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Original Log Cabin Homes Log Cabin Homes - Rocky Mount, NC Most important info. comes after the fact and typically has additional charges! Rocky Mount North Carolina
any services for our windows, they wouldn't repond for 4 weeks. This was an emergency and it was never handled properly. I only found out that they canceled my order when I tried to get a tracking number after they didn't arrive on time.
Original Log Cabin Homes was selected because they promised that they could work with a self-builder. We did our homework, attended their day of reviewing the company and observed the building of a log wall. The contract left some what to be desired as it was vague in some areas but they all assured us that all would go well.
Our CS rep failed to notify us of our annual payment to hold our pricing when it was due the first year, something we elected to do for a 3 yr period. She never could get our names or email correct; even our plans had our names mis-spelled. As a result, there was not any communication for the first year. We never received their booklet which lays out the path for working with them. We thought this was strange so we drove up to meet with our CS rep from our home just to make sure we were being responsible. A 2 day trip. She took notes during our meeting, but she never followed up on a single thing. No communication for the next 6 months. We made sure to remember when our annual payment was due but we never heard from them. At this point we reached out to the CS Mgr and requested a face to face meeting; another 2 day trip. He appeared to be very shocked and really convinced me over our 2hr lunch that he had never heard of this type of thing. I requested a new rep as we would be building in the next year and could not cope this type of poor communication and lack of followup.
A new rep was assigned and did a fairly good job at catching up in the beginning. Unfortuantely this is the first and only house we have ever built or plan to build, so we did not know every area to cover. Almost every important discussion was had after the fact, when we would discover a lack of information some how. Typically there would be an additional charge required to rectify this issue; some we paid for and some we did not. We were told that we would receive 5 sets of final blueprints, nobody ever mentioned the necessity of a "stamped set" of blueprints. This would of course become important later when we were building and they failed to include the detailed information on securing the front window wall to the side walls of the house. They said that we had to have a stamped set of blueprints to get that information, buying the house wasn't enough. Currently they can not provide this info. in a structurally secure manner to handle our snow load. We now have to hire a structural engineer. Doubt we see those monies back.
Windows have been another nightmare. Do not order windows through this company! They canceled our window order which requires 5 weeks notice. They did this because I gave them a new ship to address after finding out that my windows would not be pre-finished at the factory; so that they could be finished by a painter; something all other Anderson windows can have done at the factory. Another charge. When I couldn't get my order rectified because our CS rep never offered us
They never thought to see how a 5 week delay while we are building and up against a tight time line for winter weather, might affect us. We are currently waiting to see if they arrive next month. I inquired about possibly canceling the order and getting a refund so I could hnadle this locally. I was told that this would not happen. When I tried to call the president of the company I was responded back to by the controller. He was arrogant, he made no true effort to correct my situation and when I suggested that I really needed to speak to the president, he informed me that he was not available and would not ever be available. Great customer service. Mind you, we are in the middle of building.
As a result of the windows and doors being delayed we are uncertain about placing other orders. Are we going to be able to secure our house? Can we complete a kitchen or are we going to end up in a lawsuit, with an incomplete house, in the winter? Our bankers are really thrilled. No wonder it is so hard to get a construction loan these days.
I had looked for complaints on the internet before we bought but these things can be eliminated in these times. They are too skilled in their responses for me to be the only one. I have asked them for a valid order confirmation so that I can continue planning and building my house in the necessary timely manner that I an working within, to know that they have really ordered my windows and doors. Apparently, they use some local distributor. Who really knows...So far they have refused. I could go on and on and give lots of other exhausting examples but you get the picture.
I am still holding out faith that they will do the right thing but if I don't have a valid order with real information soon, I will have to cancel the rest of building for this year. That is a really big problem with the weather where we are building and will probably cost a bundle. Next stop will have to be the State Attorney General. I have listed this problem with the BBB in NC.
Laura, Sagle, Idaho
2 Updates & Rebuttals
Mrs. S
SAGLE,Idaho,
Windows due to arrive september 5th, 2013 per LCH!
#3Author of original report
Fri, August 16, 2013
Good News!
We are eagerly awaiting our windows and doors and it looks like we may actually get them. Having spoken to Andersen Windows and Doors Corporate Office, I was able to verify an actual order due to arrive on September 5th. While LCH says that they do not like to participate in public forum, they wrote several paragraphs pointing out our inadequacies, all of which could have been guide posts for conversations in advance vs. points of false and uninformed information about us afterwards.
We are educated consumers and we did the best homework a newbie could do. We have General Contractor as well as a complete team of Sub-Contractors; because we are on a construction loan the bank requires these people to be in place and they inspect the work along the way. LCH Customer Service could not provide us with the structural information that our team requested. The Final 5 sets of blueprints will not be stamped so make sure you pay extra for those. Delays in providing information were lengthily and their response in this report is shameful on their part. Problems were due to insufficient staff and their lack of training as well poor management follow thru; the most sr. person we spoke to about design was the Sr. Cad person, not an engineer or architect available.
We are simply trying to get what we have paid for. Our windows and doors were required to be paid for BEFORE they would ship our logs scheduled to arrive July 1st, 2013. They gave us a delivery date of August 4th at that time. When August 4th came and went without the windows etc… showing up, no one called us, we had to repeatedly call them. When I spoke to Andersen they informed me that my order was not placed until July 23rd, 2013. No way could it have been here for August 4th. This had nothing to do with our being ignorant as they would like to suggest. Naturally we became skeptical. We will now have to pay extra for installation that our current crew could have installed but they will have departed by that date. There are many more details that can be offered if anyone should like to inquire at a step by step level of what this experience was really like for the consumer. Our goal is to sufficiently warn the public that you must be one step ahead as well as behind in your dealings with LCH. If you are dissatisfied with the experience, realize that once you start, you cannot get your money back. If you are first time builder or a self-builder make sure you have someone guiding you through this process or you will end up only finding out what you need to know after the fact. As for the BBB, open and read each complaint to the end.
As we are still currently involved with this company, wouldn’t their efforts have been better served assisting their customer vs. defending themselves? Wouldn’t you have thought higher of them, if I had wrote back stating that Sr. Management had reached out to us and were willing to do anything within reason the make sure that we ended up as a satisfied customer? Perhaps then a person could get more current referrals from previous home buyers.
Log Cabin Homes Management
Rocky Mount,North Carolina,
Rebuttal to Laura in Sagle, ID
#3UPDATE Employee
Fri, August 16, 2013
Log Cabin Homes Staff regrets to see that any of our customers are dissatisfied with the services that we provide. While we value our customers and do not wish to participate any public forum disagreements we do feel compelled to point some facts and clarify some issues listed in this complaint.
The customer that filed this complaint is attempting to build this home without the benefit of a licensed contractor or experienced builder. Most of the delays that this consumer is referencing occurred due to the lack of experience on that end of the transaction. The length of time required to address issues and answer questions was extended due to the nature of the questions that were asked by the consumer. Many of these questions were not relevant to the project at hand or the customer was asking for things that simply cannot be done. LCH staff strives to satisfy our customers and we queried our staff and vendor and builder experts in attempts to answer these questions. We do not wish to give specific examples out of respect to our consumer, but we feel that any other provider of the type of services we provide would not have been able to respond to some of these questions posed by this consumer. It is true that Log Cabin Homes will work with self-builders and we will provide support and assistance as needed, however there must be at least a general knowledge of residential construction present. In this case that general knowledge is not present and LCH staff recommended that this consumer employ an experienced builder at least on a consultation basis. Most of the arguments and claims listed in the complaint would have been avoided or would not have existed at all had there been someone with some type of home building experience on the other end of the transaction. This particular consumer claims that they scanned the internet for other complaints and was shocked at the lack of complaints. The reason for the lack of other complaints is that Log Cabin Homes does act in good faith, we do deliver our components as agreed and we do supply support on a level that most Log Home consumers can understand and utilize.
Log Cabin Homes has a direct factory relationship with all of our window suppliers. This particular customer is receiving Andersen (a globally renowned window manufacturer) windows and she has been in touch with their representatives in Customer Support and in Logistics and she knows that the lead times that we quoted are legitimate and that their order has been acknowledged by Andersen with a scheduled ship date. There is a custom order door on this order that has an extended lead time that cannot be avoided. Log Cabin Homes staff has worked with Andersen staff in attempts to expedite the order and satisfy this customer. The statement that we are using an unknown third party supplier is an absolute false hood. LCH has good reputation with the BBB and we will have our rebuttal filed within a few business days.
Again, we regret that any of our customers are dissatisfied, but unfortunately no business can make everyone happy. If there are any viewers of this complaint that question our integrity because of this claim, we urge you to contact us and at least allow us the opportunity to prove ourselves.
Thank You
Log Cabin Homes Management