Re: Recommend shower door manufacturer other than Holcam

"Bill Kitterman" <bkitterm@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:1dlTf.24968$jf2.22138@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Customers like you are great. You don't do the sensible thing like
calling the distributor or manufacturer to view, inspect and appraise the
defect BEFORE you install it. Even hack handymen have enough pride in
their work to not install something that isn't going to keep the customer
happy.


Happy modeming,
Bo;;


"central_scrutinizer" <cbellur@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:1142802041.733578.170630@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
There isn't supposed to be a gasket or anything between the two door
panels. I did call them, and they are sending me something that should
help. It's some sort of weather-stripping kind of thing -- an adhesive
strip. I'm not terribly fond of this solution. It seems a bit cheap for
how much this shower door costs. Did I mention these doors are 5 times
more expensive than any other shower doors, and over 50 times more
expensive than a shower curtain, rod, and rings... The shower curtain
is 50 times more effective at keeping out water. This is by far the
most IRONIC product I have ever bought.

I did find that the door can shut in a way where the panels aren't
flush with each other. When you start to close the door, the hinges
sort of automatically "kick in" and it shuts. But in this position,
they aren't flush. So I found I need to adjust the door so that the
door and panel are flush. Then there is only a little puddle on the
floor. Still not what you want from a $1100 product, and the shower
curtain outperforms this shower door. I never thought I would spend
$1100 on a shower door, and end up mopping the floor after every
shower. This is crap. In my remodelling, I had a very nice natural
stone tile floor installed. I can't have standing water on it, so it
needs to be mopped up after every shower.

There is a deflector on the bottom of the door, and this works OK. It's
the very tiny gap that needs to be between the door and fixed panel
that is the problem -- the vertical gap between the fixed panel and
door.

As for the chipped glass, I emailed the company and asked for $250 back
for the chip, but I haven't heard back. This seems fair. They sent me
the equivalent of a "scratch & dent" floor model for full price. There
ought to be a law that if you buy a product and it comes damaged, you
should be able to get a 20% refund for the product. Returning it is not
an option, since the labor will be an extra $280. These are very heavy
and large things, and I can't throw it in the back of my compact car
and take it back to the Home Depot. I hired my contractors (2 people)
to pick it up and install it. When they took it out of the packaging (I
was there the entire time, they did not damage it), one of them brought
this to my attention, and asked if they wanted me to install it. I was
annoyed, but I don't want a $1400 job to turn into a $1700 job... And
what if they send me another panel that is also chipped? Then it
becomes a $2000 project. There were no signs that this was chipped in
shipping -- no glass chips in the foam or packaging. No damage to the
packaging. It was actually packaged quite well. I believe this was
chipped during fabrication, and they sent it anyway. You can only see
the chip from the inside of the shower, but it is quite noticible. Not
what you would expect for something that costs so much money. Then
again, extremely wealthy people would not care. They would either not
value $1100 as much as me, or they would pay for the labor to have it
returned and re-installed later...

This is to be expected. Corporations do not take accountability for
their products, and their return policies do not take into account how
much it costs to have the product picked up, installed, etc. I am
considering filing a small claims lawsuit against the company. I think
the company doesn't understand the whole idea that I have to pay for
labor to even return this thing. It's in everyone's best interest to
just give me a partial refund -- Holcam won't need to make a new panel
and pay for shipping both ways, and I won't have to pay extra labor
costs to get my contractors to pick up and install the new door. I
won't have to worry about the condition of the next panel. I don't
think Holcam sees this, but I think a judge definately would. I talked
to a lawyer at work, and she said this seems very winnable... The tough
thing is collecting, but a company like this, with a Better Business
Bureau affiliation will pay up...

Before I file a small claims lawsuit, I will write them a registered
letter, and cc the BBB, as they are members. Sometimes emails reach the
wrong people, and they just don't want to deal with it. I can't believe
I got no reply at all, however. That's very rude.

At $1100, the condition of the panel is unnaceptable. With a $250
refund, I could at least live with the idea that I bought a "scratch
and dent sale floor model" quality product. But Holcam has not
responded to this. I don't think this is unreasonable. Returning the
product and getting a new one (this is custom made) would cost both of
us more money.

Anyone considering buying a Holcam Eurolite door should reconsider,
unless you are oppressively wealthy, and can afford to have the labor
send things back until it's right... And also if you have a maid who
will mop the floor everyday. These are not the sort of products that
people with "professional" incomes should buy. I'm "well off"... I'm
doing a $70,000 remodelling job on my place, and paying for it with my
savings, and not some equity loan... But I still find paying $1100 for
crap to be very annoying.

This is like the $100,000 Mercedes that is the most unreliable car on
the road. You have to be really rich to have it installed and to have a
maid come and mop your floor. Maybe a good product for the old money
trust fund elites, but for people who actually work for their money,
you will feel pain from being ripped off... At least with the Mercedes,
you get a warranty, and they will give you a rental car while it's in
the shop every other day...


Bo:

San Francisco, nuff said!

Jay


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