Tim Ford and his wife Ginger are the worst business owners I've ever dealt with.
We had two contracts with Atlanta Bookshelves to build two bookshelves, and it clearly stated that any disputes would go to mediation. However, they simply disappeared (after months of strange behavior--happy to share their emails), and informed us they would not build our bookshelves, refund any of our money ($4,360.50), or go to mediation. No compromise. We tried many times to find a solution. We even resent them their own emails, showing in their own words that they made a mistake and built the wrong bookshelf. No comment, they simply vanished.
Before they quit, it was four months of disorganized emails from them (sent from three employees and two email accounts), often contradicting one another; as well as, disorganized visits from Tim (once he came with no tape measure, no pen, and wasn't able to find our email on his smart phone regarding what he came out to discuss about the living room bookshelves--we had to lend him these things and I printed out a copy of the email for him, from my smart phone). We were told Ginger handled all the contracts and would be out on contract day, but she never showed and no explanation was offered. We were easy going through all of this, and didn't question them.
Then, after signing a contract with Tim and handing over thousands of dollars in our deposit, they disappeared for 12 days. No explanation. During this time, I sent an email response with some edits to the living room bookshelf plan they submitted (it left out basic things we agreed to during his visit), and got a vacation responder. After 12 days, a new employee emailed us, whom I honestly think was Ginger using a different name, pressuring us to agree to the plans, telling us it is "time sensitive" as our build date was approaching and they didn't "want any delays." I asked if she'd read my email, and then forwarded it. They hadn't read it. They eventually responded (in a confused fashion, from separate employees and email accounts) without answering all of my questions, and offered another incorrect plan for the living room.
I see they have some good reviews, and I'm not sure why. My guess is that these customers wanted more basic bookshelves. We were clear from my very first email to them, with photos, that we wanted something more involved. They always agreed to this wholeheartedly, but then repeatedly tried to have us agree to more basic bookshelves. The initial plans they submitted were simply the standard bookshelves for that space, disregarding our specific interests. Despite the promises, spoken and in emails, I don't think they could do what we wanted. Actually, later they said this in a text. After we handed over $4,360.50 in two deposits, their promises diminished into just trying to push through more simplistic plans. Ultimately, I completely designed our living room bookshelves myself, and they came out to confirm the measurements (with no tape measure, borrowing ours), and then we all agreed. They emailed two weeks apart asking for confirmation of the final plans, and both times I responded in full, clear confirmation. Then they must have had some internal confusion, because they suddenly built our office bookshelves instead, which were never approved and were nothing like what we said we wanted.
We have many great relationships with contractors, and we're known to be generous and understanding.
Also, do not believe that you will receive a free "3D concept drawing" (or any drawing) before pressure to sign a contract. This is why we chose them, the promise of this drawing. They come out, do measurements, we discuss the project, and they draw up a bookshelf. Then, if we like it, we agree to work with them. This is their ad. They did a simplistic version of this for the living room (with promises to edit), but not for the office. Instead, they tried to push us into signing two contracts and giving two deposits at once, even though they hadn't provided a drawing for the office. We were nice about it, but only gave the one deposit we'd gotten a drawing for. As for the office, they'd had a month to submit a drawing for and hadn't done it. We asked several times, but no response. We even offered to pay them for the drawing, or even for multiple drawings. Tim agreed to this in person, but then did nothing. We ended up signing a contract for the office as well, never having received a drawing first. Afterward, it was completely downhill. Tim assured us that his builder could "do anything" and that "if we can't buy it, we can build it," which ended up being incorrect. They couldn't do the ornate top bookshelf moulding I'd asked for (and given photos of) from the beginning. They ended up writing me that it was impossible and would cost an extra $15,000. I have no idea what happened to the sample pictures I handed to Tim during one of his visits. read more