Complaint Review: Bench Craft Company - Portland Oregon

How much will it cost for those wonderful, free-range eggs laid in your backyard coop?

Are chickens worth the expense?

How long will it take to re-coop the start up costs?

One of the first questions on the minds of future city chicken farmers is the cost of keeping chickens. They might dream of free-range eggs they can gather out of their own yard, but don't want to sink financially for the privilege.

The good news is that chickens aren't expensive to keep (once you have a place for them to live). Here's a general breakdown of how much it cost me to get started with my flock of 10. Although your costs might be somewhat different, this will give you a good idea of a starting place.

I bought my chicks as newborns, so they ranged in price from approximately $2.50 to $3.50 depending on the breed. Let's average them at $3.00. Since most city farmers have smaller limits to the number of chicks they can have, let's base our prices on buying three chicks.

Three new baby chicks = $9.00

Getting chicks this young means you also need a brooder (a place for them to live that's warm) for a few weeks. In my case, I used a big dog crate that I already had. You could also use a big plastic bin, a cardboard box, or some other container you have handy. Since most people can rustle up some sort of container for free, let's assume you're one of them.

(If you want to start with older chickens closer to laying age and forgo the baby stage, expect to spend $10-15 per chicken).

Homemade chick brooder = free

For a light, I used a basic shop light with the reflective metal around it, and regular light bulb. I threaded an extension cord through the wire door of the crate and hung the light on the inside of the door.

Because the chicks stayed in the house for the first month, this worked good enough.

However, if you need to buy equipment, there are heat lamps and special bulbs that go in them. I've seen the lamps for between $10-30, so let's average it at $20. And the light bulb to go in it for another $6-12, with an average of $8.00.

Brooder lamp and bulb = $28.00

You will also need some sort of food and water containers. I think I paid about $5 each for my initial containers. The water container held a quart of water, which is perfect for a small flock of babies.

Food and water containers = $10.00

Of course, you'll need food to put in the containers. Most places where you buy the chicks will have some chick starter. The larger size bag you buy, the cheaper it is per pound. You can leave your chicks on the starter until they eat it all and then switch to a different food later, or you can buy a smaller amount of food for more money. The choice is yours. (Because I bought 10 chicks, I started out with a 50 lb bag of chick starter and it lasted me about 2 months). Roughly, you can get a 5 lb bag of chick starter for about $5.00, or a 50 lb bag of the same stuff for around $15.00. Let's go for the big bag for our example! (I've talked to people who never take their chickens off starter, insisting that it's the best for them.)

50 lb bag of chick starter food = $15.00

If you've only got 3 chickens, this bag of food will probably last you about 6 months.

Next, you need some sort of bedding for the chicks. Some people use shredding newspaper or other recycled paper for free. Because my chicks were in the house, I used wood shavings. A big bag of it cost me about $12.00 and lasted for months.

Wood shavings (bedding) = $12.00

Total chick set up = $74.00

That's all you need to get started! For under $75.00, you can get your chicks, set them up for the first month of their lives, have enough food to feed them for 6 months and enough bedding for at least a couple of months.

However, the REAL costs are yet to come...

Sooner or later (usually sooner--chickens grow at an amazing rate), the chicks are going to outgrow their brooder box and you'll be faced with finding them a new home. In my case, the chicks went from inside a dog crate in the house, to inside an appliance box (that I got free from Lowe's) in the garage while I frantically built the chicken coop for them. (Note to self and all of you...follow my advice on the Before You Buy New Chicks page and get your coop set up BEFORE you buy your chicks!)

Because I was able to get a huge appliance box for free, that bought me a bit of time while I worked on the coop. Hopefully, you'll take my advice, learn from my mistakes and take care of the coop before you get chicks...but, if you're like me and can't stand the wait and want chicks NOW, remember your local home improvement store for a free resource for your growing chicks.

Chicken Coops

Chicken coops can be expensive. I used recycled materials (free) whenever possible and started out with a used play structure from Craigslist (see the step by step story here). I got free chicken wire from a friend. I used mis-mixed and leftover paint from previous projects, and my chicken coop still weighed in at about $500! (Remember, however, this was for 10 chickens, which is larger than you'll need for the small flock of three.)

If you buy a pre-made chicken coop, expect to pay a LOT more for it than if you build it yourself. For a small flock, you could convert a large dog house, a play structure, or other small, enclosed space into a coop from a reasonable price. ( If you'd like some small coop ideas, check these out.) Look for used coops for sale on places like Craigslist and maybe you'll find a perfect coop for cheap.

If you're going to build your own coop from scratch, calculate how much space you'll need (for our 3 chicken example, you'll need 12 square feet for the chicken coop and 12 square feet for the chicken run), and take into consideration that you'll need nesting boxes (if you're getting hens for egg laying) and roosts. Basic Chicken Coop 101 should answer all of your questions.

Larger Food Containers

If you start out with the small food and water containers like I did, eventually you'll need to upgrade, at least for the water container. Because these can get spendy, I started out with a homemade waterer that cost me about $2.00 and worked well for a couple of months before I finally switched over to a commercially made waterer.

My initial food container would still work if I only had 3 chickens instead of 10, but I also made a hanging self-feeder, much like the homemade waterer, except that it works better and I still use it.

Bedding

Depending on how often you change the betting and what you use for bedding will determine your cost here. For awhile I used straw, but then I switched to wood pellets. The pellets are more costly (around $5 a bag), but they absorb moisture and odors WAY better than the straw. Some people also use wood shavings.

Ongoing Food

Now that my chickens are adults and of laying age, I've got them on a layer food, which runs about $13 for 50 lbs. For my 10 chickens, a 50 lb bag lasts about 1 month. (I also feed them food scraps and let them free range for part of every day).

Supplements

Besides food, I also buy calcium and grit for my chickens. This is pretty inexpensive and lasts quite awhile. The chickens need calcium for better eggs and grit to help them digest their food. I put a small dish of each out in the chicken run and they eat it as they please. It takes them several weeks to empty a tuna fish sized can.

I also buy cracked corn for the chickens, as a treat. I feed it to them daily, but in very small quantities. Even for 10 chickens, a 5 lb bag of it lasts for weeks.

They're Worth It!

Really, to get set up with your own backyard egg production for under $75.00, is a pretty good deal. And ongoing food and supplies aren't expensive, either. The major cost in this venture is a chicken coop. If you have time to build one or an unused doghouse you can convert, you'll be on your way.

Even though my coop ended up costing around $500 and taking several weeks to build, it's been so fun to have chickens! Not only for the eggs, but also for the entertainment value. You might just find yourself outside in the evenings watching 'farm reality TV' live in your backyard, instead of sitting on the couch. And some o those memories are priceless.

Raising laying chickens is so simple and such a fun, rewarding experience, it really is something that everyone should have the pleasure of doing. There is so much information readily available at the touch of a button to help you and especially in relation to raising laying chickens.

Not so long ago to keep chickens was something that was only really done by farmers and small holders, mainly to supplement poor diet. It was an easy way of providing protein (although I am not sure that they would have been 100% aware of this dietary fact) and with eggs being so versatile they could be used in so many ways without getting bored of eating them.

Poultry keeping seems to have really taken off worldwide recently and the benefit of this to the uninitiated is the huge wealth of chicken keeping knowledge that has become so easily accessible to be able to use. What a fantastic thing, all of these hints and tips that I can only imagine being well guarded secrets once upon a time that are now being shared globally.

One of the biggest considerations when deciding to keep chickens has to be their housing. They have a few specific needs that really are not a problem to provide but, it is important that you do this to keep them happy, content and egg laying on a regular basis.

Chickens, like people can be susceptible to extremes of heat and cold and any help you give them in keeping their housing temperature at a constant reasonable level is more than beneficial. To be able to manage your backyard space and utilise it to your best advantage should not be under estimated i.e. if you have areas of excess shade or of constant sun, neither of which on their own are a good thing, you can use these to keep your poultrys comfort at an optimum.

Providing adequate ventilation to keep fresh air flowing through the coop is an easy thing to do and obviously this helps to keep the coop aired and as ammonia free as possible as well as keeping conditions dry too.

You can provide any number of ramps and walkways which, believe it or not is really contributing to your chickens welfare by stimulating them maybe in an unseen way to you and I but, it does benefit them enormously. Perches really give poultry a sense of security which they need when they roost at night and so again, putting these into the accommodation you are helping to keep them happy and content.

To keep chickens can be a real pleasure and what can be as satisfying as being able to collect your own poultry's eggs? Especially knowing that you have had such an influence in raising laying chickens by catering for their welfare needs more than adequately. You of course benefit from delicious, nutritious free range eggs that had you not decided to start raising laying chickens would not be possible.

Building a chicken coop is simple and a great deal of fun when you are given the correct information. They are practical, easy to assemble and can save you a fortune.

Let's face it, when you think of keeping an animal at home, chickens aren't usually the first thing that comes to mind. We usually gravitate to animals that are considered cute and friendly such as dogs or cats. However, if you have just a small amount of outdoor space, there are many benefits to raising chickens at home.

1. Free Food!

What could be better than having your pet provide you with a daily source for healthy food. We're talking about eggs here. Eggs are one of the most versatile and healthy things you can put on your plate. Maybe you like them fried, scrambled, in an omelet, or perhaps you want to whip up a tasty strawberry pavlova with fresh egg meringues.

There's nothing better that fresh free range, organic eggs. You can literally eat them minutes or hours after they are laid. Fresh eggs always taste better and they also contain more nutritional value, the sooner they are eaten. Try it for yourself. Compare a battery farmed egg with one that's fresh from your local farmers market and you will immediately notice the difference in texture color and taste.

2. Natural Recycling

You might think that chicken eat a diet of grains or just want to peck away at seeds. Buy chickens actually love leftovers. These feathered creatures have a voracious appetite for just about anything you put in front of them. So instead of throwing out your food scraps fro the dinner table, you can now recycle them in the most efficient way, and your chickens will love you for it! As well as proving a more varied diet for them, you are also saving money on chicken feed and also reducing your own environmental impact by producing less waste in your household. Of course, you need to do some research into what chickens can and can;t digest. Although they will generally attempt to devour anything that's put in front of them, it may not be best for their health, so if in doubt get some expert advice.

3. Free Fertilizer And Pest Control.

There's nothing more satisfying that letting your chickens walk around freely in your garden or yard space. They love to roam around and forage, pecking at the ground for any potential food sources, such as seeds, or small insects, grubs and worms.

This has a double benefit for you and your lawn. The chickens will happily eat as many insect pests that they can find. This provides a great natural pest control solution. At the same time they will be transforming their waste into a highly effective fertilizer that will enrich your lawn.

4. Mowing The Lawn

Yo will also find that chicken will love to peck at the various grass and weeds around your garden. It's a bit like having a cow or sheep at home and they will happily keep your weeds and grass trimmed, saving you hours of labor pushing that lawnmower around!

5. A Friendly Low Maintenance Pet

Chickens are the ultimate low maintenance pets. Unlike a dog who needs constant attention such as walks and grooming, chickens are happy to look after themselves. All you need to provide is a shelter for them, make sure they've got enough food and water, and once or twice a month provide them with fresh bedding.

Apart from this you can let them get on with their own lives and just collect your eggs on a daily basis.

Adding new chickens your flock of birds can be tricky, but it's not impossible. Every flock will have a period of adjustment, but with thoughtful planning, fighting can be kept to a minimum (in most cases). The goal is to have a happy, well-adjusted flock in the end, (with no blood shed or lost life). It is possible! First of all, it's important to understand 'chicken psychology'. If you understand how your birds tick, it will help you work with their natural inclinations instead of against them.

Pecking Order

The term 'pecking order' isn't just a cliche'. It doesn't take watching chickens for too long to see that there is a very distinct 'animal hierarchy' that is established in the flock. If you have new chicks this establishment will happen as a normal course of their growth and development.

The pecking order determines who is the top chicken, who is at the bottom and where all the other chickens fit in between. Once this order is determined, it rarely changes as the lower chickens are generally too scared to challenge a chicken higher than them. This pecking order keeps the peace in the flock. It establishes who gets to eat first, who gets to sleep where, whose hens are whose (in the case of a rooster), etc.

Territory

The 2nd issue to understand about chickens is the idea that this is 'their turf'. They've established a (fairly) peaceable kingdom and each member of the flock knows their place. Letting new chickens invade their space feels just like that--an invasion.

New Girl in the Flock

The best thing, of course, it to get all your chicks at one time and raise them together. But, there are times when adding new chickens to your flock is impossible to avoid. There are untimely deaths, old age, or a number of other factors that might make you consider buying a few new chickens. If you decide to take the leap and add more chickens, keeping in mind the pecking order and the ownership issues your chickens have over their home will help you in understanding their behavior.

Work in Pairs

When introducing new chickens to the flock, it's much easier on all concerned if you are adding at LEAST 2 new chickens to the mix. And even better if the new chickens already know each other and are 'friends'. This does two things: first, it keeps the new chicken from being completely isolated (she'll have a friend), and second, there will be more than one chicken that is the brunt of the 'bullying' so it kind of spreads out the picking.

Pick on Someone Your Own Size!

Chickens LOVE to pick on the smaller, the weaker. They don't play fair. So, if you're planning on bringing new chickens into the flock, try to get them similar in either age or size, to help minimize the uneven fight. For example, if you have 5 full grown hens and decide you want to get 2 new baby chicks--stop now! Don't throw those babies in with the other hens if you want to keep them alive.

A better way to do it would be to get MORE new chicks than old hens and OVERWHELM the new flock with the younger birds--but don't add the younger ones until they're big enough to stand a chance at a fight.

(An exception to this is when a mother hen raises babies herself. SHE is their defense. And just like ANY good mother, she'll instinctively fight to the end for her children.)

Ease Them In

One of the best ways to introduce new chickens to your flock is to do it slowly. If at all possible, place your new chickens NEAR your old chickens, but not WITH them. For example, when I introduced 2 new chicks to my flock, I placed them in an upside down crate inside the hen house. My chickens could see and interact with the new girls, but they were blocked from being aggressive because they couldn't quite get to them.

All the chickens could observe each other from a close, but guarded, distance. And it seemed, also, that the crate in the middle of the chicken coop caused more curiosity not the feeling that their turf was being invaded

Proper Introduction

In the meantime, stage some introduction 'play date' times for your flock. If you have a run, or yard, bring your old chickens out to meet the new ones, but stay nearby to break up any particularly brutal fighting (you don't want to break it all up, as there is the re-establishing of the pecking order that will naturally occur, but you also don't want a bloodied pulp or dead chicken on your hands.)

Plan these meet and greet sessions a couple times a day, after the first day (where they've already had time to get to know each other with a barrier of some sort between them), and every day that you have them separated from each other.

Other Odds and Ends

People report many tricks to help ease the transition of adding new chickens. Here are some of the ideas they report:

1. Add the new chickens at night (in the dark) after your flock has gone to sleep. When they wake up in the morning they'll be less aware of new chickens on the premises.

2. Place both the old and the new in an entirely different location. This throws the old chickens off balance (they're not defending their own stomping grounds) and they are less defensive.

3. Take some old chickens out as you add new ones--this disrupts the pecking order. This is how I added some new chickens--I found out I had a rooster (even with sexed chicks you have a slight chance of getting a rooster instead of a hen), so I found a farmer who would take "Lizzy" and I swapped him with 2 new hens. This threw the pecking order off a bit and helped ease the new girls into the flock.

4. Treats and distractions. I've heard of someone who would hang a treat (like a head lettuce) in the chicken coop--just above the reach of the chickens--and that distraction helped introduce the new chickens easier. Others who have said that feeding the chickens treats at the same time as the introductions also helps some.

Prepare for Jockeying for Position

Even in the best handled situations, there will be some fighting. That's just how it works. New chickens means a new pecking order needs to be established. And in the process, the top chickens will need to show themselves strong.

Pay attention to the process enough to make sure the chickens are not being hurt too badly. If a chicken is picked on enough that blood is drawn, remove the chicken from the flock before it gets pecked to death. After a week or so the whole transition and positioning should work itself out and you will (hopefully) be back to a fairly peaceful, happy flock.

This is the individual that contacted me . I blasted him back with information I obtained from Oregon BBB as well as Ripoff report. He originally called from an "unavailable" number and I suspect has tried contacting me several times since I cancelled by ad. ID slways shows "unavailable". I would think a reputable company would want to display their phone number; DO NOT DO NOT DO NOT DO NOT give ANYONE from this company your credit card number OR any of your hard earned money. Attached is a copy of our agreement for the Course Guide out at the Brentwood Golf Course and our Art Guidelines. Please review it and return confirmation to us that it looks good either by faxing back the signed agreement to 503-445-1786. Or, you can simply email confirmation that it looks good to [email protected] If you have any questions or concerns please call customer service @ 800-824-8311 ext.240 Thank You! Gene Varshavsky Customer Service Manager Bench Craft Company 800.824.8311 ext 240

I thought it was funny when the attorney accused me of wanting my money back for the advertising because my business had slowed down. I was thinking of being petty and saying maybe business is so slow for you, you gotta work for people like this. Also, in my original post I stated that Bench Craft posted my artwork on the golf course. I'm not sure that they did, and at the time took their word for it. There's also another post on here from an employee but to find it, you have to type Benchcraft as one word in the search engine.

I thought it was funny when the attorney accused me of wanting my money back for the advertising because my business had slowed down. I was thinking of being petty and saying maybe business is so slow for you, you gotta work for people like this. Also, in my original post I stated that Bench Craft posted my artwork on the golf course. I'm not sure that they did, and at the time took their word for it. There's also another post on here from an employee but to find it, you have to type Benchcraft as one word in the search engine.

I thought it was funny when the attorney accused me of wanting my money back for the advertising because my business had slowed down. I was thinking of being petty and saying maybe business is so slow for you, you gotta work for people like this. Also, in my original post I stated that Bench Craft posted my artwork on the golf course. I'm not sure that they did, and at the time took their word for it. There's also another post on here from an employee but to find it, you have to type Benchcraft as one word in the search engine.

It is absolutely mind boggling that the attorney for this fraudulent company has the stones to contact ripoff report in support of the company. I have a background in law and can tell you without hesistation that this company does business in violation of the law. The attorney general's office of Oregon has contacted me for information pertaining to the company's illegal behavior. You may see the bulk of my complaint on the following blog (note: the person who authored the blog has been defrauded as well)... Blog: Cameron Novak's Real Estate Blog Link: http://www.myagentgateway.com/2007/09/bench-craft-company.html I agree with his advice to: Steer clear of this biz.

I will concede a few points to Bench Craft Company. 1. They do provide an advertising service and have relationships with golf courses nationally to advertise. I talked with the manager at my local golf course and he said he had never heard of any problems with them, and they had handled the advertising for the course before he arrived, which I believe was 15 years. 2. I had a tough time finding anything negative on Bench Craft Company, until I went to BBB. I went to BBB again last night and found a large number of complaints against the company, but not as large as I found originally. I suggest the attorney go to the national BBB site. I didn't look hard last night, but I can't prove my original statement of 180 complaints in 6 months at this point and withdraw that comment. 3. The prices quoted to me for advertising seemed more than fair, and had Bench Craft Company faxed me the contract the day we talked and had it been for Bench advertising, I would have been a happy customer. I wanted to make sure I wasn't crazy, so I went to my cell phone records. mon-7/30/07-4:31-11 minutes: bench craft salesman calls me to sell bench advertising. says he will fax contract over immediately for me to review and sign. mon-7/30/07-4:52-1 minute: I call salesman back to tell him I didn't receive contract, he said he had already left the office and would fax it in the morning. wed-8/1/07-11:17-3 minutes: I call salesman again to tell him I still haven't received contract by fax. he promises to fax it again. wed-8/1/07-12:04-4 minutes: I call salesman and tell him I am no longer interested as I still haven't received fax. he tells me I already bought when I gave up my credit card over the phone, and sends me to the controller. Controller isn't interested in anything I have to say, just wants to explain to me that they have a valid contract that I have never seen. wed-8/1/07-3:02-11 minutes: I believe I called back to again present my side of the story to the controller and again was told that they have a cashable contract or something to that effect. Approximately-8/9/07- I receive contract by mail for advertising on a ball washer. Attached to the contract that was dated 7/30/2007, was a letter dated 8/1/2007. It went on to explain Bench Craft's cancelation policies. There was also some interesting verbage that implied they had sent a sales rep to my office, designed artwork, and so on. Basically the only contact I had ever had with Bench Craft outside of the calls that I initiated, was the original 11 minute call from the salesman. Also a string of letters specifically designed to scare me into buying. We never discussed artwork, the cancelation policy was not discussed, and we never discussed ballwasher advertising. I called from home phone to reiterate that I didn't want the advertising and we never talked about ball washers. I was transfered to the sales manager who tried to upgrade me to Bench advertising, but I told him I wouldn't buy a gumball from his company, and he hung up on me. In addition to these phone calls flatly stating I don't want anything, I had sent many emails to Bench Craft starting 8/1/07 that basically said the same thing. They are definitely in receipt of these, and I have proof. THU 09/20/2007 2:36PM 5 minutes: I receive artwork in the mail from Bench Craft. None of this artwork was submitted by me, they decided to design it on thier own. It has wrong company name. It has my home address. I call and email benchcraft to let them know not to use the artwork as I don't work for that company and never have. At the time I didn't notice it had my home address on it. To shorten this up. At some point after 9/17/2007 they state they posted my artwork on the golf course. At that point I called and offered them $100 to leave me alone. I called both the salesmanager and the controller. I really didn't care if they posted my ad or not but thought I'd derive some benefit from the ad being up so I made the offer. I also told them again I didn't work for the company on the sign and they offered to put the right company name on the sign for $50 above the original $400 they want from me. As of today (friday-11/9/07) I notice the artwork was designed by them 9/17/2007. As of today I realize my home address is posted on a golf course. They spelled my city wrong so it makes me look dumb. As of a few days ago I was notified by my credit card company that they were able to get the $400 back from my card. I am redisputing this charge. Also, my credit card company says once I win the dispute, Bench Craft cannot send me to collections. The controller at Bench Craft states that my credit card company is misinformed. As far as me complaining to BBB or other places, I won't, as I complained about housevalues and it didn't seem to make any difference. Outside of my credit card dispute, the only complaint I have made against Bench Craft is on this site. And this is after I believed I had won my my credit card dispute and Bench Craft stated in writing that they had sent me to collections. Everything in this posting is 100% true to the best of my knowledge. There are a few more calls that I made to Bench Craft from my home phone, in response to each and every letter I received from them. There are absolutely zero calls or faxes to me from Bench Craft outside of the original 11 minute sales call. This week I called the credit manager at Bench Craft when I saw the paperwork they submitted to my credit card company and tried to point out some statements in thier papers that weren't true. She wouldn't let me talk at all. Had I known how ferocious Bench Craft Company is, I would have paid for the difference between the bench advertising and the ball washer advertising and not spent so much time on this. I just felt like every step of the way, Bench Craft Company has told me to sit down and shut up. Including the recent letter posted by thier attorney.

This law firm represents Bench Craft Company in its dispute against Mr. Gareth ---. Charlie Cobb, President of Bench Craft Company, has instructed us to respond to Mr. ---' post on Ripoff Report. In response to Mr. ---' post, Bench Craft contracted with Mr. --- of Windermere Real Estate on July 30, 2007, to advertise his business on a ball washer at the Newport Beach Golf Course. Bench Craft entered into a binding contract with Mr. ---- and the company was paid in full in advance for its services. As part of the contract, Mr. --- supplied Bench Craft with information to be incorporated in the advertisement. Bench Craft completed performance of their obligations under the contract in reasonable reliance on Mr. D---' payment for their services and the ball washer was delivered to Hole 12 of the Newport Beach Golf Course. Mr. --- has been benefiting from the advertisement that he designed and placed at the golf course. Mr. ----responded by breaching the contract and reversing his credit card payment to Bench Craft. It is possible that Mr. --- overextended himself due to the downturn in the housing market. However, Mr. --- is still responsible for his binding contract. As to Mr. ---' allegation that Bench Craft has 180 complaints . . . in the last 6 months, Bench Craft strongly disputes Mr. ---' allegation since the facts simply do not support his contention. Bench Craft does a very large volume of business and is proud to report over 99.9% positive feedback on their services. Of the .1% that filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau, Bench Craft was able to satisfy the majority of those customers. In other words, Bench Craft works hard to make sure that their customers are satisfied. The Better Business Bureau record speaks for itself. Please see the record at: alaskaoregonwesternwashington.bbb.org/WWWRoot/Report.aspx?site=114&bbb=1296&firm=79000455 While Bench Craft regrets that any customer is unhappy with their services and strives to make all of their customers' experiences positive, Bench Craft maintains that Mr. --- is liable under the contract for the full contract price of the advertisement that he intentionally placed. Thank you. Dennis Steinman, Attorney at Law

I received a call from a salesman at Bench Craft Company on 7/30/07. We discussed advertising on a bench at a local golf course. $400 to get my name on a bench for 2 years sounded like a pretty good deal. He said he would fax a contract for me to review and sign that day. The contract never came over, so I called him back to let him know. He said he would fax it the next day as he was leaving the office. I never recieved it the next day, so I called him back again. Again he promised to re fax it. By the third day I hadn't recieved it, so I told him to forget about it. At that point he explained to me that I had already purchased. I asked him how that was possible. He said since I had given him my credit card over the phone, I had already agreed. He was able to get my credit by saying he needed to put it on the contract to fax it to me. I never recieved the contract by fax, but did finally recieve it by mail. It was stapled to a letter dated 8/1/07 that states in gigantic letters that Contract Shall Not Be Cancelled. The contract is not for bench advertising as we discussed. It is for a small ball washer sign. In the signature line, the salesman has written in: per phone. I disputed the charges with my credit card company, and easily won the dispute. The controller of Bench Craft still plans on sending this to collections. I have told these guys over and over that I don't want to do business with them at all. They tried to redo the contract and sell me bench advertising. I told them no. They state they have already put up my sign, with the wrong agency name and if I pay them an extra $50 they will put the correct name on it. I finally offered them $100 to settle the matter. Although I enjoy reading thier collection of preprepared letters to scare people into buying things they didn't order, it's worth $100 to not have to deal with the collection agency. The BBB has 180 complaints on them in the last 6 months. The controller at thier company didn't seem to think that was alot of complaints. In comparison, housevalues has 178 over the same period. In my opinion, housevalues is the biggest scam ever perpetrated against real estate agents. The general public is duped by housevalues also, but the agents have to pay for the priveledge where the public gets duped for free.

actually, I didn't pay them the $100 because the controller of the company turned it down. I haven't paid them anything at this point, and I wasn't going to file a ripoff report against them if they would have accepted the $100. Not only did I finally put my story on ripoff report, I'm also going to add it to realtychat. and a few others. I might even spend alot of money to email other agents and let them know my story, and how Bench Craft operates. The problem is that by the time people start looking around the internet to investigate a company, it's typically too late. They have already parted with thier credit card information. I could pay them the $400, but I don't feel that they were honest in thier business practices. I also felt some responsibility to share my story with others. 180 complaints at the BBB is some sort of record and speaks volumes as to the type of business they run.

I would have used the "wrong agency name" as your out.

I would have used the "wrong agency name" as your out.

I would have used the "wrong agency name" as your out.

I would have used the "wrong agency name" as your out.