L. E. Cook Monuments

Review: After speaking to the Cook Monument Co on the phone, they mailed me a proposal dated 9/15/12. The proposal was for a duplicate steel finish granite flat marker, 24" x 10" for my Father. It was to be set next to and match my Mothers marker. I was informed that cutting would take 5-7 weeks, they would try to place it prior to winter, dependant on the weather. Once setting had been completed, they would send me a picture of both of my parents markers. I signed the proposal and returned it with a check. The check was cashed on 10/1/12. I waited. After not receiving any picture or contact from the Cook co., I began leaving messages on their answering machine in July 2013. The end of July 2013 Mr. Cook told me he was coincidentally working on that stone now. I waited. I received a picture of the cut stone on a bucket, not set. Along with an invoice dated Aug. 7, 13, stating the work was complete. I spoke to Mr. Cook and requested a photo of the placed stone next to my Mothers. He took my email adress and said he would email a picture. I waited. Sept. 6, 2013, still no picture. I have been told by family members that have visited the cemetery that my Dad's marker is white, not steel finish granite,and does NOT match my Mom's marker.Desired Settlement: I would just like a marker for my Dad to be set that matches my Mom's, like it was supposed to. As well as a picture of the two set stones that verify it has been done, and they match.

Business

Response:

Complaint# [redacted] The complaint for this customer is that her fathers flat marker does not match her mother's flat marker, in color. The markers are steel finish, which means that there is no polish on the surface.

There is a copy of the proposal attached, which shows customer changes that the customer had made. She requested that her father's marker be changed to include the month, day & year, which I did for her at no additional charge. She also added a note to raise up her mother's marker, and cut out the grass that was encroaching on it. So I obtained some fill, raised the marker, put the fill in place to the proper level and rest the marker. I did not charge her for this work either.

When I finished cutting the marker for her father I set it on a bucket and washed it and when it was dry I took a picture of it and mailed it to her with her invoice receipt. She then called me and wanted a picture showing the marker was actually put in the cemetery beside her mother's. I went back took a picture and sent it to her on her gmail, and she called days later and said she did not receive the gmail, so I went back to the cemetery and took another picture and sent it to her by regular mail. Now she says the colors do not match, they don't because her mother's marker was set in 1972 and it's dirty, therefore it's darker. The picture shows that. She'll have to wait another forty one years for them to look somewhat close in color. That's because the birds, the animals, the cut grass clippings, which stain the stone, and lawn mowers running on it with their rubber tires. So I believe I gave this customer all she paid for and more.

Sincerely,

[redacted] Cook

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response submitted by the business and have determined that the response does not satisfy or resolve my issues and/or concerns in reference to complaint.

My complaint is not only the color. I told Mr. Cook during our first conversation that the marker for my father was to match my mothers' marker, which has the month, day and year. That has never changed, I did not sneak into the cemetery and change the date format on my mothers' marker. They were supposed to match, that is why the proposal says, "ONE DUPLICATE flat marker steel finish granite..." I recieved the proposal dated 9/15/12 and promptly contacted him due to the fact that the date format was not how we had discussed over the phone and we had also discussed him raising my mothers' marker, which was not on the proposal. Mr. Cook told me to write the corrections on the proposal and send it back, that it would be fine. This is what I did. Upon receiving my accaptence of the edited proposal Mr. Cook cashed the check that was sent along with it, therefore accepting the edited proposal. I had no more correspondance with Mr. Cook until I began calling him in July of 2013 to inquire about why I had not received a photo like we had agreed upon, and why no marker had been placed. I called several times throughout the month of July and did not hear from him until he was "coincedentally" working on the marker. August 7th is the date on the "Finished" invoice, almost a full year from the date he cashed the check. The proposal stated 5-7 weeks, not 10 months. The picture sent was of the marker on a bucket, not placed next to my mothers' marker like we had agreed upon. I asked Mr. Cook if the marker was white and he told me yes, it was different but it was the age difference. My mothers' marker in 1972 was gray, not white. My family members have told me the marker is WHITE, not gray, Mr. Cook has told me himself that the marker is white. So my complaints are as follows; Mr. Cook did not do this work in a timely manner, the work that has been done does not follow what Mr. Cook outlined in the proposal, and Mr. Cook has very poor customer service etiquite. I feel I have been extremely patient throughout this entire process. I don't feel I am being unreasonable expecting my fathers' marker to match my mothers' marker. Mr. Cook knew from the beginning that was the service I was paying him to do and if he was unable to do this he should have been forthcoming with me.

Business

Response:

Complaint# [redacted] The complaint is now not only the color, which was the main concern up until now. So in answer, in reference to color, please view item #1, which shows an envelope set on top of the marker, showing it is definitely not white, but as said previously, light gray in color. The complaint addresses once again to proposal, which I addressed in my previous answer. That is, once again, that the proposal is only to be used to clarify what our agreement will be, so any changes, and they were made, and I didn't charge any more for the things that were completed.

It did take time to cut the marker, and that's how these things come about. I received her check in Sept. 27,2012 and I put the order in the order file. I did deposit the check in the normal method of doing business. Now generally I have approximately twenty five or so markers to be made, and I'm cutting constantly and I try to set once each morning. Now I'm sorry the bucket seemed to bother her, but how that happens is that I work twelve hours a day, six days a week, and at the end of the cutting day I wash the markers and set them out to dry so I can take them to the cemetery when I leave for town first thing in the morning. I take the picture at that time because if I wait to finish the installation, at the cemetery, I generally wash down the marker and that makes for a lousy picture so I do it at the time at the shop. Now I make the marker and cut to size, lettered the same, and in NO way did I say it was white. Now the picture shows it. If the customer would like, that is if she trusts me, I'll clean her mothers marker, as best it can be, and see if that helps. Just let me know.

Sincerly

[redacted] Cook