Looking for advice really.
We're doing a long-saved-up for reno replacing the back windows and patio doors downstairs.
These are bespoke low-profile alu frame
Our builder chose and recommended the company - and both DH and I independently were convinced he told us he had used this company previously.
I visited Instagram prior to builder ordering, couldn't find the Facebook, and whilst the window business didn't post often, that and the website looked okay, yes, I know we were somewhat naive, and I know if we had ordered them directly, we would have dug further.
We ordered these in February paying our builder who then bought them from the window company and are still waiting over 6 months later, we were told 8-10 weeks. Everything was timed around this and the works were prepared and this is where we have been left since May, with a half-finished reno.
Window business owner has given the builder the complete run around since May.....playbook is, excuse re materials, goes awol, turns back up, problem is now sorted, once we ran to the end of those excuses regarding various material and components, it was yes everything in progress now and hoping to have a on lorry wc xx of xx. Week xx comes and goes, he goes AWOL for a couple of weeks then pops back up. The same thing is promised; we are now on round 3 of this happening. Looks like it's a one-man band kind of set up.
With winter approaching, we are getting desperate, and the builder has admitted to us in a round about way that he is also.
I know our contract is with the builder - that's right, isn't?
This weekend DH and I have done a deep dive and feel pretty sick, it appears the window business owner was running an okay outfit (found the Trustpilot page, a little hidden, but it is them) but then it goes downhill. Feel sick. all the red flags are there.
Like I said we both were under the impression builder had used this company before, otherwise we would have done a deeper dive ourselves. He did tell us this and i am working my way through messages as I am sure this is written down somewhere - turns out he's never used them before, but he said Friday there were no red flags on ordering, very knowledgeable asked all the right questions etc.
All the TP reviews in 2023 and 2024 have the same playbook as what we're experiencing; incidentally, all were refunded either by credit card chargeback or he's agreed to some kind of repayment plan. Window company never made any attempt to just deliver these customers' windows just gave them their money back.
I don't think it is a total scam operation. I think 2017-2022 he has been delivering windows (also found the facebook page now and this also supports this) but it looks like something has gone wrong 2023-2024.
There were also big gaps on the socials in this time, which in isolation, isn't all that out of the ordinary for small businesses. But the frequency and professionalism of the instagram post does increase from around April this year. However, there are no more reviews, good or bad, since Autumn 20224.
From here I want to cut our losses, but am worried the builder wont want to until he has his money back, which could take months or years if he didn't use a credit card. Obviously, we just want some windows!!
We like our builder; he's local and pretty straight down the middle.