Complaints

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. 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.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:29/11/2023

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I had called in regards to getting cabinets made for my kitchen, someone from their company came and measured the existing frames and counters i had installed temporarily so i could utilize my kitchen while the cabinets were made. The employee came and measured and i went in to discuss arrangement of drawers and cabinets. I got a call asking to come in again and we discussed arrangement again before the building started. We reviewed a 1 dimensional drawing and i made changes ie making drawer bank wider cutting out a cabinet etc. At no point did we discuss measurements as i had relied on the employee to take proper ones while he was here. Finally got a call to pick up the cabinets they arranged delivery and dropped them off. That evening i made some simple measurements of the cabinets made and realized the height was off the depths were off and the widths were off. I called and they came over they measured again and admitted the measurements of the cabinets were off but it wasn’t there fault and it was mine, and had a flurry of ideas of how to patch together the cabinets so that it would work. as well as blame me and call me a liar for changing the counters and the depths and the heights as well as educate me on what proper kitchen measurements were for cabinets and how the kitchen i was building was weird and not normal. i asked for my money back a number of times and was refused a number a times, again called a liar and a cheater and screamed at over the phone by ******** one of the owners. I discussed with the other **** ****** and plead with her to redo the cabinets and she refused. i then asked for a refund and again she refused and called my design weird and not normal. At no time did i provide them measurements they took them themselves, and at no time did i change anything after they came to measure. i want my money back and they can have their cabinets back. i tried very hard to settle this at the lowest level but was made to feel like an idiot for doing so.

  Business Response

  Date: 12/12/2023

        In the afternoon
  of June 14th, I went to ****’s house to measure out cabinets for his
  kitchen. His existing kitchen at the time consisted of hewn together 2“x 4”
  structures on either side of a 36” gas range with a ½” thick exterior
  construction grade plywood as a countertop. Across from the stove was another crudely
  constructed 2” x 4” peninsula. ****s original request was to build new kitchen
  cabinets on either side of the gas range. He stated that the old 2x4 structure
  would be removed and he would find a suitable countertop to accommodate the new
  cabinets. **** also requested that I fix up the peninsula by concealing the
  exposed 2”x 4” with 3” wide strips of 5/8” thick birch particle board. The
  doors on all the millwork would also be made of 5/8” birch veneer material. I
  was to price out the job with and without stain applied to the cabinets. The
  countertops on the peninsula would also be taken care of by him. So, my
  original quote was to supply and install new cabinets on each side of the stove
  and reface the peninsula – countertops not included.

  
                After
  receiving the original quote, he wanted the price modified to exclude refacing
  the peninsula and only proceed with the new cabinets on either side of the stove.
   Later, **** came into my office and wanted
  to make more changes to the original design. He changed the width of a bank of
  drawers, the heights of each drawer and added additional 10” wide cabinets. On
  a third occasion, **** authorized that the doors and finished ends on the
  cabinets be changed to a wood grain melamine instead of the wood veneer and
  that he was going to install the cabinets himself. By doing this it would help
  reduce the cost to him. After reviewing these changes with ****, at no point
  did he mention matching the heights of the 2X4 to the existing frames. We
  called **** when the cabinets were completed and he wanted us to deliver the
  cabinets to his house at no extra cost.

  
              Shortly
  after the cabinets were brought to his house, ****** received a call from ****.
  He was unhappy with the product that was supplied – he said the cabinets were
  not deep enough and not high enough. ******, my business partner, and I
  immediately went to ****’s place. Upon arriving I was not only surprised to see
  that the original 2x4 structure was still in place, but also, that he had
  already installed a ¾” wood countertop on top of the configuration and the wall
  above the countertop was finished with wood paneling. What we walked into and
  saw was not the last information that he provided us with. This is not the
  standard order of kitchen cabinet installation – he did everything backwards.

  
            In the
  original correspondence that I received from ****, he writes, “someone from
  their company came and measured the existing frames and countertops I had
  installed TEMPORARILY so I could utilize my kitchen while the cabinets were
  made”. The measurements that were taken on site were the wall dimensions, not the
  2x4 structure which was going to be removed – he never mentioned anything about building the cabinets to the dimensions of the 2x4 structure. Besides,
  the dimensions of the configuration are not up to industry standards (the
  standard would be 36” high including the countertop and 23 ½” -24” deep).
  Cabinets built to his depth (28”) on either side of the stove would be a
  potential fire hazard because the cabinet depth would exceed the oven doors and
  when in use could melt the edging on the doors or cause the cabinets to catch
  fire.  Additionally, the height is not ergonomic.
  **** has the legs on the gas range extended to the maximum and has also laid
  extra ¾” plywood below the range so the top of the stove is flush with the
  countertop he installed on the 2x4 frame.
  When **** brought this issue to our attention, we tried to
  explain that the cabinets we provided were as we originally agreed upon and will
  work for his kitchen dimensions. We attempted to explain, problem solve, and
  offered to work with him to install these cabinets as they should be. ****,
  however, was adamant that we refund his money, to which we explained that we
  cannot accept returns on custom made cabinets. All of the materials ordered and
  used were specifically for his project as well as the time and labour invested.

  
  We agree that we should have kept our cool about this
  matter. We have really tried, and still know that the cabinets we created will
  work for ****s kitchen. We have tried to cut as many costs as possible for
  ****, however we cannot accept a refund/ return.
  

   

  See attached drawings. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 13/12/2023

  
  
  Complaint: 20932868
  
  
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  
  the original measurements ********* took from my kitchen and what he had taken the measurements from (my frame and counter) has not changed since he took them. I had someone here while he took measurements who can confirm this aswell. His measurements were incorrect hence producing incorrect cabinets that will not fit or work for my kitchen. The effort he has put into unprofessionally yelling and blaming me for his shortcomings could have been put into properly measuring the cabinet space that was constructed when he measured originally and has not changed. 

  His efforts to push responsibly off him (who measured the cabinet space) and the lengths he has gone to single out and put full blame and responsibility on me (the customer) for having cabinets i did not measure for or build that are incorrect and don’t fit and will not work is incredibly disheartening of the person and company he represents.

  A full refund in exchange of cabinets is a fair solution to his negligence of measuring correctly and incredibly unprofessional manner of handling this situation. 

   

  
  Sincerely,
  
  
  
  ***** ******

  Business Response

  Date: 21/12/2023

   The new cabinets that
  **** ordered to his specifications do fit his kitchen layout. **** is making a
  big deal out of nothing. If **** would remove the temporary 2x4 structure which
  he erected as he stated he would do in the beginning and hire a professional
  cabinet installer to install the cabinets, his dilemma would be over quickly
  and we can all move on with our lives.

  
  In response to ****’s false accusation of inaccurate
  measurements, we addressed these concerns in our previous response when we
  write:

  
  ****s original request was to
  build new kitchen cabinets on either side of the gas range. He stated that the
  old 2x4 structure would be removed and he would find a suitable countertop to
  accommodate the new cabinets. **** also requested that I fix up the peninsula
  by concealing the exposed 2”x 4” with 3” wide strips of 5/8” thick birch
  particle board. The doors on all the millwork would also be made of 5/8” birch
  veneer material. I was to price out the job with and without stain applied to
  the cabinets. The countertops on the peninsula would also be taken care of by
  him. So, my original quote was to supply and install new cabinets on each side
  of the stove and reface the peninsula – countertops not included.
  ….
  The measurements that were taken
  on site were the wall dimensions, not the 2x4 structure which was going to be
  removed – he never mentioned anything about building the cabinets to the
  dimensions of the 2x4 structure. Besides, the dimensions of the configuration
  are not up to industry standards (the standard would be 36” high including the
  countertop and 23 ½” -24” deep). Cabinets built to his depth (28”) on either
  side of the stove would be a potential fire hazard because the cabinet depth
  would exceed the oven doors and when in use could melt the edging on the doors
  or cause the cabinets to catch fire. 
  Additionally, the height is not ergonomic. **** has the legs on the gas
  range extended to the maximum and has also laid extra ¾” plywood below the
  range so the top of the stove is flush with the countertop he installed on the
  2x4 frame.

  
  As stated in our previous response, the cabinets we measured
  and built are appropriate. The gentlemen who I met during my visit to ****s
  place  was not present for the discussion
  I had with **** about his kitchen. Whereas on November 27th ******
  attended the home of **** and clarified and explained how these measurements
  would in fact work, ****’s roommate was present for this and agreed that the
  cabinets would work for the kitchen.
  A total refund is not possible because we created custom
  made cabinets to ****’s specifications that he approved. We cannot accept
  returns on custom builds. We propose the following possible solutions: 

  
  1)**** keeps the cabinets and hires a professional cabinet installer to install the cabinets. They are the correct measurement and they will work.
  OR
  2)We have invested time, labour and materials into custom made cabinets, they will not be able to be reused by us. Therefore, we offer to refund the materials but not the time and labour into this project. We can offer a refund of $500.00 in exchange of the cabinets that **** can return to our shop undamaged.

  
  We hope these solutions will suffice so we can move forward.
  Sincerely,
  ******** & ******

  Customer Answer

  Date: 21/12/2023

  
  
  Complaint: 20932868
  
  
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  As stated in text messages, as well as in person, and again over this platform. The measurements ********* took were wrong. The width was incorrect. The depth was incorrect, and finally the height was incorrect. Hence producing cabinets that were incorrect. Not one single thing produced that was measured by *********, specifically from and for my kitchen fits properly . This is an obvious mistake that should have been respectfully and professionally resolved by not being disrespectful and unprofessional by taking account and responsibility of a measuring mistake. 
  Me returning the cabinets i paid $2800 cash for to receive a $500 refund is an absolute insult and makes absolutely no sense from a customer or business stand point. 
  A full refund and return of the cabinets i have absolutely no use for, legslly is the correct and only option here.
  A time and dated picture i have fir reference, 4 months prior to ********* coming over to measure. The same state the kitchen and counter are in today. Discrediting is initial email and showing how far he and his company are willing to go to besmirch and blame and pass on responsibility and ownership of a simple mistake of the one job he had to do. 
  Kind regards and happy holidays 
  
  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  
  
  ***** ******

  Customer Answer

  Date: 21/12/2023

  
  Complaint: 20932868
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  
  As stated in text messages, as well as in person, and again over this platform. The measurements ********* took were wrong. The width was incorrect. The depth was incorrect, and finally the height was incorrect. Hence producing cabinets that were incorrect. Not one single thing produced that was measured by *********, specifically from and for my kitchen fits properly . This is an obvious mistake that should have been respectfully and professionally resolved by not being disrespectful and unprofessional by taking account and responsibility of a measuring mistake. 
  Me returning the cabinets i paid $2800 cash for to receive a $500 refund is an absolute insult and makes absolutely no sense from a customer or business stand point. 
  A full refund and return of the cabinets i have absolutely no use for, legslly is the correct and only option here.
  A time and dated picture i have fir reference, 4 months prior to ********* coming over to measure. The same state the kitchen and counter are in today. Discrediting is initial email and showing how far he and his company are willing to go to besmirch and blame and pass on responsibility and ownership of a simple mistake of the one job he had to do. 
  Kind regards and happy holidays 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***** ******
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:01/11/2023

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  In November 2021 I purchased new kitchen countertops from Paramount and paid them to professionally install them. In August 2023, major water damage became apparent. I had the issue inspected by local contractors, who concluded that the countertops were installed poorly (specifically the silicone was not properly done) and this was the root cause of the issue. I contacted Paramount several times to discuss and find a remedy, trusting that they would rectify the issue. Upon their visit, they claim the damage was caused by abuse and would not offer to repair or otherwise remedy the situation. They state that the situation is impossible to repair and replacement is the only option. The countertops are less than 2 years old.Since they refuse to repair the countertops and have started treating me unpleasantly, I wish for a full refund so I can seek to have them replaced properly by an alternative business.I have uploaded images of the damage as well as images demonstrating the sub-par caulking.

  Business Response

  Date: 06/11/2023

  In regard to complaint ID ********, this issue has been deemed not to meet our warranty requirements for the following reasons:
  
  -Excessive water damage is deemed to be misuse of countertops. To receive the amount of damage shown on the countertops significant amounts of water must be put on and not removed over an extended period, this is improper use. This can be seen in attached image, water has been exposed to these surfaces to the point of peeling paint from drywall, this is not regular use.
  -This is a communal kitchen in a rental building, not the customers personal kitchen so claims of the amount of water exposed can not be verified as she does not actually live in this property a group of tenants do; whom clearly have not shown the care and respect to her property that she has seen in previous tenants.
  -The type of faucet installed has the ability to rotate 360 degrees meaning a tenant can easily spin the faucet to the wall and have water run directly onto the wall and countertop.
  -An offer of repair was not made because with this type of damage there is no way to properly repair it, once the substrate has been exposed to that much moisture and allowed to swell it is no longer viable. This can be seen in the pictures of where the laminate and caulking have been separated by the amount of now exposed substrate.
  -Claims by an independent contractor upon seeing amount of sealant remaining after two years of water damage and swelling of substrate do not dictate our warranty protocols.
  
  With over 30 years of experience in the industry I have never seen a countertop damaged to this degree by water,many customers opt for a countertop without a backsplash and they do not experience this type of damage, the backsplash is there as an added layer of protection, unfortunately there is no amount of protection that can be added to prevent damage from misuse. I am attaching images of both the damage to the countertops, as well as the damage to the wall behind them to show the amount of water that has been exposed. I am also providing a copy of our warranty information which has already been given to the complainant.  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 07/11/2023

   
  Complaint: 20811359
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  These excuses are insufficient. Upon inspecting the installation job, they were unable to state that the caulking and installation was done to a professional standard of quality. Independent contractors verified this and were shocked by the poor installation, given their reputation.

  The countertop should have been scribed to reduce the distance between the backsplash and the wall. The caulking should have also been applied to ensure there were no gaps and smoothed to a 45 degree angle to make sure water would not pool. This is standard practice.

  As demonstrated in my original photo, the caulking in some places did not even touch the countertop, leaving a significant gap between the wall and countertop. In addition, most of the caulking sat in a "U" shape, not at 45 degrees, allowing water to pool and gradually seep into the particleboard.

  This was all explained, yet they use the excuse of excessive use and malicious tenants.

  The previous countertops lasted over 30 years under the same high-use conditions and only experienced surface wear, not water damage. Water damage never occurred because the previous counter was well-sealed against water intrusion. The current damage occurred at 2 sinks, only one of which can rotate 360 degrees (the other sink faucet cannot, yet similar damage occurred there).

  I trusted Paramount would stand by the quality of their installation. I did not have the installation independently inspected right away since they reassured me that they had done a professional job and I believed they would uphold a warranty if any issues relating to installation were to occur.

  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***************************************

  Business Response

  Date: 17/11/2023

  I am attaching a copy of the installation guidelines from the manufacturer ( ******** Laminates), this shows that they only recommend applying a latex sealant between the wall and backsplash, a clear difference between the water resistant sealant that they recommend to go between the sink and the countertops. This is because the caulking at the wall is an aesthetic finish, the rolled 3 backsplash is designed to protect the wall from water spilt from the sink- which it has. As shown in our original pictures excessive water has reached the wall resulting in paint peeling as well, this is not from regular use. We install based on the specifications from the manufacturer, not those of an unknown contractor. This is standard practice. The countertop was scribed to the wall and latex sealant was applied to give a more *******************, not a water resistant sealant. Water should never be allowed to pool anywhere on countertops, proper use would be to wipe up these spills or accidents in a timely manner not allow them to sit. If the finish of the caulking was an issue it should have been brought to our attention sooner.

  
  The point of the other countertop lasting 30 years is not relevant to this case as, accidents and misuse can happen at any point in the life span of a countertop.

  
  The installation was properly done, our warranty was upheld but does not protect against; this warranty does not apply to countertop damage by misuse, neglect, abuse, exposure to moisture, exposure to extreme temperatures, normal wear and tear, abnormal use, effects of excessive dryness such as splitting or excessive shrinking, *****, food stains, chemical stains,and/or acts of God. And is valid from 1 year from the installation date which we are well past. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 21/11/2023

   
  Complaint: 20811359
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  Scribing was not done anywhere. There remains a large gap, about half an inch, between the backsplash and the wall.

  Waterproof sealant should have been used between the backsplash and the wall given it is a kitchen and it was known to be a high use kitchen (I made it very clear I expected a solid and robust installation to withstand high use). I was not informed nor given a choice as to whether low grade sealant (which allowed water to seep through) or waterproof sealant was applied. I expected the sealant would be waterproof and assumed as much, how would I have known otherwise? How would I have been able to complain about this or address this issue earlier since all sealants look identical? This installation failure only became apparent after the water damage occurred.

  The waterproof sealant between the sink and the countertop was not applied, yet now you say this is a mandatory installation requirement. When I mentioned this immediately after the installation (concern that there was no sealant around the sinks), ****** told me the guys would have tightened the sinks down as much as they could and that's all that needs to be done. She suggested I could seal it if I felt like it.

  So, according to the installation instructions, your team did not in fact follow correct installation requirements in at least two instances (scribing was not done, nor was waterproof sealant applied at the sinks). This means the installation was not done in a professional manner. Nor was it done to my expectations (waterproof sealant).

  Again, I am insisting on a refund in full for failure to deliver services as contracted (ie professional countertop installation)

  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***************************************