Kitchen Art, Inc.

Review: Hasn't installed the refrigerator according to the manficaturer instructions. Used his own panels instead of using orginal manifacturer's panel. Hired Kitchen Art to the kitchen remodelling work. THe agreement was signed on 04/16/2012. According to the agreement he has to use the cabinets from Ultra craft and install the appliances. Unfortunately he has used the panels that are not from Utltra craft. Because of this the one of the cabinet don't loke right. It has got "wave" like appearance. When I brought to his notice he agreed to come and fix it, but till now it is not fixed. The refrigerator is not installed according to manufacturer's instructions. The panels don't line up. The service technicians finding is that the refrigerator's legs have to be properly adjusted for the panels to align.Desired Settlement: The defective cabinet has to be replaced or at-least it has to be fixed to correct the "wave" like appearance on the outside of the panel. For refrigerator, the legs have to be adjusted. If this is not possible, he needs to pay $100 for a different contractor to complete the job.

Business

Response:

The explanation below is in respond to your letter dated 12-17-2013.

We completed the kitchen remodel contract for this project , at final there was an issue with one side panel applies skin for one upper cabinet, we agreed to replace the skin for no additional cost however Mr. [redacted] asked for 5/8" thick panel instead and agreed to pay additional $200 for this work. The 5/8" panel was ordered and was taken to the site for installation which at that time home owner changed his mind and asked for the 5/8" panel not to be install and replace the skin with new as we had proposed initially, he did not pay for the panel as was agreed ($200).

The work was completed, we have already made a trip for repairs and home owner asked for a change again. To cove our expenses for additional trip to San Jose would be $275 plus the cost of panel that was ordered previously $200 for a total of $475 we'll do this repairs if agreed by the home owner.

Consumer

Response:

(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)

This was the sequence of events:

1. To cut down his own cost, contractor installed non manufacturer cabinet. The contract was to install only the Ultracraft cabinets. However the contractor installed couple of non Ultracraft cabinets. I'm OK with the other cabinets since they don't affect the look. However, the side cabinet installtion doesn't look professional since he has used non Ultracabinet parts.

2. To make it look uniform, he installed a "skin" over the cabinet. This installation turned out to be defective.

3. He agreed to order the complete panel and perform the installation. When he came for the isntallation, inorder to reduce the labor for himself, he was going to install the panel on top of the existing panel. In other words there will be two side panels for one cabinet. NOTE, I didn't agree to pay him for the panel which he ordered.

4. I didn't agree to this and was willing to compromise for him to redo the skin installation.

5. The contractor said he will make another appointment for this installtion.

6. This is the email exchange I had with the contractor for the follow up appointment.

RE: Hello

from Kitchen Art Inc Design to you

Show Details

Hi [redacted],

Sorry that i've not been responsive, but I'm assuring you that

I'll install new finish side for the cabinet. I've just been waiting to start our

project in San Jose, this way we'll be to do your repair job while we're there.

Thank you for your patience,

Date: Tue, 30 Jul 2013 19:59:21 -0700

From: [redacted]

Subject: Hello

To: [redacted]

Hi **,

I have been trying to contact you for several days. Please let me know if you are going to complete the job or not that you started.

-[redacted]

NOTE: He agrees to come over and finish the work. BUT HE HASN"T DONE YET.

7. Also according the refrigerator manufacturer, the installtion is not complete.

To summarize:

1. I didn't agree to pay $200 as claimed by the contractor. I paid him the agreed upon money even before the work was fully completed.

2. As agreed by the contractor (the copy of the email excahnge is pasted above), he has to fix the side panel at no cost to me.

3. The contractor has to install the refrigerator as per the manufacturer's instructions.

Business

Response:

1- Cabinet issue,

Attachment #1, cabinet lay-out dose not include any cabinet between the L-shaped corner cabinet and the window, attachment#2 show the L-shaped cabinet was ordered from [redacted]. However after the cabinets was installed the home owner requested for a cabinet (about 10" wide) to be installed on the left side of window, in order not to delay the process and complete the cabinet installation, we suggested to built the cabinet box and install it and order the door and cherry finish skin for the right side of cabinet from Ultracraft Manufacture. This was acceptable to home owner, even though home owner was not charged initially for the additional cabinet and he refused to pay for it we went ahead and did as we suggested and at later time the door and skin was received from Ultracraft and installed. The finish skin did hove some issues and we agreed to order replacements, home owner insist to have a 5/8" thick panel from Ultracraft to be installed instead for additional cost of $110 (not $200). We ordered and received the panel, when we went back to install the 5/8" panel, home owner didn't like the look, didn't pay for panel and wanted us to order another cherry skin instead, attachment #3.

I was going to do so, however expecting for him to pay for the panel that he asked to be ordered and agreed to pay for it.

2- Refrigerator,

We've installed many refrigerators of this kind and quite familiar how this work should be done, the refrigerator was bought by home owner and one of the doors defected, (slightly out of square). I even agreed to pay for the cost of adjustment to the manufacturer if they would be able to make proper adjustments, and then agreed to pay the $100 cost for doing this work to the home owner's higher contractor if he was able to properly do the adjustments, attachment#4.

I also draft a letter on our Company's letter head per home owner request to address the problem, attachment #5.

I also would like to stress that customer service has been on top of the list for us and it did pay off in the last several years. We've managed to stay in business despite sluggish economy solely depending upon repeat business and referrals in the last several years with no marketing.

We've gone out of way in many occasions for Mr. [redacted], unfortunately have not been able to achieve satisfactory completion for this project.

Please contact me for additional info as may be needed.

Consumer

Response:

I am rejecting this response because:

For the side panel: