We had Long Windows come to our home on 1 April 2011 to quote replacement windows for our
morning room. A few of the windows in that room had failed (seal broke) and were causing the windows to fog up. We have family visiting from out of state in June so we wanted the home to look nice. The morning room is a focal point of the house.
We only needed five windows replaced two large and three smaller windows. The salesman was very nice and quoted at first an outrageous price and after three hours we finally agreed to a final price of $4500. We had a coupon for the windows and also were able to qualify for a few of their incentives that reduced the cost. I still think this is a lot to pay for just five windows, but we agreed because of the sales pitch. The salesman went on about how long the company has been in business, they have the best warranty, and that the Company President (Mr. John DePaola) backs their claim of high quality.
The salesman left with a signed contract and $1500 of our money. Approximately one week later Long Windows scheduled an appointment to measure the windows. This of course required taking a day off from work to get this accomplished. So far everything is on track. We get a letter in the mail reminding us that when our products arrive the Project Manager will schedule an installation date. It also says that Long Fence and Home wishes to Thank Us for purchasing their exclusive product and congratulates us on the brand name that stands for high quality.
May 3rd we receive a letter in the mail regarding our purchase of windows on April 1, 2011 that states:
Unfortunately, after careful review of your order and the work to be performed, it is our decision and right to void the above dated contract for your windows due to a pricing issue, as well as not being able to tint the circle top window. We would also not be able to warranty our product for that reason. You are a valued client and we apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused. Please find your refund check of $1500 enclosed for the deposit amount, which will cancel the contractual agreement.
Long Fence and Home is a family owned business, which has built its reputation on over fifty years of
offering superior products and workmanship we deliver to each of our clients.
We have worked very hard to proactively eliminate problems before they occur. It is our goal to
differentiate ourselves from our competitors by offering the best product and the highest level of client service.
If I can be of any further assistance in this matter, please do not hesitate to contact me at
(240) 471-1411.
Sincerely,
Randy Marshalek
General Manager
Long Fence and Home, LLC
Apparently, Long Windows and Fence do not honor their contracts. I guess if they feel they cant price gouge you they dont want your business. I still feel at $4500 for five windows that is expensive. However, the company could have called back and provided a bit more information on why they cancelled, explained what they meant by pricing issue, or offered not to tint the circle top window. I wasnt even aware that it was going to be tinted so I believe this is also a deception tactic.
We attempted to call Mr. Marshalek at the number provided, but only reached a low paid desk clerk that is obviously been told to not allow anyone to reach him. She would only put us through to his voicemail. When we called back and asked to speak to someone else (a person) she kept asking what the problem was which we kept telling her repeatedly.
Bottom line this is the most unprofessional company that I have ever dealt with. They pretty much hound you into a contract and then when they still dont get their way they just cancel you. I am going to have an attorney (a friend) review the contract and see what they think. I do not see anywhere in the contract that I signed that they can just cancel us with or without cause. I know its really not worth it, but it just irritates me that they can just get away with it. What happened to Ethics and when a handshake sealed the deal? We honored our end of the contract.
I hope this helps someone else and they will read this and go with Thompson Creek or any other company besides Long Windows. I will also be making a complaint with the better business bureau and placing a Buyer Beware on our community website. My goal is for them to lose a hundred times more money than if they had just honored their contract with us. This goes not only for their windows, but their siding, kitchens, doors, attic mirror, gutters, and insulation.