Classic Home Systems rip-off Maryland Home Improvement Nightmare

In October my husband and I contracted with Classic Home Systems, P.O. Box 831, Westminster, MD 21158 to install 14 CertainTeed windows in our home. The current phone numbers I have for Classic Home Systems are 410-840-3800 and 410-840-3801. Their MHIC# is supposedly 72733. When we met with the V.P. of marketing at Classic Home Systems, Carlton L. Carroll, he drew up a contract, made a variety of verbal commitments and the deal was done.

We gave him a 1/3 deposit in October of 1999 with an approximate project completion date of December 3rd, 1999. From the time the contract was signed, we were not kept informed as to the progress of the project. We were forced to make repeated calls to Mr. Carroll in order to eventually get 13 of the 14 windows installed around the middle of February. He promptly turned up on our doorstep for another part of our balance due and in my stupidity, I did write him a check for an additional $3500.

The only monies still due Classic Home Systems is for a garden window for my dining room that Mr. Carroll claimed would be ready to install within a week. I have not heard from Mr. Carroll since that time. We call Classic Home Systems on a daily basis and reach the answering machine but no one returns our calls. We have made them aware of a multitude of problems with the windows that ARE done. One window won't open at all. One will not drop down for cleaning. The caulking on many is cracked and needs to be repaired. Many windows do not drop down properly.

We suspect that there is still some factory installed packing material on the windows but hesitate to remove it since we are not "pros" in the window installation business. Two of the windows were installed with ripped screens that we were assured would be replaced when the garden window was put in. The gentleman who did the installation has bored holes into my dining room window in anticipation of installing the garden window so there is existing damage now to that window.

As you can see, this has been a frustrating experience and I do not know how to get Mr. Carroll and Classic Home Systems to honor my contract with them. At this point, if he never comes here again, he has lost nothing and I am left with an inferior installation and an incomplete job. I would appreciate ANY assistance you can give or any advice you can offer to help me with this mess. Thank you very much in advance for you help.

Sincerely,
Denise Wilson
Toadjam966@aol.com