Who should pay $225?

ally82 · 10-26-2012, 01:57 AM

I was here a few weeks ago to get advice about pricing for a door installation and appreciate the help! Home Depot Rip-Off?

Turned out they jacked the price up some more, it took two weeks to get on the schedule, which was about 3 weeks after I placed my order. And the guy was 90 minutes late. But I think he did a great job on the door, he was clean and very friendly.

But before he came out, I pointed out to the guy giving me the estimate that I had an alarm contact in the door that I wanted in the new door. He specifically said, "we'll do the hole, but can't guarantee it'll work." Then when the guy came out, before he started he said, "I'll drill the hole, but I can't guarantee it'll work." Fair enough.

After the install, it appeared there was something wrong with the sensor, one of the screws was stuck and he fiddled with it for awhile and then said, that I'd need to take care of it myself. He'd finished the door and was leaving.

So I spent a couple of hours on it, never understanding why when I touched the two wires together I wasn't making contact, but thinking maybe there was something special about the contact, or that it had to have a connection to cure the system fault in the alarm, or maybe the alarm had to be rebooted or the battery removed. So it got to the point where each test took me 5 to 10 minutes. All of these possibilities, and calling all over town for a contact and then driving to the next city over to get one, took me hours.

The new contact didn't work, so I called the alarm company and it cost me $225 and some additional holes through my floor and my new door and tearing up my wall trim to figure out the correct wires were red and BLUE, not red and BLACK.

Now I get that the guy's boss said they don't do alarms. I get that he said he doesn't do alarms. I knew that going in and was reminded of it. But to take a cable with 4 wires and cute down one I need and strip one I don't and then leave me with it thinking that's how they were before, cost me hours of time and $225.

Why would anyone take a cable with four wires, with two you need and not take a look at their color? So who is responsible for the $225 I had to shell out because he didn't bother to look at the colors before he pulled the wires out of the contact?

Marty1Mc · 10-26-2012, 09:45 AM

Personally, I don't think the door guy is responsible for the $225. The guy said he didn't do alarms. Why? Because he doesn't know what he is doing.

Why did the alarm company drill additional holes,tear stuff up before checking the wiring? They should have known.

**oh'mike** · 10-26-2012, 09:57 AM

I believe you are on your own---A carpenter is not expected to know alarm wiring---and stated that before the work started.

You had time to get the alarm company out before the door was installed in order to disconnect the switch--

I install doors and windows ----and I learned long ago to leave that alarm wiring up to the alarm company---

Sorry to give you bad news----but it's a different skill set----

ally82 · 10-26-2012, 11:53 AM

I appreciate the replies. I am going to make my decision based on the feedback that I'm getting.

I know my first post was long-winded, but I break it down to this:

If he'd just left it alone, I would have seen that I needed to connect the red and blue wires, but he cut the cable (that had 4 wires, 2 unused) and then stripped back the red and black wires leaving me to think that's the way it was when he pulled it off the door.

If he'd said, "I'm not touching it" or "you do it" or just cut it off and done nothing, I'd have been OK. The problem was he did just enough to cause me a $225 problem.

**oh'mike** · 10-26-2012, 11:59 AM

I understand your frustration-----see if the company will split the difference with you----

Whose wires are thin and break easily---I do hate dealing with them----

HomeSealed · 10-26-2012, 05:41 PM

IMO, once he touches it, he made it his problem. That is unless he specifically told you beforehand that he would do it, but he could not guarantee that it would work or be done right-- although that should really have been in writing.... I tell my installers to NEVER touch that stuff.
Given that you are dealing with a huge company in Home Depot, you can probably get somewhere if you make a big enough stink about it. If it were my company, I'd pay for it and chew out my installer

funfool · 10-26-2012, 06:19 PM

I will chime in, I may change your windows or your doors.
If you have a alarm system, often I will need to cut the wires to remove the sensor from old window or door.
Simply to get it out of the way to install the new door.
Is said up front that I will not reconnect the alarm and up to the customer to call the alarm company to have them re-installed.

I think what is going on is poor communication, It is not the carpenters job to connect the alarm system.
Although he had good intentions and wanted to, is not his job.
Who will you call 3 months later when a issue happens with the alarm not working correctly?
Will you call the alarm company who did not install the sensor? Or will you call the carpenter back who does not install sensors?

This really is a added cost to the installation of your new door, I would not want a carpenter installing a alarm system, A alarm company would not want a carpenter installing their system that they need to guarantee to work.

GBrackins · 10-26-2012, 07:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ally82

But before he came out, I pointed out to the guy giving me the estimate that I had an alarm contact in the door that I wanted in the new door. He specifically said, "we'll do the hole, but can't guarantee it'll work." Then when the guy came out, before he started he said, "I'll drill the hole, but I can't guarantee it'll work." Fair enough.

did you ask the guy to try and hook up the alarm? did he ask you if you wanted him to try and hook it up?

not clear whether you asked them to hook it up or not, kinda implied that you did, but I don't see it in your statements

Missouri Bound · 10-26-2012, 10:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ally82

I appreciate the replies. I am going to make my decision based on the feedback that I'm getting.

I know my first post was long-winded, but I break it down to this:

If he'd just left it alone, I would have seen that I needed to connect the red and blue wires, but he cut the cable (that had 4 wires, 2 unused) and then stripped back the red and black wires leaving me to think that's the way it was when he pulled it off the door.

If he'd said, "I'm not touching it" or "you do it" or just cut it off and done nothing, I'd have been OK. The problem was he did just enough to cause me a $225 problem.

When he told you "but can't guarantee it'll work" it became your problem. It's your problem and quite frankly your fault. Just because you should have known better isn't anyone elses fault but yours. There's my opinion.