ComplaintsforWindow World of Wausau, LLC

• Initial Complaint

  02/18/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  We had an appointment with *****, the owner of Window World of Wausau for her to measure windows and discuss options. We did not remeasure, accepting in good faith that her measurements were correct. She wrote the contract using the measurements she took, knowing we would be installing the windows ourselves, & financing $4,542.04 with employee discount. The two incorrect windows total $1,458.35. I left Window World just prior to windows coming in. Per policy, self install must be paid in full (which ours were, as financing is considered paid in full), and the contract is hand written by the purchaser listing measurements they provide (she wrote our contract using the measurements she took). When windows come in, the purchaser is to pick them up at the store. When we called to schedule pick up, ***** changed her policy and stated she would not release our windows until she received a payment from the finance company, a delay of several weeks. Normally, financing through Window World’s company is considered paid in full when approved, and is charged once the windows are picked up or installed. In order to pick up the windows and install that weekend as planned, we changed payment to a credit card, which she required to be paid the day prior to pick up, yet another change. We realized at pick up that two of the windows were the wrong size. We called ***** to request replacements and she promptly shouted she would “not give us our money back” and hung up. Over the next 3 months, we emailed and called *****/ Window World numerous times to request the windows be replaced, but got no response. 2/12/22 we received a letter stating she would not replace the windows, and we had until 2/18/22 to pick them up or we’d be in default and she wouldn’t let us have our windows. We called and agreed to pick up on 2/19. ***** stated she’d text us the address to pick up our windows, alluding to the windows not being at Window World. As of 2/18 at 10pm, we have not heard from her.

  

  Business response

  03/18/2022

  ****** is correct in how i do business in that, if I make a mistake on a customers full price contract measurements, i purchase new windows for them at my cost as it's my mistake.  I am human and this does happen.

  
  

  With self-install, which includes customers, employee's like ****** and my sub-contractor's who choose to do the work themselves.  I normally require them to tell me what they want in writing.  Normally it is pretty casual in a scratch piece of paper and a conversation.  Trust is normally on the table.  ****** more or less did the same thing when she asked me to come to her home to go over the big front window and what she could put in that opening.  I agreed to go there for that when i saw the appointment on my calendar.  I did take the measurements while there... for my own records and a double check of hers in case i saw something off-size.  If i went to give her a quote - i would have written a full price contract.  If i went to measure for self-install she would be paying for my time to come there.  Normally estimates are free - except self-install.  I charge for this as it off-sets any mistake i may make. This was owner helping her employee to ease her mind.  I encouraged her she would be fine measuring as ****** does many home projects.  

  
  

  ****** wanted the windows as least expensive as possible.  After the appointment she asked many times for prices.  Without her measurements... To get prices i had to enter the sizes into the window program with all the options she wanted.  Again a verbal conversation.  At that point i gave her the printout from the factory with the sizes and options she wanted on it and informed her she needed to RE-MEASURE herself as i would not guarantee these if they are wrong.  She told me numerous times she did re-measure and agreed to the sizes when she brought me a full price check.  

  
  

  As time went on i wrote up a contract to keep in her file with number of windows sold and the options and the price just as i do for all my self-install.  ****** later added to the contract, as my employee, and took copies of her entire file.  Normally customers, self install or otherwise do not get copies of the papers she took.  They are just for office only.  

  
  

  ****** is stating publicly that i am standing behind an excuse.  I am standing behind the written and verbal agreements between owner and former employee about how this was to go and what i was willing to do for her.  She knew for the 6 months she was a temporary help and 6 months she worked for me that to get my cost for the windows she needed to be an employee.  She needed to do her own measurements.  She needed to transport windows herself.  She needed to install herself, which included disposal of garbage herself.  That was self-install at the just above cost price i was giving her.  

  
  

  It is unfortunate it has come to this.  My suggestions would be to use the 2 windows from the smaller opening at the correct height and put them in the large opening with a new picture window.  And then purchase 2 more windows for the other opening.  Mulling them in the field.  Again, if this was normal contract - full price or self-install -  i would have some sort of profit to go off to cover my losses.  With employee's i give such a major discount that there is no profit ... they needed to take the responsibility if they are wrong.  Which ****** agreed to.      

  Customer response

  03/26/2022

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
  
  Never in the process were the measurements taken by ***** given a second thought. Never did she tell me/us to measure behind her. That would be the equivalent of a dentist asking their patient to fill their own cavities.

  ***** told me to schedule an appointment time to measure our windows when she was in Merrill with other appointments. The appointment was on the calendar for several days prior to her coming out. A picture of the calendar was included in the original complaint.  It was not a surprise to her that she was coming to measure.

  The only conversation we had in regard to the measurements was whether we wanted them to fit tighter or looser, changing the width by 1/4" (or something there about). This conversation was had the day the windows were ordered and it was a last minute question so she could order them before the cutoff for the order period.

  We put our faith in *****'s measurements and again were not told, nor ever considered, we should measure behind her. Yes, it was self install, however, she was the one to stray from policy when she measured and wrote the contract herself. We felt confident that the whole process was trust worthy and that we could trust the owner of the company to take correct measurements and order our windows in a timely and accurate manner.   

  Had we provided the measurements ourselves, we would not be in this predicament! We simply want correctly sized windows, that fit our openings, without having to modify the house.
  

  Regards,
  
  ****** ******

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