-KELLER/CRAFT FENCE DIVISION

We quickly realized that Gene is the son of the founder who has retired since installing my neighbor's excellent-quality gate many years ago. The wife of the founder, Helen, remains involved in the business administratively but unfortunately she doesn't get out in the field much anymore. The company is no longer the top-quality competitor that they apparently once were. The job was a nightmare from start to finish, literally. Gene told me the job should be complete in about 2 weeks by his crew of 3 men including himself. The first installation involved the fence panels and gate posts, then they would return several days later after the posts had set in the concrete to install the gate. Screwup #1 -- The fence panels did not line up to create a straight line on either side of the eventual gate. And by crooked, I mean off by 6" or more. And set in concrete. I called Gene. They were to return later that week. Screwup #2 -- They didn't return until the following week after I finally had to email asking when they would return. When they came back out, my husband came home from his office to oversee their work because we figured if they screwed up this bad this early on, it wasn't a good sign. They adjusted the bolted ends of the fence panels, NOT the concrete posts, so the panels were in a straight line (after having been bent) but didn't make a 90 degree angle at the wall to which it was attached (screwup #3). They proceeded to install the gates when I pointed out that the gates, as indicated in our signed contract, were supposed to have arched tops rather than the flat-topped gates they had brought (screwup #4). They left to re-fabricate the gates. A week later when we hadn't heard anything, I had to reach out to them again to find out when they would return (screwup #5). I specifically requested that the job be completed within a week later since we had a party planned that would necessitate the use of a closed gate. Due to a rain delay followed by their inability to accommodate us even during a dry spell, they failed to complete the job in that time frame (screwup #6). When they returned, my husband again came home from work to oversee the job. They removed the fence panels altogether and re-set them in fast-setting concrete. Then, they installed the gates. Gene said they would return the following day to finish. Unfortunately, the gates did not line up level and parallel with the fence posts (screwup #7) AND the latching mechanism on the gate was installed backwards from what was indicated on the signed contract (screwup #8). They returned the following day to correct and finish. All the repairs that had to be performed on site throughout the job left us with an inferior paint job, so we asked Helen (my husband did not want Gene back out since he was crew chief and the source of the foul-ups) to return with the guys to touch up the paint in multiple areas. The time from contract signing to completion was 7 weeks. We asked Helen for a discount for all the headaches, and she offered what equated to about 10% off.

THEY GAVE A REASONABLE QUOTE, HAVE ALWAYS CALLED BACK AND SHOW UP ON TIME.