VERN DALE'S WATER CENTER

.

To begin I showed the installer where the unit was to be placed. He got started and began drilling a hole using a forstner bit that was designed for wood working, not rough in construction like drilling through a 2x6. He was burning a whole through the wood versus drilling a whole. I asked him if he wanted my spade drill bit. He accepted and when I asked him why he was using the wrong type of drill bit he replied "I only have tools that were left behind by another installer". Further holes were needed to be drilled through white laminate cabinets. After he splintered one hole I explained to him how to properly drill through the laminate from both sides to make a cleaner finished hole. Okay, I figured that was the worst it was going to get.Little did I know that I was just in for a long day. I went back into the other room when he was finishing up the plumbing portion of the job. I came back in and where he soldered the pipes he had scorched the laminate and had black on the sides of them. When he was starting to drill the upper cabinet I asked him if he wanted to use my hole saw so he would damage them. He again said he would since he didn't have tools to do his job. (SISH) I was beginning to think that I had some guy running a fly by night operation. He ran the drain line above the suspended ceiling, across the room and down into the sump pump hole. I explained to him that the sump pump hole had a sealed cover on it because we have a radon gas mitigation system installed. Therefore when he runs the drain line he will need to seal it with caulk to prevent gases from leaking out. After he moved the tiles and tried to put them back in place several were broken and he had black hand prints all over the walls. He said he would replace the tiles that were broken. I mentioned I had a few extra in the utility room. AFter examining the sump pump drain I noticed he has plumbers putty packed around it. I mentioned that that would not work and I pulled off all of it and opened up a tube of caulk. Again I asked why he didn't use caulk, the reply was "I don't have what I need". Hate to say it but the reoccurring theme of not having the right tools to do the job. All I could think about was there was a Home Depot around the corner. Go and get what you need if for no other reason than to make the job easier and professional looking. Oh yea I was about to offer him his plumbers putty to fill plumbers crack that I saw one time to many. When he was wrapping up I mentioned he could use my shop vac to clean up. He swept up the big pieces but still left dust and debris on some hats and chunks of broken tile on the floor. I paid the man, reluctantly. After he left and I looked at the bill I thought to myself I paid for a quality job to be done and I expect nothing less. I called their office and explained my dissatisfaction. They sent the installer back out, he replied I guess I forgot a few things. I explained that my expectations are that when he is done with the job, my house should be in the same condition as when he walked in. I left the area for awhile and came back to see what progress was being made. The holes in the tile looked like rodents chewed the holes and the tiles he tried to replace looked like he cut them with a rock. They were nasty and didn't fit. Guess what I asked him again? "Don't you have a utility knife to cut the tiles?" he replied "Nope all I got is a pocket knife because I don't have the tools I need to do the work". He was trying to clean the walls with a dirty rag that was just smearing the black hand prints. GRRRRR I walked away and returned a few minutes later. He was no where around. Not a hey i'll be back, nothing. Just walked out the door at some point. The folllowing day Mike came out to look at the work and the mess left behind. He apologized and I explained that I had to get to work and couldn't hang around. Two hours later he cleaned up the hand prints, started sweeping up when I said I have to get to work, Mike said that he would speak with Vern and share pictures with him. He would be back at the office around 2 or so to find out what and when they would be back to finish repairing the damaged tiles. Oh also I have holes in the drywall where he tack the drain pipe to the wall after I suggested the pipe didn't look good flopping against the wall. We also have a nice cover that goes against the wall to cover up the sump pump and radon mitigation system. It doesn't fit now because he didn't account for it when he ran the hose. I am not happy with where we are at this stage. I will update when they return and let me know how the issues are going to be resolved.

I'll keep you posted on next week's appointment.

We thought the service was professional and courteous. The cost was a pleasant surprise. Everyting works as expected.

They were good.

VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE SALESMAN, ON TIME AND VERY POLITE.