Heath Stairworks

Our contract does not specify a stain color; the reason is that each color is custom mixed in the customer's home until we have made a color that meets the owner's approval Sometimes we are staining to something that is in the house like new flooring or cabinets but absent that, we have the customer select a color from the stain color chart to start with In this case, the customer selected a stain from the sample chart to start with We do not believe we brought out the wrong stain color but it doesn't really matter because we make a sample from the can and if that is not approved, we start modifying the color until it is accepted by the home ownerIn this case, the first sample was not accepted but the second wasIt should be noted that [redacted] was not at the job site during this approval process, her husband was the one who gave his approval As noted in the complaint, we were just finishing up when [redacted] came home from work, she expressed her satisfaction with the work, paid the final invoice and then sent us an email saying she loved her new stair railingsHere is our email to her the next day after she called and said she was going to put a stop payment on the check until we fixed the colorHello ***, I talked with [redacted] (your installer and finisher) and confirmed that he used Sher-Wood "Mahogany," part #SW3213, in creating the finish sample approved by [redacted] yesterday so it looks like he didn't slip up thereThat color was selected April 5, when you and I laid the stain color brochure down on your steps and tried to pick a close matchIf you recall, the point of that meeting was to find a "close-enough" color from the brochure, with the understanding that the finisher would be making a sample on the actual wood we would be installing in your home and would gain final approval for the color based on such a sampleWhen we made our first sample, it was rejected as too dark and we made a second sample that was approvedThe color from the second sample is what was used In your contract, in the "Description of Work" section, the top bullet describes the wood species and the finishing processIt includes the text "Owner to specify stain color." The reason it says that, instead of simply naming a specific color, is so we can test your "close-enough" color on your wood to see how it comes out and make adjustments as you deem necessaryOnly after approval did our finisher actually apply that color to your wood stair parts It sounds like, from our phone conversation earlier this morning, that you checked with [redacted] and that [redacted] did, indeed, do all that stain sampling work and [redacted] 's approval was obtained on one of the samplesYou also approved of the color last night and paid [redacted] for his work, sending me an email saying you loved ***' work I'd be happy to help you consider your options on changing the color, if you'd like, but as far as this company is concerned, we believe we faithfully and fully executed our contract with youWe will deposit the check you gave us tomorrow as you asked us to do but if you do put a stop payment on it we will file liens on your property and start the collection process Notice that we were willing to work with her to change the color but only after full payment was received on the work we didThat morning she placed a stop payment on her check, but removed it a few days later, issuing us the following email: You clearly have no idea what you are doing with colorA complaint has been filed against you with Home Advisors and Consumer AffairsIf I have to spend the rest of my life destroying you on social media, I willI hope a few hundred dollars is worth it, clearly you're in desperate need of moneyLet's see how many new customers you get once they read my reviews As far as the check goes, I cancelled the stop payment so go cash it you worthless piece of st We are no longer willing to work with ***, as I hope you can understand [redacted] ***

I am rejecting this response because: The problem began BEFORE the railing was installedI told *** *** MANY times that I did not want red tones and I have it in writingHe wrote down the wrong colorHe did the same thing with the post and tried to force my husband into taking it but he refusedWhen it came to the stain, The installer insisted that I chose that colorWhat else was he goong to do, he already spent hours going to get a new post and didn't want to go and get new stainThe main problem is that I was not informed that even though I had spent hours picking everything out with *** that the installer would arrive NOT knowing what to do and would ask every step of the wayIf *** had told me this, I would have taken the day off from work.aside from the emails, *** was extremely rude on the phone and after threatening me, says he'll help fix it in am emailClearly, after being threatened by *** I was not willing to explore options to fix the problem with him

Hello,I did respond after the 2nd notification. Proof of this is that *** has posted a response to our response. Am I not understanding the process?*** and Heath Stairworks will never agree on this issue and I do not wish to go back and forth with responses to responsesI will not respond to her response. Thanks*** ***

Our contract does not specify a stain color; the reason is that each color is custom mixed in the customer's home until we have made a color that meets the owner's approval.  Sometimes we are staining to something that is in the house like new flooring or cabinets but absent that, we have...

the customer select a color from the stain color chart to start with.  In this case, the customer selected a stain from the sample chart to start with.  We do not believe we brought out the wrong stain color but it doesn't really matter because we make a sample from the can and if that is not approved, we start modifying the color until it is accepted by the home owner. In this case, the first sample was not accepted but the second was. It should be noted that [redacted] was not at the job site during this approval process, her husband was the one who gave his approval.  As noted in the complaint, we were just finishing up when [redacted] came home from work, she expressed her satisfaction with the work, paid the final invoice and then sent us an email saying she loved her new stair railings. Here is our email to her the next day after she called and said she was going to put a stop payment on the check until we fixed the color. Hello [redacted],   I talked with [redacted] (your installer and finisher) and confirmed that he used Sher-Wood "Mahogany," part #SW3213, in creating the finish sample approved by [redacted] yesterday so it looks like he didn't slip up there. That color was selected April 5, when you and I laid the stain color brochure down on your steps and tried to pick a close match. If you recall, the point of that meeting was to find a "close-enough" color from the brochure, with the understanding that the finisher would be making a sample on the actual wood we would be installing in your home and would gain final approval for the color based on such a sample. When we made our first sample, it was rejected as too dark and we made a second sample that was approved. The color from the second sample is what was used.  In your contract, in the "Description of Work" section, the top bullet describes the wood species and the finishing process. It includes the text "Owner to specify stain color." The reason it says that, instead of simply naming a specific color, is so we can test your "close-enough" color on your wood to see how it comes out and make adjustments as you deem necessary. Only after approval did our finisher actually apply that color to your wood stair parts.   It sounds like, from our phone conversation earlier this morning, that you checked with [redacted] and that [redacted] did, indeed, do all that stain sampling work and [redacted]'s approval was obtained on one of the samples. You also approved of the color last night and paid [redacted] for his work, sending me an email saying you loved [redacted]' work.  I'd be happy to help you consider your options on changing the color, if you'd like, but as far as this company is concerned, we believe we faithfully and fully executed our contract with you. We will deposit the check you gave us tomorrow as you asked us to do but if you do put a stop payment on it we will file liens on your property and start the collection process.   Notice that we were willing to work with her to change the color but only after full payment was received on the work we did. That morning she placed a stop payment on her check, but removed it a few days later, issuing us the following email: You clearly have no idea what you are doing with color. A complaint has been filed against you with Home Advisors and Consumer Affairs. If I have to spend the rest of my life destroying you on social media, I will. I hope a few hundred dollars is worth it, clearly you're in desperate need of money. Let's see how many new customers you get once they read my reviews.  As far as the check goes, I cancelled the stop payment so go cash it you worthless piece of st.   We are no longer willing to work with [redacted], as I hope you can understand.   [redacted]

Review: I hired [redacted] for a handrail installation in my home. I stated from the very beginning that I did not want any red tones in the stain and I have it in writing. I even met with him to choose the color, a walnut shade. The day the railing was installed I was at work and my husband was able to work from home so someone would be there. The installer, [redacted], showed up with the wrong post and after my husband told him he didn't like it, he called [redacted]. A few minutes later, [redacted] called my husband and tried to convince him to keep it but my husband said no. [redacted] then left for a few hours to get the one I had chosen.

Later that day, before applying the stain he showed it to my husband. My husband said it was very dark and had reddish tones so [redacted] said he would lighten it. After that, he showed my husband a stain sample and insisted that after lightening it, he had gotten the color I had chosen with [redacted]. No alternative was offered. My husband, who, was not involved in the decision making process and was only home to open the door, was under the impression that they were professionals and had picked everything out with me, agreed.

I got home around 7.00 pm and [redacted] was still there. Since he showed up with the wrong post and took almost 2 hours to get a new one, got off to a late start and was still there.

When I saw the railing, my first reaction was that I loved it. [redacted] did a good job. I asked about the color and he said that the wood had taken the stain that way and to see how it looked the next day once it was dried. I sent [redacted] an email saying that we were happy with the work [redacted] had done. The next morning when I got up I realized that the stain was red!! I immediately took pictures and sent them to [redacted]. On my way to work I called him and what I encountered was unbelievable.

[redacted] said that the color I picked out was Mahogany. I told him that there was NO way I would pick that color because it has red tones and that I picked a walnut shade. The conversation only got worse from there. [redacted] blamed me and threatened to put a lien on my property and send me to collections if I didn't pay him. At that point, all I wanted to know was what my options were to fix it. [redacted] offered nothing and was a complete BULLY sending me several threatening emails. When I asked him why he had shown me stain samples with red tones when I had indicated in writing that I didn't want, his answer was that "It is not [redacted]' responsibility to interpret "red" the same way you do"

I am beyond appalled with [redacted]'s behavior. I tried to reach an agreement with him and even offered to split the cost to have it re-stained and his answer was no. We have just paid a lot of money for something we are not happy with and have been blamed, threatened and bullied by [redacted].Desired Settlement: Payment to have our handrail re-stained by a professional

Business

Response:

Our contract does not specify a stain color; the reason is that each color is custom mixed in the customer's home until we have made a color that meets the owner's approval. Sometimes we are staining to something that is in the house like new flooring or cabinets but absent that, we have the customer select a color from the stain color chart to start with. In this case, the customer selected a stain from the sample chart to start with. We do not believe we brought out the wrong stain color but it doesn't really matter because we make a sample from the can and if that is not approved, we start modifying the color until it is accepted by the home owner. In this case, the first sample was not accepted but the second was. It should be noted that [redacted] was not at the job site during this approval process, her husband was the one who gave his approval. As noted in the complaint, we were just finishing up when [redacted] came home from work, she expressed her satisfaction with the work, paid the final invoice and then sent us an email saying she loved her new stair railings. Here is our email to her the next day after she called and said she was going to put a stop payment on the check until we fixed the color. Hello [redacted], I talked with [redacted] (your installer and finisher) and confirmed that he used Sher-Wood "Mahogany," part #SW3213, in creating the finish sample approved by [redacted] yesterday so it looks like he didn't slip up there. That color was selected April 5, when you and I laid the stain color brochure down on your steps and tried to pick a close match. If you recall, the point of that meeting was to find a "close-enough" color from the brochure, with the understanding that the finisher would be making a sample on the actual wood we would be installing in your home and would gain final approval for the color based on such a sample. When we made our first sample, it was rejected as too dark and we made a second sample that was approved. The color from the second sample is what was used. In your contract, in the "Description of Work" section, the top bullet describes the wood species and the finishing process. It includes the text "Owner to specify stain color." The reason it says that, instead of simply naming a specific color, is so we can test your "close-enough" color on your wood to see how it comes out and make adjustments as you deem necessary. Only after approval did our finisher actually apply that color to your wood stair parts. It sounds like, from our phone conversation earlier this morning, that you checked with [redacted] and that [redacted] did, indeed, do all that stain sampling work and [redacted]'s approval was obtained on one of the samples. You also approved of the color last night and paid [redacted] for his work, sending me an email saying you loved [redacted]' work. I'd be happy to help you consider your options on changing the color, if you'd like, but as far as this company is concerned, we believe we faithfully and fully executed our contract with you. We will deposit the check you gave us tomorrow as you asked us to do but if you do put a stop payment on it we will file liens on your property and start the collection process. Notice that we were willing to work with her to change the color but only after full payment was received on the work we did. That morning she placed a stop payment on her check, but removed it a few days later, issuing us the following email: You clearly have no idea what you are doing with color. A complaint has been filed against you with Home Advisors and Consumer Affairs. If I have to spend the rest of my life destroying you on social media, I will. I hope a few hundred dollars is worth it, clearly you're in desperate need of money. Let's see how many new customers you get once they read my reviews. As far as the check goes, I cancelled the stop payment so go cash it you worthless piece of st. We are no longer willing to work with [redacted], as I hope you can understand. [redacted]

Consumer

Response:

I am rejecting this response because: The problem began BEFORE the railing was installed. I told [redacted] MANY times that I did not want red tones and I have it in writing. He wrote down the wrong color. He did the same thing with the post and tried to force my husband into taking it but he refused. When it came to the stain, The installer insisted that I chose that color. What else was he goong to do, he already spent hours going to get a new post and didn't want to go and get new stain. The main problem is that I was not informed that even though I had spent hours picking everything out with [redacted] that the installer would arrive NOT knowing what to do and would ask every step of the way. If [redacted] had told me this, I would have taken the day off from work.aside from the emails, [redacted] was extremely rude on the phone and after threatening me, says he'll help fix it in am email. Clearly, after being threatened by [redacted] I was not willing to explore options to fix the problem with him.

Business

Response:

Hello,