Roman & Sons Incorporated

Review: I contracted Roman and Sons to replace some windows in my home. One of the windows was a skylight in the bathroom. The agreed (contracted) skylight was to be openable as well as an operable screen. The window that they installed did not fit the opening correctly and as a result the screen does not function as designed. The screen should be removable from inside the home. Since the window does not fit, the screen cannot be removed. The contractor ensured he would fix the problem, he has since denied service.Desired Settlement: Either make adjustments so that the screen can be removed as designed and the window can be operated with the screen in place (again as designed) or replace with a window that fits the opening.

Business

Response:

In regards to consumer complaint #[redacted]

The skylight in question was indeed replaced, and there was

in-fact a minor issue with the screen.

Basically, the opening from the existing skylight that was replaced was

approximately an inch and a half to two inches smaller (in both width and

height) than current size skylights. Due

to the nature of the home remodeling industry, companies are no longer

manufacturing “custom sized” replacement skylights in order to keep costs down. Therefore, a larger window was installed over

a smaller opening, a practice that that is not uncommon (nor was it when custom

size units were available due to the cost difference between custom vs.

standard size pricing). After

contacting the actual manufacturer, as well as numerous other manufacturers to

see if there is a solution to this issue, they all said no. I honestly thought that this would have been

an issue they had a solution for, however nothing was offered by any manufacturer

or by an after-market company. Everyone

in the industry said we would have to make and install a new screen on the

inside of the jamb, or the customer would have to live with it.

Due to the size difference, the new screen hits the jamb of

the window when you attempt to remove it.

Since there is no solution offered by the manufacturer of the window, my

foreman and I came up with the idea to install a new frame/screen track on the

inside of the jamb that a new screen can be installed to, and thus removed when

the customer wants to clean the window.

This was offered free of charge as a good faith effort to solve the

issue, and I even went as far as to get samples of different screen frames for

the customer to choose from.

The customer subsequently denied this solution, saying it

wasn’t practical to have to remove the screen each time they wanted the window

open (the screen would sit in front of the crank in this application). The customer then offered an alternative

solution, making a screen that sits inside of the screen track of the new

window at the bottom (avoiding the crank) and leaning in towards the jamb at

the top. Initially we both thought that

idea was a winner, until my foreman went out to perform the work and saw what

was involved and how impractical the solution actually was. Basically, there was no way to create a bug

seal (one of the functions of the screen) without pumping the sides (between

the window, screen track, and new screen) full of caulk - which for obvious

reasons wouldn’t be aesthetically pleasing or practical. The customer’s solution also didn’t provide

for a stop, which is necessary so that the screen doesn’t fall out of the

window to the outside of the home if it is pushed on from the inside.

This was explained to the customer, and the first solution

was left on the table. After a few weeks

of no contact I received another email from the customer stating

that the issue still needed to be resolved, just not with our solution of a new

screen inside of the jamb.

We responded that we were happy to try something else, if

the customer had any other ideas.

Unfortunately, I don’t believe (and I expressed this to the customer)

that there is any other solution available, and if he didn’t want a screen on

the inside of the jamb, he would unfortunately have to live with it.

It should also be noted – this skylight was installed in a

bathroom with a shower. The customer

initially seemed annoyed that they paid for an operating window (rather than a

fixed – non opening window). However, it

was explained at time of purchase that building code requires bathrooms have a

venting window for obvious reasons.

Currently to my knowledge, the screen has not been removed

(which would damage the screen) so the customer can open the window to gain ventilation

and has direct access to the crank. The

only reason to remove the screen would be to clean the outside of the window – something

that can be done from the outside. It should

also be noted if they purchased a non-operating skylight, they would not be

able to clean the window from the inside regardless.

Ultimately, our offer is still on the table if he so

chooses, but I am not interested in making the situation worse by damaging the

original screen to try something I know will not work.

The following emails are our correspondence over the last

few months concerning the issue. We have

offered a solution that the customer does not want, and he cannot come up with

an alternative solution that is practical, so we are left an impasse.

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-----Original

Message-----

From: [redacted]

Sent: Thursday, September 13, 2012 10:21

AM

To: [redacted]

Subject: Screen

I have a few samples of screens we can

use for the skylight that I can stop by

to show you / drop off for you to look at. Please let me know your schedule so

we can get together and go over the options and move forward with getting it

installed.

Thanks, [redacted]

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On Sep 13, 2012, at 16:08, "[redacted]"

<[redacted] wrote:

[redacted]

Looking forward to completing the project.

I've been very busy at work but Monday may work for me. I will be

home most of the day.

[redacted]

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-----Original

Message-----

From: [redacted]

Sent: Friday, September 14, 2012 2:36 PM

To: [redacted]

Subject: Re: Screen

I am available late morning or anytime in the afternoon/evening Monday. Let me know what works best for you and

I'll be there. Thanks.

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On Sep 18, 2012, at

7:23, [redacted]

wrote:

[redacted]

Sorry - got busy with some things. I do have questions about what you dropped

off. I will try to call you sometime this afternoon.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------...⇄ />
>>> -----Original Message-----

>>> From: [redacted]

>>> Sent: Tuesday, September 18, 2012 9:24 AM

>>> To: [redacted]

>>> Subject: Re: Screen

No problem. Basically they are two different kinds of frames for storm

panels/ screens (they only had samples with glass). One is a bit wider than the other. We'll have to install

a stop to attach it to.

The third option is to make one from scratch

using material from a hardware store. I

have an appointment at 11:30 so I'll be available anytime after 1pm.

Thanks,

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>> On Dec 26, 2012, at 13:06, "[redacted]

>> [redacted] wrote:

Been busy through the hurricane then holidays.

When would be a good time to finish the

project and see the screen options?

[redacted]

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-----Original Message-----

From: [redacted]

Sent: Thursday, January 03, 2013 2:48 PM

To: [redacted]

Subject: Re: Screen

I have been trying to contact you by phone

however I can't seem to get to your

voicemail.

At any rate my foreman and I decided that

the solution that you had in mind is not

going to work. The first reason being that the way the screen would sit there would be no stop on the

back (like there is

now) to prevent the it from falling out

of place the opposite way when its

accidentally hit from opening the window, from wind, from the door opening/closing etc...

Secondly, at the bottom of the window

the area we would have to pack in is curved and then angled (the lip of the

screen track the current screen is

sitting in) and would be next to impossible to cut the wood to fit so that there is a seal from insects,

and more importantly to end up with a

decent looking finished product.

Ultimately I believe your best option is to leave the original screen in. I

have a call into a gentleman that does roll away screens for patio doors that you could possibly put on the

inside jamb (in front

of the crank) but I don't know if they make

them custom sized or how much they'd

cost.

Hopefully this makes sense - feel free to

call me. I'm not sure if my service is

acting up or why I can't leave you a voicemail but either way you can email me back.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------...⇄ />
On Jan 3, 2013, at 15:16, [redacted]

<[redacted] wrote:

>Not sure why you can't get my voicemail - my cell is [redacted]

Problem that I have here is that you

installed a window that does not fit and

therefore cannot do what I paid for. I paid for an operable window with a

screen - right now I don't have this. You have to come

up with a solution where I have a window

with a screen that can be opened and

closed. I don't think I'm unreasonable with that request.

Give me a call, we need to work this

out.

[redacted]

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-----Original Message-----

> From: [redacted]

> Sent: Friday, January 04, 2013 5:53 PM

> To: [redacted]

> Subject: Re: Screen

[redacted]

I don't believe it is an unreasonable

request, but it doesn't seem there is a

legitimate solution. The window we installed is literally the only size

available so we have to work with what's there. Since

you don't want a screen installed in

front of the crank, and it doesn't seem

possible to install it correctly behind the crank, I'm quite frankly out of ideas and don't know what

direction to go in from here.

I'm open to suggestions.

[redacted]

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On Feb 12, 2013, at 11:05, [redacted]

wrote:

[redacted]

I've been pretty busy at work but I really

need to come up with a solution to this

problem. We need to have a working solution for the window. Give

me a call and we can work something out.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------...⇄ />
-----Original Message-----

From: [redacted]

Sent: Wednesday, February 13, 2013 4:17 PM

To: [redacted]

Subject: Re: Screen

[redacted],

Do you have any thoughts about how we can solve the problem? It doesn't seem

like there's a solution that's not installing a screen in front of the crank,

which you said previously you didn't want. My foreman and I discussed other

options while we were there last time, and there really isn't any other way to

get a legitimate screen installed behind the crank...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------...⇄ />
[redacted] wrote Feb 13 2013

I'm not a carpenter (or contractor) so I don't really have any good ideas other

than adding a channel to the side of the window. My issue is that I paid you

extra for an operational skylight type window with a screen. I don't have that

(I didn't get what I paid for). Putting the screen outside of the crank and

forcing me to drop the screen every time I want open the window is certainly

not something I signed up for nor is it the intent of the design of the window.

Not sure the solution - just know it needs to be fixed.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------...⇄ />
Original Message:

Re: Screen

From [redacted] Feb 27 2013

To [redacted]

I understand and share your frustration, but the fact of the

matter is you paid for an operational window not because I "sold" you

on it and mislead you on what it's capable of, but because it is required by

code to have a venting window in a bathroom.

Had you gotten a non-operational window you'd be in a position of not

being able to open the window to clean it at all (which I assume is the reason

you want to be able to remove the screen?).

Consumer

Response:

[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 Administratively Resolved]

Review: [redacted]

I am rejecting this response because: