ComplaintsforWS Design Kitchen & Bath Studio

• Initial Complaint

  12/06/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Order a "Custom Cabinet" in May 2022. ($8,800 dollars). Measured twice before ordering. 8 weeks to receive. Cabinet did not have access to plumbing fixtures. Sent out designer to cut out. Free handed the cut, uneven, and did not sand. Inside cabinet drawers were offset which made the drawers look terrible. The front of the drawers not even across cabinet. I had a high-end contractor look at the cabinet, stated he would be ashamed to have this in a house. After conversation on the phone, we were told this is how all cabinet come. Talk to us as we didn't know what we were doing. Were told they had other customers and didn't have time on trivial stuff. After re-doing the faces of the drawers, they forgot the "dead" cabinet faces which the handles would not line up. Finally fixed in Nov. 2022. Never fixed the free-handed cuts that were not straight or sanded. And never fixed the "offset" drawers. They sent bill past due a week later.

  Business response

  12/29/2022

  [BBB Transcription via Email]

  Thank you for passing on the complaint filed against WS Design by ***** ******. I just received it via the mail today 12/28/22. 
  
  I would like to start this off from the very beginning and lead you through the timeline. 
  ******s wanted a vanity that looked like a piece of furniture/dresser 
  WS did a total of 7 designs to get to the point where the ******s were happy with the final look. All designs were similar in concept but varied slightly in design. started on 3/30/23-5/6/26 (final design and signed contract)
  ***** (designer on this project) had a total of 93 emails with the ******s to get to this point.
  ***** helped the ******s with other selections along the way such as wall color, tile, faucet, and hardware selections
  Samples were made to get the exact finish they wanted.
  Responding to complaints filed.
  Cabinet was designed to give the look of a piece of furniture and still function like a vanity. The design had drawers that went across like a dresser/furniture would, but had an offset to accommodate the plumbing (P-trap drain). In order to do this, the drawers were offset (inside) This gave the appearance (design) they wanted and accommodated the plumbing. 
  Cabinet was designed to hide the P-trap once the drawer was opened. This gave a cleaner look once the drawer was opened vs being open and seeing the plumbing. This also helped support the offset drawer since its glides would not be even on the drawer box. This would however require the contractor to cut out whatever accessibility needed to hook up the plumbing. (Common in construction to modify in the field).  
  The Contractor did not feel comfortable cutting out the wood needed, as they lacked the experience/knowledge. I said "I appreciate the fact they were honest and I would ask the cabinet maker if he would be willing to do it next time he was in town"  The cabinet maker did even though it was not his responsibility. The cut was made for the plumber to have accessibility, but still leaving enough support for the drawers to function properly. The cut is on the inside of the cabinet and is covered up by drawers.
  The cabinet maker did make the drawer fronts incorrectly and remade them once it was brought to our/his attention. The cabinet maker did go out and replace all the drawer fronts and apologized to Mr. ****** at which time he replied to **** (cabinet maker). No problem, thanks for taking care of it, and It looks great. 
  I feel this has been a money grab from the very beginning. We offered to give a full refund after Mr. ****** started with the complaints and before the countertops were installed. Every correspondence, from that point on, included a threat of "my team of attorneys or legal counsel"  At this point in time Mr. ****** still owed $4,874.15.
  
   As a business owner, it's a shame people can use the threat of social media or legal counsel to try and get you to give them a discount. WS design does roughly 250-300 jobs a year. We do work for most of the high-end builders in town and have been awarded National and local awards. This Year WS won Regional and is a finalist for the National award for *Thermador. WS won the National award for Best Laundry from Waypoint and was also a finalist for Best Bathroom and Best Kitchen. WS was awarded by The HBA: Best Bathroom, Best Bathroom Remodel, Best Kitchen Remodel, and Best Remodel Project. Our design always won Best Kitchen and Best Other space. We take pride in our work and try to give the best customer service we can. Unfortunately after 93 emails then eventitly 120+ emails  and many conversations on the phone we realized this was going to be a losing battle and decided to give Mr. ****** a discount and move on.  
  
  I have attached the drawing/design and a few pictures that Mr.****** was complaining about.  
  --
  **** **********
  
  901 Jefferson Ave
  Toledo, Oh 43604
  Cell     ************
  Office 419-469-2294
  ****@******************

  Customer response

  12/29/2022

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:  

  First of all, **** lied right from the start, not receiving the email until 12/28.  He only responded to me until the day after I filed the complaint with the BBB.  The design did take from 3/30 to 5/6 because ***** took forever to respond, canceled an appointment at last minute.  When spending $8,800 for a "custom" cabinet, you expect to make changes.  This company uses "Amish" to build the "custom" cabinets, but when the individuals came to deliver the cabinet, they had cell phones, vehicle, and a trailer, "Amish".  The one phone call that I had with ****, we as customers knew nothing about the construction business and you should deal with a cabinet delivered with no access to the plumbing once the countertop was installed.  We experienced several bills from contractors due to the mistakes made by ****'s company.  He kept bringing up the number of email's that was sent to *****, to answer that, if you would not keep making mistakes or answer the emails this would not be a problem.  When picking out hardware, she lost what we pick out.  We had to pick out something that we sent to us through emails, because we had already been delayed by WS Design.  ***** did make suggestions on paint and hardware selections.  We already had the tile selected and order, we did ask for her opinion if it would match with the cabinet.  Paint colors suggested were never taken into consideration.  Faucet were ordered way before we were ever in contact with WS design, we placed order in early March.  ***** did say she would pick some countertops out "granite", but when we got to the countertop supplier, she had never suggested anything.  I do think the countertop that I chose made the cabinet.  What we got out of **** business was our project was too small for his business.  We had to go through our contractor who is one of the high-end builders in town that used WS Design many times to get ***** to even respond.  Our contractors stated that the would have never accepted the cabinet with all the problems we went through.  We still have never received any touch up stick or paint for the cabinet.

  Again, **** did offer a discount of his services to make us go way and pay the remaining of the bill.  He did send us a bill a week or so after fixing the drawer fronts labeled "late".  We did sign the contract on 5/6 and was told 6 weeks for delivery.  They were out in November to fix the drawers, only 6 months after signing the contract.  I don't know how many times we had to wait for them to make things correct.  Yes, we have a cabinet that looks okay from the outside because of all the surrounding items to offset it.  But the inner workings of the cabinet are terrible, which to **** is no big deal.   I will never suggest or use WS Design again.  It's been one headache after another.  And again, if I would have not contacted the BBB, we would have not responded back to me.  

  And yes, **** knew if we did take legal action, he would have not had a leg to stand on, that is why he offered a discount to make us go way.

  I did not give **** the okay or supply him the photo that shows me in the background.  This needs to be taken down immediately. 

   

   

  
  
  
  
   

  
  
  

  Business response

  01/10/2023

  [BBB Transcription via Email]

  
  I really am not sure we are accomplishing anything by emailing back and forth. I was trying to point out (to the BBB) the timeline of the job. I did not reply back immediately to (Mr. ******) after he contacted the BBB as stated, but rather after I had a chance to sit down with my other two partners.   As you know, the complaint was mailed to us, not emailed. It was scanned and emailed to me after it was received and read. 
  
  I have attached the photo with the finished product along with the signed contract and final design drawings. All of which show offsetting drawers. 
  
  Thank you. 

  Customer response

  01/11/2023

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:  I want all personal information attachments removed at once.  Signatures, photo's, etc.  I will forward this on to my attorney.  Case needs to be closed after this is done.  It's not worth the time, please avoid DS Design at all costs.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ****** ******

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩