I would strongly caution any business owner before hiring Tennessee Sign Company / Knoxville Sign…read moreCompany LLC.
We hired them for signage work at our Nashville location and paid $4,852.15 as a deposit toward exterior signage and interior sign installation.
Before work started, they had access to our site and were able to inspect the space. They provided their quote after having the opportunity to review the job conditions.
When their installers came out for the first day, they did not complete the job. After that, we received a change order for approximately $5,200 to install an interior sign on a drywall setting. We disputed that charge because it made no sense based on the original scope, their prior site access, and the work being performed.
After we disputed it, the amount was suddenly reduced to approximately $1,900. We were told there would be no further costs for that interior sign and that they would provide three men for four hours. We were also told that if the job could not be completed in that time, they would provide two men for an additional four hours, for up to eight total labor hours included in the amount.
On the day they installed the second interior sign, their team began installing it in the wrong location. We had to point this out on site, and they adjusted the placement. Later, wires were left hanging out of the wall that were not supposed to be visible. We asked them to correct that as well, and they did.
The next day, we received an email from Chris Kalinowski stating the owner was demanding even more money because we asked the crew to correct those issues on site. This was despite the agreed amount already including labor for that day. Their workers were only on site for approximately 3 hours and 45 minutes, even though we were told the fee included up to eight hours if needed. No additional material costs or outside costs were incurred from asking them to correct the location and exposed wiring.
We asked to speak directly with the owner to resolve the issue. We were told the owner had decided that if we did not pay the additional fees, they would halt our exterior signage job.
After they demanded additional payment or said they would halt the exterior signage job, we told them it was best that we go our separate ways. Chris then sent an email saying they were canceling any further jobs, even though we had already made clear we were ending the relationship because of the dispute.
Chris then sent us a revised invoice that was materially changed from the prior invoice/accounting and was never agreed to by us. In our view, the revised invoice appeared designed to allow the company to keep the full deposit. They added fees we never agreed to, changed prior line items, and included change order charges we never approved or received in advance.
Tennessee Sign Company / Knoxville Sign Company LLC retained approximately $1,500 of our money for work that was not completed and charges that were never agreed to.
The exterior sign was never installed. We checked the Nashville ePermits portal, and the permit had not been issued. The permit file remained open, the site plan review had been rejected, building plans were still under review, required documentation remained outstanding, and no final sign inspections were scheduled. From what we could verify, a permit file was opened with the city, but the permit process was not completed and the exterior sign was not ready for installation.
This has been one of the most frustrating vendor experiences we have had. Additional charges were demanded after the fact, and our exterior job was threatened to be halted unless we paid disputed charges.
Based on our experience, I would not recommend Tennessee Sign Company / Knoxville Sign Company LLC. Even if you give them access to your space beforehand, if you ask them to correct their own installation issues, you may be charged for it after the fact. In our opinion, their billing practices were unreasonable and very concerning.
Lastly, once you pay your deposit, good luck getting anyone on the phone.
