The latest HD story prompted me to write this to show they aren’t the only ones with service problems.
My client, with whom I have a very good working relationship, is selecting the plumbing fixtures from a local prominent plumbing supply house, Fergusons. And she’s paying for the material directly, which many of you hate, but it’s not an issue to me. The project is a remodel, not new construction. Usually she asks me a lot of questions before she does anything, but this time she got caught up in the excitement and made a few decisions on her own. So she shows up at the job site with a 5 page receipt for plumbing parts, and two boxes. She hands me the trim for the master shower and the guest shower/tub, and says the rest of the stuff will be available in a couple of days, and then leaves. When I check on the trim, I discover it won’t fit the existing valves, and I see that she didn’t order new valve bodies. One is close, but the existing master shower is two-handle, and she bought one-handle trim, so I call and ask if she intends to re-tile the shower (of course not). She apologizes and asks me to just fix it. I just want to get the walls closed up, and all I lack is these two holes.
So I call fergusons and get passed around, finally get the girl who typed the order, who is not the sales girl who worked with my client…why two diff people? I explain the problem and tell Emily that I need new valve bodies and new trim, similar style, just be sure it’s chrome. She call back and says the items are in stock, come by any time. I sense a bit of an attitude, cuz Emily just types orders, she doesn’t work with customers.
Went to Fergusons today, first thhing in the morning, and went to the contractors counter (you know, the worn formica counter with free coffee and free popcorn and girlie calendars; not the one with the carpet and soft lighting). 45 minutes later they can only find one box of four, the pretty sharp guy trying to help me has been in a shouting match with Emily cuz she says she doesn’t have time to deal with it, and I’m losing time. Now I know why Emily doesn’t deal with customers. The counter guy suggests that I come back Monday morning and try again. Oh joy.
Do it right, or do it twice.
Replies
Unless a customer just says "I don't care what kind of (faucet, whatever), just put in a new one," I don't see any other way than to let them go somewhere to pick the thing out. There are so many brands and styles. Yes, sometimes, I've had the process go haywire. Don't know how else to handle it, though.
What is it with women and plumbing fixtures, anyway? The client for the bathroom I'm renovating has to buy all her own stuff. Like you, El, I don't have a real hard spot with it, unless of course, something goes wrong. And it invariably does. Yesterday I spent 90 minutes filing a channel in a cultured marble top so the push rod for the pop-up drain would work. Seems she didn't check to see if the faucet would work with the countertop, which it wouldn't (and I thought everything was standardized to prevent this sort of thing.)
But, on the other hand, this is the second bathroom for this client, and there is more on the way, so I can't complain. Well, I can, but guess I won't.
On the plus side, I went to install the medicine cabinet (that the HO bought) and discovered a hole right through it. I called her (she lives in NY, 2.5 hours away) and she's driving up tomorrow to exchange it for another. Of course, if she had let me buy the stuff, I would have been responsible for the condition of the item, and she wouldn't be making an unneccessary round trip to a HD 125miles away.
Alll f this reminds me of the good time I had with a french door set. It is how I learned that I need to handle all the materials myself and make a profit off them.
I designed the place with a six foot pair in one location and a five foot pair in another location. Clearly desingnated on the plans and in the list of materials.
She went shopping.
The saleslady told her that a six foot pair is more common, easier to get, and possibly ( the magic word) cheaper.
Of course, I only learned about the cahnge when delivery day came. In addition to an extra cost for changing the openning size and new header and a wiring move, the doors would not open all the way to lay flat along the wall.. One hits a corner and the other smacks a stair. Had i wanted to go to a 6' pair, it would have been a patio door instead.
I showed her the error of her ways, the options, and the costs. Due to an inability to process the fact that she can't have her cake and eat it too, we installed the one she bought, and she lives in a state of denial..
Excellence is its own reward!
"I showed her the error of her ways, the options, and the costs. Due to an inability to process the fact that she can't have her cake and eat it too, we installed the one she bought, and she lives in a state of denial. "
Been there and seen that, wow, brought back a lot of memories for me (not nice ones). Last person I was employed by was just like that. It was as if, having bought something, (A Big Fun scenario for her) she couldn't face having to deal with it again in any way. Their whole big expensive house is an example of 90% ok, all sorts of things wrong, and an absolute refusal to recognize or deal with any of them
John
What is it with women and plumbing fixtures, anyway?
I don't know but we recently completed a relativly extensive kitchen remodel that all started because the women of the house bought a new faucet... The entire remodel was "based around the faucet" at least that's what she claimed.
For you Neil it is a sign, an omen - be careful who you marry.
I have seen several large remodels revolve around some small item like a microwave or a door or a sink.
So, a few years after you are married and she says, "Honey, I was thinking about changing that..."
Just save yourself some agravation and say, "yes dear, whatever you want"
;)
I'm so funny.
Excellence is its own reward!
well I got this distinct feeling that a few years after I'm married and in my own house, my wife will no longer ask me to start anything new, she'll probably be way to focused on me finishing all other stuff...
You must also realize, that I plan to buy a home in need of extensive re-working... now if I can only bring her on board for that one.. Got any advice?, she's the new and shiny type and the places I've looked at and the times I've shown her what to expect have almost had her in tears. lol
You don't need to buy a fixer upper for that to work. Building new works just as well. Trust me, I'm the master here. In 15 years of marriage, and three houses, we've lived in a finished house for two days.
Andy Engel, The Former Accidental Moderator
Andy,
She claims all she needs is a finished bedroom and bathroom at first and kitchen soon after, I figure I can swing that if I hold onto an apartment for a month or two before moving into a house.
I have this sneaking suspicion that this will all change after we move in, she's not the type to live in a construction site. I tried to tell her I'm an artist and our house will be my canvas, but it didn't fly with her anymore then I believe it.
Neil
Neil, she does know that your shop is the most important thing to finish, doesn't she?Andy Engel, The Former Accidental Moderator
I'm an artist ...and an archytek at the same time? God save the world!Do it right, or do it twice.
Neil
The entire remodel was "based around the faucet
One of the last jobs that I did while working for myself was similar.
I went to install a dishwasher in a kitchen for a friend of a friend. Husband bought it for the wife for xmas.
The floor had been redone so many times I couldnt get the dishwasher under the counter tops. One thing lead to another and the outcome was an 600 sq. ft. addition. New kitchen, dinning area and living area. $85,000 addition, the husband said he would think long and hard next time he tried to make life easier for his wife.
I didnt have to suggest anything, just told them that getting the DW under the cabinets was going to be more difficult than originally thought, they did all the rest.
Doug
No, the real reason for that remodel was because of the orginal gift, the wife was darn pissed about a dishwasher for a x-mass gift the husband had to buy his way out of the dog house.
One expensive mistake if you ask me.
First year we were married, I bought DW a dishwasher. Put the warranty in her stocking. We were at the inlaws house Christmas morning, and she has 4 sisters, all of whom were in some stage of marriage/divorce. And every one shook their head and said there would be hell to pay. I didn't think much about it until a few years later when she bought me a new side-by-side refer for my birthday.
And I didn't know I wanted one!
I never met a tool I didn't like!
This is NOT how Fergusen is supposed to act. And I never heard of this kind of crap from them. Please consider taking your complaint to the manager or the district manager. I believe it will be appreciated. I had a complaint with the service at one this summer. Mentioned it to the manager at a different house. The manager at the offending house called me within 2 hours to track down the complaint. And they acted on my complaint and I got an apology from the offending party within 24 hours.
And he got reprimanded! He deserved it.
I just looked at their web site...I didn't realize they were so big...thought they were just local...maybe a call to corporate would be in order.Do it right, or do it twice.
I agree. NEVER accept that kind of service from a Fergusen.
>This is NOT how Fergusen is supposed to act.
Wellllll, I have a buncha stories about Ferguson worthy of a thread like this, too. It took a whole lotta patience and perseverance to get everything proper with them. My problems were mostly on the billing side--billing for things not delivered and rebilling for things paid. But had wrong products delivered and all kinds of other stuff, too.
Wow! Total different story out west here. I have dealt with around 14 different Fergusens and they all were top notch!
Thanks for your input.