Bear Sunrooms

Bear Sunrooms designed and built room that didn't meet energy code.. Scot Bear is a salesman and nothing more. Seek the advice of a general contractor. They built a sunrooms that was open to the house. All sunrooms require a thermal barrier between sunrooms and house. Scot Bear owner of the company said he could. We didn't know any better. The room should have never been built. Do rely on the association's they belong to fool you.
If you choose them don't give them money until it passes final inspection. They were in over there head on our project.

I was extremely pleased with the quality of materials and workmanship that went into my new four seasons room. The product and process were thoroughly explained to me prior to signing the contract. The level of service and personal contact, provided before, during and after construction of the room, was excellent. The ensuing costs were very fair and reasonable. All of my questions and concerns were promptly and professionally dealt with. I completely trusted those involved.

When we bought our place 10 years ago we were attracted, in part, to the home's previously installed 3-season room. After a few years we began to notice problems with a roof leak. We attempted to contact the company that installed the room but during our contact process the place went out of business. I searched and searched for sunroom companies that would look at the room to give us an estimate of the damage but nobody would touch work from another company. Finally I called Bear and they agreed to take a look.
Scott and his team looked over the room and gave us an estimate on a new roof. Scott also took a look at the age of the room (installed in the '70's) and gave us an estimate for an upgrade to more of a 4-season room. We were so impressed by the presentation and materials that Bear installs that we decided to do a tear down and replace with a 4-season.
This was not an easy decision and both my wife and I had numerous anxiety filled moments while going through the process. Throughout it all I can't say enough about how Scott and his team. They agreed to work with us and with our anxiety. Even though his company does these projects all the time Scott was very understanding about how big an undertaking and investment a project like this is for a family. He met our challenges head on and helped us through.
The tear down and installation was an almost seamless process. Because we agreed to a spring project we met some weather delays but through it all we were kept informed by Scott and his team. The install took just a couple days and we can't say enough about Eric and the work he did on that. Every time we had a question Eric or Scott were there to take care of it. If there were any issues they were resolved on the spot.
We can't say enough about how happy we are with the whole process and we would recommend their work to anyone looking for a new sunroom.

Review: We had Bear Builders build a sunroom in Oct of 2012. Since it has been completed we have had a constant leak in the gutters that they cannot seem to fix. we have had other leaking issues that they have taken care of but when they try to fix one another occurs. the major leak in the gutters they have come about 8 times to try and fix. Doesn't get fixed they ripped things apart and try to bend and chalk to fix which doesn't fix the problem. it isn't even a bandage fix. The last time they came they ripped all the gutters off put back on over two months ago, called them to say the leak was still there, called us back said they would be up and never came. Well this fix ended up giving us a leak in the sunroom on furniture now and new flooring which is coming up. the leak outside goes right down on the screens which then freezes. so the screens I'm sure will not last as long as they should.

I don't have all the exact dates we called. Just so you know that the dates I have listed are approximates.Desired Settlement: want it completely fixed and compensation for having to keep calling with no results and damage on our property(gutters), furniture and now flooring. Want gutter specialists here fixing. but were told if we did that our warranty would be null and void. they have so far taken 200 off what we owe them at this time. the purchase price was 19500.00 We have paid them 17,000.00 Balance of 2300.00 [redacted] in May had told me he was knocking 200.00 because of the problems. so still have a balance of 2300.00.

Business

Response:

I am uncertain as to how this issue has become a complaint, as we have been actively working on this issue for resolution. However, I am grateful for your involvement, as now I feel that we have an impartial fair witness. I empathize with Mr. and Mrs. [redacted] and I am as anxious to fix this problem as they are. We have been out there on at least four occasions, attempting to fix this leak We redid the end of the roof panel, recaucked the gutters, reflashed the west roof panel, pulled up shingles, retested by spraying water, reflashed again and water tested again. This was all done, as a continued response to a continuing issue. These visits occurred from October, 2013 - December, 2014. We have been acting as responsibly as any company that I can imagine in trying to resolve this issue. Each time that we thought we got it, the leaking reappeared. We have now told Mr. [redacted] that we are going to replace the whole roof with our better, all season roof (they purchased a three season product). I am not sure what more we can do, except stand behind our product and follow through. Regarding, Mr. [redacted] telling us that he was going to get “roofing specialist” , I had to tell him that any third party, doing work on our product, could void the warranty.

We have constructed hundreds and hundreds of sunrooms. We have always addressed our customers’ concerns. Further, we have always resolved any issue we have ever been confronted. I also acknowledged Mr. [redacted]’s inconvenience and reduced his bill by $200.00. In speaking with Mr. [redacted], he has repeatedly attacked the ability of our workers and workmanship. Certainly if his attacks were true, Bear Sunrooms would not enjoy the rating, accreditation, reputation and sales that we have worked so hard for. Our installers are the amongst the best in the country. Sunroom installation is different then conventional construction. That is why you see so many companies getting into sunrooms, only to get out of the business a year or two later. As a matter of fact, our sunroom installers have been used by other, major sunroom builders, to fix issues.

In closing, I received a call from Mr. [redacted], the day before I received this complaint. He was upset, rightly so, that the issue continued. It was, at that point, I consulted with my field supervisor, and we decided to replace his roof with an upgraded, all season roof. He was derogatory about my company and workers, assuring me that he, being in the used car business, could never get away with treating his customers as he feels he has been treated. I am truly sorry that he feels this way, as well a being personally upset that we have not resolved his leak issue. We feel the roof replacement will do just that and we will proceed, when the weather permits.

I want to reiterate that I am not sure how this became a complaint to the Revdex.com. We have been actively involved with the customer, trying to fix this problem. Any roofer will tell you that a leak, sometimes can be hard to figure out. However, Bear has been doing everything we can to fix it.

We have acted responsibly and with integrity and will continue to do so to resolution. As far as any more financial consideration, I will consult with the Revdex.com upon resolution. I would also request that this response be posted, adjacent to Mr. [redacted]’s complaint.

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. But I do want to add a few comments. In regards to what they told you and what they have verbally told us. They wondered why this complaint went to you. Because we continue to call and e-mail and sometimes they never get back until we call and just keep on it. Or honestly when we call [redacted]. The last time they came up end of Nov beginning of Dec. We called to tell them it wasn't fixed. They never got back to us, till we called on Dec 29th and they returned call on Dec 30. They did give us an option of having it done when the weather is warmer or in spring. We did tell them when the weather is warmer. Then by the time spring comes with the thawing and melting we will know if there are problems still or not. I also don't think we said roofing specialist, we did say gutter specialist. Because we really don't think it is a roofing problem Believe it has to do with how the gutters were reconnected.

This is satisfactory if they do stand by everything they have told us. They will put on a new roof, which will take a day. Need to undue a ceiling fan and wiring, they will do that and have fan and electrical redone. Said they would reimbuse for damage on floor and furniture. We want them to keep us notified when they are coming and then if they don't. why and when they do plan on it. After this new roof we do expect no leaks, and that also means the gutters. we never had problems until this sunroom was completed.

Again I just want to say and in the future for Bear builders. Calling a customer back, e-mailing or just letting them know you rec'd calls goes along way in keeping customers happy.

Originally paid for room in fall of 2012.
Main construction from Spring 2013-Winter 2013
Door and windows wouldn’t close/lock, room leaks.
Bear would not return my emails or phone calls. When I finally would reach them they would say things like ‘just needs a little more caulk’. They even absurdly had someone come out and put black foam pipe insulation around the roof saying this was a fix for leaks!
Continued complaints and trying to get them to fix things through Spring of 2014
I finally gave up and continued to work only with manufacturer and a new company.
Manufacturer and new company completely re-did frame, windows, and roof. All was constructed incorrectly.
I still have wrong door on which doesn’t match my room. Someone else in the area must also have the wrong door.
Also hired another person to fix numerous foundation issues of which I am still working with the manufacturer, new company, and additional contractors to rectify.
Why has it taken me so long? Bear was so demeaning and insulting that I just couldn’t ‘bear’ to put myself in the situation of working with them any longer. I finally am writing this in that I can’t live with myself if I don’t do something to warn others of this snake-oil salesman whose company is a nightmare.