If you want to take a chance on this company, go for it. But I can only imagine a nightmare getting a job completed.
"Joe" answered my initial call a year ago. He was great! He was a treasure trove of info about the various kinds of iron fences, he discussed my needs, and said that even if I chose to go with someone else, he'd still be happy to answer any questions and even volunteered that he'd be willing to review another's proposal for any possible problems with it, if I asked. But...
They were too busy to contract for any more work last fall and Joe said to call back in the early spring. So I did. I sent detailed drawings and measurements. For residential, this is not a small job--there's about 125 feet of quality wrought iron and some gates. I was told "Steve" would come out within a day or two to look at the site and prepare a quote.
But Steve never showed up, and that's been the story ever since--Steve apologizing, saying he'll come this time, but then again not calling, not showing up. We're now in the second half of August.
Most recently, I talked to Steve about 10 days ago on a Thursday or Friday. He remembered my drawings, sort of apologized, and said emphatically: "You'll have my quote by Monday." Again, another Monday came and went, no Steve, no email, no phone call. And now this is the NEXT Monday, and still no word out of Steve.
What's weird is that the last time I called, I asked to talk to Joe, the one that was so helpful, the kind of lucky find that you rarely get when searching for tradespeople. Maybe he could light a fire under Steve, who I assumed was just a rather disorganized, inept underling. But it was Steve who answered the phone. He said Joe no longer worked there. But he sounded cagey about it, like he was kinda miffed or something that I asked for Joe, or that he wanted to be careful not to say anything that would assist me in talking to Joe. It felt like "Who are you? Why are you calling?"
Then he says he is the owner. The owner? And that's how he runs his business? It's the owner who makes repeated promises and breaks them? I'm left wondering if Joe is the "J" in JB Metalworks and maybe Steve is a relative who took over? Why did Steve sound so cagey? There were just too many pauses on the phone line. He just didn't seem forthcoming. But then when he said, so extra firmly, that "by Monday you'll have your quote," I thought, Okay, I'll wait for that, it's probably a good company regardless of the weird discussion of who Joe is. And they probably make a good fence if you ever manage to get a contract.
After more than a year of trying to do business with this company, I've had it. To repeatedly say you'll have a quote and then never call, never show up, never do anything at all, that's just disrespectful. Potential customers have their own timelines and plans. In my opinion, anyone who would still do business with this company after this kind of shoddy professionalism would have to be nuts--because if this is how inattentive they are before they get your business, imagine how attentive they'll be (or not) once you're locked in. read more
