Christine Fixman Construction

Initial Business Response / [redacted] (1000, 5, 2015/03/10) */ On 3/7/we completed a duct cleaning she was so pleased she tipped our techs and signed our invoice stating that all items were inspected/completed to her satisfactionOur administrative staff is not aware of what tools are used during most of our HVAC procedures as that is due to the fact that each house is custom set up and there are numerous numbers of tools and attachments for each circumstanceAfter speaking to our administrative assistant I was told that this customer called and was placed on hold while I finished with another customer's special orderWith my apologies, I was not able to get to her within secondsAdmin stated that she apologized for the wait and explained that I was on the other line, offered to take a message or a nameThis customer said that she was on "perma-hold", began to use profane language but did not give any further informationWhen asked to stop the profanity she did notOur staff felt very uncomfortableThey stated that she was placed back on hold, when we went to transfer the call no one was thereI received a message a while later from a male staff member with just a name and no numberI investigated and called the number on file within minutesI left a message stating that we guarantee all our work and were more than willing to send a tech out at her convenience to address her specific needs/concernsShe called back a bit later in the day and was transferred immediately to meI told her we wanted her to be happy and were willing to take care of it at no chargeThe customer gave me ONE option that I come out to fix it or an ownerBased on her complaint, she was referring to the access needed to properly clean the interior of her ducts (sheet metal work) and questions about whether it was cleanShe said that we made her wait on hold foreverI apologized then explained that our techs have vans with all the equipment/tools necessary and that I did not have a spare van with all the equipment to do soI offered to have another tech out, as she stated she did not want the same techs outI offered a refund but told her I could not accommodate her request that myself our an owner come outShe refused to allow thatShe then explained that she filed a complaint before we could address her concerns and that unless we did it her way we would not be able to do it at allWe take pride in our customer service and ability to meet individual customer needs on every levelDue to her demand that a manager or owner come to take care of her dented ductwork, cleaning needs and the equipment required to do so we are saddened to say we cannot meet her needsHowever, we will issue a refund for the service completed so that she can have her needs met elsewhere Initial Consumer Rebuttal / [redacted] (3000, 12, 2015/03/24) */ I only received the companies response via mail on 3/The notice only gave me until the next day 3/to respond & I could not figure out where to go in the website to respondI called this morning & was sent a link to now respond I continue to be very displeased with Residential Heating & Air ConditioningI spoke with a woman who clained she was the service manager, after I filed the complaintI again at this point was treated very rudelyI asked that a supervisor or manager please come inspect the damage & fix itI was told that would not happen, that I was being unreasonable & thet clearly I must not have dealt with a contractor before and that they were only eilling to send a different tech to my houseI even offered to take and email pictures to the company so id they were unwwilling to send a supervisior, they could at least see what I was talking about and that I was not overreactingThe supervisior at this point did offer a refundI again insisted I would like a manager/supervisor to fix the damage.I have since had a centerpoint repair man out to my home for another matter and he indicated that he agreed,how Residentail Heating & Air handled my vents is not at all how it should be done & they are damagedAt this point after how I have been treated my the people at Residential; Heating & Air their offer for a refund would be the best course of action for resoltionI really do not ever want to speak with these people again, so how will I go about making sure I am refunded as they have offered? Also in response to their comment I was so pleased I tipped their techsTheir techs were tipped because I was paying in cash and they did not have change, I felt they were polite, so I told them to just keep the change and get some breakfastPlease advise how I will need to proceedThank you Final Business Response / [redacted] (4000, 14, 2015/03/26) */ Again, we are glad to send her a refund as we could not meet her demands that a manager/owner come to repair sheet metal and re-clean areas of concern (with free camera inspection)Which our vans/techs are equipped to doThe refund was sent in the amount of $however I cannot refund the tip with my apologiesWhat another company (that the gas company sub-contracts) for service is direct competitionI will not comment on another companies practices or opinions, because we feel that is not ethicalWe wish her the best

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2015/03/17) */
We are not able to assist this customer as the contract expired in At that time we gave her proper paperwork of what was done and redoneShe was also given copies of the contract which she stated she already possessed on 3/16/showing
her payment was for the rough-inBecause that accounting year is closed we are not able to print, email, or share that information any longer as the system is closedThis was previously explainedShe actually paid for less than what we completed as we completed the rough in (ductwork) several timesOnce we were done with the contracted work we would arrive back at the job and find all the work was torn out by her or her general contractorAt that point, we were met with demands by this customer to change the contract which we attempted to obligeSeveral technicians found this situation to be unworkable and would not return to the jobsiteThe temporary furnace installation was intended for a single season in NOT permanent useWe have attempted to recover this furnace as it was not apart of the contract for her to own itTemp furnaces are not safe to operate as a permanent fixture for yearsWe will not pay for damage done because her temp furnace was supposed to be replaced with a permanent source in It has quit working years after because it was not intended to be installed in that manner permanentlyThis is why we cannot fix itShe has several permits with multiple contractors that remain open for this job that has been at a stand still for yearsWe attempted to schedule a finish and final payment in with no responseAlso we cannot in good faith refer another company to work with this customer due to the circumstancesWe are saddened that this situation is unworkable but have completed what was contracted
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 7, 2015/03/23) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
First of all, I have never been told that the contract "expired" in This company is in the business of establishing and maintaining long term relationships with customers, as they not only install heating systems, but also do yearly maintenance and come out to do needed repairs over the expected life of the systemIf the company thought the contract expired in 2012, they could have told me that, sent it to me in writing, billed me an ongoing yearly maintenance fee for the temporary heater, come to inspect the temporary heater, or many other actions consistent with good customer serviceI still ask them to provide any written proof of this assertion
I did not delve into my concerns about the quality of the work previouslyHowever, since the company has raised this issue, I will respondDuring the sales phase, *** the sales manager agreed to install hard ductwork throughout the houseHe also visited the construction site, reviewed the plans, and met with the general contractor
When the heating system roubegan, the first technician was removed from the job for being incompetentHe was unable to figure out how to do the job, even though we met and chalked in where the runs should go for him more than onceI was told by *** this was because the tech "hadn't done many installations"He was then asked to fabricate a double return in the shop, which did not fit and had to be thrown outIt was never installed
The second technician named Brad did the remainder of the work currently in the houseEven though he agreed to install hard ductwork, I came back after he had worked a short while the first day to find that he was stapling fiberboard to the floor beams rather than installing hard ductworkIn addition, he was installing the fiberboard in an area that conflicted with other systems that had already been discussedThe general contractor removed approximately eight feet of fiberboard that day so as to be able to continue with their work
We then arranged a day when both the plumber and Brad would be at the house, to make sure they would work together so the plumbing and heating runs would not conflictDespite this, Brad ended up installing three runs which were not as agreed upon, both he and *** assuring me "it will all work out"I have had continued concerns that the system will not be of good quality, once it is done and in operationThere are also several areas of the house where runs have not yet been installed as specified and agreed on
None of the agreed upon work was ever torn out, and the house is available for inspection to prove thisI also have photos of the work as it progressed which can help to prove this pointThere were never more than these two technicians and ***, the sales manager, who visited the house from the company
I was never contacted by mail, phone, or email by any representative of the company to attempt to recover the temporary furnace, and I challenge the company to produce any proof whatsoever of this assertion
There are several other contractors who have finished a section of work on the house, remain in contact with me, are content to maintain good relationships and to return to do intermittent work and/or to finish the house when I am readyThis is in direct contrast to Residential Heating, who seems to think that the fact that my house is at a standstill of finishing work in some way makes our contract null and void, even though they never attempted to communicate with me about this
It is particularly surprising to find this company has an "A+" rating on the Revdex.com websiteI would give this company a "C" ratingI would expect an "A+" company to have copies of my contract, to be able to provide a financial accounting of labor and materials on the job to date, to be willing to come out to repair the temporary furnace and to discuss next steps with me, the ability to design and install a heating system as promised, so it does not conflict with the plumbing system, and to be counted on to provide good heating for years to come or referral to a reputable company which can provide this service
Final Business Response /* (4000, 10, 2015/03/26) */
Again we would like to recover our temporary furnace, as it is not safe to operate long termWe also have to reiterate that a licensed company would risk their license (and reputation) doing any such repairWe are not willing to take that riskWe have attached the email from Feb 6, demanding that we fix the temporary furnace from If this were a permanent furnace, the damage done would also have to do with the fact that the customer sent an email (which I have attached) requesting service dates 3-weeks after the furnace quitWe also explained at that time that we could not help her any furtherOur work that we completed was planned one way then changed without our knowledgeWe adhered to all Minnesota State Mechanical Codes and worked with her subcontractors in planning the rough inThe changes she continuously made caused several contractors to quitWhich in turn caused plans to change regularly which ultimately led to technicians refusal to return to her jobsiteWe have to make it very clear that we will not return to complete any further work for this customer and would like to recover our equipmentAgain we would send her copies of the work completed but because they are so old have been archived in our accounting software and cannot do thatWe have previously provided her with copies of the contract (which she stated she had) and work completed

As with any mechanical item proper maintenance is required to maintain proper operation of the unit. 95% of failures that occur can be associated with LACK OF MAINTENANCE. This is why the manufacturers state that it is recommended every other year.  We sent the attached “Warranty...

Terms and Conditions” to this customer 8/13/2012 after install. We also send letters every other year to remind customers that their equipment is due for maintenance and call as well. Our past installations receive a STEEPLY discounted cost to complete all the service/maintenance. During this appt. is when preventative repairs can be made at NO CHARGE because they are NEVER related to LACK OF MAINTENANCE. This customer stated in 2014 that they do not want to have the required maintenance done, asked to be taken off our reminder list, so we did. 6/17/17 this customer called, we set an appointment and explained that if it is maintenance related we would have to charge him. I gave the example that if you buy a new car and never change the oil, the warranty is void. He expressed his dissatisfaction and said he was going to use another company. He “did not care”, wanted us to guarantee that the warranty would cover him, which we cannot without any maintenance being done in 5 years.  We visit homes everyday who have plugged filters, coils, drain lines, batteries in thermostats need to be changed, etc.-which is ALL LACK OF PROPER MAINTENANCE.  He cancelled against our recommendations.  Our parts warranty is through the mfg. (ANY LICENSED COMPANY CAN MAKE A CLAIM) and the LABOR warranty is through our company. Sadly, this customer went with another company therefore no warranty for labor will apply and it is the other company’s responsibility to honor the manufacturer warranty. So in closing we offered to help but this customer turned down that offer. I will not pay for another company to make repairs that we could have made, provided we were allowed.

I am rejecting this response because:None of this information was provided before payment for install. The sales person did not notify me of any of these items. None of these terms were agreed to after the install. Residential heating and A/C is still responsible for the warranty agreed to before install and payment.

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2015/03/10) */
On 3/7/15 we completed a duct cleaning she was so pleased she tipped our techs and signed our invoice stating that all items were inspected/completed to her satisfaction. Our administrative staff is not aware of what tools are used during most...

of our HVAC procedures as that is due to the fact that each house is custom set up and there are numerous numbers of tools and attachments for each circumstance. After speaking to our administrative assistant I was told that this customer called and was placed on hold while I finished with another customer's special order. With my apologies, I was not able to get to her within seconds. Admin stated that she apologized for the wait and explained that I was on the other line, offered to take a message or a name. This customer said that she was on "perma-hold", began to use profane language but did not give any further information. When asked to stop the profanity she did not. Our staff felt very uncomfortable. They stated that she was placed back on hold, when we went to transfer the call no one was there. I received a message a while later from a male staff member with just a name and no number. I investigated and called the number on file within minutes. I left a message stating that we guarantee all our work and were more than willing to send a tech out at her convenience to address her specific needs/concerns. She called back a bit later in the day and was transferred immediately to me. I told her we wanted her to be happy and were willing to take care of it at no charge. The customer gave me ONE option that I come out to fix it or an owner. Based on her complaint, she was referring to the access needed to properly clean the interior of her ducts (sheet metal work) and questions about whether it was clean. She said that we made her wait on hold forever. I apologized then explained that our techs have vans with all the equipment/tools necessary and that I did not have a spare van with all the equipment to do so. I offered to have another tech out, as she stated she did not want the same techs out. I offered a refund but told her I could not accommodate her request that myself our an owner come out. She refused to allow that. She then explained that she filed a complaint before we could address her concerns and that unless we did it her way we would not be able to do it at all. We take pride in our customer service and ability to meet individual customer needs on every level. Due to her demand that a manager or owner come to take care of her dented ductwork, cleaning needs and the equipment required to do so we are saddened to say we cannot meet her needs. However, we will issue a refund for the service completed so that she can have her needs met elsewhere.
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 12, 2015/03/24) */
I only received the companies response via mail on 3/21. The notice only gave me until the next day 3/22 to respond & I could not figure out where to go in the website to respond. I called this morning & was sent a link to now respond.
I continue to be very displeased with Residential Heating & Air Conditioning. I spoke with a woman who clained she was the service manager, after I filed the complaint. I again at this point was treated very rudely. I asked that a supervisor or manager please come inspect the damage & fix it. I was told that would not happen, that I was being unreasonable & thet clearly I must not have dealt with a contractor before and that they were only eilling to send a different tech to my house. I even offered to take and email pictures to the company so id they were unwwilling to send a supervisior, they could at least see what I was talking about and that I was not overreacting. The supervisior at this point did offer a refund. I again insisted I would like a manager/supervisor to fix the damage.I have since had a centerpoint repair man out to my home for another matter and he indicated that he agreed,how Residentail Heating & Air handled my vents is not at all how it should be done & they are damaged. At this point after how I have been treated my the people at Residential; Heating & Air their offer for a refund would be the best course of action for resoltion. I really do not ever want to speak with these people again, so how will I go about making sure I am refunded as they have offered? Also in response to their comment I was so pleased I tipped their techs. Their techs were tipped because I was paying in cash and they did not have change, I felt they were polite, so I told them to just keep the change and get some breakfast. Please advise how I will need to proceed. Thank you
Final Business Response /* (4000, 14, 2015/03/26) */
Again, we are glad to send her a refund as we could not meet her demands that a manager/owner come to repair sheet metal and re-clean areas of concern (with free camera inspection). Which our vans/techs are equipped to do. The refund was sent in the amount of $289.13 however I cannot refund the tip with my apologies. What another company (that the gas company sub-contracts) for service is direct competition. I will not comment on another companies practices or opinions, because we feel that is not ethical. We wish her the best.