Complaint Review: Cleary Buildng Corporation - Nationwide

A condensed version of our very horrible Cleary Building.  In Oct of 2013 we contracted to have residental building by Cleary Building Corp put up in the spring of 2014. (that's a whole different issue) It wasn't even started until Aug 2014. By November be noticed that the windows and doors regularly Froze over with large amounts of ice. Cleary repeatedly said things like "You can expect it that for 3-5 years because there's cement flooring" Or "must be the humidity" ,"not vented per our requirements" (they built it ) etc.etc. I began calling every day to get someone out here to remedy the situation.

We were supposed to receive Anderson Window & Doors residential insulated windows and doors through Plyco by Cleary. (series 100)  What we have are the lowest rated shop grade windows that aren't even weather rated for our area.  Cleary said that was our resposibilty to Know exactly what we were getting. After all- we ok'd the contract. Cleary implied that WE should have asked for a 100% complete parts list up front with all catalog and cross refrence numbers and names so we could could do  research before committing. Cleary is the 'experienced builder'. We expected what we paid for.

In Feb of 2015 (We didn't complete the interior of our home until spring/early summer 2015 because it was so far behind schedule) we reached out to Anderson Window & Doors about the windows because Cleary refued to talk to us. AWD stated that they do NOT have any kind of working relationship with Cleary or Plyco. The Cleary website brochure about the windows is marked all over with the AWD logo and name.

On more than one occassion we were literally frozen INTO our home. Really. We had to push from the outside as even the windows would not open. Talk about endangering a family!

I began documenting daily trails with our house.

Corporate asked for and received a copy of my notes. After that We were told by the Wilton branch secretary that NOBODY at Cleary was 'allowed' to speak with us any more no matter what.

More kabitzing by me got a very grudging offer to remedy the situation. They offered to Sell us the 'better' windows at a reduced price if we agreed to pay for the installation.

Not a chance. In the meantime, Cleary did come out and replace the walk in doors because they said 'made a mistake' and that the ones we had were NOt insulated doors. So- if they made that mistake, wouldn't it stand to reason that the windows wee wrong as well?

In designing our house, our salesman Bruce repeatedly told us that the ADW windows by Plyco for Cleary were the same as buying from ADW, but a better priced. We were planning on sourcing our windows because we live in ND and wanted good ones.  We did source our own double front door from MasterCraft. That door has never once condensated or iced up.

So here were are Dec 2015 and once again I cannot get OUT of my own home. The windows are marginally better this winter because we bought storm windows to go over them.  They are still icy. Up to 1/2 inch some days and condensate like crazy. We have a dehumidifer as well as fans on them. 

We also are dealing with much water damage on our window sills as well as water running down behind our interior siding and we have MOLD issues now.

What we received from Cleary is metal framed window and doors that are NOT residental rated for ND.

Now we are in difficult position. We regulary have guests here. Some with children. What would happen in an emergency??? Help can't get in. We can't get out! Cleary has wontonly endangered our lives for the sake of lining their own pockets.

There are plenty of other smaller things, but they all pale by comparison to the window issue. for example, the walls were not plumb- a fact we couldn't tell bu eyesight until we started doing finish work, The windows are all different heights- again, not noticeable until we started putting up the interior siding. Part of the patio roofline wasn't screwed down correctly and screws are coming out of the walk-in door windows (the ones that hold the window onto the door)

NEVER ever use CLEARY!!! They will use the cheapest materials, bad craftsmanship and tell you that's all your own fault. The Senior mngmnt for Cleary even emailed us "What are YOU going to do about it?" in response to our concerns.

So now, I am truly pissed off and am going to shout it from the roof tops. I should have files with the ND States Atty and the BBB long ago.