So I was at work and my wife was home while our PE Summit Insert was being installed. I come home to see that the trim on the left had deep scratches and the top lip especially on the left was gouged up... Not to mention there was no manual left, no model # serial# etc.. I can't believe it!! I emailed installation company and they said they would be over tomorrow with a manual and handle the scratches... what put unmatched lousy touch up paint that will look obvious. . Very angry!! Who the heck knows if they installed it right
Hacked Install
- Thread starter JTRock
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Woody Stover
Minister of Fire
I had to re-do my BIL's ceiling support box. Instead of framing off the opening and putting four screws in, they had the support box screwed onto one rafter with one screw. Lotta hacks out there, methinks.
That's why I'm going to do my install myself. I'm lucky enough my home insurance doesn't mind that I install the stove. Always swings back to the old saying, if you want something done right, do it yourself....
Sorry to hear about the crummy work. Hope everything gets corrected!
Sorry to hear about the crummy work. Hope everything gets corrected!
It's frustrating because I'm handy, but I wouldn't feel confident enough to try installing myself. I feel something like this you leave to a supposed PRO..... I am a sales manager for a car dealer, and I know how important customer satisfaction is. That's like a husband and wife buying a new car and the wife comes in and signs paperwork and drives home while the husband is at work. Upon getting home from work the husband sees BLATANT damage that was passed off hoping it wouldn't be noticed.. Not to mention it's a live wood burning appliance and I don't get the manual that was shipped with the unit stating the model # and serial#????? And specifications! !! I have a wife and 3 kids and safety is no big deal to these people????? To take it a step further the contractor that the hearth company sent, knows that I had to pull a permit and need to provide a manual with specs and model/serial# to pass inspection.
Because of my trade I am very easy going when I do business, customers beat on us all day and sometimes things just happen that are out of our control like maybe a scratch or something when they pick up there car. We thoroughly inspect and we are upfront about the damage and have it fixed. But this is crazy, it's essentially the centerpiece of this room and it's brand new not something used that had a few scrapes. .. Totally not acceptable. What can I do????
A few scratches are no big deal, its normal to make a few marks while wrestling it in to the fireplace. It happens.
The guy should have touched up the paint, many stoves have touch up paint with the manual. We carry a few dozen cans of various colors of stove bright. The same paint that the factory uses, touch ups aren't noticeable. Unless it an enamel finish.
It think the big issue is that the hearth store hires a subcontractor instead if having employees that are properly trained. Subs tend to not care near as much as a full time employee, not to mention the lack of specialized training and experience that is required to install new hearth products properly.
The guy should have touched up the paint, many stoves have touch up paint with the manual. We carry a few dozen cans of various colors of stove bright. The same paint that the factory uses, touch ups aren't noticeable. Unless it an enamel finish.
It think the big issue is that the hearth store hires a subcontractor instead if having employees that are properly trained. Subs tend to not care near as much as a full time employee, not to mention the lack of specialized training and experience that is required to install new hearth products properly.
I get that a few scratches, but these are pretty noticeable and especially on the top lip of the stove... Each corner of the lip is scratched too. Again I can see something scratching on the sharp corners where the trim meets the body again I'm a lenient guy and hardly complain but I'm more tweaked by the missing manual serial# model# etc for warrant purposes and what not. It's a culmination of things
Woody Stover
Minister of Fire
It's not too hard to do, just follow the install instructions for stove and chimney. But in this case, already installed, I'd check the chimney as well before you call them...you might have to get them to fix something there, too.
It's not too hard, but it ain't easy either. If it's something you do everyday you learn all the little tricks to get it in without scratching it all up!
The scratches should not have been left, if they are gouges ask for a replacement piece. If it something that can't be removed, ask for a discount. That's the price they might have to pay for using subcontractors.
Nick Mystic
Minister of Fire
I'm way to particular about how things are done to allow someone to install a stove or insert if I couldn't be there to observe the work. I installed my own stove and liner to make sure it was done right. As others have said you should check as well as you can how they did with the rest of the installation. Did you have them install a block off plate? How is the connection of the liner to the insert? What does the top plate and rain cap look like. You pretty much have to go up the roof to check that out since you can't tell from the ground, even with binoculars. I feel for you since it's a bummer to pay a lot of money for something nice and then to have it arrive damaged. Yes, the scratches might be cosmetic, but when you buy something brand new you shouldn't have to accept cosmetic damage in my opinion.
Your reference to your wife being home while stove was installed are offensive .
I know many guys who know less about many mechanical things than I do,
I was lucky that my Dad taught me how things work and encourage questions.
I had to fight to get into a welding class in high school.
Your complaints about your stove install are valid but your wife had nothing to do with it !
I wish you the best of luck with your installer and problems with install, I would be taking photos and in contact with manufacturer because this installer has no business being a dealer approved contractor
I know many guys who know less about many mechanical things than I do,
I was lucky that my Dad taught me how things work and encourage questions.
I had to fight to get into a welding class in high school.
Your complaints about your stove install are valid but your wife had nothing to do with it !
I wish you the best of luck with your installer and problems with install, I would be taking photos and in contact with manufacturer because this installer has no business being a dealer approved contractor
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You all are pretty hard on this company considering they haven't even had a chance to make it right. There a lot of busineses that have employees that are willing to let things slide, but the owner sure won't. I don't know in this case, I could be wrong. At least give them a chance to make things right before you beat em up too bad. Maybe they just forgot to touch up the paint? Give em a chance, that's all.
Highbeam
Minister of Fire
I took no offense at all to the OP's wife statements. He was just pointing out that somebody was home to let them in but it was not him so he could not inspect the installation. I do however take offense to your suggestion that he somehow is woman bashing. Let's not throw stones.
To the OP, there are lots of places that a bad installer could have screwed up this job for you. If this was a new liner install there are a few more potential errors. Did this company also install a liner?
Woody Stover
Minister of Fire
Luckily, I avoided that since the Woodstocks were in the crate until they were next to the hearth.
All stoves come in a crate, often though the crate won't fit through the door. Inserts can be particularly difficult to get in due to a raised hearth. It often requires pipes, prybars, and and a lot of handling. They are more prone to being scratched.
Certainly not being offensive at all. She be the 1st to tell you it's not her schtick. She had our 3 kids a dog and doing her mom's hair yesterday to contend with. I'm in customer service you don't have to worry about me doing right by you IT'S MY JOB. I will be preemptive and tell you if there is something wrong and how I'm going to fix it. Not just try and slip it by you. They knew what they did
I agree and that's what I did. It's not that they damaged it, they tried to pass it off to us. It was obvious and not hard to see. If he told my wife they damaged it and was coming back with touch up and the manual with numbers to it. I would have been fine with it.
Agreed!
My wife is beautiful, intelligent and is the glue that holds my family together. She was home I wasn't. Nothing more nothing less
Woody Stover
Minister of Fire
He may have just been saying that since he's chosen to get the stove and have it installed, he feels more responsible for the details, not her. Maybe sitting on the Yellowstone caldera has got you a little jumpy?
Just kidding, I'm sure no offense was taken. Everyone knows (or should) that brains are unique to the individual, and contain varying degrees of traits that are generally thought to be the forte of one sex or the other. Many times my wife has come up with observations or solutions that I hadn't thought of. "OK, we're stupid and messed up the stove; Let's see if they call us on it, before we do anything else stupid, like confess."
Do you generally take the stove to the house in the crate? Maybe this shop only stocks one stove at a time, so everything they sell is an un-crated floor model? That would explain the missing manual, and maybe the scratches were there before it even got to the house...
Yup Same here!
So they dropped off a can of spray paint on my front step and the manual per my request. I called my buddy on the sales end forwarded him the pics and he in turn forwarded them to the owner. I assured him I wasn't out for blood or the installers job. But wanted them to know what was up. He looked at the pics and assured me that it was NOT ok and more than an unavoidable installation scratch or 2
I'd say you hit the nail on the head! It was most likely a display stove. We always take the stove to the customer on the skid it was shipped on, unless it was a display. And then the customer knows before hand and was given a discount.He may have just been saying that since he's chosen to get the stove and have it installed, he feels more responsible for the details, not her. Maybe sitting on the Yellowstone caldera has got you a little jumpy?
"OK, we're stupid and messed up the stove; Let's see if they call us on it, before we do anything else stupid, like confess."
Do you generally take the stove to the house in the crate? Maybe this shop only stocks one stove at a time, so everything they sell is an un-crated floor model? That would explain the missing manual, and maybe the scratches were there before it even got to the house...
I stand corrected, I have dealt with some men who obviously are different in their view of a woman's value. That is not you as your post shows. I apologize for my response
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