Southgate Fencing Inc
About us
We accept VISA Master Card and American Express, Terms are 1/2 down with balance on completion or possible 1/3 down, 1/3 30 days after completion and final payment 60 days after completion. Cost is determined by the job. We work off of firm bids. There is no cost or obligation to have an estimate appointment.
Business highlights
Services we offer
Residential, automatic gate openers, commercial & industrial fence contractor, dog runs and dog kennels & repairs., ornamental iron
Amenities
Free Estimates
Yes
Accepted Payment Methods
- CreditCard
| Number of Stars | Image of Distribution | Number of Ratings |
|---|---|---|
| 75% | ||
| 20% | ||
| 0% | ||
| 5% | ||
| 0% |
I wasn't going to review this company but Angie's List keeps sending me emails asking for a review so here it is.
I'll start with the good-
I needed an 8 ft section of chain link fence repaired. This fence is 4 ft high and all of the posts, poles and hardware were still there. The guys who showed up did not arrive during the expected time and left without telling me they were done BUT they were professional and courteous and they worked fast so they are on the good list. The quality of the work was absolutely stellar. They did a fantastic job and it was actually better than I expected and it was better than it was before. The price was so good that I couldn't refuse, even though I almost did. That part comes next.
Now for the bad-
For starters it took an EXTREME amount of time to get someone to actually do the job. They had no problem sending me an invoice requesting down payment and as a show of faith I paid in full. They cashed my check and the calendar days (and weeks) just kept rolling and rolling without any contact. But that is NOTHING compared to their customer service.
Everything bad about this company falls on the shoulders of Ed Vatne. This is their Sales & Service guy and, shockingly, their Assistant Operations Manager. How this guy is allowed to interact with potential customers is nothing short of astounding. He comes out and he's really nice while he's on my porch. Then I show him the job. And his demeanor changes. I could actually watch his facial expression and body language change as he realizes that the job is small (translation-commission is small). He is exasperated as he takes his measurements and is very condescending towards me the whole time. If you've ever heard an adult speak to a 5 year old child when they've been acting out, that's exactly how he talked to me. Using that tone and asking me the same questions over and over about "is someone going to be here?" and then "are you sure someone will be here?" and then the hard, deliberately loud sighing. Like his day was ruined by having to deal with the inconvenience of me and my little task. I'm not making this up. I'm not misreading things here. This actually happened. It's like he forgot that the internet exists and people post reviews on it. I would never use this company again but if anyone does, ask that a different salesman come to the job site.
Dear Mr Vatne,
I am a 43 year old war veteran not a spoiled little boy. I did not appreciate your attitude when you came to bid on the work I needed. My fence was damaged and needed repair. According to Angie's List that is something your company does. I know the dollar value of the job was low but what's the value of a good review to you? Can you put a price on that? How many potential customers will read my review and base their decision on it. Not every job will be a million bucks Ed. Sometimes you have to take care of the little guy. You did not take care of me. Not just that day, but from beginning to end. 6 months later and I'm still frustrated by your lack of professionalism that day. I hope you can change.
Sincerely,
Mr Centoni
"(removed member name), Firstly I want to thank you for your review. We pride ourselves on our name as Southgate Fence. As we have been serving our community for nearly 50 years, we long to ensure great service for our customers, great and small. We were pleased to hear that you were fully satisfied with the job done for your repair. We have a great crew of guys who work hard to ensure the job is done to the upmost satisfaction. So thank you for recognizing their work as 'stellar', they truly are phenomenal at what they do. Now to address the second half of your review. Firstly we apologize for any inconvenience this may have cause you. Our intention as a company is make sure every customer is treated with care and respect. Which is why we were a bit surprised when we received this review. We first spoke with you on Thursday August 7, 2014. On this date we promptly made your appointment to meet with an estimator on Friday August 8, 2014 at 11:30 am. We then mailed out your estimate on Monday August 11, 2014. To which you accepted, and paid in full early on Friday August 15, 2014. Our policy states that balance is due upon completion and is not expected in full upon accepting bid. Along with you confirmation we received a hand written letter stating "Please do not send anyone to complete this work between the following dates. Thank you. Aug 20-27. Please send someone ASAP before or after those dates. Thank you. -(removed member name) " Being that we are a large company jobs are normally scheduled a week out, this would have put you in line to have your fence repaired around August 21, 2014. As per you request, we respected your timeline and had your fence repaired on August 29, 2014. To which you stated in your review the work was done fantastically. You stated in your review: "For starters it took and EXTREME amount of time to get someone to actually do the job. They had no problem sending me and invoice requesting down payment and as a show of faith I pain in full. They cashed my check and the calendar days (and weeks) just kept rolling and rolling without any contact." So as the dates shown above state, everything was in fact done promptly and according to your own requested timeline. As for your dissatisfaction with our Salesman Ed Vatne, we would greatly like to clear up any misconceptions that may have arose. As a large company we normally stick to a policy of $215.00 for our minimum labor amount. As you know, your job was less than our minimum labor amount. The demeanor change you may have witnessed was not one of annoyance. Ed Vatne had to make the choice to bid your job even though he knew it was not in company policy to bid anything below our minimum labor amount. He had the right to decline the work. But, it was by the kindness and generosity that he continued on with the bid. Because not every job is going to be a million bucks, as you stated. And as you stated 'sometimes you have to take care of the little guy.' But we believe every job we bid is just as important as the next, big or small. And as a Company that was started nearly 50 years ago, we have learned which jobs we should take and which we should pass on. And Ed made the decision to bid your job. And not only did he bid your job, he respected all of your requests, and ensured that you received prompt and exceptional service. We apologize that the actions you witnessed was portrayed as condescending. It was never the intention. Just know that your job was handled with the best of care. There was even notes done by Ed himself stating that we wanted this job done ASAP. To ensure that you were taken care of. We again apologize for any inconvenience this has caused you. And hope you know that your business here was not only appreciated, but valued. Southgate Fence "A Name For 49 Years Signifying Excellence in Materials & Workmanship""
was complete.
Licensing
State Contractor License Requirements
All statements concerning insurance, licenses, and bonds are informational only, and are self-reported. Since insurance, licenses and bonds can expire and can be cancelled, homeowners should always check such information for themselves. To find more licensing information for your state, visit our Find Licensing Requirements page.
*Contact business to see additional licenses.