Avalon Shutters, Inc.

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2016/01/27) */
Contact Name and Title: *** ***
Contact Phone: XXX-XXX-XXXX
Contact Email: ***@avalonshutters.com
Customer placed her order for shutters on Oct11th, They were installed on Sat 11/14/On 11/16/we received an email from
the customer stating- "My shutters were installed today and as expected, I love the lookHowever, I am not happy at all with how the patio shutters are installedThere is a 1" gap between the back and front shutter!"
This gap is the space between the by-pass shutter panels and is necessary to allow the shutters to slide back and forth and not hit each otherSimilar to sliding closet doorsAs a courtesy we made a custom trim piece and installed it on the shutter panel to decrease the gapThis trim prevents her from sliding the shutters in both directions and now she can only slide in one direction, but she was aware of this before we added the trimNo charge to the customer for this special trim or laborCustomer also complained about a louver variance of 1/32" in the louver lengthsThis is within our spec's but we replaced the louvers to make sure the customer was happy with their productAgain NO charge for parts or laborAdditional work was completed on 12/30/(she calls them Service and Service 2)
On 1/8/- Customer called our office complaining about wood cracking and paint chippingWe set up an in home inspection to determine the issueAt time of inspection on 1/16/(she calls this Service 3) photos were taken and the customer was made aware that the wood shutters she ordered were exposed a large amount of water or moisture and would need to be repaired (photos on file)The customer was very upset and said how can only days of rain cause this much damageWe explained to her that water expose of this magnitude would cause the panels swell and the finish to crackThe frames, wall and panels are all damagedShe proceeded to state that if these were not fixed for free she would have her attorney contact usWe gave her a quote to replace (with discounts offered) and a quote to repair her shuttersShe was belligerent and using foul language to our customer service staff
Avalon Shutters has very detailed product info for our customer so they are aware of our Wood shutter product and the care for this productAll of our quote sheets have product information and we have them sign that they have reviewed this informationThis is to make sure our customers are educated on the care of their shuttersThere is information specific to water exposureIt states :
Do Not Expose Premium wood or Classic wood shutters to moisture or waterDo not leave window open when it is humid, damp, raining or when outside sprinklers may hit windowWeather, humidifiers, swamp coolers or cleaning fluids can cause moisture and damage finish of shutters
We have been manufacturing wood shutters for years and we want our customers to be satisfied but we cannot absorb repair costs of this magnitude
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 7, 2016/01/28) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
The details stated by Avalon Shutters are a partial list of factsI had shutters installed all over my home except windowsAfter the initial installation I did acknowledge that I liked the look, I still doHowever, I did not go to every room and thoroughly inspect every shutter (in hindsight I should have) which is why I called them each time I saw something that was damaged
There is no way that there can be water damage on that shutter in my living roomOne the damage is on the outside of the shutterTwo, there has been 2, maybe days of rain since the shutters were installed in November (months ago)Three, how would rain get to the outside of the shutter yet doesn't wet the couch underneath the window? Avalon Shutters is lying about water being on frames, wall and panels - that is a huge lieI initially provided pics to Avalon Shutters to which the customer service person said she would send someone outThe problem is the quality of the wood / shuttersActually, when the service men came out to inspect the cracked paint, they touched up two (2) additional windows in the back of my home where I showed them the paint was chipping off their woodThey had a brush and little bottle of white paint and went around touching up shutters
I paid approximately $5,for shutters that has had one problem after the other and it is not because of water damageI want my money back and they can remove all the shutters or Avalon Shutters need to honor their warranty and repair the cracked paintIt is very easy for an unethical company to fall back on something like water damage, but that won't hold up because 1) It's not true ; and 2) That fradulent excuse not to repair isn't even logicalI will not be ripped off
Final Business Response /* (4000, 9, 2016/01/28) */
Avalon Shutters is NOT being untruthful and the water exposure was in on the bottom of the panel where it sits in the frame and on the inside miter of the frames where the panel sitsThe damage caused from the panels absorbing the water caused the panels to swell and the finish to crack which the customer can see from the outside of the shutterBut there is also paint cracking and water damage in the inside of the frameWe have all the photos on file to show this
Avalon shutters does do an in home inspection when there is potential water damage to have this conversation with customerThere is always a cost when a customer exposes their shutter to water or moisture and we need detailed inspection notes to be accurate in our repair quoting
We stand behind our inspection results and offered to assist the customer with repair or replacement costsWe understand her frustration with the fact that new shutters in her home have this damage so shortly after install but this is not a manufacture defect

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 10, 2015/10/21) */
Contact Name and Title: [redacted]
Contact Phone: XXX-XXX-XXXX
Contact Email: [redacted]@avalonshutters.com
Customer [redacted] ordered plantation shutters (not blinds) for 5 windows in his kitchen and nook. He choose all his options with the in...

home Sales consultant and was shown samples of the product. He signed sales documents and technical measurement documents. Avalon takes a lot of pride in going over details with customers and making sure they are involved in the entire ordering process. On the day after his installation - Mr. [redacted] called and claimed his shutters wee installed up side down. After speaking with him and explaining the functionality of the shutters we told him that they are not upside down, he asked why they do not match the cover to his spice rack. He sent us a photo of his spice cabinet and it has a solid piece of wood with groves in it. Plantation shutters are not designed to match cabinet doors. Also, this was never requested to our Salesperson, measure tech or installer at any of the three appointments in his home or we would have told him that this is not possible. Customer is trying to get a refund on a custom product that has no defect in workmanship or installation. We have photos of his windows and his cabinet door. We explained this to him and he said.... call my mother and explain it to her.... we have left messages but no response from Mr. [redacted] or his mother. There is nothing wrong with his shutters or the installation.

[redacted], Avalon Shutters sold custom shutters to [redacted] on June 30th, 20107.  The order was for 4 windows, three with similar widths and one larger window in the Nook. Order attached and Tech measure attached.   At time of sale and at time of Tech measure the design of the...

shutters was gone over with the customer and signed by them both times.  At tech measure we even draw figures that simulate the functionality of the shutter so the customer understands how this is going to operate.  The product that was purchased for shutters is a Poly material and has limitations.  This was explained and the customer wanted to keep this product with the limitations even though it is same cost as the other wood product. After install in August, the customer called into customer service to express their dissatisfaction with the product and functionality for the product that they chose. There issue is with the Nook shutter that is apx. 70 “ wide and requires a T-Post frame in the middle of the window to support the shutter panels as they hinge and swing into the window.   We explained that they were told how it would operate and they signed for this at two different appointments.  Then we set up an in home inspection with a manager to review their dissatisfaction and concerns.  [redacted] (DSM) went to the home and talked to the wife (husband was not present at first inspection appointment) and went over the order.  After explaining that they received the product and design that they ordered and signed for, she requested that we needed have another appointment with her husband present.  The second appointment was set up.  Order was again discussed and husband was upset and yelling at [redacted] and stating “just fix this” and give me what I want.  We explained that we cannot make a Poly material shutter at the width that they want without a T-Post to support and still warranty the product.    We did partner with Home Depot (Retailer) and stated that in order to satisfy this customer we would remake the product in Wood (only way to get the fold pattern that they wanted, but still not the material that they wanted) and would offer to split the remake fee into 3rd.  1/3 paid by Home depot. 1/3 paid by Customer and Avalon Shutters would pay for the last 3rd. Customer would not even discuss this and said No. We are unable to satisfy this customer because they do not like the design options offered and installed with this limited Poly shutter product. Thank you, [redacted]~ Avalon Shutters Order # [redacted]