Town and Country Remodeling Mitch Steinberg DO NOT HIRE! Parlin, New Jersey

First of all, I am far from eccentric.  We talked to Mitch for approximately three hours one night which included showing us samples of the materials he was going to use.  He also came by one afternoon to look at the front door and windows, hardly hours upon hours.  Our questions were strange?  When a homeowner is spending their hard earned money to fix up their number one asset there are no questions that are strange.  I dont recall asking strange questions about
vinyl siding, doors, and windows.

We gave you a check as is customary when having this type of contractor work performed.  In the state of New Jersey, as in many other states, there is a three day grace period in which we may change our minds for any reason. We are not required to give a reason and we contacted you of our intention within those three days. 

Responsible contractor? If you knew there was a waiting period of three days, why would you order any materials?  That was your decision, not mine.  Applying for permits where?  Not in our town.  What readjusted schedule?  Mitch just left our house, how could he have done all this within three days, did he not have other jobs to do?  We could not have been his only business.

With regards to getting our money back, Mitch did not think we deserved any of it back.  So for almost a month he held our deposit over our heads.  Finally he decided if we wanted some of it back, we had to write a letter to him, using his wording, stating we would not sue him for what he was taking from us.  We wrote three drafts before he accepted one that absolved him of any wrongdoing.  When we contacted the Better Business Bureau and the Middlesex Country (NJ) Prosecutors Office we were told that they could not give us assistance because of the letter/waiver Mitch bullied us into writing.   If we did not give Mitch what he wanted, we may have not recouped any of our money.

He should be thankful that I returned most of his deposit because legally I didn't have to return any of it.  So, in Mitchs eyes customers cant change their mind and if they do he will make sure they pay for it.  Just this sentence alone should describe Mitch as the one who is dishonest, spineless, and unscrupulous.  Maybe after thirty years its time to retire.

This is a case about an eccentric customer who lacks honesty and integrity.

This customer showed a strong desire to do business with my company by interviewing me for hours upon hours on several different occasions. His questions were abnormally strange as he continued to ask details about the job which were out of the ordinary. I gladly and patiently answered all of his questions. Finally, after selecting colors and reviewing every possible detail of the job to the finest degree, he decided to hire me. We wrote up the contract and he gave me a deposit for the custom windows he was ordering. Days later he called me and lied by stating that he had decided not to proceed with the project.

Not until he posted this complaint, more than four years later, did I finally find out what really happened. As he states, he signed a contract with me, which appeared to be in good faith, but continued to get other estimates. This action although legal, shows a lack of respect and character, as I was mislead into thinking that he sincerely had hired me. Being a responsible contractor, I ordered his windows, started applying for permits, and readjusted my schedule in order to complete his job within the time frame that I had promised. He didn't have the nerve or the decency to tell me the truth. Instead, he through me under the bus and hired someone else in order to save a few bucks.

The law in New Jersey clearly states that if you wish to cancel a home improvement contract you must notify the contractor in writing within three business days of signing the contract. This customer failed to do so. He admits that he sent me a certified letter which was picked up seventeen days after the contract was signed. His actions made it necessary for me to cancel his custom windows, for which there was a penalty. He incurred a fee for that and for wasting my time.

When he contacted both the Better Business Bureau and the Middlesex Country (NJ) Prosecutors Office he could not get any assistance from either of them. That is because after reviewing what had happened they decided that since I did nothing wrong HE HAD NO CASE. He should be thankful that I returned most of his deposit because legally I didn't have to return any of it.

Fortunately, in my thirty years of being in business, I am usually able to detect a dishonest, spineless, unscrupulous customer and can gracefully shy away from a job. This one almost got the best of me.