BOTTOM LINE:
This company's owner /Adrian charged us $1,600 and we received ZERO services or product in return. Because we foolishly and trustingly gave him a $2,000 deposit before he started the job (clearly an amateur mistake on our part) - he was able to deduct $1,600 based on his surprise invoice and we are out the money. See the surprise invoice attached.
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The short version is the owner/Adrian knew he was coming to a century home to install his new $6,000 air-conditioner and he was fully aware it was to be in a different location (than our old one had been). BUT because the owner/Adrian had NOT done a site visit, he encountered challenges when he saw the new potential locations for the first time.
Because he had not done a site visit he did not have the proper materials with him to create an adequate base for the unit in one of the new potential locations. So he told us he'd proceed in one of the locations we'd given him but with NO warranty protection on his part (and that it would require 2 services per year due to proximity to pollen).
We expressed we weren't comfortable with that lack of warranty so he told his guys to pack up all their tools and they left. That is not pleasant, but his right to do so. Problem is that he then sent us a surprise invoice (see attached) for $1,600, deducted it from our $2,000 deposit, and although we received no services, he kept the money.
Four days later we had a local reputable company come and they installed in the exact spot where we'd asked Adrian to install. It is 100% covered by warranty, they did a site visit so they were prepared and knew what was required, and they said the job was no problem at all.
LESSON: be very cautious about providing deposits before a job starts because you really have little protection or recourse if something goes sideways.
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FULL STORY:
In the fall of 2021, we were referred to Adrien by good friends and neighbours so we proceeded with high trust to engage Adrian/De Marco Mechanical.
I phoned Adrien and he answered his phone and I told him I was a friend of his Port Perry clients and they had referred us to him. I also said that we require a new air conditioner and to have the air conditioner moved to a new location. I was not sure if the location was suitable or not. Adrien said he would come up on the weekend to have a quick look. He would call me back to let me know time/date.
I never heard back from him.
I spoke with our common friend/client they told us Adrian is very busy and more than likely lost my number in his phone and to give him another try. At this point, we were going into Winter so I decided to wait until Spring to call him.
In March/April of this year 2022, I phoned Adrien back and explained to him that I phoned him in the fall but did not hear back. I requested a new air conditioner and told him it needed to be relocated to a new area. I specifically asked him to come up and have a look.
Adrien said that a site visit was NOT necessary and just send him some pictures of my furnace and he would give me a quote on air conditioners that would work for our house. I explained to him that we are in a Century Home and that we were approximately 2000 sqft.
A while later (see texts attached) Adrien quoted me and I chose the more expensive and powerful model as I wanted the air conditioner to be efficient.
Adrien said he would order that one but requires a $2k deposit. Since then I have learned that my friends did not have to leave a deposit. It didn't feel right at the time but I rationalized this by the fact that my good friends were very satisfied with his service and say he is extremely trustworthy.
I email transferred Adrien the money and it was accepted.
We were scheduled for the install Monday, May 2 but Adrien cancelled twice due to rain. Apparently rain does not matter I since learned but I agreed to the delay.
On Wednesday, May 4, Adrien and two of his crew members arrived at approximately 9 am in the morning. No fuss, no muss, they were there to get the job done and had little time for any kind of chatter. I showed Adrien the desired location that I wanted the air conditioner moved and he said that it would cost another $375 to run the wire another 10 feet from where the existing air conditioner was. Again, we agreed to this which brings up the cost to $6k.
After much discussion, Adrien advised us that he could not warrantee the area that I had requested as there will be too many leaves, pollen, and the ground was too soft. We would have to get the air conditioner serviced on a regular basis 2x per year and he would not warrantee if the air conditioner would tilt left or right in the soft ground. I have since learned from a professional that none of that is true and the spot of choice was perfectly fine.
I asked Adrien if he could look at another spot or two to have it moved to if this area was not suitable. In a rush, he did and said that the electrical box was in the way for one area. Fair enough. And the other area, the wall was too thick and he could not cut into a wall that thick. I have since learned that none of the above was a problem.
Adrien said the best location was the original area but this is the area that we had to have it moved as we are to build a deck.
My husband said that we were fine to service the air conditioner on a regular basis but we could not spend 6k on a air conditioner that was not going to function properly. This was not acceptable. Adrien said that we should have known to build (cement area) as a foundation for the air conditioner. We said had you come for a consult, we would have known to prepare this for your arrival.
How would we know to do this.
Adrien said 'I am not driving all the way from Toronto for a consult' I
Things got heated. He claimed wed put a stop order on the job told his guys (one of whom quietly apologized to us on the way out) to pack up everything and he is out of here.
No suggestions, compromise or trying to make the customer happy. I was dumbfounded at the behaviour as he acted like a child having a temper tantrum.
We asked for our $2k back and he said he would charge us $500 for time and gas of his guys. He was only on our property for 20 minutes max. Nothing was received other than poor service and attitude.
My husband wrote an email requesting the $2k deposit back and he sent us a surprise invoice for $1600 based on restocking fee of the air conditioner, gas and labour his two guys.
P.S. There was NOT a signed contract. Never any agreement to terms he could charge us for anything but work completed. Only written document we received was the surprise invoice for no work completed. Happy times.
