Complaint Review: Anderson Windows - Bayport Minnesota

$300 is cheap for a storm door?! - you're kidding, right? And $680 for a storm door? Holy cow, that's more expensive than our entry door!

You have to be a professional to have done that by yourself. We certainly wouldn't have considered doing it ourselves if the door had been that expensive.

My husband and I experienced the same kind of treatment by Anderson with our installation (except we did the installation ourselves). We're not experienced tradesmen, nor do we claim to be great at carpentry. We decided to install the door ourselves encouraged by the Easy, 'oops-proof' installation" guarantee on the outside of the box.

As average customers, we didn't try to look up the definition of 'mis-cuts', nor did we read to page 11 for the one paragraph that detailed the limitations of the oops-proof guarantee before installing the storm door. As human beings, we read the instructions and still made a mistake. Sounds like you're an experienced contractor or handyman or work for Anderson and never make a mistake.

Of course we too could have given up and returned the door back to the store before starting the work, but we didn't. To us, this wasn't an "easy" Installation, but weren't going to try and return the installed door to Home Depot.

When we contacted Anderson's overseas phone support (all numbers on the Anderson website go to a call center overseas), the Anderson representatives were singularly unhelpful and we had to purchase replacement parts.

Anderson touts it's American roots in MN, but they outsourced their phone support overseas. I personally won't buy another Anderson product again.

I think poster was reasonable in his assumptions with the guarantee. Anyone can make a mistake and when they do, the first thing you usually hear is "oops!" - Anderson fed into that by making their guarantee in 4" letters on the outside of the box and putting the fine print in 10 point font at the back of the installation manual.

I was there with the contractor and unfortunately didn't catch the mistake - oops! I'll buy the repair kit because I have to, but nothing else from Anderson.

Seems to me the problem is with your contractor.  That's why you hire a contractor to do the work because you either lack the knowledge or ability to perform the job or you don't want to be liable if there is a mistake during the installation-the hired contractor is responsible for any mistakes he/she makes.  If the contractor messes it up (as your contractor did) the contractor is obligated to make it good or cover the cost to make it good. 

Unless you door came without instructions (which include the warranty terms) your contractor should have read the instructions before beginning the installation.  Moreover, after reading the instructions and warranty, you could have returned the door to the store instead of attempting to install it.  You could have decided to purchase a different door and use a different contractor.

According to the instructions, the only drilling into the door is for the swing plate (at the bottom) and to connect the door closures to the door.  Which of these items did the contractor mess up?  Seems to me that either of these wouldn't cause such a big deal other than a couple of visible holes on the INSIDE of the door.  All other drilling, according to the instructions is for pilot holes to attach parts to the HOUSE - the other metal parts of the door are already drilled from the factory.

Sorry, but drilling a hole is not the same as CUTTING pieces to length.  You may think so but most tradesmen and others do not think this way.  You mention installing the lock set, but according to the instruction, these holes are pre-drilled at the factory.

What exactly did your contractor mess up?  

These doors are inexpensive ($300 is cheap) and fairly easy to install.  I installed 2 heavy, insulated storm doors a few years ago and my doors cost about $680 each and did not have any "oops-proof" warranty.  I read the instructions completely before I began any work-the installation went exactly as was described in the instructions.

I think your contractor is on the spot for the $50 repair kit and for the labor to repair your door.  If he/she won't make this right then you should post a RipOff Report about this contractor.

Thanks for your comment Ashley.  We happen to disagree here.

I'm not sure what kind of cut into the door you believe is covered - is it only cuts to the door with a saw? a knife? a drill? I believe that includes cutting into the door with a drill-bit, for example when installing the lockset. Having "Oops-proof" in big letters here sets up the expectation that Anderson covers mistakes, which are limited in fine print on their website.

I was there with the contractor and unfortunately didn't catch the mistake - oops! I'll buy the repair kit because I have to, but nothing else from Anderson.

Robert,

Thanks for looking up Anderson's policy on their website. I'm sure that the fine print excludes everything possible, but the policy as stated on the box didn't show any of those exclusions. Anderson makes a warranty where a customer can see it, but additional terms or fine print isn't mentioned on the box. Clearly you had to go searching on Anderson's website to find the fine print.

What sort of things constitute mis-cuts? Drilling seems to me to be a cut in the door. If I make a mistake in drilling the lock set, that would be a mis-cut to me. I guess your definition of cut is the same as Anderson - a cut made by a saw and only in specific places, not a drill. I disagree.

Fred

They are fulfilling exactly what is promised:

" "Easy, 'oops-proof' installation - Any lost parts or mis-cuts during installation may be replaced free of charge" in giant letters on the outside of the box. "

Note that it says it covers MIS-CUTS and MISSING PARTS. Is drilling through the wrong part of the door a mis-cut? I dont think so.

This is from their limited warranty that you can read here: http://www.stormdoors.com/pdf/Andersen_EMCO_OopsProof_Warranty.pdf

OOPS-PROOF INSTALLATION LIMITED WARRANTY
EMCO Enterprises, Inc. (EMCO) warrants that any part lost or mis-cut during the original installation of your door will be repaired or replaced at no additional charge within ninety (90) days of the date of original purchase. This limited warranty will not apply if the part has been misused, abused or altered. Cutting parts not specified by the installation guide or mis-drilled parts are not included in this warranty.

You and your contractor should have completely read all the documentation that came with the door BEFORE beginning the installation.  Your contractor is on the hook for installing your door properly and repairing/replacing your door if the mis-drilling of the door is an issue.  Your contractor or his/her insurance should cover the cost to repair your new door.

Seems to me that your RoR should be about the contractor you hired to install this door.