Ace Home Improvements

Review: on november 23, 2015 I called and had ace aluminum come to my house to give me a estimate on replacing window in living room. they quoted and wrote it up for 775.00 less 250.00 deposit. I now have no way of doing it and paying it due to a very large cut in hours at work.. I called them yesterday and told them to cancel and I want my money back. he said I had three days to cancel. this is not noted on bill of sale. he said I cant cancel because this is thru manufacturer. I am doing business with him and not manufacturer. I want my money back and dont like the way I was talked to and treated.Desired Settlement: all money back and cancellation of material ordered.

Business

Response:

We are very sorry to hear about your cut in hours at work. We do always try to work with our customers. This was a custom ordered window made for you. It can not be returned to the manufacturer. It is already in the manufacturing process. By law in New Jersey homeowners have 3 business days to cancel a contract that was sold at their home. We will be more than happy to install the window as agreed upon and work up a payment plan for you if you like. If you cancel then you are in breach of contract and will have to forfeit your deposit to help pay for the cost of the window. We will let you out of the contract at that time. Again we are very sorry about your cut down in hours but I do not agree with you that Ace should pay for your window that you canceled because we have a contract. Please advise on what you would like to do.

Consumer

Response:

Review: [redacted]

I am rejecting this response because:

there was no mention at all about cancelling in three days on bill of sale. this is not good business. I am not doing business with the manufacturer.

Regards,

Review: During recent vinyl soffit installation project, Ace Aluminum blocked almost all my preexisting soffit ventilation on my house resulting in currently occurring frost formation in my atticUp to this point all my requests to correct the problem have been met with vehement denials of the problem created and refusal to properly remedy the situationDue to my immediate realization of the attic ventilation problem I am with-holding the remaining two thirds ($2925) of the whole contractual amount of $In sum, I emphasize that I want to pay the balance as soon as the work is corrected.Desired Settlement: Use appropriate materials and appropriate installation technique to restore my soffit ventilation to at least preexisting levels
Business
Response:
Mr[redacted]'s project was completed exactly as contractedHis signed contract states that we were going to cover his soffits/eaves with T4" center-vented vinyl soffit materialThis material is standard in our industry and commonly used on NJ homesIt was designed to give homes adequate attic ventilation, in conjunction with a proper exhaust system (e.gridge vents, static vents, etc.)Mr[redacted]'s statement has no basis or validityThe material used is not blocking his pre-existing soffit ventilationWe even added more aeration by creating additional openings in his soffitsThe frost formation, that he says he sees, in his attic is due to an airbypass, or humidity trapped in his atticThis can most likely be alleviated by installing an attic fan with a buihumidistatThe problem has nothing to do with his soffit vents.This complaint was filed prematurely by Mr[redacted]We were already in the process of making a mutual agreement with Mr[redacted] to install additional vents in his soffitsHe would provide the vents and instruct us on the desired spanning of the vents and we would provide the labor at no chargeSee the letter attached dated February 13, Ace Home Improvements is going above & beyond to satisfy Mr[redacted] and collect payment for the job that was completedPlease see the attached contract & pictures of Mr[redacted]'s house showing that all of the work was performed exactly as it was expressed in his contractThank you,[redacted]
Consumer
Response:
Review: [redacted]
I am rejecting this response because:Prior to the vinyl soffit installation I did not have frost in the atticI am acutely aware of the damage insufficient attic ventilation causes as I went through considerable expenditures in the past repairing damage to roofs and gutters on my previously owned propertiesWhen I had this home built I made it a priority to make sure my attic had sufficient ventilation for winterand summer conditionsMy soffits had 1180sqinches of Net Free Vent Area (NFVA)The attached garage had 156sqinches of soffit NFVAOver the years I periodically checked the attic early in the morning for frost when temperatures were between and degFand there never was any frostWhen I observed Ace Aluminum's installation of the vinyl soffits I immediately expressed my concern (to no avail) the existing vents were being covered and blocked by the solid (unperforated) portions of each vinyl soffit panelThe attached copyof the letter of Jan23, to Ace Aluminum will reflect thatThe installer cut only six additional holes on the front side of the attached garage and no place elseThose additional holes above each inch section of perforated Tcreated lessthan a total of 12sqinches of NFVAWhile at the same time blocking with the solid sections the six preexisting 16"x4" louvers that provided a total of 156sqinches of NFVANo additionalholes were cut anywhere on the house portionThe installer removed the preexisting louvered vents on the houseHowever, most of the openings were then blocked by the solid portions of the vinylThe remaining openings which coincided with perforated sections of vinyl were reduced to approximately 2sqinches each of the preexisting sqinches of NFVAThe average soffit overhang on my house is approximately inches(The approximate NFVA per lineal foot of Center Vented Tis approximately 2sqinches according to the manufacturer's specifications)I went up on the ladder and using a stiff thin wire probed each perforated section of Ton the main portion of the house and found only perforated sections of the Twith an opening above themThus rendering the present 82sqinches of NFVAThe remaining are blocked by solid plywood above and not supplying any ventilation to the atticThe vinyl panels with their raised ribs are mounted snugly against the plywood soffit not allowing air to flow sideways to nearby openings and to the atticThat is a 93% reduction of preexisting NFVA of 1180sq inchesThis is a violation of Chapter Secthe New Jersey Edition of the International Building Code regarding minimum residential attic ventilation requirements for a given attic floor areaMy attic is approximately sqfeetThe attached pictures of the attic frost confirm my claimThe frost is a new condition as there is no dark discoloration of the wood which would indicate a long standing conditionMr[redacted]'s suggestion of installing a power fan with a humidistat is ridiculous and indicative of his and/or his advisers' questionable grasp of the issue at handIf a power fan was utilized with such a small amount of air intake at the soffits it would create negative pressure (vacuum) in the attic and pull conditioned air from living spaces in summer and winterThe utilization of a power fan requires more soffit air intake than passive ventilation and not lessIt is by no means remedy for insufficient soffit intake ventilation and its resultant symptoms.See attached pamphlet detailing proper attic ventilation and its importance.The frost formation only started after his installation of the vinyl soffitLogic dictates the installation of the vinyl is the new factor here and should be corrected as suchAce Aluminum's application of Center Vented Ton my house is one part of the problemThe other part is their failure to cut away a continuous opening in the plywood soffit materialEven then, when the NFVA of the Tmaterial used by Ace Aluminum on my house is calculated it renders only 272sqinches of NFVA on the house portion aloneA far cry from the preexisting sqinches which is vital to provide sufficient attic ventilation on this particular houseObviously the wrong material for the application at handAce Aluminum should have recognized and taken into account the preexisting amount of ventilation and selected the appropriately rated material and proper installation technique so as not to interfere with the preexisting ventilationAce Aluminum completely disregarded my preexisting ventilation which was in plain viewAt that time I had no familiarity with the materials Ace Aluminum proposed to useTheir "one fits all" policy is at the root of the problemI relied on their implied competence to select the proper materials and perform the job correctly without any adverse effectsThe complaint is not premature as I filed it only after receiving Mr[redacted]'s letter with unacceptable preconditionsIn the letter Mr[redacted] expressed his reservation about the procedure and stated I would be responsible for any labor costs exceeding eight hoursTherefore, I have concluded that this is no longer feasibleFrom the beginning of this dispute Ace Aluminum has not initiated any tangible resolution to rectify the damaging condition they created in my homeTheir stance has been and is to deny and refuse to correct the problem as is reflected in Mr[redacted]'s letter and his reply herein to my complaint.Recently I consulted with several contractors regarding this problem and it was suggested that the plywood soffits should have been removed and vinyl Twith "Hidden Vents" or equivalent ventilating properties should have been used to preserve the preexisting soffit ventilationThe received estimates considerably exceed the contractual balance of $as it necessitates removal and disposal of the existing vinylTherefore, I want ace Aluminum to redo the job utilizing materials and techniques that will provide at least the preexisting level of soffit ventilation of 1080sqinches of NFVA or be released from the contract I can hire another contractor to have the problem corrected
Regards,

Review: Ace gave me an estimate for carpentry work for $350 to "Replace rotted wood and construct t conform to existing appearance." I authorized a credit card deposit of $100 for work to be done (paid 4/12/15), with final payment to be made upon completion of the work. The work was done on 4/30/15 and my credit card was charge the balance of $275 on 5/2/15 WITHOUT my authorization. The work that was done was cheap, shoddy and not up to standards. Pieces of rotted wood were simply painted over or puttied, and the window frame does not at all "conform to existing appearance." The job looks like a $100 quickie handyman repair, not work done by a professional organization with a n "A+" Revdex.com rating. I called to complain about the work on May 1, 2015, and was told I would receive a call from "Dan" on Saturday 5/2/15. I never received that call. When I called to follow up that afternoon, I was told I would get a call and I never did. I have disputed the unauthorized final payment with my credit card company and want the Revdex.com to be aware of the shoddy repair work that was done. This was NOT a professional repair nor a repair that was worth $375. Frankly, I could have done such a subpar job myself, or hired a "handyman" for $100. I expected ALL the rotted wood to be replaced, including the shadow box trim pieces (not simply wood puttied and painted).Desired Settlement: I have disputed the $275 final payment with [redacted] I would like either 1) a refund to the credit card statement for that amount or 2) ACE to do a PROFESSIONAL job to my satisfaction before the contested charge is dropped. That means 1) replace ALL pieces of rotted wood 2) fix the shadow box 3) putty seams 4) sand and paint so that the window box "conforms to existing appearances" as was stated in the initial estimate (#[redacted] from 12/06/14).

Business

Response:

AS a third generation owner of Ace Home Improvements, I was very disappointed to read this customer complaint. As soon as I read this complaint, I contacted Dan, in my office, and [redacted] immediately. [redacted] called Ace Home Improvements on this past Friday. Dan and I were out of the office on Friday attending an EPA lead paint training. Unfortunately, Saturday is a short work day for us, and we were unable to return his call. [redacted] filed this complaint either on Saturday or Sunday, without giving us more than a day to get back to him. I understand his frustration, but I feel this complaint was prematurely filed without giving us enough time to resolve this issue or at least speak with [redacted]. I did speak with [redacted] on Monday, after I received this complaint via email on Monday. I assured him that we were taking his concerns seriously, and that it would be fixed a.s.a.p. On Monday, Danny called [redacted], and went to his house to check it out. I agree with [redacted] that the work was not done professionally, and will definitely be redone to his satisfaction. I have no problem crediting his credit card, it was mistakenly charged for the balance. My installer told my office staff that the work was done and that it was OK to charge the credit card, but he did not have [redacted]'s permission. After speaking with [redacted], we agreed to keep the charge as is and just fix the issue as originally contracted. In my opinion, this is just a lack of communication. Had we had a chance to talk this complaint would never of been filed. Ace Home Improvements prides itself on performing quality work. I am in full agreement with [redacted] that the repair work performed by Ace was not done to the high standards of our company and needs to be redone. It will be redone this week.

Consumer

Response:

[A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response. If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted] and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me. I apologize for any inconvenience to ACE and I look forward to having the work resolved as we discussed. I appreciate the prompt response from ACE I want to note that they were very professional and courteous in handling my complaint.

Regards,