Sears / Mark Four Home Remodeling (Kitchen Cabinet Refacing)

Sears / Mark Four Home Remodeling (Kitchen Cabinet Refacing)

September 29, 2005 - Business Reply - From: Email User

Response to Complaint from www.pangalacticenterprises.com/new_kitchen.html

This is sent by way of response to the above complaint filed on your site under the heading Sears/Mark Four Home Remodeling (Kitchen Cabinet Refacing).

"We pride ourselves on outstanding customer service and satisfaction and unfortunately in this instance we fell short of that. For that we apologize. However, all service concerns have been completed to the customers satisfaction as of September 24, 2005 as evidenced by her signature on a Satisfaction Certificate. The only outstanding issue at this point is that the customer has not yet paid the balance due and owing despite our attempts to collect same. We are hopeful that the balance will be paid in a timely manner and that this matter can be resolved amicably without having to rely on collection".

Thank you

Mark Four Enterprises, Inc.

A Sears Authorized Contractor

January 29, 2005:

From: http://www.pangalacticenterprises.com/new_kitchen.html The first problem surfaced on day two when the Installer (can't call him a Contractor, as he just didn't live up to anything that grand) discovered that the new countertop had been fabricated in a completely

incorrect shape. The remedy was to have a new countertop fabricated, delaying everything a week. Oh, well. Stuff happens, but an extra week still should have gotten us done before the holiday. New countertop arrives, Installer comes back to finish up (showing up at 4pm rather than 9am as agreed), and at 9pm on a Friday night informs me that he's done and that I need to pay him. A quick inspection shows that there are a couple of details not done, and although I point that out, he requires me to write him a check anyhow. Uh-oh. This rapidly gets uncomfortable as I hesitate. After all, not only is the job not finished, I haven't had any chance to do things like make sure they reconnected the dishwasher correctly. As I'm pointing out these minor concerns, all of a sudden I find that Installer and his buddy/assistant have taken a giant step closer to me and are looking rather unhappy. Hmmmm..... This is not good... Very uncomfortable. Single woman, alone in the house, I write them a check to get them out, and haul myself off to bed figuring I'll deal with it in the morning. In addition to the incomplete details (cove molding not yet replaced, one missing set of door pulls) The next morning I discover: * A sink that won't drain

* Kitchen faucet sprayer-thinggie wrapped around the water supply line under the sink so that it barely pulls out

* Backsplashes (which are the wrong height by 1/2") installed so they recess into the walls

* Sections of backsplash not sealed where they meet the countertop

* Really badly mitred backsplash corners, chipped in some spots, filled in with caulk in other spots

* Pieces of original paneling replaced with raw plywood - badly measured and filled in with more caulk

* A huge chunk of plaster knocked off a wall

* And - the crowning achievement of the Installer: A table saw has been run into my kitchen table, which has been strategically placed in a corner of the breakfast area such that the customer won't see the great gouge until we're long gone, check in hand.

Needless to say, I was on the phone in very short order making my displeasure known. Second call was to the bank to stop payment on the check. Knowing that the whole refacing game is one step away from vinyl siding, I had made a decision to deal with Sears/Mark Four, figuring if all else failed, Sears would stand behind the work. And while they may still do that, if you're reading this from New Jersey, I must sadly report that the local Mark Four folks have utterly failed me. After my initial round of concerns were raised, the Production Manager responsible for my kitchen failed to keep a scheduled appointment to look at the problems. When he didn't show, I called his office and went through several layers of call center to find that he had been called into a meeting. Once I got him on the phone, he was all apologies, and finally showed up

about an hour and a half later. He did agree with me on the issues and we had a fairly lengthy conversation about resolving them, involving replacement of the bad backsplash and remedying most of the other issues, but then I got a 6:30 am call from the Installer about two weeks later asking if he could come out that day to install the cove molding; Installer knew nothing about the conversation I'd had with his boss. Back and forth over several weeks and we finally agreed that Installer would come out today, to finish the job and correct the problems. And sure enough, the phone call came at 8:30: "I'm sorry. My schedule is really messed up. I'll call you later and maybe we can reschedule." Maybe? Why does this not surprise me at all? My only consolation is that I stopped payment on the check very early in the game.

Round Two: Having had no response whatsoever from Mark Four, I finally hunted down a gentleman by the name of Caleb at Sears National Customer Service. After explaining the situation, he called Mark Four on my behalf, and presto! The Project Coordinator starts calling and leaving frantic messages at all my phone numbers. I have to think that she's a fairly confused soul as she simultaneously demands immediate payment for the work because "the job is finished" and insists that her Installer come out that Saturday to finish the job. Huh?

Round Three: It took about 10 days, but I have to assume that my letter to Mark Four hit somebody's inbox. Out of the blue, Caleb at Sears called me back to say that he had Bob on the other line and he wanted to conference him in so that we could resolve things. Hmmm... funny that Bob never bothered to return my call from two weeks earlier. It boggles the mind just how much extra work these people have made for themselves by not addressing problems at the outset... So Bob swears up and down and right and left that the only way to do this is to have his Installer (the same one who caused all the problems in the first place) come back and fix the work. He 'personally

guarantees' that the Installer will keep the scheduled appointment, everything will be done correctly and that I will be happy with the work, or his Installer's '... job will be on the line.'

Round Four (January 29th, 2005): Note the date, folks and bear in mind that we're now FOUR MONTHS into a five-day job. Installer arrives as scheduled. Woo hoo! I am cordial, pleasant and going to great lengths to get this off on the right foot. I bear no ill will towards the Installer personally - I just want this over with: Me: "Good morning, Francisco."

Francisco: "Good morning." Francisco unloads tools and stuff from truck. Me: "Francisco, could we just make sure that Bob explained everything that needs to be done?"

Francisco: "OK" And out comes a piece of paper with notes. Francisco proceeds to look it over, reading out loud as though he's never seen it before. He reads, then looks at the applicable areas of the kitchen and starts

shaking his head. This is not good. Francisco: "I'll replace this piece, but not that one." (points to section of backsplash near the sink that has been chipped, measured incorrectly, taken apart, put together incorrectly, filled in with caulk

in some spots and not sealed at all in others) "It's too hard." Did he really say that? I am stunned. I am also quite clear now that this is not going to be the end of this nightmare. Other choice tidbits: Francisco refuses to mitre the corners on the new backsplash. Francisco debates whether there is a problem with the faucet spray. Francisco insists that my original backsplash was the same height as the

one he installed

Francisco further insists that he installed the new backsplash exactly the way the old one was installed (recessed into the wall) Francisco is shocked at the gouge in my kitchen table and attempts to take the position that I am lying and that he had nothing to do with it Francisco informs me that the only cove molding he will install is that immediately along the runs of cabinets. Never mind what my contract says. I call Bob's cell phone. Repeatedly. Nothing. Called Mark Four. Sorry, we can't do anything on a Saturday. Called Sears National Customer Service. Denise was very pleasant, even talked to her manager, but ultimately got the same response: Sorry, it's Saturday. --

M. Bridget W &#160 Click this link to e-mail the above consumer: Email User Consumer