Anyone with a Pellet install familiar with these "Trip Charges"?

[3nickles]

I'm really getting irritated. I purchased a pellet stove from the only local dealer I could find. The stove surround wasn't installed to my satisfaction and I find out now that they can't make it look like the brochure and what I paid for because the supplier can't provide the custom fit/cuts. Making it worse is several miscommunications with the dealer: they sent out an installer that didn't even arrive with the right pieces and then tells me I owe him a trip charge of 82 bucks. I'm sorry but I think they should have at least warned me of the charge before sending them out or written that into a contract or something...don't you think??

Has anyone else been forced to pay trip charges? Especially on things that should have been done or included on the initial install in which I paid for...

Really irritated...venting makes me feel a little better now

 

[Metal]

I can see if you changed your mind after they arrived and wanted the special gold trim, but if they just forgot to bring all the necessary equipment/parts then I think it should be on their dime. Competition is good.

 

[ecfinn]

I've had my dealer out at least 3 times since my stove was installed to fix various little issues and I've never been charged anything over and above what I already paid for installation. Maybe I just got a good dealer, who knows. It sounds to me like the "installer" they sent out is a private sub-contractor and not an employee of the stove shop. In which case I'd think its the shops responsibility to pay them if they can't keep the details of the job straight. There's no way in #$%@#% I'd pay someone to come to my house to not fix something when they simply weren't prepared to fix what needed to be done. That's simply ridiculous in my mind. Maybe some of the dealers on here would care to comment but that sounds awfully fishy to me on first glance.

Eric

 

[kevinmoelk]

Sounds pretty lame to me 3nickles. I'd be irritated too. Like Metal said, it was not your mistake, but theirs. If the installer is a 3rd party, he may be trying to stick it to you, the hearth dealer, whoever will pay... maybe both of you. Open the lines of communication te see what you can find out.

3nickles, are you a drag racer by any chance?

-Kevin

 

[3nickles]

Well I feel better now because you guys agree.

I don't want to ruin the relationship with this dealer because they're only one near me that can provide service on the stove if it fails, and is the only place that promises to get me pellets since I bought the stove from them! I'm kind of between a rock and a hard place

 

[begreen]

We live a long way from the dealer and they had to come out to replace elbows that were wrong for the original install. There was no additional charge tacked on, even though a ferry fee was involved. Tell the installer to take it up with the dealer. This is not your problem and the dealer should cover the error. Something tells me the trip charge to the dealer will be much less than is being asked from you.

 

[MrGriz]

I would sue them.

Oh sure, that makes perfect sense. After all, lawyers need to eat too.

You certainly should not have to pay a trip charge in this case, but I hardly think a trip to court will be needed.

edit
BTW, Welcome to the forum chirag.

 

[GVA]

I would sue them.

edit
BTW, Welcome to the forum chirag, your name wouldn't really be winston would it?

.......................................... :lol: ....................................
I was thinking the same thing, before I read your post.........

 

[MrGriz]

I decided to be PC (what the he(( happened to me????) and edit that from my original post.

We'll see.............

 

[seaken]

I'm really getting irritated. I purchased a pellet stove from the only local dealer I could find. The stove surround wasn't installed to my satisfaction and I find out now that they can't make it look like the brochure and what I paid for because the supplier can't provide the custom fit/cuts. Making it worse is several miscommunications with the dealer: they sent out an installer that didn't even arrive with the right pieces and then tells me I owe him a trip charge of 82 bucks. I'm sorry but I think they should have at least warned me of the charge before sending them out or written that into a contract or something...don't you think??

Has anyone else been forced to pay trip charges? Especially on things that should have been done or included on the initial install in which I paid for...

Really irritated...venting makes me feel a little better now

It's hard to tell from here since we're only getting your side, but, if the dealer sent the installer without the needed parts you should not be charged if these parts were part of the original deal. Maybe they think that these parts were add-ons? I would call the dealer and nicelay ask them why you are being billed for something you thought was included in the original sale.

 

[webbie]

The main thing here is that charges should not be made without you being informed first. It really puts a customer on the spot to hit 'em up after the fact.

 

[3nickles]

Answering a few questions:

Installer works for the stove shop and is not a contractor. The stove was intstalled with the parts that came from the manufacturer. It turns out that the mfg really doesn't make the proper parts for an extended hearth insert like the Majestic that I have..Can you believe that? These fireplace inserts are in approx. 80% of the new homes around here. Anyway, the trip panel that borders the surround panel which seals the fireplace opening doesn not extend down past the raise in the hearth. It was designed for flat bottom fireplaces. Even though they make a hearth extension kit (which I purchased for 180) which raises the stove about 5 inches off the bottom of the hearth to accommodate the raised hearth.

Really looks crappy so I asked the dealer after the install. Spoke with the owners wife who told me at that time they ordered the wrong surround. Since I had the black trim pieces installed originally, and they had to reorder new ones, I asked if they could change the order to brushed nickel trim. NO PROBLEM was the answer.

2 weeks later the owner comes home, obviously didn't communicate with the wife and sends installer out..didn't mention anything about trip charge or parts not being in...nothing. Installer arrives and tells me that I'm going to have to pay for the trip charge and also compensate the dealer because he had to order 3 surrounds kits to have enough trim to fabricate my surround for a finished look! I was very upset as you can tell. Told them to have the mfg send the parts directly to me and I'll install them myself because I shouldn't have to pay for something that wasn't my problem, especially since the mfg admitted that they really don't make the proper parts for my install; even though they show a completed picture of the raised hearth with surround in their brochure!

I'm pretty fed up with the situation at this point. I think the customer should be allowed to have a installation that he's satisfied with, without extra charges including trip charges.

So the dealer is finally ordering the proper pieces (3 kits so they can fabricate trim that goes all the way to the bottom) and I guess the MFG is comping the parts to the dealer. Only problem now is the dealer calls me and tells me I owe 82 trip charge when they come out. That is more than they asked for last time which was 50 bucks...sounds like they're trying to offset their costs by charging me. I don't know. Just irritating to pay 4300 to the stove shop and they're still looking for money!

I'm not a drag racer but I love cars. Ford guy. Had many mustanges (SVT '03 Cobra) and trying to get an '07 Shelby GT-500

 

[3nickles]

Here's a picture showing my elevated stove. You can see the trim flange stops and does not continue on to meet the bottom of the hearth.

 

[3nickles]

another one

 

[begreen]

FYI, many surrounds just use metal picture frame stock. That is what appears to be around this stove. It is a lot cheaper and faster to have two custom pieces made to length to finish off your stove.

 

[3nickles]

You know. It does look like a metal picture frame. Thanks BeGreen. I gotta wait for the new parts from the MFG thought because their changing out the black metal trim to Brushed nickel. I paid extra for the matching brush nickel door inserts and grill as well. Hopefully that will break up all the monotony of the flat black on the stove!

I hope everything goes right, especially seeing I'm paying the extra 85 bucks to have the extra pieces custom cut

 

[Homefire]

Pay your bill or do it yourself!

 

[seaken]

I agree that charges should be discussed and agreed upon prior to the job. However, I can't tell in this instance if the custom trim work was part of the original deal. I am not trying to be difficult or take sides. But it seems to me that the decision to customize the panels was made after the install was finished. In that case, there is room for negotiating an additional charge for that customization. If the dealer said something like "it will look just like this picture" and said any panel work was included then you should not have to pay. But if the results with the standard panels was not negotiated ahead of time then I can understand why the dealer may be asking for you to share the cost.

I have learned to discuss the panels in detail and measure carefully ahead of time. Every fireplace is different and there are usually only two or three panel choices for each insert. Manufacturers usually do not supply panels that may be customized on site for your fireplace. So, we always discuss it ahead of time and give the customer the option of paying for custom panel work or accepting what the manufacturer provides. This is where the dealer here has made his mistake. He may have a legitimate reason to be charging for custom work, or he may not. But it should have been discussed ahead of time and detailed in the installation contract.

 

[seaken]

Pay your bill or do it yourself!

I share this sentiment and have muttered such things under my breath many times. However, customer relations requires me to be more diplomatic and to try to head off simple misunderstandings before they come up. It is hard. Communication between buyer and seller is often messed up accidentally by either party and then there is acrimony and poor feelings. I think it's better to try and keep the good feelings whenever possible (although sometimes its not worth the trouble depending on who we're dealing with) and try to get the customer to see my side of the issue without insisting that I am right. Most of the time we can agree that mistakes come from both sides.

I had a situation recently that illustrates how difficult it is charge a customer for something they think should be free. In this case the stove had a defect in the enamel surface and the customer called me to look at it after two years had passed from the time of installation. I agreed that the enamel surface appeared to be defective and suggested that we submit a claim to the manufacturer. We reviewed the warranty together and decided that we would have to wait and see how the manufacturer would respond before we could say for sure if there would be a cost to replace the cast panels in question. The warranty specifically states that the enamel is not warrantied, however the stove is warrantied for defects in material and workmanship. I told him I would submit the warranty and request the parts and labor re-imbursement. I reviewed with him the option to have the work done on site or to have the stove brought into the shop. I pointed out that the warrnty does not cover the travel and delivery charges and asked him if he would agree to pay a small travel charge to do the work on site. As expected, they objected and maintained that they should not have to pay anything to fix the defect. In the end I agreed to do the work for no cost but asked them if I could defer the work until after the busy season. They agreed.

All manufacturer warranties are similar and they almost always exclude the travel expenses of the technicians or freight charges. But the bottom line is that customers do not want to pay to fix a defect. What's more important, getting the travel charge or keeping a satisfied customer? I could say, pay my travel charge or do it yourself. But that damages my relationship. So, I try to negotiate a reasonable compromise. I also have learned to discuss the warranty ahead of time and get a feel for how the customer will respond to the standard practice of charging for travel. We specifically state the warranty in our installation contract and all of our customers agree to the terms ahead of time. But that doesn't prevent the customer from thinking they should get warranty service for free. But, it does leave room for negotiation.

 

[3nickles]

Wouldn't disagree with any of that really if there was something serious wrong with the stove. That's why I'm probably going to end up just paying the 82 bucks for trip or whatever. I do feel there was a mistake on the dealers part. They have installed those type of stoves before and should have know what came with it and how it was going to fit in my particular fireplace: they did come out and assess the fireplace prior to install.

I do agree that being up front with the customer regarding mistakes and travel charges etc. is a must, but in my case it came completely after the fact and on-site, which is why I was rather upset.

Hopefully the parts will come in soon and I can get the stove install looking nice and finished

 

[fastrac]

What type of a stove is that

 

[seaken]

Wouldn't disagree with any of that really if there was something serious wrong with the stove. That's why I'm probably going to end up just paying the 82 bucks for trip or whatever. I do feel there was a mistake on the dealers part. They have installed those type of stoves before and should have know what came with it and how it was going to fit in my particular fireplace: they did come out and assess the fireplace prior to install.

I do agree that being up front with the customer regarding mistakes and travel charges etc. is a must, but in my case it came completely after the fact and on-site, which is why I was rather upset.

Hopefully the parts will come in soon and I can get the stove install looking nice and finished

I agree with you. ANd this is why we do an on-site check of every job before we close the deal. This, of course, raises our costs. We sell at higher prices to compensate us for our increased level of responsibility. In our shop, we will take the blame for that and you will not be billed. But it also means that we are a little slower and a little more expensive than the other shops who just make the sale and then do the job blind. It sounds like your dealer is still learning how to pay for a better level of service. It is hard. We should be charging more than we do but we have to remain competitive. And we are not perfect. We screw up every once in awhile and we end up eating the costs. But we are doing this because we believe it will pay off in the long run - if we can weather the storm (of increasingly demanding clients) and the learning curve.

But honestly, from reading the comments of many consumers here it seems that many customers want perfection but will not pay higher prices to help make that happen. I feel for the guy who makes a mistake with his mouth but cannot get any consideration for being human. I appreciate the customer who understands that we are human and will accept an additional fair charge for something we missed by accident At the same time I feel for the customer who has been mislead by an unscrupulous dealer who cares more about making his profit than he does about his relationships.