After reading some of the threads for fencing recommendations and choosing a fencing company, I feel I would be remiss in not sharing our experience with Seegar's. We chose to have one of the black chain link fences installed in our back yard. Here were the issues that we had.... **The installers put a portion of the fence over our property lines into our neighbor's yard after we showed them where the lines were and even gave them measurements from the side of the house. **Large portions of the fence were not tied to the top and bottom rails leaving them to flop around and gape open. **Fence posts were unevenly spaced so that the "panels" are all different lengths. **Top post caps were missing/left off. **Scraps of metal were left on the ground all around the fence. **Before we called them, Seegar's had no intentions of coming back to finish the job they had knowingly left unfinished. Even after we called them to report the issues, it took over a month and several more contacts to even get anyone to come out to look at the problems. They told us they forgot we had called before. **The installers drove all through our back yard on soft ground from where it had rained a few days earlier. There are now many large tire tracks all over the yard causing humps and bumps and uneven ground. It's been almost two months since installation and the tracks are still very much there so I'm thinking they're permanent. **The crew also backed over our neighbor's mailbox, damaging it and knocking it over. After getting out to look at it, they just drove away. Our neighbors had to call the company to get them to pay to repair it. They are supposed to be coming back today to fix and complete the fence. They are sending the same crew to teach them a lesson in what not to do. When all is said and done, we will have the fence we wanted, but I am still very displeased with the unprofessional way the entire process was handled. I don't want to sound like I'm being cheap, but I am tempted to ask for a discount for destroying our back yard and having to spend two months with an incomplete fence. Is that wrong?
Nope. Did you put any of this on a credit card that you could dispute a portion of the charge? Do you have pictures or documentation of dates and times that damages were incurred, you could threaten to take them to small claims court (after they finish the job, ofcourse). Mention you'd hate to give them a bad review on the BBB website. Mention what word of mouth advertising can be their best friend, or their worst enemy.
We have only paid them the 50% they ask for upfront. We refused to pay the last 50% until they came and fixed everything. After they finish it today (hopefully), we will technically owe them the remainder of the balance. I do have dates and times. I also have emails from the company admitting to the problems. I am NOT good at asking for refunds or discounts. I am the worst haggler ever!
An alternative experience with Seegars. Admittedly, this was back in 1998 (or 1999) Couldn't have been happier with their work. The house was brand new and the property line flags were all we had to go by in telling them where we wanted the fence. It was a standard galvanized steel chain link (hurricane) fence. When the guy came out to measure, I pointed where I wanted the fence to start and stop (the back corners of the house) and the flags where our property corners were. He measured it out, the crew came out a couple days later, dug the fence posts and installed them, then a few days after that they came and installed the chain link. All this was done while I was at work (my wife at the time was at home, but had little interaction with them). I merely instected for my stisfaction when I got home. All the posts were (by eye) well placed, straight and vertical. The fence itself was tight and straight. The gates swung with nary a creak. All in all, a very professional installation. I have recommended them to others who have also been happy with their work. I'm sorry you had a bad experience with them. It appears they have gone downhill a bit in their professionalism (at least the crew who installed yours). But it does look like their willing to make things right.
Did you have your hard surveyed and the property corners marked? Even if you "know" where they are, generally any fence company (especially Seegars) will not start work until they see surveyed evidence of where your corners are. Most times they will not do any work, either, unless your underground utilities are marked.
Yes, all were marked and we had the survey for them. In fact, the survey is still hanging on my refridgerator from when I had it out for them. To clif...I'm glad you had a good experience. I chose them based on other good reviews, so I know they have done good work for people. I was very surprised when ours was such a mess. The guy I have been working with did tell me that the foreman for our job was new to the company. He also stated that he was embarrassed of the job that was done after he came and saw how they left it. He even said that he would not have been as understanding and patient as I have been. The people I have worked with there have been very nice, but have made a lot of mistakes from the installation to customer service. That's why it's hard for me to haggle with them over the price. I have decided to get an estimate for how much it will cost us to fix our yard from where they drove all over it and ask them to take that off of our balance. Even once all is fixed, I will still find it hard to recommend them. Making it right is what they should do, but that doesn't negate everything we've had to do to get it right.
