Complaints

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• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/01/2022

  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 brick for a 40 x 30 detached garage from ************************* through Nitterhouse Masonry and Hardware Supply. The brick we received did not match the sample provided. There are pictures to document the discrepancy. The brick we received contains brown and yellow bricks within the pallets; the brick should be white/pink. The assistant store manager told us to wash the brick and it would then be a better match to the sample. Once we did so, the discrepancy was still very obvious. The supply store worked with us to contact the brick company directly for a resolution. After several weeks of back and forth, we received word that the brick company would not do anything to correct the issue because the brick had been washed. At that point, the hardware store also declined to do anything to remedy the situation. The brick does not match the sample. The brick company refuses to offer a discount for the discrepancy because the brick has been washed. However, the brick was only washed per the recommendation of Nitterhouse Masonry and Hardware Supply, who now refuses to take responsibility for the wash directive (which ultimately led to the decision from the brick company).

  Business Response

  Date: 08/09/2022

  *** came into Nitterhouse Masonry Products and picked out *********** 485 brick.
  The order was purchased through ****** ************ on 3/7/22.
  The product was received at our RT 11 facility and shipped to jobsite on 4/11/22.
  Around 5/9/22 *** came into the store and explained there was an issue with the brick and asked if we can help resolve the issue.
  I reached out to ****** ************, and he sent me pictures of the brick on 5/9/22.
  The brick that was installed on the house was missing most of the white sand finish.
  ****** ************ at first claimed the brick were shipped the way they were laid on the house.
  The rep, **** ***** was contacted on May 10th and he agreed to go to the job site.
  After the rep met with ****** ************, it was brought to everyone’s attention that the mason took it upon himself to wash down the brick after he laid up the first wall.
  It was then discovered that the brick on the pallets that weren’t laid up, didn’t match the sample completely but didn’t look near as bad as the brick on the house.  The brick on the pallets were showing more of the brown/yellow base where the sample was only showing the red base.
  Continental said they couldn’t do anything to resolve the issue with the brick already laid since the mason took it upon himself to wash it.
  Washing it wasn’t discussed between us and ****** ************ at this point.
  Continental claimed that the run they received was correct and within variance of the lot.
  It was explained that we could exchange the unlaid brick to get something closer to what they want but nothing could be done about the brick that was already laid.
  ****** ************ would have to tear down the wall that was laid and washed but the brick would have to be replaced by ****** ************ since they were the ones who washed the brick.
  If the brick were noticed off color while installing, we could’ve avoided the situation and exchange or find a different product.
  The first option for solution was to lay up the rest of the house and it could be stained to try and match.  If they were to go the staining route, we would give $750.00 toward the total in good faith even though we were consulted about the issue after the damage was done.  However, the estimate came out to $4,500. 
  The second option was to lay the rest of the brick and wash it to match the first wall that was laid.
  It sounds like the customer or contractor chose to wash and match the first wall.

  Business Response

  Date: 08/23/2022

  While we
  understand the frustration and inconvenience of the whole situation, we are
  ultimately a distributor of brick.  We resold
  the brick to our customer ****** ************ which was stated in the previous
  statement.  The ********* were the
  customer of ****** ************.  I was
  in contact with the *********, mostly ******, through most of the ordeal but I
  could only say so much because ****** ************ was our customer.  I can’t be stepping on my customer’s toes and
  over promising, under delivering.  We
  offered resolutions as stated in the previous statement but clearly neither one
  was chosen by our customer ****** ************. 
  While we were contacted by *** like he stated in his statement, us
  showing up wouldn’t have changed anything because nothing was scheduled to be
  stained and nothing was brought up about the exchange option. We already agreed
  the brick doesn’t match the sample board.  Our customer, ****** ************, chose to
  lay the second wall and wash it to match the first wall laid.  Therefore, us coming out wouldn’t have changed
  anything because the brick we agreed that didn’t match was laid up again to
  finish the project.  Again, we can’t make
  decisions for our customer ****** ************. 
  We were consulted after the first wall was laid and washed by the mason
  who I’m assuming was hired by ****** ************.  While the brick looks different then the sample
  board, which Nitterhouse isn’t claiming it does match, the mason or contractor
  should have caught it before or while laying up the first wall.  If a discrepancy is caught like it normally is,
  we could have exchanged or went with a different brick as stated in the
  previous statement. 
  Thanks,
  Nitterhouse
  Masonry Products

  Customer Answer

  Date: 09/01/2022

  [To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed as Answered]
  
   Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because our concerns regarding a lack of best business practices by Nitterhouse Masonry Products still stands.  While the letter from them points directly to another party, this finger pointing is unprofessional; this complaint that we have filed is solely towards the lack of responsibility for the misrepresentation of products that Nitterhouse Masonry Products is currently selling (samples are not representative of end product).  Nitterhouse admits the brick did not match and the wall was ONLY finished after Nitterhouse refused to come back out to the property to view the discrepancy and discuss further options once again.  We contacted Nitterhouse Masonry Products directly because WE picked out the brick in their showroom, not our contractor.  As members in a small, rural community, we prefer to shop local and support our fellow community members.  We are still extremely disheartened at the inability of Nitterhouse Masonry Products to work with us in order to come to a fair settlement regarding the issue. The complaint still stands against Nitterhouse Masonry Products and we hope that customers are not impacted in this way again in the future by this business.   
  
  Regards,
  
  ***********************