SALEM FENCE CO. INC.

We had a terrible experience with Salem Fence Co, INC. of Mahopac, NY that extended over a 26-month long period. We accepted their top dollar estimate of $60K plus for a pair of very large metal framed, wood clad garden gates, as we wanted to assure professionalism/experience due to the engineering component attached to their large size. The engineering proved sound, but they missed numerous deadlines for design submissions, and gate completion. When the completed gates finally arrived for installation, it became clear that the agreed upon design was not correctly realized. After numerous further delays on the delivery of corrected design, the gates were installed. However, all the wood soon radically shrunk and cracked leaving huge gaps revealing the metal armature below the planks that was supposed to be invisible. Because they hurried to get revised gates fabricated, the seasoned wood we were promised and paid for was instead green. They acknowledged the problem, which was impossible to deny (they look terrible!) and agreed to replace the wood, but then they strung us along from month to month with every manner of excuse from June through January and into the following fall, winter and another spring!  We made every effort to work with them to realize a proper finished product, and even made in person visits to the work shop to review progress and assure ourselves that our agreed upon design was being completed as promised. We had been assured by the owner, Vinny Bellissimo, that he would 'make good' on everything, and that we had his word that the issues would be resolved to our satisfaction. In good faith, we paid 95 percent of the total bill at the time he offered these assurances, so that he would not have to wait unduly for his pay given the fact that we still believed he intended to fulfill his obligations honorably. We were clearly WRONG to trust them at their word, and that is a shame since they are a small family owned business. Disappointingly, the conversation disintegrated once the payment was made: no one at Salem Fence would return emails, calls, or texts. We had to make in-person visits to the office to find out what was happening and when repairs would be done. Vinny never did ‘make good’ on his word. We then received a bid from another vendor to make the needed repairs, which came in at of $29,000.00. We are now being forced to take legal action to recover the cost or get Salem Fence to simply honor their word and fulfill their initial agreement.