installers do no plumbing, so it was up to me to ensure everything was disconnected, which it was.
Took a couple weeks for me to resolve all the cabinet issues, in the meantime, Dessco emails me documents that should have been provided to me when I first made my purchase, such as:
-all existing countertops must be removed
-all plumbing and electrical must be disconnected
-all sinks and appliances must be onsite
-all cabinets, brakets, gables installed and leveled
I was also sent an updated invoice which listed the removal of the old countertop at $400! Went from 50 or 60, up to $300 and now they're charging me $400?!!
I called Micheal, he had Fahad and Adam on speaker call, (which I should have recorded) and everyone had some input, and of course Adam denied ever quoting me such a low number. After the call was finished, Micheal agreed to waive the removal fee, but said there was a $300 fee for the installers to return ... which I accepted.
A week or so after, the installers returned and my top now looks A1! They did a nice job.
Is all this BS finally over? ... not quite ...
Couple days later, I get my credit card statement ... 4 days before my conversation with Micheal and the others, my card was billed the full amount of the dispute!
Now I'm on the phone again ... long story short, they're not charging me the $400 for the removal, but only $300, but they don't recall anything about waiving the fee. Remember when I said I should have recorded the call? So, now I feel ripped off for $300. Is it worth my time to sue? No. My reward would be minimal after missed time of work wages. They're crediting back my card the $115 or so, should be $413!
If you're shopping for a new top, DO NOT CONSIDER this ball of confusion, left hand has no idea what the right hand is up to!!
- Approximate cost of services:
- $3,500.00