Nice people, horrible project managers, and leave you hanging at the last minute
We chose this company for their experience with older homes, their positive HomeStars reviews, and the fact that the one owner we met - John - seemed like a nice guy. Sadly they 'broke up' with us at the last minute because we purchased a tub and coils for radiant heat from a different source, yet they didn't try to sell us anything. There was minimal communication leading up to the reno and a 'don't do' approach to the few ideas we shared (rather than a 'can do' approach). I would not recommend them if you want a reliable contractor who is going to show up and not cancel the day you are supposed to start a long-awaited and overdue reno. We are disappointed and wish to warn everyone to expect little to no contact with these people. They are simply not a good match for anyone who doesn't know all the steps of a reno on their own. You're pretty much solo for the entire time leading up to the reno, and then judged on whether you followed unspoken rules re: purchasing materials. Big Ugh!
- Approximate cost of services:
- $20,000.00
- Company Response
Your input and feedback is important to us and we thank you for taking the time to post your experience.
Avonlea strives to keep all of their customers happy and we take all comments and reviews seriously.
I would like to take the chance to comment on some of your points.
There was a larger issue that I feel I should point out.
We had a job description and a timetable for the complete job to be done which we had agreed upon. Very close to the start date I was told by the customer that she had found other people willing to do portions of the job (or piecemeal as she put it) and did not require all of our services. In other words this job would be shared between different contractors and Avonlea would be on and off the job as she required.
Such a significant change in the job description at such a late stage in the process affects our overall company schedule and will have an impact on all of our other customers through potential delays. As a result this can put their start dates at risk. We are committed to fulfilling our time lines with all of our customers.
When I expressed my concerns about this revised need of our services I was asked by them to return the deposit which of course I did. I was anticipating more of a dialogue where we might be able to come to some mutually agreeable terms.
It is very rare that we take a “can’t do” approach because most things can be done. What we do is give advice to customers based on our knowledge and experience and we understand that many of our customers rely on this for guidance. We will also explain the pricing, complications, positives, negatives etc. which are not always in line with what a customer wants to hear. We let the customer make the final decision.
Our customers are always welcome to buy their product from whatever source they choose. We have gotten a lot of positive feedback from our customers over the years because they are free to purchase their product from any source of their choosing. We only ask that if they do buy their product from another source that they have it at their house on the first day that we start the job. This is simply because we don’t normally have the manpower to pick up product from various sources across the city. Of course exceptions are made but these are the general guidelines we try and follow.
In this particular case the customer was made aware of these general guidelines but still insisted that we pick up their bathtub from a supplier that is outside of our work area. I reminded them how it would be difficult for us to do.
In terms of the heating coil for the floor, the only interaction I had with them was advising them of the correct size to purchase.
With regards to communication leading up to the job, we are always available by phone or email for any advice including purchasing any product from any store. We explain the renovation process at the outset and then play a supporting role based on the particular needs of the customer. If Effie or Michael had any unanswered questions or concerns they could have been easily answered with an email or phone call to us.
We are truly sorry that Effie and Michael were unhappy with their experience with us.
We will certainly review our own procedures to see if there is anything we can do minimize the chance of a similar situation happening again.