Matching on Angi
West Haven, CT
San Antonio, TX
Central And South, TX
San Antonio, TX
Fence Companies
Deck & Porch Contractors
Carpenters
Structural Engineers
Home Security Companies
Hauling Services
I recently had a large-scale rebuild completed at my home after water damage with installation of 7 full-lite windows and a full-lite door in my sunroom. I was looking to have someone install a dog fence to keep my lab away from these windows and door so he couldn't scratch them. I called four fencers in the SA area on Monday, March 10 to schedule an estimate and Dominion was the only provider able to come out same day or rather answered or returned my call in a timely fashion. Considering all of the favorable reviews on Angie's List I figured the estimate would be a formality more or less. It seemed an added bonus that they could actually send someone the same day. The Rep arrived on time if not a little early and was actually the owner's son, Adam Rampersaud. He came in the backyard and I did my best to explain what I was looking for. Perhaps I wasn't articulating it well. Admittedly, I was open to suggestions and looking for an expert's opinion of what might not be such an eyesore but rather be functional as well. He abruptly told me at one point that my idea made no sense. I offered at this point to go get a can of spray paint (as other drainage/tree/etc contractors carried on them) to illustrate what I was looking to fence off with a gate. This seemed to help. I then asked to see his portfolio for ideas on design as I was open to wrought iron or wood depending on the difference in price. I commented on one photo in the portfolio and Adam said, "Yeah, that's tacky in my opinion but it was a lady in the Dominion and that's what she wanted." He seemed to believe the spacing of the pickets was a poor choice and "tacky." I was a little bit taken aback at this point - unprofessional comment number one. He then tried to sell me a fence stain on the proposed new and already existing fence which I understood the sales tactic but I reminded him that in order to do that I'd have to lose all of the beautiful ivy on my existing fence. He showed me stain samples and I asked him what color a part of my fence was already stained. (It appears the previous owners got lazy and stopped.) He looked at the area and said, "It looks like an ugly sequoia." I'm not sure if I gasped out loud but my jaw dropped. He then said, "Not that I'm calling your fence ugly." Unprofessional comment numbers two and three. He was on a roll. He needed to call back to get pricing on fence footage for both wrought iron and wood. (I was surprised he didn't know this off the top of his head.) He proceeded to argue with the man on the phone and then said, "Dad, gaw, I just forgot it - just tell me the price!!! THANKS." And he hung up. I asked if he was the owner's son and he smugly said he was part owner in the company. (Now I was really surprised he didn't know pricing.) Maybe it was an off day but I was wondering if the highly rated Dominion company had actually showed up at this point. He said the company was so super busy so it might be awhile till they could get started but then recanted quickly and said they could start that week and tried to get a commitment from me. At this point, I questioned the company's professionalism and decided I needed to sleep on it if anything. I told him I would know by Wednesday. When Adam called and left a message on Wednesday, March 12, he couldn't remember at first it had been just two days prior that he had come out. It was obvious he either didn't have the estimate in front of him or hadn't reviewed his notes before calling. The follow up voice mail was equally disappointing but not surprising. I actually had a coworker listen to the voicemail without telling him about the site visit to get his opinion. My coworker was equally unimpressed. I've spent a fortune on this house in past nine months and have dealt with many providers. I've gone with low bids to high bids and everywhere in between but ultimately it came down to how my meeting with the rep went. If I liked someone, they usually got my business because I realized if something didn't get handled, I would feel comfortable asking them to handle it. Adam didn't give me that feeling. From criticizing a previous customer (and really his company's work), to the sagging jeans and boxers, disrespectfully talking to his father on the phone, criticizing my home and thoughts, and being ill-prepared at time of estimate and for the follow-up, he lost my business before the estimate was even handed over. What a shame. I will continue to shop around despite their otherwise high reviews. I just didn't want to deal with unprofessionalism and its inevitable headaches.