Home Depot Terrible Workmanship! Customer Service Non-Existant! Wrong SIZE DBL PANE WINDOWS w/triple caulking! LEFT A MESS! Ripoff Atlanta Vacaville California

My name is Stephanie with Home Depot Customer Care.  First, I would like to apologize to our original customer that posted this report in 2007. I hope that you were finally able to get your issue resolved.

Second, to Mel who posted a reply on 4/28/10, I'm sorry about your experience with us. I would like to offer my help. Feel free to email me at stephanie_care@homedepot.com with more details so I can look into this for you.

Thanks,

Stephanie, Home Depot Customer Care

I can't tell you how much my current situation with Home Depot At Home Services in Santa Fe Springs, CA is similar to yours. They installed windows and promised in writing not to remove existing wood. Well, they did. At least I had it in writing.  They've offered sub-standard attempts to fix it, lied to me, tried to convince me that it was impossible to fix, and now it seems that they didn't even pull the permit- and frankly, all the other window installers that were here to look at the job have said that these windows that they installed are not going to pass the permit process. They never responded in writing, lied to me and wasted my time.... I've gotten to the point that I, too, refuse to have any communication other than in writing with them. After so much time and energy spent into this, I will likely pursue the same avenues that you have done.

Were you successful? I am only at the point of writing a letter to corporate to let them know of this mess.

Let me explain something here. I installed the windows. Thia and her girlfriend were there when i went to install the windows completly drunk at 10:00 yapping in my ear about being married 3 times and being rock groupies sleeping with members of lynryd skynrd or whatever. Sexually harasing me and making it uncompfortable to be there. for example i was putting in her "RED-NECK Picture window" Now mind you im 6'3 225 pounds so I can put these in by myself its not hard. (not sure if the crue thing is true but i think she was more disappointed that there werent more guys with me to flirt with honestly. even the air condition guy that came by wished me luck with them when he left) I Had my pelvick against the glass hugging the window (6040) using my hip to set the bottom in the frame of the old window from the outside. Meanwhile thia and her girlfriend were standing on the inside watching (still drinking) makeing rude comments like "oh baby i like that" "Is there anything else you can do with that motion". "And Is That caulk only good for windows". (Her husband must be proud)So yea ill be honest when I found out the windows were to small to cover up the aluminum frame I caulked them so you couldnt see the old frame. They fit the opening properly it was just that the existing aluminum outside was not covered by a 1/4 inch around the new window. So i caulked them in from the outside and told her she would have to touch up the caulking and trim with paint. But that the window was Sealed. When the rep for the window company came out to check the work said the only thing i shouldnt have done was put a screw in the top part of the window.

Bottom line is im not sure there was anyway to make this lady happy Well (Maybe one Can you say Kingpin "time to pay the rent")and now she will be consumed with anger over a simple matter that could have been handle like adults. 49 year old women making sexual enuendous to a 32 year old is not the way to handle anything. So forgive me for wanting to get the HELL out of there.

These are "retrofit". Unsure if "new construction" would have been that different. I was informed by the store that the guy who installed my windows was their ONLY installer in this area. He showed up by himself after we were told a crew would be out to do the work and only spent about 3 hrs at my house as he had 2 other jobs for the same day. He wouldn't have finished even if everything had been sent correctly.

I've looked into it and it's a common practice with the larger companies. The installer will "book" like 3-4 jobs for the day, even if he doesn't finish, if he starts and gets someone to sign off on whatever they partially complete that day they get credit for it. Then you're looking at another day off to get it finished.

were the windows retro fit or new construction?

I've come to much the same conclusion, small claims is where this will, most likely, be resolved.

Working for a major corporation myself I had a slight advantage. I paid attention to time limits and sent everything express mail/return receipt requested, and didn't sign anything the installer tried to hand me knowing that signs away my rights.

My only regret is not having the ability to impart some of that knowledge to others on a grander scale. Home Depot and companies like them..."Satisfaction Guaranteed - unless it's inconvenient"....would have to tend to customer satisfaction or go out of business.

My new motto is: Go with the local guy with the contractor's license number on his business card or advertisement! Get referrals from friends or associates! Don't trust large corporations!

With your last response about Home Depot it seems that your on the right track. I had an issue with Home Depot with a roof installation that went on for 11 months. In the end, I filed a claim in small claims court. That starts the clock running and they have no choice but to respond. In fact, I don't think that anybody I dealt with actually had the decision making power to actually solve the problem correctly. I had the same issues you seem to have: no permit, bad contractor's, company stone walling, alot of my own time invested, and company representatives telling me I don't know what I'm talking about - and I knew when I was being lied to. I was actually a licensed contractor years ago. When I asked to see the representatives license non was available. I learned from this process that the warranty is only good if the company try's to honor it. As for contacting the various governmental boards, etc. I have found them just as bad. They really don't have much insentive to help you and remember, Home Depot pays alot in taxes. In the end, the small claims case resulted in a call from their insurance representative offering to settle 3 days before the court date in exchange for me dismissing my case. It is a pity really that with the pictures I had, the only thing that forced their hand was the impending court date and the record it would create.

Since my last posting I've been in contact with Home Depot's Zone Services Manager. He is quite a nice man. He first came out and took pictures of the work done by their subcontractor without judgment or opinion as to the quality of the work done. On his second appearance he came with one of Home Depot's Services Licensing Managers who seemed to believe the work was improperly done (measurements were taken). Two days later he phones and tells me he needs to come back out and take more measurements.

While he was taking those measurements he endeavored to tell me that the Jeldwen windows were correct for the measurements per the store guidelines, as they only have a 1 7/8 fin it would be expected that the metal casing would show and of caulking is within tolerance, we should have ordered different windows as we needed a 2 1/2" fin.

Somehow I feel the $50.00 charge we paid to have someone come out and do our measurements would indicate that some kind of recommendation would have been made to that effect when the measurements were taken. It is impossible to tell by Home Depot's samples, and without professional knowledge of window installation, how those windows would look when installed. Not to mention that many areas are in excess of of caulking, my front picture window is not centered, the bathroom window is well over of caulking all the way around, the installer cracked the top frame on the side living room window, there's excessive caulking smeared all over the painted wood trim in front and excessively applied to the area surrounding the other 2 windows. I have other windows that are retrofit which glaringly expose the poor workmanship and quality of the ones their subcontractor installed.

The Zone Services Manager offered to piecemeal a fix for the issue, which I declined. He stated that he couldn't take the windows back. I asked him to leave and I'm currently pursuing my complaint with the California Contractor's Licensing Board. According to their return correspondence it should take about 4-6 weeks from 04/10/2007 for them to begin their investigation.

On April 19th, 2007 the Zone Services Manager called and now wants to come to my house with the representative from the window manufacturer, Jeldwen. I do not understand how he will be able to resolve the damage and mess left by Home Depot's subcontractor nor do I understand how anything he will say would convince me that, excessive use of caulking and metal showing around the installed windows, is acceptable. I'm allowing this as a courtesy, as I don't want to seem unreasonable.

I've endured numerous invasions of my home, taken time off work, and away from my bed while healing from surgery, to be reasonable thus far.

After the formality, of having the manufacturing representative try and tell me that I'm incapable of knowing what properly installed windows should look like, I will permit no further access to my property by Home Depot Inc or it's representatives.

The request(s) I am making, for resolution of this complaint, are as follows:

1) Written, detailed, permission (on Home Depot Inc letterhead signed by a corporate officer) to allow American Window Systems of Napa to remove these unacceptable windows so that I may have American Window Systems put in correct windows.

2) I will notify anyone Home Depot specifies, 7 days in advance, of the date of work to be performed/completed. I will retain said windows in my garage for not more then 7 days after that date for a representative to pick them up on a date mutually agreed upon within that 7 days.

3) If the windows aren't picked up, in that 7 day period, I will dispose of said windows and charge storage ($30.00 per day), hauling, and disposal fees to Home Depot Inc along with all costs in relation to this complaint, including but not limited to clean up/repair of damage inflicted by Home Depot's subcontractor, postage fees in relation to this complaint, and an hourly rate for my time used to resolve this complaint equal to the rate paid to me by my employer.

4) If the windows are picked up within the 7 day time period I will only require reimbursement for the clean up/repair of damage inflicted by Home Depot's subcontractor and postage fees in relation to this complaint.

5) I will submit supporting receipts for said costs incurred within 30 days of the work completion date noted in #2 above. I will expect said reimbursement within 30 days of that submission or I will file with small claims court to recover all costs in relation to this complaint including, but not limited to, clean up/repair of damage inflicted by your subcontractor, postage fees in relation to this complaint, court filing fees, and an hourly rate for my time used to resolve this complaint equal to the rate paid to me by my employer.

6) Home Depot Inc will approve the disputed amount of $3035.50 that I filed, which was accepted by your credit services as of 04/04/2007, and will cooperate fully to insure that amount is not charged to my account.

7) Reimbursement of work permits fees that were not performed by Home Depot per contract.

8) Any, and all, future communications between Home Depot Inc and I, will henceforth be in writing. Either to my email address or to my home address.

These are my conditions after the time, aggravation, and effort I've had to expend due to Home Depot's subcontractors, store representatives, and others inability to perform the contracted work to code or satisfaction. I've endured insults, being lied to, bureaucratic blockade, and additional personal expenditure.

I've also found that the work permits required, and contracted that you were to supply, per the contract, were never procured. (see #8 above)

If I have no written return communication within 10 days, of the date of this letter, I will take Home Depot's silence as denial of this proposal and no further communications between Home Depot Inc and I, outside the legal arena, will be accepted or acted upon, and I'll pursue reimbursement of all costs thru the California Contractor's Licensing Board and against Home Depot's BOND.

A letter has been sent today via registered/ return receipt requested thru the USPS to Home Depot's corporate headquarters in Atlanta, GA (much the same as posted here with deleted names, addresses, and contact information provided)and I will hand a copy to the Zone Services Manager, while he is here on April 25th, 2007.

This is intended as a proposed settlement and, if accepted in whole, there will be no further action taken on my part. Nor will any admission of wrongdoing be required on Home Depot's part.

Well, they got my complaint to the BBB and "poof" a corporate rep calls me from near here to come and see my windows. He took a mostly neutral stance and took lots of pictures. Then yesterday, April 9th, he calls and says he's coming with a "Services Licensing Manager" who's more of an "expert" in this area. They just left, and his comments seem to support the fact that I was right. These were done REALLY wrong! Not letting go of the California Contractors Licensing Board complaint yet.

Waiting to see what happens next.

As for the person who wrote a rebuttal. I'm so happy you had a good experience with HD. However, after combing the internet and talking to neighbors...you are one of the "lucky" few.

That you originally received from Home Depot when you had the work contracted. This paperwork should provide you with contact information regarding your install. It should also have the guarantee/warranty included for the work performed on your home. I just recently had work done through our local HD, and I have to admit that I'm very happy with the work that was done by the contractors that were subcontracted to them. My guys were beyond professional, and the job that they did was wonderful (carpeting install). I was given the name of my contracting crew, and the contact information to talk to them. The contact manager at HD was very helpful, and provided me with any information that I requested, and I received 2 follow up contacts regarding the install.

I hope that you get resolution to your install, through HD. It's really sad that the quality of work shown differs so drastically from store to store. You might also want to inquire as to which company does the follow ups on the installs and file a complaint with them. Good Luck, and keep us updated on any progress.

That you originally received from Home Depot when you had the work contracted. This paperwork should provide you with contact information regarding your install. It should also have the guarantee/warranty included for the work performed on your home. I just recently had work done through our local HD, and I have to admit that I'm very happy with the work that was done by the contractors that were subcontracted to them. My guys were beyond professional, and the job that they did was wonderful (carpeting install). I was given the name of my contracting crew, and the contact information to talk to them. The contact manager at HD was very helpful, and provided me with any information that I requested, and I received 2 follow up contacts regarding the install.

I hope that you get resolution to your install, through HD. It's really sad that the quality of work shown differs so drastically from store to store. You might also want to inquire as to which company does the follow ups on the installs and file a complaint with them. Good Luck, and keep us updated on any progress.

That you originally received from Home Depot when you had the work contracted. This paperwork should provide you with contact information regarding your install. It should also have the guarantee/warranty included for the work performed on your home. I just recently had work done through our local HD, and I have to admit that I'm very happy with the work that was done by the contractors that were subcontracted to them. My guys were beyond professional, and the job that they did was wonderful (carpeting install). I was given the name of my contracting crew, and the contact information to talk to them. The contact manager at HD was very helpful, and provided me with any information that I requested, and I received 2 follow up contacts regarding the install.

I hope that you get resolution to your install, through HD. It's really sad that the quality of work shown differs so drastically from store to store. You might also want to inquire as to which company does the follow ups on the installs and file a complaint with them. Good Luck, and keep us updated on any progress.

That you originally received from Home Depot when you had the work contracted. This paperwork should provide you with contact information regarding your install. It should also have the guarantee/warranty included for the work performed on your home. I just recently had work done through our local HD, and I have to admit that I'm very happy with the work that was done by the contractors that were subcontracted to them. My guys were beyond professional, and the job that they did was wonderful (carpeting install). I was given the name of my contracting crew, and the contact information to talk to them. The contact manager at HD was very helpful, and provided me with any information that I requested, and I received 2 follow up contacts regarding the install.

I hope that you get resolution to your install, through HD. It's really sad that the quality of work shown differs so drastically from store to store. You might also want to inquire as to which company does the follow ups on the installs and file a complaint with them. Good Luck, and keep us updated on any progress.

well, I've had 2 contractors look at the work Home Depot did, they couldn't believe it. I disputed the credit card entry and submitted a complaint to the California Contractor's Licensing Board. I've sent a registered letter to the corporate headquarters complete with a couple photos. I've contacted 3 News Stations who have replied that Home Depot has "stone-walled" them on their attempts for other consumers.

The bright spot is I prevented 4 people, so far, from doing buisness at Home Depot in 3 states, and warned many others in 7 states. Hoping my photos will show up here soon. Seems no body is really interrested in my cruisade.