Chesterfield Awning Co

Great. They no longer manufacture this type of awning, and the one I needed to be restrung was 40 years old. Dave, the owner explained some of the problems they may encounter with a product this old. Pre-payment was required. Then Sharon scheduled my appt and technicians Jose and his trainee came and gently treated "the old lady" and re-strung it with new nylon cord and it works great. Rolls up effortlessly. The whole experience was professional, timely and courteous. This is why they have been in business since 1958. Now when bad weather rolls in I have no worries about rolling up the awning.

We are very happy with our experience with Chesterfield Awning Co., & would definitely recommend them.

After 4 days, I called and left a message. Then 3 days later I called again and he said he was glad I called as he was so swamped and would get a repair quote out to me within a day or two. After another 2 days, I again called and told the receptionist I was waiting for a quote. She put Dave on the phone and he told me he would send out the quote asap. I did get the quote via email, however it was only for a new one. I called him back and he said it probably would not work as it could be too bulky, etc. I truly believe he had no intention of repairing my awning but was just looking for a quick new sale. I would be weary of buying anything from them based on the lack of responsiveness and apparent truthfulness of this company.

They were quick and efficient even though it was bitter cold outside. The wind enclosure is an amazing feat of craftsmanship.

They are the best. The cost wasn't bad at all. Their professionalism, and prices stand out.

An open letter about my Chesterfield Awning saga On April 22 I called Chesterfield Awning Company to come measure for installation for a new awning to replace my old Chesterfield Awning which had been taken down last fall due to a broken extension mechanism. The receptionist was very nice (and continued to be throughout the whole ordeal) and said she would have the salesman call me to set up an appointment. A bit of background- the retractable canvas awning we were replacing after ten years had been made by Chesterfield and we have two other awnings that were fabricated by them. I didn’t even think about calling anyone else because we had been so happy over the years with our prior purchases and even recommended them to neighbors who, like us, have south facing decks with outrageous heat and sun in the summer. We literally couldn’t use our deck in the daytime without our awning. The salesman Ed Ritzema called and set up an appointment on April 24th- as I asked him to get here as soon as possible because of the deck not being useable until we had the new awning installed. He showed up on the 24th carting sample books and I was ready to go- I picked out a style and then (this is the “had I but known” part of the story) he balked at taking my deposit saying that this awning came only in restricted fabrics and he would have to check with his “production guys” to make sure he had the right fabric choices for me and therefore the right pricing. He told me he would get back to me early the next week and set up something for me to pick from the appropriate fabric choices. I told him I knew that things took time for production so I wanted to order this before I left for a vacation out of the country. The next week came and I didn’t hear from him on Monday or Tuesday and given the time frame I was working with I was concerned so I called and got what I would term the bum’s rush until I got a bit huffy him reminding him that he had told me HE WOULD CALL ME. By this point we were already in the second week of the “ordering process” (as it became). He said he still hadn’t had a chance to get with “the guys” because he was sooo busy (and oh by the way had taken a few days off) I had his cell phone so I started texting him and he finally committed to coming again with the fabrics and to “LET ME ORDER” a new awning. He came the second time for the “fitting” and a 4550 deposit on my order on May 6th – he assured me I didn’t need to be all worried about the production time because this particular awning wasn’t made in house and the place they ordered them from was “really fast turnaround” a week or so from when the order was placed. So I left the country thinking my order was placed on 5/6/14 upon my one half deposit of 4550 and I would have merely to set up an installation appointment when I returned- I was SOOOOOO WRONG! When I returned on 5/27, I called immediately to 1.cnfirm my awning had been ordered and 2. Set up an installation date…. And I mean immediately – the afternoon I got off my flight from France I was on the phone- (remember the south facing deck is completely day time unusable without shade) And gee- OLE Ed Ritzema tells me – no it hasn’t been ordered (NOW THREE WEEKS after my deposit and my understanding that I had ordered an awning) THREE WEEKS (delayed THREE WEEKS ALREADY) so needless to say I was angry. Ole Ed Ritzema tells me he needs to do some more measuring- --seriously? Why hadn’t he called to for more measuring in the nine days in between the 6th of May when he took my 4550 and the 15th of May when I left the country for ten days (somehow he might have been able to squeeze in the additional measuring in those nine days – but NO he waited until I CALLED HIM (again) and told me it hadn’t been ordered…. I again expressed my concern about the timing and was again assured that “these folks are quick” – So ON May 28th he comes again with two other guys (both very nice) but really – we are now at appointment THREE –one month and four days after the first appointment - and they still have yet to order an awning – and if you have been keeping track we are now only one day short of FIVE WEEKS since the day I wanted to order and awning and pay for it on 4/24! Can you see steam coming from my ears? He assures me again that this will be ordered by the end of the week and shouldn’t take much more than a week for the company who makes them to get it to Chesterfield and therefore he would still be in his 6 weeks (quoted on the 5/6 order form – IN WRITING) If you have a calendar in front of you – then you know the end of the week is actually 5/30. Six weeks from the 6th of May (a Tuesday) is June 17th (June 18th begins week seven) So because my trust level in Ole Ed Ritzema has plummeted to single digit numbers, I text him on Monday June 2nd to inquire if the order had been placed like he said it would be LAST WEEK…..I hear nothing from him until a VM message of 6/4 where he tells me the order was placed the day before! By now you won’t be surprised to hear that it hadn’t been placed as Ole Ed Ritzema had promised – I reminded him that despite his last assertion that he would meet the six weeks from 5/6 (which he claimed was the week of the 23rd but I pointed out to him was actually June 17th ) it wasn’t looking too promising since we still at June 2nd didn’t have a verified order despite having my 4550 from 5/6/14 onward and my repeated calls attempting to light a fire under Ole Ed Ritzema… I called the shop when he stopped answering my texts (and yes I was getting testy about the whole thing) because I knew in April there was production time and that is why I wanted to order it on the FIRST APPOINTMENT for measuring on APRIL 24TH!!!!! The long suffering receptionist (poor thing has other Ole Ed clients to deal with I am sure) listened carefully to my concerns and put me through to Don the installation manager- who was also very nice and on June 13th he called me and we set up an installation date of June 25th 12 days later- So on the morning on June 24th I called to verify the time and to find out just what I would need to do to prepare for the installation – and I spoke with the lovely receptionist who told me she would track down Don and he would get back to me- I have to admit I finally TOTALLY LOST IT when he said it would be another week (well actually he didn’t really say that he said he would make an appointment for July 1 but he didn’t say it would actually be completed July 1) I was in tears – I have a large outdoor party planned for 4PM for the 4th of July and I had repeatedly told Ole Ed Ritzema that I absolutely needed the awning before that to which he kept telling me – this company we get these from works fast they ship them to us in just days- And here is what I have to say about that – ED RITZEMA is a LIAR! No actually he is an incompetent LIAR Three appointments and three guys to measure a deck?????? Later on June 24th I hear from David (who says he is the owner) and who gives me a lot of apologies and excuses about the delay at the company in Germany but I point out to him- that had this been ordered in a timely manner a bit of a delay on the production side would have made NO difference at all- this was an Ed Ritzema competency problem. I suggested that perhaps he could have Ed pay for the second half of my awning thinking that might teach him a lesson about customer service and efficiency but he balked and told me he would be sued. Then he said “I should probably fire him” and I laughed ruefully and told him he SHOULD FIRE HIM, but that I knew he wasn’t going to because the guy has been there twenty years (maybe he just getting too old to for the job and that is why he had to come out THREE TIMES to measure for one awning) – The owner and I ended the conversation with him saying he would call back on the 25th with more answers about the time frame. So finally the owner called me and scheduled an installation on the 2nd of July - except he said there were parts missing – they would finish the job later when the parts came in but meantime they would get me AN AWNING for my party (which, while it was very nice of him to ensure that, should NOT have been necessary if Ed Ritzema had timely ordered the awning in the first place) The crew came and did the preliminary install on July 2nd and they were very nice (four of them Tom, Jeff, Jay and ?) It took them basically three hours (12 man hours) which may explain why the thing is so expensive in the first place. They knew they would be back and told me so. They said the shop had talked to Germany and the Germans were SURPRISED to hear parts were missing but then found them in the corner of their shop and were shipping them on 7/2… well must have been on the slow boat because I didn’t get the final installation until 7/18…. Just one week shy of three months – just like Ed Ritzema said 5-6 weeks NOT!!!! We are ALMOST THREE MONTHS from April 24th - my first appointment - where I attempted to buy an awning from this company- I finally have an awning Thank God for social media because I can warn other potential customers to avoid these people like the plague… my yelp reviews and Angie’s list reviews, blog, and any other place I can think of to tell people how Ed Ritzema is both incompetent and a liar- and right about now I am thinking the BBB might also have a forum available to me…

Waited six days for a proposal and I never got it. I called Dave and he told me he had not been able to get with his distributor yet. Not sure what that means. I had two other estimates each one given to me on the day that they came.

could not have been better! quick and easy appt process and free consult; quote on the spot; tons of fabrics in different price ranges to choose from; friendly and professional; reasonable terms with 50 percent down and 50 percent at install; turn around time was quicker than the 6 weeks they estimated - closer to 4. would highly recommend.

I would not say they were horrible, but they were not what I thought they were. Whatever, I've got my awning and it is fine! Their prices are very high.

We called to schedule a visit to receive a quote and they were on time so got the B for Punctuality. However, they came in with the highest quote of the 3 vendors I met with. Given their reviews here I wanted to see if they would come down at all to get my business. They had no interest whatsoever in discussing the matter with me. I should say, the discussed it enough to say absolutely not, we will not budge. I asked for a call back to discuss it with the manager/owner and I'm still waiting for that call.... The two other vendors I met with were friendly and willing to talk over the quote to get my business. I guess Chesterfield is busy enough to not care about you, your wallet or your business. It's also their busy season (maybe explaining the total lack of customer service or drive to attain my dollars), and would only do the work 4-8 weeks out. So, if you want to pay high for uncaring service you have to wait a month or two for, go for it. I, however, expect more from a service provider seeking my business.

They did an excellent job. The awnings hadn't been cleaned in several years so I wasn't sure what to expect. They look brand new. Extremely pleased with the service. Would highly recommend them.

I was satifsied with the salesman and the appointment went well. Unfortunately, the awning color I was hoping for was not offered.

The installation was very early in April when it should have been done in mid-May. However, when I made a note on my payment of my displeasure, they called, apologised and said they would make a note of my request for the future. I didn't have to call them. Last fall the take-down was very late in early to mid November. They said they would make a note of my request for an early October take-down for the future. Chesterfield probably got a lot of new customers when a competitor went out of business so the scheduling problems may be just the normal problems of absorbing a new customer base. I intend to keep using them

Responsive sales team kept appointment, was on time, brought lots of samples for us to choose from, and did detailed measurements and left us with an estimate. We selected the colors and discussed them with our neighbors who were also interested in ordering the same awning (connected townhouses). We called back to place the order for both units and they stopped to pick up a deposit check. The awnings took a little longer than we expected to be made and installed, and we thought the cost was a little high, but the quality is excellent and they look great over our front doors.

Excellent service from start to finish! We submitted a request via their website. A sales person called the next day and set up an appointment. He arrived on time, with plenty of information and fabric samples. He was very nice and knowledgeable and gave us some good tips for what we wanted. We agreed on price, which may seem slightly high but we wanted to cover the entiere deck so it was custom made and fairly large. He estimated delivery and installation in four to six weeks, but they called us in less than four weeks. Three workers came to install the awning. They did a really nice job, were polite, asked my input to set the awning height, and explained how to use the motorized awning. We are very pleased with the awning and have used it both for shade and to be able to sit on the deck in light rain. Great job.

We were very pleased with this company. We used them because they seemed the most professional and they were the lowest bid. We were not disappointed. Aside from the fine awning that they provided and installed, they provided many color samples, good digital proofs of the work for our approval, gave good advice for dealing with the city, caught errors in our wording, and stayed in touch throughout the 1+ month process.

After we called the company a sales rep came to your home on a Sat. We received a price estimate. I said it was a little high and asked for a price concession. The sales rep did come down a little more. Based on our comparative shopping at the leading hardware stores, the price was right. I felt comfortable dealing with them because they were rated high in Angie's list. We went with the deal and put down a deposit. At the estimated time they quoted (about 6 weeks) the awning was ready. They called and said they were ready to install. I said I could not be home that day, but they said me being home was not necessary. I came home and the awning was installed. We feel it was done right the first time. They left a bill for the remainder of the price, and we paid the bill. Very happy customer.

Unfortunately, this company didn't have a the style I was looking for, otherwise I would have used them in a second. The salesperson was extremely nice, informative, helpful. Sent swatches through the mail since it was hard for me to meet. Will go to them for future needs.

Excellent. Within about two weeks after making my deposit, the awning was made and installed. I didn't have to be at home when the installers came. I simply left them a check and the installation was perfect. Chesterfield also is in Palos Heights, Willowbrook and has subsidiaries in Chicago and Oak Park.

My initial call to request an appointment was handled nicely and professionally. I did call back to reschedule, and that was handled professionally as well. The salesman, Russell, was prompt and knowledgeable. He had records from when the awning over my front door was installed (by a previous homeowner) and was able to tell me details about the fabric and style. This really helped in selecting new fabric. He was also helpful in recommending a style of awning to install over the side door. He stated that they were running about five weeks for installation. He wrote up the order and I made a 50% deposit. A crew came out about a week or so later to confirm measurements for the awnings. A representative from the company called a day before the installation. The installation was about four to five weeks after the initial order. The installers did a nice job and adjusted/improved how the awning over the front door was installed. They were pleasant and worked quickly.

I think the pricing is fine as well as the quality. Their work is excellent, I can call them once a year to check and replace what is needed. Their punctuality and responsiveness is like few I have seen. They are good people.

Ed, my salesman, arrived promptly for an appointment to measure and give me an estimate. I was quoted a price and delivery of 3-4 weeks. I placed an order with 50% deposit. The contract stated delivery of 5-6 weeks. After several phone calls to check on the schedule, the awnings were installed 8 weeks after the order was placed, but the gutter on the front awning was not installed. I called to report the problem 4 days after installation and was told ''it would be taken care of''. 8 days after installation, I noticed that the front awning was scratched and had a small dent one of the wings. 12 days after installation, it rained, and I noticed that the back awning was leaking where it was connected to the house. 14 days after installation, I called to report all of my problems and was put in touch with Howard, the owner. Howard promised to get it all taken care of, and he did, but it took another 23 days-13 1/2 weeks from the order date for all problems to be resolved.

We are very satisfied with the awning. We did have some difficulty with the graphics, but after everything was done we were very happy with it.

THEY WERE VERY PROFESSIONAL, BUT THE COST WAS MUCH TOO HIGH FOR ME.

THE SALES AND SERVICE WERE VERY PROFESSIONAL; HOWEVER THE RESPONSE, FROM SALES, TO A QUESTION AFTER THE ONSITE VISIT WAS SLOW. ONCE THE AGREEMENT WAS FAXED TO THE COMPANY, THEY REMOVED THE EXISTING AWNINGS WITHOUT REQUIRING ANYONE TO BE HOME. THE COMPANY PROVIDED ADVANCED NOTICE OF WHAT DAY THEY WOULD BE ON SITE TO INSTALL THE AWNINGS, AND AGAIN DID NOT REQUIRE ANYONE TO BE HOME.