Closet Factory

We spent over $12,for two closets for our brand new home What a terrible experience Everything was installed wrong, they damaged a wall, didn't show up when they were supposed to, company owners never returned calls, designer doesn't know how to measure, cheap materials Do not use this company You will be wasting your money
STAY AWAY!!!

Dear Sir/Madam:
This is in response to the complaint filed by *** *** *** brought her vehicle in to us on 9/3/for a Virginia State Safety InspectionThe vehicle was brought in, inspected, and found to have two front marker lights burnt out
According
to *** *** complaint, she claimed that the service writer came to her, told her she had the two marker lights out and that he said "we've got it." That is not the way it was approachedThe service writer actually told *** *** her lights were burnt out and that we "could take cafe of that." *** *** response was "okay." She never asked how much it would costShe never asked to go see the marker lights, she just said "okay," which we took as acknowledgement to do the work*** *** stated that she thought we were going to fix it at no charge but when she received her bill, she never mentioned anything about being charged for the workShe was charged to replace both side marker lights, even though ***, the industry standard labor guide, called for per side
With regard to *** *** husband coming to the shop and asking why we didn't show *** *** the lights when she asked, he claims that the service writer, who is our son, told her that there were three people waiting and that he was too busy to show herThat is a blatant lieBeing too busy to show her was never said because she had never requested to see itShe also stated that her husband asked us to "...please take off the sticker and put a rejection sticker on the tuck." Then she states that the service writer refused and told my husband to get off the properly or he would throw him off."
As to the first statement, *** *** husband never said "please" about anythingHe stormed out of his vehicle and immediately started being aggressive, loud, cursing, and attempting to intimidate the service writer. With the attitude and disrespect he showed, *** *** was asked to leave several timesWhen he stated, "I'm not going anywhere", then he was told to get off the property or he would be put off the property
I am sorry that *** *** feels that this is "just another shop that takes advantage of women." Apparently *** *** has been to several shops where she feels that she has been taken advantage ofIt is never our intent for any customer to feel they have been taken advantage of, no matter what their gender, age, color, etc
My wife and I have been in business since I have never once been accused of taking advantage of anyoneIn fact, over 50% of our customer base is womenWe have that ratio because of the fact that we are compassionate, honest, and fair, and perform work at a high qualify level
I do take except to the slanderous libel tone of this letterThis letter has stated that I am a liar, a cheat, and my integrity is in question, and that is something that is completely unacceptable to me
This could have been completely avoided had *** *** said something at the time she received her billAs an afterthought, if *** *** had thought that she would not be billed for the services, why then would she allege to her husband that she had asked to see the marker lights but that she was told we were too busy to show her?
What I feel is a fair settlement is for *** *** to apologize to the service manager for his inexcusable behavior and for *** *** to apologize for calling us liars and cheats
Respectfully submitted,
*** ***
President

Dear Sir/Madam:
This letter is in response to [redacted] letter. First, she is correct I was not in the service writer's open area, but I was in the service writer's office and heard every word of what my son, the service writer said. He never said, "We got it", but said "We can take care of that for you." You responded with, "okay". There is also a window in the service writer's office that looks out onto the customer waiting area, in addition to security tapes that are on 24/7. [redacted] never got out of her chair because there was no need to.
As to [redacted] saying the reasons she didn't say anything at the time was because she was shocked and didn't want to cause a scene. Instead, she has no problem sending her husband back to our shop in an attempt to cause a scene and then when he wasn't able to bully my son, she decides to sit behind a computer screen and make accusations.
The second thing [redacted] is correct about is that there is no reason to continue to go back and forth. But, if you are going to call someone a thief, the thief has to take something. The only thing taken was by [redacted] when she had I stop payment put on her credit card. I find it interesting she states as her "desired settlement" she would LIKE to be refunded $36.34. Why contact the Revdex.com with a request of a "desired settlement" when, in fact, she had ALREADY put I stop payment on the credit card? It is obvious that [redacted] never had any intention of paying for the services provided, She states in her second letter that she has never been taken advantage of by a shop, but in her first letter she clearly states, "l feel this is just another shop that takes advantage of women." Which is it? When you want to play victim you claim to be the one taken advantage of, then when called out on it, you deny it. Actually, it appears to be just another false statement by [redacted].
[redacted] also stated that she felt that my son smiled at her while he stole from her. My son smiles at every customer that he provides a service for, but the only person who stole something was [redacted] when she put a stop payment on her credit card. But due to [redacted] actions, I can assure you that every customer will be taken back and shown any and all blown light bulbs so we don't have to worry about someone else stealing parts and service from us again.
I also notice that [redacted] hasn't returned the $2.00 light bulbs that her husband could have "easily put in." So they want the service done for free, while keeping the parts. Just think, if they do that often enough, they can replace an entire vehicle by going to shop after shop, paying with a credit card, then calling and putting I stop payment on the parts and labor. I'll even use similar wording by [redacted], only changing it to the truth of, "If she screwed me out of $36 .34 at 9:00 a.m. and does this several times a day to other shops, well that's a lot of free parts and service they are bringing in."
It's unfortunate that you only hear allegations of how shops take advantage of people but there are some people who make it e habit of taking advantage of shops, knowing that it cost more to retrieve money than it is worth. My only wish would be to have a consumer group that had a list of customers trying to take advantage of businesses.
I don't know where the [redacted] are from, but here in the Northern Neck, we are a close knit community, so I'm sure it won't take too long for other shops to figure
out their method of operation.
Sincerely,
[redacted]
President

I am writing regarding the complaint (ID [redacted]) filed by Ms. [redacted] against Closet Factory. Ms. [redacted] is clearly concerned over the perceived tenor of her conversations with both our designer and the owner of Closet Factory. Also at issue is the position of a light switch and...

its effect on her closet installation. I've reviewed Ms. [redacted]' comments and have discussed them in detail with those members of our staff most involved in the design and installation of her new closet.Our designer tells me that in his initial telephone conversation with Ms. [redacted] she characterized hers as a small home in which she wanted to build an armoire and two nightstands. He asked about the length of the wall and, based her response, indicated that an armoire covering most of a 10' wall, with doors and drawers, would most likely cost at minimum $2,000.00 to $2,500.00. Our designer has been very clear with me that in mentioning price it was not his intention to be condescending. Rather, we are routinely asked to provide ball park estimates to help inform potential customers in their decision-making and this is why he volunteered information about price. Ms. [redacted] confirmed that she was comfortable with the sightunseen, ball-park estimate, and they scheduled an appointment to proceed with the design process.Discussion of the positioning of the light switch began when our designer arrived at Ms. [redacted]' home to take site measurements. He observed a light switch in the center of the wall from which, according to Ms. [redacted], an existing closet would be removed, drywall repairs completed, and a door installed. This is the wall on which the new armoire/closet would be constructed. He pointed out that the light switch would need to be relocated and Ms. [redacted] told him that her contractor would move the light switch next to the new door. It was understood that this work would be completed prior to the closet installation and our drawings, which Ms. [redacted] reviewed and approved in writing while in our showroom, clearly indicate the intended positions of the new door and relocated switch. (PLEASE SEE ATTACHMENT.) Unbeknownst to us, a new door was never installed and the switch was not moved. When our installers arrived on December 21, 2015, there was no alternative but to install the closet with the switch located near the center of the back wall.Ms. [redacted]' subsequent conversation with the owner of Closet Factory dealt exclusively with the option of either reducing the width of her closet or having the light switch retroactively relocated, and she was unwilling to do either. This, unfortunately, created a situation in which, from her perspective, we had no satisfactory solution to offer—but which, from our perspective, was not our responsibility to address.There are a few final points to make. In her complaint, Ms. [redacted] refers to “spacing between the storage units and my ceiling that I requested be fixed, so they returned to install some pieces of laminate to give the units a more polished look." In fact, this job was designed as, and scheduled as, a two-day installation, as Ms. [redacted] is aware. The pieces of laminate she references are matching flat crown molding, a component of the closet design and quoted cost which she had requested and approved, and which were included in the approved rendering.On two occasions Ms. [redacted] postponed her closet installation, each time with less than 24hours' notice. Originally scheduled for October 27-28, we rescheduled her for November 4-5, than again for December 21-22. Her contract clearly states that a penalty of 8% would be automatically incurred for any change to an installation date requested with less than 48 hour notice. In neithercase was a penalty added to Ms. [redacted]' invoice.The designer never mentioned Homearama to Ms. [redacted]. We have not participated in a Homearama in the time that he has been with Closet Factory, and we believe this comment probably came from someone with another firm.Finally, Ms. [redacted] states that she was unaware that her $3,984 installation was not completely paid for in advance. I am the “lovely front desk representative" with whom she spoke, and also the same person who contacted her directly on October 20" when her credit card transaction for the full amount due was declined. Together, we determined that the problem was as she stated: her credit card had a transactional limit. I told Ms. [redacted] (on the 20th) that I would run the amount allowed and process the balance due when the job was completed.In the course of attempting to assist Ms. [redacted] in resolving the situation, she suggested that we should contract with an electrician to move the light switch. Our owner reminded her that we are not licensed or insured as general contractors to arrange for work to be done by others, for others. As an alternative, we offered, and she accepted, an additional discount so that she could hire an electrician.Leading up to the installation we found Ms. [redacted] to be a pleasant customer, and it is unfortunate that she is dissatisfied. We try very hard to meet and exceed the expectations of all our customers, and in the vast majority of instances we succeed. I hope that the information provided here helps to clarify the situation.Please don't hesitate to contact me should you have any questions.Sincerely,[redacted]Vice President

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the offer made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
Today at 1:15 PM
The owner [redacted] wasn't in the room when I was told that the 2 lights were out and his son said "we got it". I have never felt that I was taken advantage of by any other auto shop. I have had things wrong with my car before and the mechanic has taken me back to show me what was wrong. I was then asked how I would like to proceed. I was never given that option. When I was told that the lights were out. I got out of my chair, thinking that he was going to show me. I was told that "we got it" and to have a seat it would be ready in just a couple of minutes.
I did not say anything at the time of billing, 1. because I was shocked and 2. because I don't like to cause a seen. I felt at that moment  the owners son was smiling to my face while he stole from me.
 
We can go back and forth on this all day. However the owners son should have taken me back and shown me the lights and asked me how to proceed. How can I believe what I was never shown? If this one simple step had been followed, this unfortunate incidence would have never taken place.
 
The only thing that I will apologize  for is how sorry I am to have ever gone to [redacted].
 
[redacted]

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.**I have other supporting documents, but don't have enough space to do so; if allowed, I would like to add additional supporting documents**
I have created a numbered response that addresses Closet Factory’s claims/rebuttals to my initial complaint, filed December 23, 2015.  I have also attached scans of my copies of the room renderings for your review, which also include written statements/questions.1.      In the third paragraph of the response, it is stated that, “He asked about the length of the wall and, based her response, indicated that an armoire covering most of a 10’ wall, with doors and drawers, would most likely cost a minimum $2,000.00 to $25,000.00.”The dimensions of my wall were never discussed; he only asked what kind of work I wanted, and I simply said closets.  He let me know the details of the work would be best discussed AFTER the initial consultation, and he could give me ideas on layout once he saw the room.  I told him that I would rely upon his professional opinion for the best storage plan and that I simply wanted space for my clothes.  I was never asked to discuss such details as measurements and dimensions.2.      Though she states the designer made it very clear with her that “in mentioning price it was not his intention to be condescending…” I would have to disagree with the nature of his intent based upon him abruptly mentioning the price range immediately after I disclosed my address.  A comment such as that would be more appropriately made at the beginning of a conversation. Furthermore, my conversation with the store owner immediately following my installation was confirmation for me that being condescending towards customers is standard practice (refer to initial grievance for examples).3.      In the 4th paragraph, it is stated that “he observed a light switch in the center of the wall from with, according to Ms. [redacted], an existing closet would be removed, drywall repairs completed, and a door installed.” Based upon the current placement and one’s general working definition of the term “center” (“middle” or “halfway point”), one can definitely see that was not the case in my room (see attached pictures titled C1, C2,C3). This verbiage falsely implies that having these changes made were my idea, and that is simply not the case, and hardly the role of any consumer. As stated in my initial complaint, we discussed his proposed optional changes such as adding a door, shoe storage on another wall, removing an existing closet and moving the light switch, to which the only change I agreed to make was to remove the existing closet and repair drywall as needed.  In addition to that, it is stated I “told him” that my “contractor would move the light switch next to the newdoor.  At this point of the process, I had no contractor of which to speak; Closet Factory was the only contracted work I had sought out at that point.  I didn’t begin my search for a contractor until after I agreed to remove the existing closet.  It is also written that, “a new door was never installed…”; I would like to know the contractor’s intention of pointing this out, because unlike the light switch, a door has no direct impact on the placement of the units.  Furthermore, I believe my depiction of the chain of events is supported by their issuance of a $75 credit. Though meager in amount, it was their acknowledgement that I had been wronged in some way.  4.      I do agree that the owner of the organization offered up two options, both of which would cause me, the paying customer, to “lose” in some way (“reducing the width of her closet or having the light switch retroactively relocated”- with me being financially responsible for the latter).  5.      To address the fact that “…this job was designed as, and scheduled as, a two-day installation, as Ms. [redacted] is aware…”, I was told by the lead technician that it is Closet Factory’s policy to schedule at least two days to complete a job, but they wouldn’t take that long since there were two people on the job.  The ONLY reason they returned the next day is because I said something about the gaps between the units and the ceiling; they had papers ready for me to sign to show the work had been completed to my satisfaction.  I also asked them why the units had been built on top of the light switch, and all they could say was, I’d have to take that up with the office, they were simply there to install the pre-measured units, which made sense to me.6.      In reference to the statement that, “On two occasions Ms. [redacted] postponed her closet installation, each time with less than 24 hours’ notice.”  Although I did have to reschedule my initial appointment on two separate occasions, I followed protocol and gave more than enough notice of such.  It is highly unlikely that an 8% penalty would be disregarded by Closet Factory TWICE.7.      To address their claim that, “The designer never mentioned Homearama to Ms. [redacted] in the time that he has been with Closet Factory” and they “believe this comment probably came from someone with another firm”, I must support my initial claim that a remark to the effect of such was made in our initial conversation.  What they failed to include when quoting me is that I quoted him as saying, “Homearama and such” which shows his intention of illustrating the quality of work for which he is responsible, and drawing those comparisons to the popular work featured in Homearama, not to explicitly say he’s done actual work featured in the shows.  I believe their admission that they have participated in this well respected event, even though it was before his tenure with them, shows that this accomplishment could very well be used as a selling point for potential customers, and is often used to do just that.8.      In the last paragraph on the second page, “the lovely front desk representative” claims she told me on November 20th that she would “run the amount allowed and process the balance due when the job was completed.” This was never the payment arrangement for this project. As shown on the official invoice, I agreed to pay the full amount of $3,984.00 initially, and decided against making payment upon delivery or completion.   I gave her my permission to process two consecutive transactions for the full amount, on that day, which is fully aligned with the initial payment arrangement with the designer (I have attached a copy of the invoice to support this fact).  The only reason I was unaware that the invoice hadn’t been paid in full is because I dedicated that credit card to the payment to Closet Factory, and had no use for it in the interim, so I didn’t know the full amount hadn’t been processed; I didn’t hear otherwise, so I proceeded as usual.9.      In the first paragraph of the last page, it is stated that I “suggested [they] should contract with an electrician to move the light switch.”  I never suggested such, I simply told the owner I was sure he could recommend some contractor/company who could assist me moving forward, especially since he made reference to electricians he has worked with in the past when we were discussing the costs associated with having a light switch moved.  In addition to not delivering as agreed upon as it relates to the light switch, I am still dealing with problems caused by Closet Factory.  The designer drew up, and I agreed upon, a 60” space being left between the two wall units/nightstands for a full sized bed on the wall directly across from the “light switch” wall (or what the renderings label walls A and C, respectively.  Citing that a full sized bed is typically no wider than 54”, the designer ensured me that I would have more than enough space for a bed and headboard.  Well, while in the process of shopping for a suitable bed, I have come to discover that the actual space left for my bed on Wall A falls short of the 60” rendering.  This has already caused me to have to cancel the order of a headboard I had already selected, and has turned an otherwise enjoyable shopping experience into a daunting task.  I have attached pictures of my measurements to the best of my ability to support this claim.  A Closet Factory representative is more than welcome to come and confirm this measurement discrepancy.  Most importantly, they are also welcome to offer an acceptable alternative for their failure to deliver as promised.As [redacted] stated in the response she drafted on behalf of Closet Factory, it is very unfortunate that I am dissatisfied, and even more unfortunate that more hasn’t been done to meet my needs as a paying customer.  If more documentation is needed to support this response, feel free to contact me at any time.  I am more than ready to arrive at a resolution in this matter.Respectfully,[redacted]’ [redacted]Closet Factory Customer
Regards,
[redacted]

Review: The agent of this company did not fulfill the consumer wishes and she admitted the mistake. Also, agent did an unauthorized deduction from our credit card. The company kept credit information from the deposit that was made on August 18, 2015.

Consumer requested an adjustment to the total cost because of the issues and the wishes of the consumers was not completed. The owner of the company was not willing to adjust fully what consumer expected the company to adjust from the total cost.Desired Settlement: Refund of $400.00 Adjustment of $250.00 was refunded. $150.00 is the balance of the requested $400 is due.

Business

Response:

[redacted],Thank you for forwarding this complaint to me. I personally spoke to Mr. [redacted] I believe it

was 10-29-2015. He expressed concern

with his credit card being charged and some design concerns with his

installation that was performed on 9-8-2015. I apologized about the accidental charge to his

account. As I told him it was an error

on our part and we promptly refunded his card once the error was brought to our

attention. He made it very clear that he

was unhappy with Kathy Partlow, the designer on his account. Kathy was the first point of contact when the

issues with his installation came about.

The 2 issues as I understand them are as follows. In the master closet his cabinet was to end

at a light switch on the wall. At day of

installation it was realized that there wasn’t enough room between the floor

vent and the switch. My installer worked

with Mr. [redacted] to come up with a solution.

The second issue was in the office closet. Mr. [redacted] expected the shelving, which was

placed in the door opening, would be wider.

Kathy discussed adding shelving to the side units. She took 4 shelves out on 9-22-2015 at no

charge. This was a $67 value. He expressed concern that an installer was

not bringing them out. She informed him

that she was able to do it and performed the work. Kathy thought everything was taken care

of. When she directed the office that

everything was done and we could collect final payment we made the error of

charging his card instead of sending him a bill. Mr. [redacted] was naturally upset and at that point, I became

involved. When Mr. [redacted] and I talked, He

expressed his dissatisfaction. I offered

to correct any and all concerns with our installed product. He was not willing to let me come back and do

that. He said he wasn’t able to take

time off work and just didn’t want someone to come back. I told him we would work around his

schedule. I told him if he was unhappy it

is important for me to make things right.

For him to have my product in his home and not be happy with it, concerned

me. He was adamant that he would not let

me come back to resolve his issues. At

that point I asked what I could do to make things right with him. He asked for $400 discount. I told him that I wasn’t able to give him

that amount. After a back and forth

exchange we agreed to $250. During this

conversation we also discussed whether we had destroyed his credit card

information and if his card was refunded.

At the time of our call he hadn’t seen the refund. I followed up with the office and called him

back to confirm everything had been taken care of. I also found out we had sent a bill for the

amount that he owed prior to our conversation.

I told him to disregard that bill and that a corrected one with the $250

discount would follow. Mr. [redacted] remitted

a check and it was processed on 10-7-2015 and at that point I believed

everything was resolved. I am very

surprised to see that has filed a complaint after the efforts we have made to

address his concerns.Sincerely,[redacted]

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the offer and/or response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.

[Provide details of why you are not satisfied with this resolution.]

I am satisfied with the $250 credit. My orginal request was $400 for all the time, not getting what I paid for and all the issues with authorizing use of my credit card.

Request $150.00 to satisfy this complain.

Regards,