Kestrel Manufacturing, Inc.

The order was submitted online June 2, 2016. We do not charge any customer for hardware orders until the item has been received by us and sent to our customer. This has been explained in the calls with Ms***. The item order are manufacturer expressly for Kestrel. Our
supplier has been behind most of the year and this has impacted our ability to provide these custom items. We have apologized and asked if there were any other items that we could substitute. The items are still on order for our company and we have a waiting list for them. However, we have not charged Ms ***'s card

[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.]
Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.  Please cancel the order. There is still no excuse for not returning calls or replying to emails to let the customer know about the delays.  Bad way to run a business.
Regards,
[redacted]

[To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed as Answered]
 Complaint: [redacted]
This is starting to feel like I am dealing with a child. I reject these inaccurate and immature efforts to justify this comedy of errors, and provide the correct version below.I provided Kestrel with only ONE set of opening measurements, plus, if memory serves, a photo of a typical opening. My contractor, in an email to me in which he noted that all shutters were too large, cited the dimension of one bathroom opening to illustrate the problem. I forwarded this email to Kestrel and they now cite that as an excuse for their mess. This is childish. First, this email was addressed to me not to Kestrel. Second,this email was dated some 30 days AFTER the shutters were delivered. Third, the difference between the 32.5"  and 35.75" measurement is allowance for out of square/shimming which Kestrel surely understands but pretends they do not. They had all the information they needed to supply what was needed, plus a deposit, in good time.I have only TWO email addresses and it is not my job to ensure that l[redacted] and his assistant talk to each other (this is not [redacted]). When l[redacted] wrote me informing me the third shipment was not going to ship by the deadline, I told him to ship it direct to Abacos and NOT to Texas as I would not be able to receive it there. The email was obviously addressed to him in reply. I don't know who handles shipping for him and even if I did it's not my role to supervise his employees.L[redacted] did indeed confirm in writing that he received my email regarding the shutter sizes to include the L frames, and will delighted to provide a copy to the judge if it comes to that. He has two copies of this email, the original and a copy I sent when his brother tried to wriggle out of responsibility for their errors after Debbie confirmed they would take care of the mess, when my credit card bill was due.Now for the record, hopefully for the last time.1. First crate: contained L frame (jamb) profiles sufficient to frame out only 6 openings albeit too long in every case; plus 4 pieces too short for any opening. Crate arrived late so I did not have sufficient time to inspect every component before returning to the US, a task I assigned to my contractor who informed me some weeks later that all the shutters were oversized. I saw enough, though, to suspect they had sent me the wrong crate as I stated in  an email to Debbie at the time. I paid freight from NJ to FL and ocean freight from FL to Abacos. Not to mention duty, brokerage and VAT.2. Second crate contained only stiles, rails and replacemen bars (shutter components), plus some loose ball catches (I paid to have these installed and grooves machined, operations that Kestrel failed to perform), no L frame pieces at all, nor any eyelets,  even though l[redacted] emailed that the missing L frame profiles were in hand prior. Unfortunately components were not correct and at this point not one of the shutters could be assembled correctly.  In all cases there would be gaps between louvers and adjacent horizontal rails. I provided Kestrel with photos illustrating these errors. Tenon to mortise forum was very sloppy in every case. In some cases mortises were mismachined so rails did not align correctly with stiles. Some of the bars had an incorrect hole count. I paid same charges as first crate, duty on the full value of the contract as Kestrel incorrectly provided the freight forwarder with the original invoice.3. Third crate (well it was a bundle) contained the long-awaited brass eyelets, plus L frames (perhaps they were waiting for the trees to grow) but not enough. I was short 2 EA 6 footers, as evidenced by the photo of the ochre bedroom on my website referenced by l[redacted] where it is apparent that shutters  in this room are temporarily shimmed in place. There were 4 surplus 5 footers. It contained sufficient shutter components and bars to assemble all but 4 shutters without gaps (green bedroom was short). So at this point, 18 months late to promise,  I had 3 bathrooms and 1 of 3 bedrooms done. I paid ocean freight, duty, brokerage and VAT on this shipment.I have spent far too much time on this mess and resent, deeply, these amateur efforts to obfuscate and duck and weave. As they say, the cover up is  often more offensive than the crime. 
Regards,
[redacted]

We appreciate the opportunity to
provide you with information surrounding the transactions with our
customer, [redacted].
[redacted] did contact us in February
2015 to begin the quote process with us. Our, Jim L[redacted], provided
information to him routinely via emails and telephone...

conversations
which is often the case with custom shutter orders. Please note: Mr.
Gould often used multiple email addresses to communicate to us (
[redacted].com and [redacted].com)
this sometimes added to delays and unnecessary confusion as well as
not always including all in his messages. 
Once [redacted] was ready to move
forward, a sales order was entered and sent to [redacted] for his
approval. This is the source document from which we build the order.
We ask our clients to review carefully and if there are any
corrections to let us know prior to returning the order to us. The
sales order provides an estimated ship date of April 20,2015. These
are estimated ship dates and there are factors outside of our
control. The order was shipped to [redacted] on June 9, 2015. At the
time, the ball catches and eyelets had not arrived so we sent
everything but these items. The order was delivered to [redacted], a freight forwarding company sending product to the
islands. The sail date was June 23, 2015.
 
[redacted] notified us on June 29, 2015
that the frames were apparently the incorrect dimensions and
asked if we had sent the wrong product. On July 31, 2015, [redacted]
sent us an email outlining the problem with the order that had been
received. Upon notification of the problem an acknowledgment was
sent to him on August 3, 2015. A review of the original sales
contract indicated that the order had been made according to the
contract that [redacted] had signed. That being said we still chose
to provide replacements so that the shutters could be made as
intended but not as ordered. Normally, this is not a problem since
we had provided [redacted] with parts that he and his contractor were
assembling, on site for his home.
After multiple conversations internally
and with [redacted] and his contractor we sent out additional rails
and stiles This second shipment was sent on January 19, 2016 and
sailed February 2 to the island.
Upon receipt of the 2nd
shipment, [redacted] notified us that some items that were short
shipped or made incorrectly. The stiles were correct, the louvers
were correct, however, the replacement rails were sent for a 3.1/2”
louver instead of a 2.1/2” louver. This was a mistake on our part.
We corrected all the above issues as we
knew them and shipped to Texas per [redacted]'s request. After the
shipment left for Texas, it was discovered that a message had been
sent to only Jim directing us that [redacted] was leaving for the
islands ( see note in the second paragraph) . It became necessary to
reconsign the shipment and pay storage fees until we could resolve
the delivery.
According to our records, and what we
believe we have furnished [redacted] with all the necessary parts to
make his order complete and have not invoiced him for any additional
material or freight and storage costs. The statement that as of
August 2016 he was still without material to complete his project is
not true. He states that he was able to complete one bedroom only
and three bathrooms. If you visit his website you will see this is
not true http://[redacted].com
- http://[redacted].com/[redacted].jpg
- http://[redacted].com/[redacted].jpg
- http://[redacted].com/[redacted].jpg
In keeping with your request to reply
within 10 days, we have provided a brief summary of the events
concerning this order. If you should need additional information or
details please let us know. We feel that we have acted in good
faith.
Sincerely,

Hello,
I do know that we did receive photos showing issues with the shutters and finish in emails earlier this year.  I thought that those had been addressed at the time but from what [redacted] said they have not.  I did not see a letter but asking in our office I found...

the person that did sign for it and, as he was new to our office, he passed it on to someone with more experience.  This is the same person that was to handle the emails.  As she left about 2 months ago to pursue a different career I do not know have any information of any response or lack of response.
I would like to speak with our production manager concerning what I see in the photos.  He is out today and tomorrow but will be back next week.  Once I speak with him I will be able to give a more complete answer.
Initially I see the 3 concerns that [redacted] has with her shutters per her emails.
Missing screw covers - We did not supply any screw covers as the shutters were to be fully functional. as are all of our shutters.  We were even told in an email from [redacted] that she wanted to make sure that Kestrel Shutters were functional as that is what she intended.   Even if the shutters are to be decorative we would NOT recommend anchoring the shutters in each corner and the center as this can cause stress on the shutter during expansion and contraction as well as from the wall surfaces not being flat which is typical of stucco surfaces.  Fixing shutters to a wall in this method are fine for flexible plastic shutters but not solid wood shutters.
Exposed wood around the edge of the shutters - As we state in our website our raised and flat panels are meant to float to allow for expansion and contraction.  If part of the panel is pinched in the shutter in can cause the  panels to move in one direction only which gives you the  "witness lines" around the edges of the panels.  Normally those can be slid back with a minor amount of pressure.  However, since the shutters have been bolted on in 6 different places it may be more difficult to do this. 
Cracking at edges of the panels - this happens when stress is applied to the raised panel.  This ties in with the floating panels above.  If the panels could not float properly, from being fixed at 6 different points in each shutter, then the panels would try and move but be unable to do so, and end up cracking.  On one of the windows the shutters even have a widow box screwed on to them causing even more stress on the shutter.
I will be speaking with our production manager about [redacted]'s shutters and finishing to see what he recommends.  I am hoping to have some suggestions as to what can be done at that point.   We will need to speak with the company that does the [redacted] finishing for us to see about getting sufficient paint to touch up any edges that are exposed.  However, as far as the cracking I am not sure right now as the mounting method is the cause.  
I will send another response over once I have gone over the photos with our production manager.  
Best regards,
Jim

To Whom It May Concern: RE: complaint ID [redacted] We are not satisfied with the Kestrel Shutters and Doors..response regarding our complaint ID [redacted]. According to [redacted], President of [redacted] of [redacted], CO, who attached all of the Kestrel shutters to our home in October, 2013; the shutters are cracked and shrinking due to issues unrelated to attachment. The first opportunity for him to view the problem was today, October 30, 2014. He stated the following: The style and rail frames around the panels are NOT showing any stress,which indicates that there is NO issue with the shutter's attachment to home. However, the glue between the wood panels is failing, resulting in all defects revealed in the photos.Therefore, the attachment points are NOT causing the wood to warp and crack. [redacted] reported that he has twenty-five years of experience with the manufacturing and installation of wood shutters in Colorado. Additionally, Jim from Kestrel Shutters stated the following: "I will be speaking with our production manager about [redacted]'s shutters and finishing to see what he recommends. I am hoping to have some suggestions as to what can be done at that point. We will need to speak with the company that does the [redacted] finishing for us to see about getting sufficient paint to touch up any edges that are exposed. However, as far as the cracking I am not sure right now as the mounting method is the cause. I will send another response over once I have gone over the photos with our production manager." Despite Mr. L[redacted] 's assurance that he would respond a second time with more information, he has not done so. We have tentatively contracted with a reputable business to repair and paint the shutters ASAP. [redacted] Dear [redacted]] : This message is in regard to your complaint submitted on 10/14/2014 10:12:11 PM against Kestrel Manufacturing, Inc.. Your complaint was assigned ID [redacted]. The business has sent the Revdex.com a message regarding this complaint, and we are passing it on to you. The contents of this message are below or attached. Please respond to this message in written form within 10 days. The text of your complaint may be publicly posted on Revdex.coms Web site (Revdex.com reserves the right to not post in accordance with Revdex.com policy). Please do not include any personally identifiable information when you tell us about your problem or in your desired outcome. By submitting your complaint, you are representing that it is a truthful account of your experience with the business. Revdex.com may edit your complaint to protect privacy rights and to remove inappropriate language. Regards, [redacted] The Revdex.com MESSAGE FROM BUSINESS: Hello, I do know that we did receive photos showing issues with the shutters and finish in emails earlier this year. I thought that those had been addressed at the time but from what [redacted] said they have not. I did not see a letter but asking in our office I found the person that did sign for it and, as he was new to our office, he passed it on to someone with more experience. This is the same person that was to handle the emails. As she left about 2 months ago to pursue a different career I do not know have any information of any response or lack of response. I would like to speak with our production manager concerning what I see in the photos. He is out today and tomorrow but will be back next week. Once I speak with him I will be able to give a more complete answer. Initially I see the 3 concerns that [redacted] has with her shutters per her emails. 1. Missing screw covers - We did not supply any screw covers as the shutters were to be fully functional. as are all of our shutters. We were even told in an email from [redacted] that she wanted to make sure that Kestrel Shutters were functional as that is what she intended. Even if the shutters are to be decorative we would NOT recommend anchoring the shutters in each corner and the center as this can cause stress on the shutter during expansion and contraction as well as from the wall surfaces not being flat which is typical of stucco surfaces. Fixing shutters to a wall in this method are fine for flexible plastic shutters but not solid wood shutters. 2. Exposed wood around the edge of the shutters - As we state in our website our raised and flat panels are meant to float to allow for expansion and contraction. If part of the panel is pinched in the shutter in can cause the panels to move in one direction only which gives you the "witness lines" around the edges of the panels. Normally those can be slid back with a minor amount of pressure. However, since the shutters have been bolted on in 6 different places it may be more difficult to do this. 3. Cracking at edges of the panels - this happens when stress is applied to the raised panel. This ties in with the floating panels above. If the panels could not float properly, from being fixed at 6 different points in each shutter, then the panels would try and move but be unable to do so, and end up cracking. On one of the windows the shutters even have a widow box screwed on to them causing even more stress on the shutter. I will be speaking with our production manager about [redacted]'s shutters and finishing to see what he recommends. I am hoping to have some suggestions as to what can be done at that point. We will need to speak with the company that does the [redacted] finishing for us to see about getting sufficient paint to touch up any edges that are exposed. However, as far as the cracking I am not sure right now as the mounting method is the cause. I will send another response over once I have gone over the photos with our production manager. Best regards, Jim
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Desired Outcome:
We intend to have the repairs made through a private contractor and at this point would expect Kestrel to pay for the repairs or refund the total cost of the shutters immediately.

Review: This letter is intended to formally register a complaint about the shutters we received from Kestrel Shutters & Doors, Inc...

In April 2013 we made full payment for our shutter order and waited several months for delivery ,longer then we were told to expect. We finally received three pairs of custom shutters for our new home and had them installed in October of 2013. They are decorative, non-operational shutters.

However, we have been experiencing a worsening problem that occurred within weeks or months after professional installation of our shutters. Briefly, we have experienced paint and shutter material cracking on all of the shutters we ordered. [redacted], my assistant, emailed Kestrel Shutters & Doors on June 7, 2014 with a request that this problem be addressed, and included documentary photographs of the shutters. Neither she nor I received any response. She sent another email regarding this problem on June 22, 2014. I also recall responding to their request for feed-back, and asked that their company to review the email and documentation that [redacted] had emailed. We have yet to receive any response from Kestrel.

I expected a much higher level of product quality and a higher level of service from their company. My husband and I are quite disappointed. Their website clearly and unequivocally states, “All Kestrel Exterior Shutters and Doors are now available with a highly durable and flexible finish that comes with a 25 year warranty against cracking, flaking, peeling, or blistering. It is a 100% acrylic latex finish that will even hold up in extreme heat and during freeze and thaw cycles.”

We clearly have not received a satisfactory product for our home.

We also sent another letter by certified mail in August 2014 to the President and Vice-President of Kestrel Shutters. A representative from Kestrel signed the domestic return receipt on August 18, 2014. To date we have not heard from anyone associated with Kestrel Shutters.Desired Settlement: Therefore, to resolve the problem, I request that Kestrel fulfill one of the following two

options:

1. Pay the lowest professional bid for having the shutters restored to their original

condition as soon as possible (before November 2014).

2. Send us new custom shutters that are the same dimensions and color with an

additional year warranty on the shutters and paint; detach, remove and dispose of the

Kestrel shutters that are now in place; and have the new shutters professionally installed,

at no expense to us, before December 2014.

Business

Response:

Hello,