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:11/03/2023

  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.

  We ordered our 1st Studio Shed 6 yrs ago and we purchased a home show model that was already built. It arrived in great condition...so a good experience. We then sold that home and purchased a new one so we wanted another studio shed. This time we had many is***s:1) This unit was not assembled on a flatbed truck well before our delivery date. They stored it for a bit but without warning it arrived again, not on our desired date - driver said he had no way to take it off his truck and we had to scramble to call our contractor and manually take off tons of pallets, filling up garage and costing us contractor fees.2) When tried to assemble we had tons of is***s (photos). Pieces were not the right size, a window with moisture inside the pane, framing was way off, studs were bowed, metal flashing not cut properly, dents in metal, sheets unevenly stained and wrong size, overhang wood was very cheap plywood and both sides had random sharpie marks as well as dark stamps, very cheap wood that looks like old pieces, framing rafter wood on outside was a totally different wood etc.3) Not only did they want full payment of 30K for (first shed was 14K), now we had 8K in extra labor for my contractor to try to fix the is***s. 4) Problems were reported to Studio Shed and they led us to believe that if we sent photos they would make things right...we even did a call. We had no choice other than to work with the damaged materials. Resolution help: we sent photos in Feb 2023 and asked them to waive the remainder of the cost due to the is***s. They confirmed receipt and we heard nothing so assumed they agreed. 5 months later they offered only a $500 discount. We said that was not acceptable. Then they again went quiet. 3 months later their lawyer sent us a letter saying they were going to *** us. We are astounded by the horrible workmanship, insulting $500 discount, and threat by a lawyer. We didn't get what was promised, the quality is horrible.

  Business Response

  Date: 12/01/2023

  Studio Shed values all of our customers and are always proud to have a returning customer. Through various and frequent forms of communication we do our best to provide proper expectations and adequate resources to aid these customers in successful projects. We work in the construction industry, where things can easily go wrong, but we have systems in place to effectively resolve issues quickly, provided that information is given to us to allow us to help. This particular customer did not follow our building directions, comply with our terms and conditions and this resulted in their added cost, time, and frustration. Had they followed our processes, that were communicated multiple times throughout the project, we would not be in this unfortunate circumstance. Please see below for specific responses to each of the raised concerns:
  
  "This unit was not assembled on a flatbed truck well before our delivery date"

  The first unit that this customer purchased was, as noted, a prebuilt display model. This is not our standard practice, and the expectation was never set that the second unit would also be prebuilt. The customer knowingly purchased DIY-Installation and was provided with the requirements of such upon purchase (10/3/22)  as well as after purchase. Customer subsequently requested installation services as an add-on (10/17/22), but ultimately cancelled that service (11/23/22). When purchasing our flatpack kit of parts as a DIY kit, the expectation is that the customer needs to construct it themselves or with a contractor of their choosing. Our terms and conditions state Do-It-Yourself. As the name implies, DIY requires Client to assemble the Product (or hire a third-party contractor directly). If Client orders a DIY building kit, Client is solely responsible for all necessary permits and any applicable architectural or engineering work (unless Client has purchased Studio Sheds full Permit Plan Set including engineer-stamped drawings), foundation work, utilities, other site work, and assembly of the Product. Studio Shed accepts no responsibility or liability related to a DIY assembly, including but not limited to inaccurate estimates from Clients chosen contractor or poor workmanship by Clients chosen contractor. Client is solely responsible for complying with all applicable building and safety codes while assembling the Product. Client, and Clients contractor when applicable, shall contact Studio Shed directly for a pre-construction phone call to discuss best practices. If Client fails to contact Studio Shed prior to assembly, Client releases Studio Shed from any liability related to assembly errors (4.A.). Customer was reminded of this in our standard shipping email, sent on 10/13/22.
  

  "They stored it for a bit but without warning it arrived again, not on our desired date driver said he had no way to take it off his truck and we had to scramble to call our contractor and manually take off tons of pallets, filling up garage and costing us contractor fees"

  10/13/2022 ship date 11/18/2022 delivery date which is 5 days longer than our terms allow, but we waived the additional fees. Additionally, our terms and conditions state that, If Product is purchased for Do-It-Yourself (DIY) assembly, offloading is the responsibility of the Client (1.D).  As well as, If construction will not start immediately, Client is responsible for providing secure on-site storage of the Product (1.D.iv.) It is also the customers responsibility to schedule the delivery with the 3rd party freight company. Customer was reminded of this in our standard shipping email, sent on 10/13/22.
  

  "When tried to assemble we had tons of issues (photos). Pieces were not the right size, a window with moisture inside the pane, framing was way off, studs were bowed, metal flashing not cut properly, dents in metal, sheets unevenly stained and wrong size, overhang wood was very cheap plywood and both sides had random sharpie marks as well as dark stamps, very cheap wood that looks like old pieces, framing rafter wood on outside was a totally different wood etc."

  Our terms and conditions state that Damage to Product during shipping or receiving may occur. If Client or Certified Contractor notice damage upon delivery, Client or Certified Contractor shall notify Studio Shed immediately and provide a complete list of damaged Product with accompanying photos. Client may be responsible for additional costs for replacement or repair of damaged Product if Studio Shed is not notified within 24 hours of delivery (1.D.i.). The first report of damages was nearly 30 days after (12/16/2022) the unloading of the unit. It should also be noted that in the photos provided there are multiple cases of incorrect use/installation of supplied products (ie. Metal trims placed under rafters and unauthorized trims used on siding and underneath windows) leading us to believe that the contractor did not use the installation resources provided by Studio Shed.  Customer was also reminded of this in our standard shipping email, sent on 10/13/22.
  Window moisture caused by customers incorrect sealing of the cladding seams.
  Framing most likely off because of incorrect installation methods. It is impossible to maintain perfect lumber through changes of heat and moisture. There are multiple construction methods that can be used to ensure square, straight, and plumb walls while framing the building. These methods were not used.
  Metal flashing was produced correctly, contractor did not have proper understanding of the design.
  Type and location of dents in metal are in line with field errors we see commonly, not fabrication errors.
  Sheets unevenly stained and marked up with sharpie because certain boards were installed upside down. The material referenced has a visible clean up side and a hidden rough down side. Contractor installed the rough side to be visible.
  Studio Shed uses No. 2 grade lumber, which is standard for this type of application. The rafter wood appears different because it was stained with a sealant in our factory per the customers order.
  Through the photos provided, Studio Shed recognized that there was one manufacturing defect that we take responsibility for. However, this was not reported to us therefore we could do nothing about it. The solution would have been to trim back the rafters before putting the roof on, but because of the delay in reporting, which goes against our terms and conditions, the fix got exponentially more difficult and expensive.
  

  "Not only did they want full payment of 30K for (first shed was 14K), now we had 8K in extra labor for my contractor to try to fix the issues." 

  Our standard operation is that product is paid in full prior to the customers receipt but due to a tight deadline, the customer received the kit prior to paying in full. We were in communication with the customer to collect outstanding funds all the way back in November. Customer at this point still refuses to pay in full. As mentioned previously, the first unit bought was a prebuilt display model we were selling at a discount. The second unit had a 10% returning customer discount applied. Pricing of the unit should not have been a surprise.  
  Problems were reported to Studio Shed and they led us to believe that if we sent photos they would make things rightwe even did a call.
  Studio Shed is responsible for fixing manufacturing defects, not defects caused by the customer or the customers own contractor during the assembly of the building. Per the communications and photos presented after the product was in the customers possession for multiple months Studio Shed did not deem the majority of the reported issues were a manufacturing defect but rather defects caused in the field.

  "Resolution help: we sent photos in Feb 2023 and asked them to waive the remainder of the cost due to the issues. They confirmed receipt and we heard nothing so assumed they agreed. 5 months later they offered only a $500 discount."

  There was never a communication that Studio Shed agreed to this proposal. Studio Shed had a call with the customer on 2/17/22 to discuss the acknowledged defect. We tried several times to set up phone calls, zoom calls, etc. to discuss a resolution. Because of the absence of communication, Studio Shed presented fair monetary compensation for the amount it would have taken to fix the defect had it been reported according to our terms and conditions.
  

  "3 months later their lawyer sent us a letter saying they were going to sue *************** multiple attempts to collect payments (dating back to November, 2022) via email and phone calls, in addition to the aforementioned communications regarding a resolution, our standard procedure is to send the customer to collections to recoup the unpaid funds. 

  Thank you,

  *****

  Business Response

  Date: 12/01/2023

  This communication was lost in ******'s email - she was separated from Studio Shed as of 11/15/23, prior to the receipt of this note. Apologies for the delayed response.

  
  Thanks,

  *****

  Customer Answer

  Date: 12/01/2023

   
  Complaint: 20821137
  
  I am rejecting this response because 1) I have no idea who "Drake" is that replied and 2) most of what he stated is totally false. One example is we had requested a later delivery date and were pressured to put in the order at month end for the sales rep's *********** we assume but they said a later delivery would be fine. We told them that we needed to find a contractor and they even offered up some resources in the area that we interviewed. We were very clear on when we had booked our contractor and when we wanted the unit delivered and scheduled it for that later month. When suddenly the unit arrived many weeks too early we were told by Studio Shed it was a mistake and that the local delivery company would store it. But that didn't happen at all. They kept showing up to do the delivery with no warning. At no time were we told there was some absurd 30 day from delivery deadline to report damage. We had a scheduled date for our contractor to install and we could not move that. We reported the issue on multiple occasions to Studio Shed as soon as it was unpacked. We had nothing to do with any of the damage, the unit came that way. We don't even have moisture in ******* and didn't for example break the moisture seal on the window. The only reason why we photos were sent later is because that is when we did the call with the Studio Shed team and for them to wait nearly 6 months to get back to us after our request to waive the remainder of the cost and then blame the customer and offer only $500 in credit is the worst customer service imaginable. Now they continue to try to blame the customer instead of working with us on a reasonable solution. This company has gone down hill in many ways and no one should work with them. I have never been so poorly treated and then threatened with a lawsuit. I will continue to warn other consumers and I hope the BBB offers assistance so other consumers are not taken advantage of. They don't even claim their listing on BBB which is another red flag. I also kept asking to speak to the owner to discuss a reasonable resolution and have never gotten any contact information.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *************************

  Business Response

  Date: 01/04/2024

  Studio Shed strongly but respectfully disagrees with ********************** statements. 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/31/2022

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore 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 purchased a prefab backyard studio from Studio Shed, including permitting plans and installation. The plans called for tempered glass, which needed to be special ordered. They suggested that the unit ship with regular glass and that the tempered glass would shipped and installed later. The unit was shipped on 5/31/22 and the major portions of the installation done in June.When the time came for the tempered glass to be shipped in early August, I reached out to Studio Shed. They said, "Yes it's here. We will ship it out and schedule installation." A week went by, then another week. I called and asked if it was shipped, and I was told yes. Then a week later I received a message from them claiming that the glass was always tempered and did not need to be replaced. I asked for evidence of this, and was provided an internal invoice with no clear indication it was installed in my unit. There are no etchings or other indications that the glass is tempered.Also, there was a dent in metal trim above the doorway when the unit was delivered. We discussed options to correct and they offered to send out a replacement piece of trim. But they never shipped it to me, even after explicitly saying to me that they had done so.My general feeling is that once I had paid them in full, my project got de-prioritized, and they were actively backing out of promises to save money. What I would like is (1) a refund of the $540 I was charged for the tempered glass upgrade and (2) the replacement trim I was promised, including installation.

  Business Response

  Date: 09/16/2022

  Since this complaint was originally made the team at Studio Shed has worked hard to remedy the issues stated. The project management team worked to resolve these issues with the onsite contractors, Blue Rock and all had agreed to be there to resolve warranties that next week. The customer was not be responsible for any of the additional costs caused by our teams internal miscommunication and agreed to refund them the requested amount plus a bit more as a gesture of good faith. This is not the typical experience when working with Studio Shed and wed like to do whatever we can to mitigate the frustration.We believe that this issue has been resolved and all parties are in good standing. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 09/17/2022

   
  I appreciate Studio Shed's response and willingness to address my concerns. They provided the replacement flashing to repair the dent and offered a larger refund than I requested, which is nice. That was in early September and the refund has yet to be paid, so I'll wait longer before declaring that my complaint is closed. Thank you.