CG Custom & Interior Design

Review: On 10/7/13 I issued a check in the amount of $6500.00 to [redacted], owner of CG Customs & Interior Design, Color-Glo Upholstery, Modesto, CA. This was nearly a 70% down payment for reupholstering 1 chair, fabrication of 4 pillows, for 3 [redacted] transitional, motorized, remote controlled shades, and fabrication of 7 Roman shades: 2 bedroom, 1 bathroom, and 4 dining room (incomplete). Transitional shades were ordered per CG Customs on 10/15. Installation was slated for 11/18, 11/25, and 12/6, 2013. CG cancelled installation on 11/28 and 11/25. On 11/18, CG claimed motors were not attached to the transitional shades and were to be sent back to [redacted], LLC, NC. CG claimed the roman shades and pillows were not finished being fabricated. On 11/25, CG claimed the [redacted] shades had not arrived and the roman shades were not finished being fabricated. On 12/6, [redacted], owner of CG Customs, installed 3 of the 7 Roman shades: 2 bedroom and 1 bathroom, All 3 shades were returned: There were 1/2 - 3/4 gaps (inside mount) circumscribing the perimeter & bottom of the shades. (Fact: When I lay in bed, I could see the trees on my side yard, and part of my neighbor's house located across the street). The edges and fabric patterns were uneven, the folds of the shades were not sized evenly, and the lining did not reach the bottom of the fabric. There were no cord catches and the plastic pull fell off of 1 shade. [redacted] also laid 2 of the 3 [redacted] transitional shades in the window sills of my husband's office & claimed they arrived without the mounting hardware. All of the pillows were returned because they were stuffed with random sized pieces of loose batting (no pillow forms as discussed), The zippers were not the same color as the fabric and the stitching was not all even. Since 11/25, I have made 4 phone calls to [redacted] customer service. I have made multiple phone calls, and sent text messages to [redacted] and his Assistant, [redacted], re the failed installations, to NO avail.Desired Settlement: I have requested via email (x 4) that all shade dimensions be verified, and all products + pillows be inspected for flaws BEFORE another install is scheduled - and more. [redacted] and [redacted] have not answered these questions. [redacted] has not responded to any emails. I set aside 3 days of valuable time awaiting installation/delivery of products - all failed. Point: [redacted] and [redacted] are unwilling to answer my queries. I would like my money refunded!

Business

Response:

Company States:

We went above and beyond for this consumer. We re-did her curtains and re-upholstered pillows. We installed remote shades that originally came in the wrong size. The re-order took too long by her standards and she started to call and text to the point of harassment. This ruined my family's holidays as well as that of our vendors and their staff.

She had us also re-do thousands of dollars worth of fabric alterations through our vendors and ourselves. After all these were special ordered items specifically for her house. Which are not re-sellable, and cannot be cancelled or refunded. We did however, discount her heavily at every turn, and then credited her back several thousand dollars. She now only owes around $1,600.00.

All she had to do was pick-up the product and pay the balance.

If she has someone else install for her they will need to have her sign a release, which releases us from all further obligations or responsibilities to her.

Consumer

Response:

[redacted], owner and operator of CG Customs & Interior Design, Color-Glo Upholstery, Inc. Modesto, CA, has failed to perform, has performed substandard work, is withholding “paid-for” products, has failed to engage in dialogue, has refused to do further business with me, and has refused to receive or respond to emails from me.

Fact: [redacted] is not licensed with the California Contractors State License Board, as a D-52 Window Covering Contractor, and is not licensed with the Department of Consumer Affairs to operate as an Upholsterer or Thermal Insulator. Furthermore, I am unable to locate licensure for this business - to function as a corporation, with the California Secretary of State, or licensure with the Stanislaus County Clerk-Recorder’s Office.

Fact: Color-Glo advertizes itself as an upholstery/fabric shop, manufacturing furniture, custom art, lighting, and full fabrication shop – serving industrial, commercial and residential consumers.

Fact: On October, 7, 2013, I issued a check in the amount of $6,500.00 to [redacted]. This was nearly a 70% down payment for reupholstering 1 chair, fabrication of 4 pillows, 3 [redacted] transitional, motorized, remote controlled shades, and fabrication of 7 roman shades including 2 bedroom, 1 bathroom (returned for shoddy fabrication and incorrect dimensions), and 4 dining room (incomplete and cancelled).

Fact: [redacted] represented to me he does not charge an hourly design fee; rather builds any consultation fee into the product cost. The estimate I received showed a design fee of $1,250.00 - not disclosed/discussed w/me, and a (non applicable) shipping/handling fee of $200.00. When I questioned these changes, [redacted] replied he was giving me a “Friends and Family discount” in the amount of $1,500.00.

The estimate showed excessive charges for window installation: $80.00 per window that [redacted] claimed he would adjust to reflect only the time spent installing each window. [redacted] charged me for additional fabric that he stated he “would review and adjust”. Note: The Estimate/Invoice was revised two times due to incorrect window measurements/fabric estimates, and applicable tax. All invoices were dated October 7. 2013 - Including the final invoice emailed to me on October 31, 2013.

Fact: On October 7, 2013, I advised [redacted] my husband and I were relocating into guest bedroom #1 during the first week of November - due to demolition of our existing Master Bedroom. Therefore, we requested completed fabrication and installation of roman shades for guest bedroom #1 and for the hall bath during the first week of November. [redacted] stated he would make sure the products were “finished on time” and would “personally oversee the project...” [redacted] claimed his fabricator would “remeasure” all windows prior to fabrication. Fact: [redacted]’s fabricator did not remeasure my windows.

Fact: On October 8, 2013, [redacted] cashed my check.

Fact: [redacted] attempted to gain additional work in the laundry and mud bath areas of my home. I chose not pursue this matter.

Fact: On October 19, 2013, I sent a text message to [redacted] asking for a project progress report and reminded him the bedroom/bathroom roman shades required fabrication ASAP. [redacted] did not respond, rather had his assistant, [redacted], respond to me on or about 10/23/13. [redacted] advised she had not ordered fabric for the roman shades. I again reminded her of the expected roman shade ETA. At this time, [redacted] stated CG would not have the bedroom or bathroom shades ready until about November 15, 2013 – after my specified timeframe.

Fact: Transitional shades were ordered per CG Customs on October, 15, 2013 – 8 days post down-payment, and were to have been delivered within 5 days. [redacted] regional sales manager later advised the turnaround time for the transitional shades was 3 weeks.

Fact: Fabric for the roman shades was not ordered until the latter part of October, 2013.

Fact: Installation of the transitional and roman shades and delivery of the pillows and reupholstered chair was scheduled for November 18, November 25, and December 6, 2013. CG cancelled installation on November 18 and on November 25, 2013.

Fact: On November 18, 2013, CG phoned me about 20 minutes after the scheduled install, and claimed motors were not attached to the transitional shades and would to be sent back to [redacted], LLC, NC. CG claimed the roman shades, pillows and chair were not finished being fabricated – further exceeding our agreed-upon timeframe.

Fact: On November 25, 2013, CG again cancelled the scheduled install, and claimed the [redacted] shades had not arrived and the roman shades, pillows and chair were not finished being fabricated – further exceeding our agreed-upon timeframe.

Fact: On November 25, 2013, I emailed [redacted] and advised I would cancel the order if I did not hear from him. [redacted] responded “your project was pushed back” to accommodate “big customers who wanted additional products…” This constitutes a breach of our agreement.

Fact: On December 6, 20130, [redacted] installed 3 of the 7 Roman shades: 2 bedrooms and 1 bathroom. The remaining 4 shades were not delivered or installed. In fact, they were not complete and were cancelled…. All 3 installed roman shades were uninstalled and returned: There was ¾” gaps (inside mount) circumscribing the perimeter & bottom of the shade in the bedroom my husband and I were temporarily occupying. Fact: When I lay in bed, I could see the trees on my side yard, and part of my neighbor's house located across the street. The other two shades also had gaps. The edges and fabric patterns were not all even, the folds of the shades were not sized evenly, and the lining of one shade did not reach the bottom of the fabric. There were no cord catches and the plastic pull fell off of 1 shade. Note: I visualized [redacted] trimming fabric off the top of the top of the mounting board or 2 shades.

Fact: On December 6, 2013, [redacted] laid 2 of the 3 [redacted] transitional shades in the window sills of my husband's office and claimed they arrived without the mounting hardware. There were no accompanying boxes or packaging materials. [redacted] claimed he had not delivered the third transitional shade because it was “too big” and was to be sent back to [redacted] to be “cut down…” Fact: [redacted] had initially sent the incorrect measurement for shade #3 to [redacted]. Fact: [redacted] claimed they shipped mounting hardware with the shades.

Fact: On December 6, 2013, [redacted] took 2 Somfy remote controls for the transitional shades out of old Ziploc bags and laid them in the window sills next to the shades. Note: There were no packaging materials or consumer manuals for the transitional shades or remote controls. [redacted] is unable to account for this.

Fact: All pillows were returned because they were lumpy and stuffed with random sized pieces of loose batting - not pillow forms consisting of down, kapok, or combination of same, as discussed and agreed upon. The zippers were not the same color as the fabric and were not stitched into a side seam of the pillow; rather, were crooked and were stitched off to the side of the side seam. There were no fabric labels on the pillows or on the upholstered chair.

Fact: Since November 25, 2013, I have made 4 phone calls to [redacted] customer service not including those made to regional and local sales representatives. I found it necessary to s/w [redacted] customer service because [redacted] was not responsive to my queries. I have made multiple phone calls and sent multiple email messages to [redacted] and [redacted], requesting updates and information re failed production/ installation, product fabrication, and more... I have been met with resistance and treated with disrespect. [redacted] and [redacted] referred to my project as “small” and offended me in multiple occasions.

Fact: CG advised me on or about December 19, 2013, the products have been "fixed" and asked me to schedule another install. Fact: Following the third failed install, CG once again did not remeasure my windows to verify dimension accuracy.

Fact: I have requested via email (x 5) that transitional and roman shade dimensions be verified, that all products including pillows be inspected for any flaws, verification that proper cord catches have been placed on roman shades, and verification that requested and agreed upon pillow inserts containing down, kapok or combination be in place - BEFORE another install is scheduled. I requested verification that my daughter's antique vanity seat (ordered to be reupholstered) be completed. [redacted] and [redacted] have not answered these specific questions. [redacted] has not answered any of my emails, rather, punted this to [redacted].

Fact: On or about January 17, 2014, [redacted] advised via email that all products “meet specifications” – still not answering my questions.

Fact: On January 22, 2014, I visited Color-Glo Upholstery to look at my pillows to make sure they had the proper forms. Note: CG represented they were unable to install for me that day due to another scheduled install. CG installer and receptionist was in the shop when I arrived, knew nothing of a “scheduled install” that day and did not know where [redacted] or [redacted] was. Upon inspecting the purported “remade” pillows, I found they were NOT remade and did not have proper pillow forms or labels. Instead, black-bottom lining (used on the bottom of chairs and sofas) was used to house the loose batting. CG failed respond to my last email re install date.

Fact: On or about January 23, 2014, the Revdex.com of Northern California contacted [redacted] and [redacted].

Fact: On January 24, 2014, [redacted], acting on behalf of [redacted], sent me a nasty, confrontational, inflammatory email and accused me of making irrational demands, and more. CG advised they will no longer do business with me (install my products), and will no longer read or respond to my emails. CG demanded I make arrangements with their receptionist to pick up my products from their business within 30 days. CG demanded I pay them an additional $1500.00+ which I do not owe. CG claimed they had discounted the [redacted] shades by 20% yet failed to provide a revised Invoice. Fact: [redacted] provided CG a 25% Customer Appreciation Award which CG did NOT pass on to me. Fact: I am the affected customer. CG claimed they were not charging me for labor. Fact: No labor costs can be applied to non-installed items. Fact: CG advised me they would not charge me for the “cancelled” (x 3) dining room shades which are incomplete. CG advised they had to measure another window.

Fact: I had already cancelled the dining-room shades due to non-production, and requested a full refund for all products except for the upholstered chair.

Fact: I am not obligated to pay for goods that [redacted] is not licensed to produce, for goods that are substandard, for goods not produced in a specific timeframe, for goods undelivered, undisclosed, uninstalled, and more.

Fact: I set aside 3 half-days of valuable time awaiting installation/delivery of products. 3 of 3 scheduled installations have failed. I have spent countless hours trying to resolve this matter – to no avail. Time is money.

Fact: For nearly 4 months, I have had large pieces of cardboard in my bedroom and hall bathroom windows - leaving 1 foot gaps at the top. MY HUSBAND AND I HAVE BEEN DEPRIVED OF COMFORT AND PRIVACY. DURING THE HOLIDAY SEASON, OUT-OF-TOWN FAMILY MEMBERS STAYING AT OUR HOME WERE ALSO DEPRIVED OF COMFORT AND PRIVACY. I REQUESTED THAT THE CONTRACTORS AT MY HOME NOT WORK IN FRONT OF THE BEDROOM AND BATHROOM (STREET SIDE) AREAS DURING CERTAIN TIMES OF THE DAY.

Fact: I have not harassed anyone, and [redacted]'s publication of this accusation among others, constitutes libel. I requested verification of product dimensions, product completion, etc., in order to avoid another “failed" installation. [redacted] has not answered specific questions relative to product specifications; has refused to do business with me, has refused to install products, and more. In fact: [redacted] has negated any potential and/or purported actual agreement.

Sincerely,

Business

Response:

I could engage and give you a step by step dialogue in opposition to every claim below. However, we have gone above and beyond to try and make this client happen with an absurd amount of time invested. We have NEVER had a complaint filed against our company. Not only is this claim outlandish, but she has directed it towards EVERY party involved in her ongoing remodel. If this was an isolated issue with 1 vendor being problematic any person would see there could be an issue. She herself made us aware of this fact repeatedly during our meetings at her home. Every meeting started off with her berating and tearing apart every vendor/contractor that she was using and or getting rid of. Including her own brother-in-law. I say all of this to say that there is nothing we haven't spelled out in great detail to counter her last 2 complaints. We have no more time to spend on this issue, as we have exacerbated every avenue in house, as well as with the vendor for whom this product/job included. They tried everything to make her happy, so did we. End of story. Nothing has or will make this client happy. It's was her goal to be controversial, difficult, controlling, condescending and ultimately just plain argumentative during every step with every person involved in this job/complaint.

Consumer

Response:

[redacted]: