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long fence company estimate - weird
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Anonymous
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so, we called long fence for an estimate on re-insulating the attic and they said they could only come out if both husband and wife are at home for the entire estimate, which lasts 45min to an hour. we have 2 kids and i see no reason to keep them cooped up at home hanging out with mr. estimate-man.
i thought maybe they want both decision makers so that the husband can't say "well, i need to check with my wife before ordering anything" but as my husband pointed out, then we could say "well, we'd like to think about it for a few days." is this weird? or commonplace? i have no interest in the attic or in insulation and frankly, couldn't care less what my dh decides, so why on earth do i have to be home? by the way, they said they won't come b/c he told them i'll be at the park with the kids... |
Anonymous
| How do they know you're a couple? What happens if you're single-they don't come out? |
Anonymous
OP here: beats me... maybe single people don't need their attics reinsulated? |
Anonymous
| That would piss me off. |
Anonymous
| Why didn't you ask THEM? Why would we know? |
Anonymous
| That's BS. For that reason alone, I wouldn't use them. Not to mention the fact that I've gotten estimates from them before that were obscene. You can do much better with smaller companies. |
Anonymous
| I got an estimate for 17 feet of fence at the back of my townhouse using the cheap-o panels - $2000! I told the guy I thought it was pretty high. He asked if I knew how much the raw materials alone cost. I said "yes, about $150!" We didn't make a deal. As PP said, Obscene. I felt he was taking advantage of a single gal who he assumed knew nothing. Don't use them. |
Anonymous
| There was a thread on this a while back!! Not sure if it was Long Fence, or someone different. |
Anonymous
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It's a sales tactic used by high-pressure companies. They want you both there because they will try to force you to sign a deal on the spot for a discount that's "only good for that day" (except then if you decline they come back with an even better discount!)
I posted a very similar query last year (actually it was a rant) about 2 window companies that did this - one of which actually left and refused to deal with me when they realized my husband wasn't at home despite the fact that they never raised this when I scheduled the appointment. (A big thumbs down for Wheaton Windows and Doors!) The other one was Thompson Creek, and we finally sucked it up and both sat through an endless sales pitch with them while my kids ran around the house, bored and crazy for 2 hours. I actually like the quality of the product, but the insistence on both of us sitting thru the pitch really annoyed me (I'm the customer after all, shouldn't my preferences matter?) and the hard-core sell was unbearable. Someone told me (maybe here) that this should be a big red flag - any company that tries to do this is more about the marketing than the quality of the work. We took that advice and have avoided these kinds of companies since. |
Anonymous
| Don't use Long Fence for anything. We had them estimate a fence and deck for us and they were about 3 times higher than all the other estimates we got. Literally, they wanted $25k for our deck, we went with Frederick Fence and got a larger deck for $8k. |
Anonymous
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I'm a nanny and had to get several estimates for new furnace and A/C units for my employer. Some of the bullshit that came out of their mouths was really unbelievable. "I see he's given over some control and that makes you feel empowered. I'm just trying to explain it so you can understand what we're offering." I wanted to punch that guy. Not only was he a total dick, but the estimate proposed leaving the old interior unit in place and installing a new exterior unit. That's great in theory, but not even possible because of different refrigerant types and lines. Others were trying to sell units too large for the space.
I even told these sales people that I spent 5 years in the HVAC business. At a national company, I reviewed and negotiated HVAC and refrigeration invoices. I knew more about the interworkings of the units and new EPA laws better than some of the sales guys. Infuriating! |
Anonymous
| OP here: thanks everyone!! so happy to hear - we won't be going with them for anything.... |
Anonymous
This happened to me when I was an Au Pair. The family booked the marble/granite company to install the countertops while I was watching the kids and when I saw the quality of the material I wanted to DIE! They charged my host family a fortune for that 2nd quality crap! I called them out the guy was shocked that I knew what I was talking about. I pointed flaws and stains on the pattern of the stone and used technical language he wanted to die! My host family called them and they got a 50% discount meaning they didn't have to pay the balance left since the material they got was so horrible. |
Anonymous
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Maybe it depends on the sales rep or work involved?
DH requested a visit and quote for a front porch railing from Long Fence. The representative did not enquire whether he was the sole owner and did not pressure him in any way. The quote ($1600) seemed too high for DH, and we did not purchase anything. But the sales experience was not unpleasant like yours. |
Anonymous
| Dont deal with long fence. They quoted us a patio, very small, for a townhouse, for 13k. I laughed. |