NU-LOOK UNLIMITED INC

If you're interested in putting a fresh face on your kitchen, DO NOT consider the services of Nu-Look. In September of 2014 my husbandand I entered into a contract with Nu-Look Cabinet Refacing. We explored various options for updating our kitchen and decided the most cost effective method would be to veneer over the existing cabinet structure and install new doors and drawers. We met with Tom Ruff of Nu-Look and signed the contract for $13,725.00 with $1,725.00 down. Work was scheduled to start in early February at the latest and was to last a week. There is a significant amount work to be done to prepare for the workers. All our existing cabinets and drawers need to emptied and we needed to decide how to deal with meals during this time. We were expecting a confirming phone call in the week prior to the anticipated start time. We didn't get one. We called and were told that due to bad weather and employee illnesses the job start date was moved back to the middle of March. Okay, good thing we called. So March 15, or thereabouts, rolls around and the job starts. At that time, the estimate to complete the job went from 5 days to two weeks. Hmmm, okay. Work goes well until the first bit of veneer went up. Wrong color. At that point we were given a discount of $1,000.00 for our inconvenience. Four weeks later the new, correct veneer and doors showed up and work began again. However the they had ordered the wrong drawer fronts. So we waited another four weeks for the correct drawers We're now six weeks into this project from when it was supposed to start and still have at least four weeks to go. After the correct drawers showed up they were missing two so we had to wait for those. Three times over the course when the project actually started we brought to the attention of the installers defects in workmanship that we felt should be corrected. We insisted on visit a by the owner, Tom Ruff, to review our concerns. In every case we were assured that the problems would be corrected. We received a bill for the balance with all of our outstanding issues unresolved and other unfinished work. On or around June 5, 2015 we had our last face to face contact with Nu-Look. Tom Ruff showed up, without calling in advance as we had requested so we could personally air our concerns about the workmanship issues. He was fixing some of the defects we had previously noted. We went through the existing, remaining problems and were told by the him to "?fix then yourselves". When we said we would need to discuss a discount he said "I'll call my brother". When I asked who is brother was and how he figured into this job I was told, "He's my lawyer". Lovely. I have to assume at this point he purposefully didn't call to avoid us pointing out all his mistakes. If we hadn't gone home early he would have been in and out. He was disrespectful and dismissive of our concerns. We had an independent kitchen and bath installer come and review the work and give us his opinion. We've documented more than 20 individual defects in workmanship. Most involve the veneer being shoddily installed. In several places it wasn't glued down and could be easily caught and pulled away. One drawer had been dropped on something and was cracked on the bottom. It was installed anyway. Screws attaching fascia over the sink went in at an angle and cracked the board. The three shelves under our peninsula were done so poorly even Nu-Look agreed and replaced them. The replacements were not up to snuff either. Two doors on the upper cabinets on the north and south walls open at a 90 degree angle to the cabinets on the east wall. They rub. Within three weeks after Nu-Look's last visit we've had four doors fall off because the screws stripped out of the cabinet woodwork. Our guy has given us an estimate to remediate the problems to the tune of $5,600.00. Ouch. So let's go look at the contract and see what it says about workmanship. Under the "Worry-Free Warranty" we have the following: "Should any materials and/or workmanship prove faulty within one year of installation, Nu-Look will, upon notice from the Owner, correct such faults at no additional cost. Installation labor not included." Well obviously notification doesn't work. You know what does work? Nu-Look's lawyer/brother. If we sue and lose we owe Nu-Look's lawyer's fee too. So, they have every incentive to let the legal process take its course. Most people look at the cost of a law suit and shell out the money to avoid additional legal expenses. Your lawyer and theirs. That's our story to date. We have refused to pay the balance on the theory that if we can't get a warranty fix before the first week is out, we probably aren't getting one any time within the warranty period. So, Ruff told his brother on us and we now have a mechanic's lien on the house. We're waiting to see where that goes. Nu-Look's and Tom Ruff's whole attitude is that whatever they do, however poorly done, is proper workmanship and you as the client can't question it. If you do question it, tough, pay up. And if you don't pay up let's not mediate, let's go to court.

unknown

Carpenters arrived on time every day, were very professional and knowledgeable of job at hand. Previous owners of house decided to use 4and quot; nails ever couple of inches on the frame for the soffits, however the carpenters, John and Dave took the time to remove with no damage to ceiling and cabinets. They took great care to retain any of the original integrity of the kitchen. The actual replacement doors and the lamination of the 'frame' turned out to be fantastic the only hiccup was they ran just a little short of crown moulding (I don't think they were given enough in the 'kit' they started with) which required a short trip back to their workshop. What they did to the cabinets along with some countertop work done by 'Charlie the countertop Guy', and a couple of new lighting fixtures gave our kitchen a completely new life which will NOT require much attention for years to come!

They were professional and competent. I would use them again.