I wanted a bathroom upgrade, because I could never get the caulking around the bathtub to look good or last very long. I thought a natural stone tile surround, installed and caulked professionally would be just what I needed. I got online to see what services were out there. I was almost immediately called by Reve Exteriors, but I didn't pick up because I didn't connect the name with bathroom tiling, plus I had been hoping for a small local company or individual to do the work. I got no other responses so I called Reve Exteriors back.
I called them back and arranged for a sales representative to demonstrate their product. I was told that their "guys" would be out to give me an estimate. The guys turned out to be a cute little blonde, but she seemed to know her stuff. She took measurements and pictures, then brought out her suitcase full of samples and catalogs. I was impressed with the basic product, which is acrylic panels and bathtub with a lifetime warranty, although I was a bit put off by the limited choice of accessories which consisted only of Moen products.
The selection was not just limited to Moen, but to a very small portion of that company's line-up. For the shower head, only 3 high-end choices are available. The valve to turn the water on? Only 1 style, which she tried to describe but didn't sound like something I would like. She had pictures of everything else but evidently not this.
Even though it was 3 times as much as I originally meant to spend, I wrote her a check for the down payment before she left, which I most likely wouldn't have done if I had a wife to "slap me upside the head" and point out that I didn't really need or even want all the high-end accessories that this cutie had talked me into. Men can be so gullible!
After I'd had time to think about it I realized that the only choice of trim offered to finish off the edges of the acrylic surround, a 4" herringbone, was too wide to fit between an existing permanent mirror fixture and the edge of the bathtub. She'd told me that the new tub would be a little narrower that the old one, so I emailed her to tell her about the potential problem and get the exact measurements of the new tub. She replied with a lengthy email that never came close to answering my question. I realized then that her inability to visualize the problem was at fault so I asked her to come out again, hoping she could grasp the problem.
When she came back she showed me another option to finish off the edge of the new surround, a bullnose. She had never told me about this option at our first meeting, even though it was the standard method used by the company. Instead she had led me to believe that the $220 extra herringbone was the only thing offered. Then I noticed a page of normal shower heads as she thumbed through their catalog, which she had skipped over at our first meeting. Right there with the pictures of the regular shower heads was a picture of the only style of shower valve they offered. Then I realized why she had been clumsily trying to describe the valve instead of just showing me a picture of it; because then I would have seen the normal, far less expensive shower heads that were on the same page! I also found out that the different finishes on the plumbing fixtures also varied greatly in price. I found I could save $1320 by getting what I really wanted, instead of the high-end stuff that I had been misled into believing were the only options available.
She contacted me later to see if my toilet tank was touching the wall behind it, where they were to install wainscoting. Since it was, that would void the entire warranty, so she said I had to reset the toilet. Instead I ordered a new toilet with a 10" rough-in to get it away from the wall. Then I spoke to their installer, who said he could bring the existing toilet away from the wall. He scheduled to come over to make sure before he started the install. I waited all day and he never showed. Didn't call to reschedule or apologize. He showed up 3 days later to do the install without knowing if he could make room for the old toilet. Of course I wasn't there, I was at work. I asked for a different installer but he's the only one they have.
Out of room so long story shortened. He did the work, found additional problems with rot under the tub, and repaired that after asking me first. He did a good job with that and the basic install. Then he caulked around the new enclosure where it meets the ceiling and walls and it looks god-awful, but it wasn't his fault. The special caulking he used is an ugly brown and needs to be put on really thick or it gets pinholes. It's very hard to work with so it goes on unevenly and smears on the walls and ceiling and can't be cleaned off. I asked him to re-do it and use white this time. Too late because it had already set, Now I have to paint my bathroom to cover it up.$10,000 and I don't want anyone to see it. read more