ComplaintsforBowden Fence

• Initial Complaint

  10/06/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  Improper Fence installation 9/27/2022. A repair crew was sent to fix issues but damage to our yard from the original installation will result in additional expense for us because they left concrete to cure in a large ground pile. Additionally, the survey of the repair job resulted in one plank still improperly installed and one 4x4 post installed out of alignment with the fence line, causing bowing and potential property line issues. The owner refuses to fix this, stating we already agreed upon the remedy. The issue is that an additional problem (post and plank) occurred BECAUSE of the repair remedy. I paid in full to avoid a collections attempt, minus $50 they agreed to pay for our expense after they cut our cable line, rendering one family member unable to work almost 48 hours and another family member having to take a penalty on an online college test because the line went dead during the test after the cable was cut. Since we have to spend money to fix the yard damage, and because we feel the loss due to the cut cable line was punitive, they should repair the post and plank that occurred secondarily to the original installation OR offer a monetary refund equivalent to the Post and Plank material plus labor expenses so we can hire someone else to finish the job.

  Customer response

  10/14/2022

  The fence IS faulty.  25 posts move significantly.  They did not build fence to contracted expectations but rather offered 1 bandaid scenario which we accepted for kicker plates.  They did not return a second time to fix anything additional but rather did not return my phone inquiry on October 14, 2022 to discuss this matter.  I attempted phone contact at 4:20p that day after not receiving the call but they were closed and I had to leave a message with the answering service.  This contractor did not install the fence within industry standards. 
  Regards,
  
  ***** ********

  Customer response

  11/10/2022

  The response from the Merchant is dishonest.  We never threatened legal action.  In fact, we offered 3 solutions because we didn’t know what else to do.  The third option was litigation but we made it clear we did NOT want to do so.  The Merchant did not respond to our certified letter which we confirmed was received.  I will further point out that the owner did NOT visit my property twice.  She delivered materials without letting us know she was on our property.  That does not constitute two attempts to communicate with us.  She did NOT inspect the property twice.  She only came the day after installation, when we demanded her presence, out of frustration and disgust over how her installation crew left our property in disarray and how improperly the fence was installed.

  We have had 3 fence professionals survey the botched fence installation.  One of those professionals has been building fences since 1986.  Their survey revealed that this merchant used 5/8” and 3/8” boards that are cedar but cannot confirm it is Western Red Cedar, which was our prerequisite.  They did not tell us they would use mixed width boards.  Nearly every picket is warped, cupped or is split.  Nearly every board was nailed improperly on the south and east fence lines.  Every post moves, rendering the fence unstable.  They admittedly did not use water to set the posts with Quickcrete.  A representative from Quickcrete confirmed in writing that “moisture from the ground” will not alone set their product.  Water is necessary.  The Merchant’s foreman advised us that he was not certain what the installation crew did to install our posts and tried to remedy a few moving posts, BUT he also did not use water to set the Quickcrete.  We have several posts out of alignment, one encroaching our neighbor’s property line. 
  
  The gate on the north side was not aligned properly.  Hardware is missing.  The gate will not close.
  The owner of Bowden Fence, via phone, threatened ME with legal recourse.  She also unprofessionally attacked my character.  We feel unsafe with her business protocol.  She was unhappy that we left unsatisfactory reviews and stated it was slander.  We included pictures in our reviews to back up the facts stated in our reviews.  She was extremely emotional during her call which also made us uncomfortable as we always maintained a professional and unemotionally charged demeanor.
  
  The certified letter sent to this Merchant was pleasant, professional, and in arbitrary fashion NOT in the state of mind presented in her response as legally threatening. 
  
  I will further note that the foreman, of which she referred to, did NOT install our fence.  It was a team of completely non English speaking, less experienced individuals, as per her description of the crew only having ‘five years’ experience.  Ironically, it is the fence line built by the crew lead that has the most issues.
  
  The Merchant never tried to remedy.  She only tried to band-aid the mistakes.   I am happy to file a copy of our letter with the BBB.  You will see that she is overreacting and embellishing.

  Warmest Regards,

  ***** ********

   

  Customer response

  01/04/2023

  Thank you, again, for your patience and time taken to review our complaint with Bowden Fence.  
  
  Unfortunately, the 34-page document submitted to our bank is too large for your server so I am unable to electronically submit it.  Within that document is a cover letter, all correspondence with the business owner, multiple pictures, and an assessment from a 3rd party unbiased professional.  Since sending that document to our bank, we have received additional assessments that corroborate the first’s findings:  posts unstable and need to be torn out and reinstalled.  If this is something required by the BBB we will need to mail it or drop it off. 
  
  What I have attached is the contract, which is actually nothing more than the estimate that we electronically signed with terms and conditions, and our certified mail correspondence sent to the business owner since she refused to take my phone call.  You will see nothing but our professional demeanor and an honest attempt to open communication for resolution.  The letter was neither responded to or acknowledged.  We received a certified letter receipt.
  
  Note they are not upholding their Workmanship or Materials warranty, they did not review the job and get our approval signature, they did not follow their contracted receivables terms for payment (Net 15), and they did not build our fence to spec nor to industry standards.  We accepted many band-aid solutions in an attempt to be tolerant and open minded.  We are not receiving the same courtesy in kind, hence our BBB complaint.
  
  Please feel free to contact us with any questions.  It was an absolute pleasure speaking with you!
  
  Warmest Regards,
  ***** ********
  ###-###-####

  Customer response

  05/31/2023

  
  ***** *********************
  Date: Sun, May 28, 2023 at 3:21 PM
  Subject: BBB complaint ********
  To: ***** ***** ****************************
  
  
  Dear *****;
  
  
  Bowden Fence satisfied their designated actions in the legal agreement we executed.  The agreement was signed by all parties on May 15, 2023. It is ok to mark this BBB complaint as “resolved.” 
  
   If for some reason they reverse any actions in our legal agreement, I will contact you to advise that the matter (complaint) reverted back to an unresolved status.  For the record, we are not removing any statements in our complaint.  It is my understanding Bowden Fence is attempting us to do so outside of the legal agreement.  We will not ask the BBB to alter, revise, or remove any personal statements included in our complaint responses to Bowden Fence.
  
  Thank you for your time with this matter and for keeping me in the loop.  We appreciate everything the BBB attempted to do on our behalf to resolve this matter.
   
  
  Warmest Regards,
  
  ***** ********
  ###-###-####

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