alligatorob
Member
What is the name of your state? Florida
I did some major remodeling about 3 years ago. The contractor put in 5 new exterior doors as a part of that remodeling. The doors are fiberglass with a large glassed in area. The screws holding in the glass are corroding and one of the doors has failed and the glass is falling out. It is a beach house in a corrosive environment, but all other hardware on the door is brass and looks fine. I have checked other houses on the same beach with similar doors and found no corroding screws; it is a problem unique to my doors. I believe it must be either a defect in the screw material or the gaskets designed to keep moisture out.
The builder told me where he got the windows and I have been trying to get satisfaction from the supplier (a building material supply place) without much success. They concede that they sold the doors; in fact the manager remembers the order and knows my house. They tell me they are not sure where they got the doors or what the warrantee was. I was told it was probably 4 or 5 years but no one was sure. The problem is I am mostly getting stonewalled by them, they talk to me and agree to try and figure out where the doors came from but then the next time I call or go by nothing has happened. I have tried contacting the builder but he is not returning my messages. This should not be a hard problem to fix, new brass screws would do it but the screw is a unique size and design which I have not been able to find. I tried to fix this myself and right now would be happy just to get the screws replaced. Without the new screws the doors will become useless, already one is, I have had to board it up. Soon I will need new doors.
My question is what would be the best approach to getting satisfaction after 3 years does the builder still have some legal obligation? What is the obligation of the building material supply place? My original contract does not mention warrantee, and the builder did not give me receipts for the doors. I am getting ready to write demand letters, should I send them to the builder, the supplier, both, or neither. Any advice would be appreciated.
I did some major remodeling about 3 years ago. The contractor put in 5 new exterior doors as a part of that remodeling. The doors are fiberglass with a large glassed in area. The screws holding in the glass are corroding and one of the doors has failed and the glass is falling out. It is a beach house in a corrosive environment, but all other hardware on the door is brass and looks fine. I have checked other houses on the same beach with similar doors and found no corroding screws; it is a problem unique to my doors. I believe it must be either a defect in the screw material or the gaskets designed to keep moisture out.
The builder told me where he got the windows and I have been trying to get satisfaction from the supplier (a building material supply place) without much success. They concede that they sold the doors; in fact the manager remembers the order and knows my house. They tell me they are not sure where they got the doors or what the warrantee was. I was told it was probably 4 or 5 years but no one was sure. The problem is I am mostly getting stonewalled by them, they talk to me and agree to try and figure out where the doors came from but then the next time I call or go by nothing has happened. I have tried contacting the builder but he is not returning my messages. This should not be a hard problem to fix, new brass screws would do it but the screw is a unique size and design which I have not been able to find. I tried to fix this myself and right now would be happy just to get the screws replaced. Without the new screws the doors will become useless, already one is, I have had to board it up. Soon I will need new doors.
My question is what would be the best approach to getting satisfaction after 3 years does the builder still have some legal obligation? What is the obligation of the building material supply place? My original contract does not mention warrantee, and the builder did not give me receipts for the doors. I am getting ready to write demand letters, should I send them to the builder, the supplier, both, or neither. Any advice would be appreciated.