Complaints

This profile includes complaints for Kolbe & Kolbe Millwork Co., Inc.'s headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see Find Local Branches.

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Kolbe & Kolbe Millwork Co., Inc. has 2 locations, listed below.

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  Kolbe & Kolbe Millwork Co., Inc.

  1323 S. 11th Avenue Wausau, WI 54401-5998

• 

  Kolbe & Kolbe Millwork Co., Inc.

  1211 Depot St. Manawa, WI 54949

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:07/21/2024

  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 live in four townhome community in 14 year old community. We have over 30 windows which are rotting and coming apart. We are asking Kolbe to stand behind their products as they are defective and have a known history of this issue with their windows

  Business Response

  Date: 07/29/2024

  Mr. ********, 

  Good morning and thank you for reaching out to Kolbe. 

  In review of your request stating "14 year old community", it appears you have 14-year old product.  Kolbe's *************** Warranty for Window and Doors is 10 years.  The *************** Warranty does not cover decomposition.  I have provided a snip of the warranty exclusions and limitations below as well as a copy of the warranty attached for your reference.  The warranty can also be found on the Kolbe website.                                             

  WARRANTY EXCLUSIONS AND LIMITATIONS
  

  Kolbe does not warrant any of the following:

  (c) Decomposition of wood as a result of moisture penetration if caused by condensation or lack of maintenance.

   

  Best regards, 

  *************************

  Field Service Manager, Kolbe Windows & Doors 

   

   

   

   

  Customer Answer

  Date: 07/29/2024

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
  
  [Please type your response here.the windows have been maintained. There is a manufacturers defect and Kolbe refuses to stand behind their product. This is unacceptable 
  
  Regards,
  
  *****************************

• Initial Complaint

  Date:03/13/2024

  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 purchased a door through Kolbe for installation in *******, **. Upon our first very cold snap, the door failed. A buildup of ice occurred on the INTERIOR surface of the door. Further, the door sweep has come off the track after repeated repairs by the local dealer who sold us the door.I have asked for a refund since the issue came to light, January 16, 2024.The response from Kolbe was that they do not warranty against humidity, and further, that it was an unusual cold snap. I replied that MT is a cold state; that no other wood doors in our vicinity experienced condensation, ***************************** of Kolbe offered no meaningful response. They were informed incorrectly by the dealer that ************ humidity level was 31 degrees. I corrected ********************** that a small humidifier was set to 31 degrees, but never approached that level. I also told him, and Kolbe in an email of today 3/13/24, that the humidity level was extremely low, low enough that no condensation appeared on any interior window surfaces. I also informed him on the telephone that the humidity level was low enough that our skin cracks. In the face of accurate information, Kolbe refuses to back their product. They continue to parrot the disclaimer for humidity, when in fact the evidence does not support humidity as a factor.

  Business Response

  Date: 03/19/2024

  ********************,

  First, I want to sincerely thank you for choosing Kolbe Windows & Doors for your project. I understand from your complaint that you experienced condensation on a door unit during very cold temperatures.

  Condensation is caused by a temperature difference between the inside and outside of a building, combined with excessive humidity levels inside. When warm moist air meets a cold surface, in this case your door, the air cools rapidly and condensation forms on the surface. This is a result of the environment, not a failure of our product. Our warranty covers defects in materials and workmanship, not issues related to environmental factors such as condensation.

  Even though your warranty claim for condensation is not approved, please know that we remain committed to our warranty if a valid concern arises in the future.

  Sincerely,

  ***********************, Vice President of Sales

  Customer Answer

  Date: 03/23/2024

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
  
  ****************,
  Thank you for your short primer on the mechanism of condensation. What is your definition of excessive humidity levels?
  What you conveniently omitted in your explanation is the dynamic relationship between the insulative factor of the barrier (door), humidity and dew point at which condensation occurs. As the insulative factor of the door decreases, and cold air infiltrates the interior, the dew point drops, thus requiring lower humidity levels for condensation to occur, resulting in condensation at low humidity levels and cold temperatures.
  Thus, your argument that condensation is solely the result of excessive humidity is hollow. The resulting condensation is the result of inadequate insulation of the door.
  

  I am curious as to how you came to the conclusion that our home had excessive humidity levels.
  Did you send out a representative to assess the issue?
  Did you take humidity readings?
  The answer is no to both questions.
  You have no idea regarding the humidity level in our house at the time your door had condensation. Your claim of excessive humidity is pure speculation.
  
  Some issues you might not be aware of.
  
  ******* ranks among the lowest states for humidity; the Gallatin Valley is a high semi-arid environment.
  A gas-fired boiler running non-stop with no built-in humidifier (we have none) will virtually deplete humidity from the interior of a building. That is our situation.
  
  At the time your door failed, our new ******** metal-clad kitchen door showed no signs of moisture or condensation, or any other signs of failure.
  
  Our windows did not show any condensation, which is to be expected under excessive or even moderate humidity levels
  
  Several neighbors whose houses have wood entry doors responded, without exception,
  that none of them failed in any way, including condensation. One family whose bedroom borders the front entry hall runs a humidifier nightly.
  Why did none of these doors fail in virtually the same environment and living conditions while yours did?
  
  What I am certain of is your awareness that your door should not have been sold in *******; that it is not engineered and built to sufficiently rigorous standards to withstand our very cold ******* temperatures. Your company knows this and failed to counsel the local representative.
  
  I highly suspect that you engage in deceptive trade practices.
  
  What I also am certain of is that you insert a bogus warranty disclaimer to shield your company from product liability with full knowledge that your products failure rate is unacceptably high.
  
  Prior to next winter we will be replacing your door with one from a reputable competitor.
  
  I  take issue with your condescending claim that our complaint is not valid. Any complaint regarding product failure is valid.
  
  Your baseless and fact-free claims are rejected and I demand an immediate and full refund.
  
  ***************************
  
  
  Regards,
  
  *********************************

• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/22/2023

  Type:Delivery 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.

  On April 6, 2023 I ordered 2 sliding windows from Kolbe that were not specialty windows but rather right out of their catalog. I was told 6-8 weeks. Then, I was told August 8th, 4 months after ordering. On August 8th, I still had no window. I was told August 18th, which came and went, still no information or window. Today, I was told MAYBE September 7th. The delivery of the windows is holding up the entire rest of the job. Siding, insulation, flooring, sheetrock....nothing else can be done until the windows are in! This has held up the entire project and we still have no information about the window delivery. Kolbe has been completely unhelpful, with reps saying they will "look into it and get back to us" and then we hear nothing. Very frustrating. Would not recommend this company.

  Business Response

  Date: 09/01/2023

  I have reached out to ******************** via email to gather information about the order so that we can provide updates. The request for information was unanswered.

  
  Please know that we value your feedback and strive to provide quality customer service. ********************** provides its distributors with week of delivery dates for each order which are estimates based on current order intake and delivery dates from our suppliers. We make every effort to provide delivery and other updates to our distributors so that they can keep their customers informed.
  If you would like to discuss this further, please contact me.

  
  ***********************

  Customer Answer

  Date: 09/01/2023

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
  
  I have received no email or call from kolbe to discuss this. In fact, my husband has called daily and been told each day that "we will look into it and call you back" and then we do not get return calls. As of Monday we were told by the supplier that they believed it was on a truck and could possibly arrive this week. Still no update or delivery. This remains unresolved and kolbe remains unhelpful in resolving the situation. 
  
  Regards,
  
  *****************************

  Business Response

  Date: 09/05/2023

  ********************,

  I will be happy to help, but I need information about the order. I sent an email to ***************** 8/22/2023 at 5:57 PM requesting information. If you will respond and tell me the name of the company that ordered your windows, I can reach out to them to get more information.

  Respectfully,

  ***********************
  Director of Sales
  Phone: ************
  Email: *********************************************************************

   

• Initial Complaint

  Date:03/27/2023

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  UnresolvedMore 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 ordered ***************************** from Kolbe on 7/8/2022 and as of 3/27/23 order is partially filled, Kolbe has conducted deceptive business practices from day one. They allowed me to enter into a business agreement knowing they could not fulfill it as promised.I purchased the door via ************. in ********** I was told the order would be completed in 16 weeks.On 9/17/22 I was informed there was a delay and the order would not be completed until 11/28 & 12/5/22.On 12/12/22 I was informed there was still a delay & the order would not be completed until 1/19/23.On 1/19/23 I was informed by ***************************** from **** that there was still a delay and a Regional Sales Manager from Kolbe (****************) would be contacting me.On 1/25/23 had call with **************** and *****************************. Per ***, in 4/2022 Kolbe began experiencing a glass shortage. The issue worsened over the summer. (They took my order knowing it would be delayed but did not communicate that) They had no glass in Oct-Nov 2022 but continued to promise delivery. Per ***, worse case scenario the order would be completed 2/27/23.2/13/23 I received 8 of 27 windows/doors.2/22/23 I received another partial order. 2 sliding doors defective and need to be replaced 3/27/23 still waiting on 2 French doors and replacement of defective sliders Order 5 months overdue.Deceptive business practices from the beginning. I should have been informed of the glass shortage and been given the option to cancel the order or agree to wait. ************* was at a standstill for 3 months due to these delays. My build should have been completed in May and is now projected for August, provided the remaining product arrives within the next 2 weeks. These delays have resulted in a financial loss on my part. While the build site was at a standstill I continued to pay interest on a loan for a project that could not move forward. My bank has those records and I can provide that information as needed

  Business Response

  Date: 04/04/2023

  Dear **************,
  
  First,I want to sincerely thank you for choosing Kolbe Windows & Doors for your project.  I understand from your complaint that your delivery expectations were not met and two sliding doors panels need to be replaced. 
  
  In researching your feedback, I identified a total of three initial orders that *************. placed for your project, and I have confirmed that all three orders have been fulfilled. I also located a warranty request submission by ************. for the two sliding patio door panels. That request has been approved, and we will ship the panels to *************. after they are manufactured. Please contact *************. for details regarding delivery and replacement.
  
  Kolbe provides its distributors with week of delivery dates for each order which are estimates based on current order intake and expected delivery dates from our suppliers. We make every effort to provide delivery and other updates to our distributors so that they can keep their customers informed.
  
  Global logistics and supply chain issues, along with high demand for materials used to manufacture windows and doors, including glass, have created a backlog and shortages affecting the entire window and door industry. While the supply chain has returned to a more reliable pace, there is still an industrywide backlog with respect to lead times. Despite this supply chain issue, Kolbe was able to fulfill your order with *************.
  
  Please know that we value your feedback and strive to provide quality customer service.  If you would like to discuss this further, please contact me. 
  
  Respectfully,
  
  ***********************
  Director of Sales