Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Doors: The Saga Continues

Yesterday we should have had our new doors installed. What ended up happening was that ONE door set (back entry door & storm door) was installed, but thankfully it was the one that really needed to be replaced, and the one on which other projects are hinging. Because after this back entry door is in, Aaron can put down the new vinyl flooring, which needs to be in before the carpet gets put in on Friday & Saturday. We have a little bit of a time crunch on our hands, folks.

But, wait, what happened to that beautiful front door? you ask in consternation. Me too.

Apparently the guy who ordered our door didn't work in the millwork area at all. And he ignored all the measurements that the measuring guy took and just ordered a standard door, which he told us was smaller than what was measured, but the installers would make it work. The installers got here yesterday already concerned, and when they saw the front door minus the trim, they realized that the current door is already too small for the opening. They could "make it work", but it would require 6 inches of trim to cover the filling. Oh, and our brand new door was already dinged in TWO places.

We had great installers, though, and they recommended that we demand a new door of the proper size, and said that Home Depot would eat the difference. Since this door replacement is purely cosmetic, we can afford the wait. "Let's do it right," we agreed.

I called Home Depot yesterday afternoon to make sure we weren't going to be charged extra, and happily! everyone I talked to had already heard of our situation. The first guy asked who I wanted to talk to first, millwork or special orders. I said, "Whoever can get me a new door and not make me pay for it." So I talked to the head of the millwork department, Josh. Josh was great! He was already in the process of ordering the door, and reassured me that we wouldn't have to pay anything extra.

Aaron did think of another concern, though. When we prepaid for the installation, there were a bunch of charges for "custom" work. Now, if the door is the correct size, will there be a need for that extra work? Sounds like another phone call to Home Depot is in my future.

3 comments:

Noel said...

Murphy's Law predicts the new doors and installation will be here for the first sub-zero day of the winter with a 40 mph wind blowing directly into the house through the door opening.

The sunny warm days of September when the doors were ordered are becoming an evenescent memory, clouded by the November skies and made distant by the November winds.

Aaron said...

Good thing you have like 20 other rooms to retreat to in your enormous house. ;)

AJ said...

I plan on building a small dome outside of the front of our house to keep the elements out in my spare time. Ha!