Complaint Review: Southern Comfort Kitchen & Bath - Charlotte North Carolina
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- Author Confirmed
- Southern Comfort Kitchen & Bath 4004 South Boulevard Suite G Charlotte, North Carolina U.S.A.
- Phone: 704-837-2138
- Web:
- Category: Kitchens
Southern Comfort Kitchen & Bath, Granite Counter Rip-Off Charlotte North Carolina
*Author of original report: Southern Discomfort Granite
*Author of original report: Southern Discomfort Granite
*Author of original report: Southern Discomfort Granite
*Author of original report: Southern Discomfort Granite
*REBUTTAL Owner of company: Truth of matter
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The granite business has been described as a long dark hallway through the countertop industry where thieves run free, and good men die like dogs for no good reason.
There's also a negative side.
SoCo Kitchens was contracted to install our granite kitchen counters. We had them do a measurement and an estimate. This was where they tried the first rip-off.
Intead of measuring so there would be two seams behind the stove, where no one would see it, they measure for a big piece which they would cut the stove area out of. They would then charge us for the whole piece, which they could then reuse on another job some where. It would have been big enough for a bathroom counter. As it runs out, the stove we bought needs to go flush against the wall, so there were no seams anyway, the back piece was simply not used. We saw no reduction from the materials we saved them.
That was not a biggie, so we decided to proceed.
When the granite was installed, the contractor pointed out a place where one of the larger slabs had a slight bow in it. He said he had mentioned it to my wife before installing it. My wife says that never happened. I know she would never have okayed that. It resulted in an uneven seem with a lip that you can see and feel. It is in a really obvious place too.
The tiles we had placed on the wall behind the stove were also uneven. There were four that were supposed to be even. The seems did not line up. Also, the top tiles were as to still show the wall color behind them. Too short.
Granite is smoothed and sealed on the bottom, though not polished like the top. We noticed on the largest slab that the bottom had been gournd down over 3/4 of the surface and not repolished or resealed, just rough and dusty and unfinished.
Later we noticed a scratch the went all the way through the seal. There were also scratches on the stainless steel sink. The uneven seam had a gap in the epoxy at the corner too.
Also, when they cut the granite, it was outside and raining. they used our garage. Fine with me, but they never told my wife to move her car. They cut with the blowback pointed directly at the car. There was granite dust everywhere. All over the car. I had to immediately drive it to a car wash to get the abrasive dust off the paint.
Of course that still doesn't get it off every surface of my garage. They could have at least swept afterwards, or put up a plastic barrier around their workspace. Or asked my wife to move her car!
So I call and relay this story to the manager. A thoroughly rude and surly man who cops an attitude the moment I say there were some issues. Not concern that a customer is dissatisfied, but annoyance the now he needs to deal with it.
"Sigh! What are the issues?", in an annoyed tone. I tell him, and he starts talking about pulling it out and giving me a refund. At this point I had not gotten angry yet. That was just his first response. He actually threatened to do it. I said to put in a laminate counter top and leave it as he found it and fine. But he's not leaving me with no coutertops. You'd think any reliable, professional business would be horrified at the prospect of leaving a customer in this situation and be rushing to make it right. Not these people.
After I ripped him a well deserved new one for his unprofessional and unfriendly demeanor, he said he'd have someone look at it Monday.
After a half hour, someone called back to try and smooth over his tirade and said there would be someone there in a half hour. They actually show on time.
After surveying the situation, it is decided that taking it out and redoing it is the only viable solution. It can't be ground down. That would just look worse.
I am not at all confident they can do it without f'ing up my counters. I ask the Mgr if a financial settlement could be reached. I am not just letting it go and paying full price for a half-assed job. He says he'll take 200.00 off. Right.
I tell him not to insult me. We paid almost 4000.00. I said if he forgot the last payment we'd call it square. 1800.00 and change. He laughed and said he wouldn't make any money. I ask how much he'll make tearing out the granite or replacing it.
He said he needed to talk to the big guy and he'd get back with me. No phone calls even after I called back and asked for an update. They know I have plumbers waiting for me to tell them if we're getting the sink hookup and other things held up by this. They just don't seem to care.
We are making arrangements through our credit card company to dispute the entire payment. We're having some other counter specialists come and look at it and write their opinions of the work. Visa is faxing us paper work to facilitate the process. We are taking pictures of all the mistakes.
We had a friend, who went with a company called Panda for their counters. This company tried to get them to pay for extra work that they did not order, and was not needed. We had thought of going with Panda until we heard that. She also had to dispute her bill after Panda charged her an extra 1000.00 I believe it was for the afformentioned extra work.
She received 50% back after the credit card company decided in her favor. Our situation is even more easily proven and demonstrated, and more negligent. We are putting this into action this week. I am confident we will be victorious. If they just would have dome it right.
Stay away from this company. Pay retail and get it done right. Lesson learned, and how.
Stone Blue
Charlotte, North Carolina
U.S.A.
This report was posted on Ripoff Report on 10/30/2007 11:10 AM and is a permanent record located here: https://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/southern-comfort-kitchen-bath/charlotte-north-carolina-28209/southern-comfort-kitchen-bath-granite-counter-rip-off-charlotte-north-carolina-281874. The posting time indicated is Arizona local time. Arizona does not observe daylight savings so the post time may be Mountain or Pacific depending on the time of year. Ripoff Report has an exclusive license to this report. It may not be copied without the written permission of Ripoff Report. READ: Foreign websites steal our content
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#5 Author of original report
Southern Discomfort Granite
AUTHOR: Tim - (U.S.A.)
SUBMITTED: Tuesday, March 04, 2008
>>There's away two sides to every story.
The owner speaks english about as well as the crew of(according to his foreman) illegals aliens working on my granite. According to his foreman, "I am the the only american citizen working for this company". I have not verified that claim, but that is what the man said.
>>We try our best to satisfy this client but we could not get around his >>confrontational demeanor.
Insisting you do a job correctly is not confrontational. I did have to get firm with him to get anything done. If you refuse to do the job right, or fix your mistakes, customers will confront you.
>>Even after idle threats made by the client, in whom most business >>would not have taken very lightly, we still sent our fabricator there >>the same day he made is call, in half an hour.
My threats were of a legal nature, and only after those threats was an offer to send someone made. He sent the same idiot that installed it and made the initial mistakes to critique his own work. Guess what he thought.
>>Our fabricator was never given the opportunity to resolve any of the >>issue. Instead our fabricator was sent back without a chance to >>solve anything.
The "fabricator" left after telling me there was nothing he could do other than replace the entire piece, and redo the 4 tiles that were bad. I did not send him away. I would love to have had him fix it.
>>Afterwards the client asked for half of the Cost of the Job off to >>satisfy his dissatisfaction. In which I believe was his main objective >>from the beginning.
We asked for the amount it would take to replace all the substandard granite he used on our counters. Our objective was to get nice counters. It's a shame his objective was not to give them to us.
>>We even try working this issue out with the BBB Arbitration Program, >>which he elected not to pursue.
The BBB is a big scam. They will not pursue matters beyond a certain point unless you start paying them to arbitrate. If you do not start paying, they simply mark the matter resolved in favor of the company(especiialy if they are BBB members), whether the company is at fault or not. It is not an indication that the compaint was resolved, or that the company was innocent. This company did not make any efforts to enter into the arbitration program, the BBB offered it to me at a substantial fee. I have already spent enough money on this, and I elected to go another route.
>>Working with Natural Stone Material is never going to be 100% >>perfect.
True. But according to the experts we've since consulted, it should not be warped.
>>Mother Nature has imperfections too. All we can do is try and fix the >>little imperfections to the best of our ability we might come across.
Had they made any attempt to do this, we would not be here. They said they'd either rip it all out and refund our money, or we could just live with it. The foreman said he might be able to graind it down, but said it would probably just look worse.
>>As for the bottom of the granite, I don't know of any company that >>polish and seal the bottom of granites.
This one is true. That was due to my not understanding that, which I concede.
>>A full refund was offer to him with the return of our material, which >>he refused. I believe we have made every attempt to resolve the >>issue.
So, come in and rip up my cabinets and leave mt with no counters? That's his idea of servicing his customer folks.
>>Reference: BBB Case # 366696 Tim Xxxxx
>>This case has been closed as Administratively Judged Resolved, >>Which indicates the business made every reasonable effort with the >>BBB to resolve the dispute.
No effort of any kind has been made by this company to do anything. I would like details of any "efforts" made by Southern Comfort.
As I said before the BBB settles all claims of people who choose not to pay for their arbitration in favor of the company and close the case. Hardly ethical behavior from an organization charged with policing business ethics.
We have contracted a company, which makes it living going around behind companies like this cleaing up their mess. They have assessed the job(sloppy an haphazard), and given us a written report of all the mistakes, and an estimate of repairs. We now have all the information we need to proceded with VISA to retrieve part of our money in order to repair the sloppy work of Southern Comfort.
Visa will be calling you boys. It ain't over yet.
#4 Author of original report
Southern Discomfort Granite
AUTHOR: Tim - (U.S.A.)
SUBMITTED: Tuesday, March 04, 2008
>>There's away two sides to every story.
The owner speaks english about as well as the crew of(according to his foreman) illegals aliens working on my granite. According to his foreman, "I am the the only american citizen working for this company". I have not verified that claim, but that is what the man said.
>>We try our best to satisfy this client but we could not get around his >>confrontational demeanor.
Insisting you do a job correctly is not confrontational. I did have to get firm with him to get anything done. If you refuse to do the job right, or fix your mistakes, customers will confront you.
>>Even after idle threats made by the client, in whom most business >>would not have taken very lightly, we still sent our fabricator there >>the same day he made is call, in half an hour.
My threats were of a legal nature, and only after those threats was an offer to send someone made. He sent the same idiot that installed it and made the initial mistakes to critique his own work. Guess what he thought.
>>Our fabricator was never given the opportunity to resolve any of the >>issue. Instead our fabricator was sent back without a chance to >>solve anything.
The "fabricator" left after telling me there was nothing he could do other than replace the entire piece, and redo the 4 tiles that were bad. I did not send him away. I would love to have had him fix it.
>>Afterwards the client asked for half of the Cost of the Job off to >>satisfy his dissatisfaction. In which I believe was his main objective >>from the beginning.
We asked for the amount it would take to replace all the substandard granite he used on our counters. Our objective was to get nice counters. It's a shame his objective was not to give them to us.
>>We even try working this issue out with the BBB Arbitration Program, >>which he elected not to pursue.
The BBB is a big scam. They will not pursue matters beyond a certain point unless you start paying them to arbitrate. If you do not start paying, they simply mark the matter resolved in favor of the company(especiialy if they are BBB members), whether the company is at fault or not. It is not an indication that the compaint was resolved, or that the company was innocent. This company did not make any efforts to enter into the arbitration program, the BBB offered it to me at a substantial fee. I have already spent enough money on this, and I elected to go another route.
>>Working with Natural Stone Material is never going to be 100% >>perfect.
True. But according to the experts we've since consulted, it should not be warped.
>>Mother Nature has imperfections too. All we can do is try and fix the >>little imperfections to the best of our ability we might come across.
Had they made any attempt to do this, we would not be here. They said they'd either rip it all out and refund our money, or we could just live with it. The foreman said he might be able to graind it down, but said it would probably just look worse.
>>As for the bottom of the granite, I don't know of any company that >>polish and seal the bottom of granites.
This one is true. That was due to my not understanding that, which I concede.
>>A full refund was offer to him with the return of our material, which >>he refused. I believe we have made every attempt to resolve the >>issue.
So, come in and rip up my cabinets and leave mt with no counters? That's his idea of servicing his customer folks.
>>Reference: BBB Case # 366696 Tim Xxxxx
>>This case has been closed as Administratively Judged Resolved, >>Which indicates the business made every reasonable effort with the >>BBB to resolve the dispute.
No effort of any kind has been made by this company to do anything. I would like details of any "efforts" made by Southern Comfort.
As I said before the BBB settles all claims of people who choose not to pay for their arbitration in favor of the company and close the case. Hardly ethical behavior from an organization charged with policing business ethics.
We have contracted a company, which makes it living going around behind companies like this cleaing up their mess. They have assessed the job(sloppy an haphazard), and given us a written report of all the mistakes, and an estimate of repairs. We now have all the information we need to proceded with VISA to retrieve part of our money in order to repair the sloppy work of Southern Comfort.
Visa will be calling you boys. It ain't over yet.
#3 Author of original report
Southern Discomfort Granite
AUTHOR: Tim - (U.S.A.)
SUBMITTED: Tuesday, March 04, 2008
>>There's away two sides to every story.
The owner speaks english about as well as the crew of(according to his foreman) illegals aliens working on my granite. According to his foreman, "I am the the only american citizen working for this company". I have not verified that claim, but that is what the man said.
>>We try our best to satisfy this client but we could not get around his >>confrontational demeanor.
Insisting you do a job correctly is not confrontational. I did have to get firm with him to get anything done. If you refuse to do the job right, or fix your mistakes, customers will confront you.
>>Even after idle threats made by the client, in whom most business >>would not have taken very lightly, we still sent our fabricator there >>the same day he made is call, in half an hour.
My threats were of a legal nature, and only after those threats was an offer to send someone made. He sent the same idiot that installed it and made the initial mistakes to critique his own work. Guess what he thought.
>>Our fabricator was never given the opportunity to resolve any of the >>issue. Instead our fabricator was sent back without a chance to >>solve anything.
The "fabricator" left after telling me there was nothing he could do other than replace the entire piece, and redo the 4 tiles that were bad. I did not send him away. I would love to have had him fix it.
>>Afterwards the client asked for half of the Cost of the Job off to >>satisfy his dissatisfaction. In which I believe was his main objective >>from the beginning.
We asked for the amount it would take to replace all the substandard granite he used on our counters. Our objective was to get nice counters. It's a shame his objective was not to give them to us.
>>We even try working this issue out with the BBB Arbitration Program, >>which he elected not to pursue.
The BBB is a big scam. They will not pursue matters beyond a certain point unless you start paying them to arbitrate. If you do not start paying, they simply mark the matter resolved in favor of the company(especiialy if they are BBB members), whether the company is at fault or not. It is not an indication that the compaint was resolved, or that the company was innocent. This company did not make any efforts to enter into the arbitration program, the BBB offered it to me at a substantial fee. I have already spent enough money on this, and I elected to go another route.
>>Working with Natural Stone Material is never going to be 100% >>perfect.
True. But according to the experts we've since consulted, it should not be warped.
>>Mother Nature has imperfections too. All we can do is try and fix the >>little imperfections to the best of our ability we might come across.
Had they made any attempt to do this, we would not be here. They said they'd either rip it all out and refund our money, or we could just live with it. The foreman said he might be able to graind it down, but said it would probably just look worse.
>>As for the bottom of the granite, I don't know of any company that >>polish and seal the bottom of granites.
This one is true. That was due to my not understanding that, which I concede.
>>A full refund was offer to him with the return of our material, which >>he refused. I believe we have made every attempt to resolve the >>issue.
So, come in and rip up my cabinets and leave mt with no counters? That's his idea of servicing his customer folks.
>>Reference: BBB Case # 366696 Tim Xxxxx
>>This case has been closed as Administratively Judged Resolved, >>Which indicates the business made every reasonable effort with the >>BBB to resolve the dispute.
No effort of any kind has been made by this company to do anything. I would like details of any "efforts" made by Southern Comfort.
As I said before the BBB settles all claims of people who choose not to pay for their arbitration in favor of the company and close the case. Hardly ethical behavior from an organization charged with policing business ethics.
We have contracted a company, which makes it living going around behind companies like this cleaing up their mess. They have assessed the job(sloppy an haphazard), and given us a written report of all the mistakes, and an estimate of repairs. We now have all the information we need to proceded with VISA to retrieve part of our money in order to repair the sloppy work of Southern Comfort.
Visa will be calling you boys. It ain't over yet.
#2 Author of original report
Southern Discomfort Granite
AUTHOR: Tim - (U.S.A.)
SUBMITTED: Tuesday, March 04, 2008
>>There's away two sides to every story.
The owner speaks english about as well as the crew of(according to his foreman) illegals aliens working on my granite. According to his foreman, "I am the the only american citizen working for this company". I have not verified that claim, but that is what the man said.
>>We try our best to satisfy this client but we could not get around his >>confrontational demeanor.
Insisting you do a job correctly is not confrontational. I did have to get firm with him to get anything done. If you refuse to do the job right, or fix your mistakes, customers will confront you.
>>Even after idle threats made by the client, in whom most business >>would not have taken very lightly, we still sent our fabricator there >>the same day he made is call, in half an hour.
My threats were of a legal nature, and only after those threats was an offer to send someone made. He sent the same idiot that installed it and made the initial mistakes to critique his own work. Guess what he thought.
>>Our fabricator was never given the opportunity to resolve any of the >>issue. Instead our fabricator was sent back without a chance to >>solve anything.
The "fabricator" left after telling me there was nothing he could do other than replace the entire piece, and redo the 4 tiles that were bad. I did not send him away. I would love to have had him fix it.
>>Afterwards the client asked for half of the Cost of the Job off to >>satisfy his dissatisfaction. In which I believe was his main objective >>from the beginning.
We asked for the amount it would take to replace all the substandard granite he used on our counters. Our objective was to get nice counters. It's a shame his objective was not to give them to us.
>>We even try working this issue out with the BBB Arbitration Program, >>which he elected not to pursue.
The BBB is a big scam. They will not pursue matters beyond a certain point unless you start paying them to arbitrate. If you do not start paying, they simply mark the matter resolved in favor of the company(especiialy if they are BBB members), whether the company is at fault or not. It is not an indication that the compaint was resolved, or that the company was innocent. This company did not make any efforts to enter into the arbitration program, the BBB offered it to me at a substantial fee. I have already spent enough money on this, and I elected to go another route.
>>Working with Natural Stone Material is never going to be 100% >>perfect.
True. But according to the experts we've since consulted, it should not be warped.
>>Mother Nature has imperfections too. All we can do is try and fix the >>little imperfections to the best of our ability we might come across.
Had they made any attempt to do this, we would not be here. They said they'd either rip it all out and refund our money, or we could just live with it. The foreman said he might be able to graind it down, but said it would probably just look worse.
>>As for the bottom of the granite, I don't know of any company that >>polish and seal the bottom of granites.
This one is true. That was due to my not understanding that, which I concede.
>>A full refund was offer to him with the return of our material, which >>he refused. I believe we have made every attempt to resolve the >>issue.
So, come in and rip up my cabinets and leave mt with no counters? That's his idea of servicing his customer folks.
>>Reference: BBB Case # 366696 Tim Xxxxx
>>This case has been closed as Administratively Judged Resolved, >>Which indicates the business made every reasonable effort with the >>BBB to resolve the dispute.
No effort of any kind has been made by this company to do anything. I would like details of any "efforts" made by Southern Comfort.
As I said before the BBB settles all claims of people who choose not to pay for their arbitration in favor of the company and close the case. Hardly ethical behavior from an organization charged with policing business ethics.
We have contracted a company, which makes it living going around behind companies like this cleaing up their mess. They have assessed the job(sloppy an haphazard), and given us a written report of all the mistakes, and an estimate of repairs. We now have all the information we need to proceded with VISA to retrieve part of our money in order to repair the sloppy work of Southern Comfort.
Visa will be calling you boys. It ain't over yet.
#1 REBUTTAL Owner of company
Truth of matter
AUTHOR: Soco Kitchen - (U.S.A.)
SUBMITTED: Monday, March 03, 2008
There's away two sides to every story.
We try our best to satisfy this client but we could not get around his confrontational demeanor. Even after idle threats made by the client, in whom most business would not have taken very lightly, we still sent our fabricator there the same day he made is call, in half an hour. Our fabricator was never given the opportunity to resolve any of the issue. Instead our fabricator was sent back without a chance to solve anything. Afterwards the client asked for half of the Cost of the Job off to satisfy his dissatisfaction. In which I believe was his main objective from the beginning. We even try working this issue out with the BBB Arbitration Program, which he elected not to pursue.
Working with Natural Stone Material is never going to be 100% perfect. Mother Nature has imperfections too. All we can do is try and fix the little imperfections to the best of our ability we might come across. As for the bottom of the granite, I don't know of any company that polish and seal the bottom of granites. A full refund was offer to him with the return of our material, which he refused. I believe we have made every attempt to resolve the issue.
Reference: BBB Case # 366696 Tim Xxxxx
This case has been closed as Administratively Judged Resolved, Which indicates the business made every reasonable effort with the BBB to resolve the dispute.
Thank you,
SoCo Kitchen
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