What do you do with this?

[ishium 80439]

I received a voicemail yesterday and need to call this woman back. Essentially it was "Hi this is Mrs Jones and you guys installed an outside light for us and it is not really sitting on the house properly. My husband saw it and said 'I thought we paid someone to install this properly- This needs to be fixed'. So we really need to get this taken care of. Please call me back".

I looked this woman up and the work in question is from May of 2006! It took over 3 years for her husband to look up?! Do I assume he had whiplash and just got out of his neck brace? I don't really even remember the job. If it is the way my flawed memory is bringing it up I think it is a sconce that is tweaked because of clapboards.

I'm all about making things right when the customer isn't happy but what is the limit?

 

[ultramegabob]

My response would be "Normally our warrenty is 1 year parts and labor, but I will come out and look at it and if I determine it was originally installed improperly, I will fix it for free, however if it is due to vandalism or if it is apparent that someone else has attempted to work on it, or the building has deteriorated allowing the fixture to break away, there will be a service call charge."

 

[growler]

"Hi this is Mrs Jones and you guys installed an outside light for us and it is not really sitting on the house properly. My husband saw it and said 'I thought we paid someone to install this properly- This needs to be fixed'. So we really need to get this taken care of. Please call me back.

I'm all about making things right when the customer isn't happy but what is the limit?

The first thing to do is call them back. That's all they have requested so far. Explain that the fixture was installed 3 years ago and the warranty had expired. Also explain that if the light is still working and hasn't come loose from the house that it wouldn't have been a warranty issue anyway because it was installed to someone's satisfaction to begin with ( probably the wife ).

Now if they want you to come work on the fixture it will be a service call.

 

[bradleyelectric]

I'd do a drive by and see if I liked the way it was installed or if it could have been done better. Maybe you were having a bad day.

 

[mkgrady]

My response would be "Normally our warrenty is 1 year parts and labor, but I will come out and look at it and if I determine it was originally installed improperly, I will fix it for free, however if it is due to vandalism or if it is apparent that someone else has attempted to work on it, or the building has deteriorated allowing the fixture to break away, there will be a service call charge."

I agree with this 100%. It will only cost you if it was installed incorrectly to begin with. If this were a much bigger issue, say something big enough to go to court over, you would not be able to hide behind a one year warranty if it were not installed properly in the first place. Lawyers call this a latent defect.

 

[ishium 80439]

I will call them back today and see what the issue is. As I stated I think this going to be an issue with the light not sitting flush on the exterior because of the clapboards. At the time we did our work there was also a carpenter on the job and in my opinion that would have been a good time to bring up the fact that they didn't like the way the light was sitting and we could have had the carpenter make us a block. I've only used those Arlington blocks once and did not have great success so I've not used them again.

In terms of latent defect I would argue that it would not apply here. If I never tightened the lugs in the panel and it caused a fire I think it would apply. But we are talking about an aesthetic issue that has been in plain sight for 3 years. I couldn't go back to an auto dealer after 3 years and say "I ordered the red one but you delivered the blue one, make it right".

 

[mkgrady]

In terms of latent defect I would argue that it would not apply here. If I never tightened the lugs in the panel and it caused a fire I think it would apply. But we are talking about an aesthetic issue that has been in plain sight for 3 years. I couldn't go back to an auto dealer after 3 years and say "I ordered the red one but you delivered the blue one, make it right".

I didn't mean you have a latent defect. I'm saying if you find one when you go back you should fix it for free. If not, you could charge them.

 

[480sparky]

I'm in the call em up, see what the problem really is camp. Maybe just a fixture nut has come loose and the HOs want it tightened. I wouldn't run right over like the house was one fire. Just drive by some day when you're in the neighborhood.

 

[roger]

Not quite the same situation but, this thread reminds me of call back I once had after one of our service electricians had installed a dryer receptacle in a mud room for a customer.

The house was pretty new at the time, maybe 5 years old, and the present owners had bought it new.

The house had a laundry room but the owners wanted to move the washer and dryer to this mud room which had a door to the outside, there was a switch located at this door for an exterior light.

Anyways, a few days after the work was done we received a call that the exterior light quit working after we were there. I went out to see what might be the problem and was met by the husband who was accusing us of doing something wrong. I asked if he was sure that the light was working before we did the dryer receptacle and his reply was "yes, it always worked fine until your electrcian was here".

I opened the switch and found a dead end romex connected to the switch which had no power, assuming the feed was in the light I went outside and proceeded to remove it off of the wall. After I took the fixture apart I found the mounting bar screwed to the wall (btw this was a CMU house) with plastic anchors, there was no box and no wire.

The husband was standing behind me and I asked him again, "you sure this light was working before we came" and again he said yes". So then I showed him there was never any wiring to this fixture and the back stepping started, "well my wife said it worked" blah, blah, blah,.... :grin:

Apparently the fixture "rough in" must have been missed and the original wireman put the fixture up this way to get the final.

I asked the owner if he wanted us to come back out and fix the light to which he declined (I think he was to embarrassed to face us again):grin:

It was obviously a plan to get something he knew didn't work fixed for free.

Roger

 

[ishium 80439]

I didn't mean you have a latent defect. I'm saying if you find one when you go back you should fix it for free. If not, you could charge them.

Point taken. The thing that I am on the fence about is what if it is an aesthetic issue and not an installation issue.

I suppose the arguement could be made that I should have made sure that everything was with them at the time. Of course my response to that would be I figured that once they paid me, they accepted the work.

I'll get in touch with them today and find out what they have to say.

 

[growler]

As I stated I think this going to be an issue with the light not sitting flush on the exterior because of the clapboards. At the time we did our work there was also a carpenter on the job and in my opinion that would have been a good time to bring up the fact that they didn't like the way the light was sitting and we could have had the carpenter make us a block.

The thing that I am on the fence about is what if it is an aesthetic issue and not an installation issue.

I suppose the arguement could be made that I should have made sure that everything was with them at the time. Of course my response to that would be I figured that once they paid me, they accepted the work.

That is what the walk through portion of the job is for, to make sure that the customer is satisfied with the work.

If you thought that the fixture was not mounted in the best way and that a block was a good idea then you should have brought it up and if the customer declined the offer of a block then you make a note of it and you are covered ( it may not look good but it's what they want, end of story ).

 

[cbranter]

I agree with the thoughts above.....

Depending on the size of the town / city you live in the negitive feedback whether warrented or not could effect business

Even though it is tough to decide how far to bend...." the customer isn't always right but....."

 

[jaylectricity]

I've only used those Arlington blocks once and did not have great success so I've not used them again.

Just as an aside from your major concern, what happened when you used them? I like them, but you have to make sure you get the correct one for your situation. Usually they don't offer all the varieties at any one supplier.

 

[satcom]

Just as an aside from your major concern, what happened when you used them? I like them, but you have to make sure you get the correct one for your situation. Usually they don't offer all the varieties at any one supplier.

It also took us, a while the learn that

 

[mivey]

...After I took the fixture apart I found the mounting bar screwed to the wall (btw this was a CMU house) with plastic anchors, there was no box and no wire...

Classic. People just don't pay attention.

I can't count the number of times I have been re-wiring a gas pump and have the unit sitting off to the side (sometimes with the guts hanging out like spaghetti) only to have someone pull up and stick the nozzle in their tank.

 

[glene77is]

Maybe just a fixture nut has come loose and the HOs want it tightened.

480,
I've seen crows (big birds) land on lights and loosen them!


Anyway,
this is an opportunity for visible marketing
and improved customer relations.

The OP may even spot something else that needs to be done, or he could use some salesmanship
and end up getting paid,
all because he got his foot back on their property.
I am always on the lookout for residual projects.
I fixed a light that someone else installed
and ended with a three man project filling/sodding a large yard. Since work was slack, this was an opportunity.

 

[Volta]

So what did they say? If the drive isn't too far, I'd probably look at it and end up doing something. It seems that usually everyone is right in these situations, it could have been better, but there is a good reason it wasn't.

Probably worth the time to appease them now. If you don't do it this year, you'll be one year older when - oh, wait, I think you know that one.:roll: