Software
Houzz Logo Print
caroline94535

Why is everything so blasted difficult??

9 years ago

My stars are not aligned.

My aura must be dull brown streaked with death-mask grey.

My lucky charms have tarnished.

I am...


Put out.

Perplexed.

Angry.


Last Nov. 10 I dropped off my swivel rocker and footstool to have the cushions recovered and the faulty swivel plate replaced.


5 and 1/2 months later and after my making many phone calls since mid-February...the upholster says it's ready. Finally.


I go to Grand Forks this afternoon to pick it up.


He used (insert 10 nasty words here) the WRONG fabric and did a very messy job.


I had picked out a beautiful, low pile, cut velvet fabric in a pattern of slightly skewered,

interlocking, muted but multi-colored 1" squares.


Instead of using the lovely fabric he was supposed to have ordered for me,he used some blasted Sunbrella type fabric, the kind used on

outdoor patio chairs.


It's a stiff, plastic, crinkly fake fabric in a similar - but ugly - color way of bullseye circles.


Polka-dotted, crinkly, outdoor fabric.

Comments (10)

  • 9 years ago

    why in the world would he think that is ok? he obviously doesn't want any future work by word of mouth. By site it sounds like he needs to put a 'closed' sign on his door!

    ugh! what is it with people?


    caroline94535 thanked desertsteph
  • 9 years ago

    What was his reason? I can't even think of any that would possibly make sense.

    caroline94535 thanked User
  • 9 years ago

    I hope you haven't paid him yet! Maybe he wanted to get out of the business and was tired of looking at your chair so he covered it with some fabric he had lying around. Why he would take on more business is beyond me. Hope something can be done for you. Keep in touch.

    caroline94535 thanked dexx215
  • PRO
    9 years ago

    You're lucky he didn't lose the chair. My upholsterer had lost my chair and its existing slipcover -- says its in storage "somewhere" and she has limited access to the storage. I've been asking for it since Nov - no progress.

    caroline94535 thanked Anglophilia
  • 9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    (((( Anglophilia ))))

    I feel your pain.

    This man was supposed to order a "heavy duty" swivel to replace broken one. DH likes this chair so I wanted a swivel rated for at least 300 lbs.

    He said he had ordered it. Weeks later he told me it had arrived. Weeks after that he told me "I have several of those in the back to use; I save them from unfixable chairs." I have no idea if this an extra strong swivel or not, new or not. I don't mind recycled at all; if it were really old it would probably be better quality of any new swivel. "Clean" and "strong" does concern me.

    I called once to see if the special order fabric had come in. "Oh yes."

    All boils down to - I know it's my fault for not making the long drive (45+ minutes each direction) out there every few days to watch every step of the progress.

    I know this is also my fault...I assumed (Yep!) "new cushions" meant he would put new, high quality foam and batting in all three cushions (chair seat and back, and foot stool cushion.)

    Nope! He "steamed them" and "they plump right up. I filled them out with new batting."

    The seat cushion has a zipper. I opened it. Old foam, no batting. The back and footrest cushions do not have zippers so I can't peek in them.

    The old seat cushion had ties to keep it in place and tucked under the lower edge of the back cushion. No ties on the new seat.

    I am so sad about the chair, the tiny awkward room, the huge window, the mish-mash of broken down, brown furniture, and this house. Just thinking about it all makes me wish I could break down.

    The saddest part is we have money to furnish it pleasantly with mid-quality items. He has money for week-long fishing trips to Alaska and the elk trips to Idaho, Montana, Washington etc. but for two matching chairs? Oh well, TMI, I'm going back under my cloud and taking his things to the dry cleaner (45 minutes one way) and looking at some furniture.

    I can look!

  • 9 years ago

    Ridiculous. So disappointing for you. Just another example of contractors thinking they can do what ever the heck they want and charge what ever they want. And don't dare question them. Irritates me to no end. Now I'M mad too!

    caroline94535 thanked schoolhouse_gw
  • 9 years ago

    Temporary Fix - I bought a dusty medium purple/plum oversized bath towel.

    It's draped over the offending chair cushions, tucked it in on the sides, and has made a world of difference.

    I need another one to cover the foot stool and I'll be able to live with the mess until something is resolved.

    In fact, I should get two or three of these towels and make loose fitting, slip-on cases to function as "slip covers" so I won't be tugging and tucking at them all day long.

    The muted purple is lovely with the wall color, the blinds' colors and the various woods in this room. In fact, when the chair is redone, I'm going to choose a similar color.

  • 9 years ago

    don't know what size town you're in, but are businesses supposed to be licensed? how about by the state? i'd be calling around to find out and reporting him if he isn't.


  • 9 years ago

    Hi Steph, The chair was worked on in Grand Forks. I had several people recommend him. I don't know what the problem was.

    Yes; I paid him $180. He was closing, in a hurry, etc. His shop is down a tiny driveway backing out on a busy street. It was blocked further by a boat he was making a cover for.

    He was carrying the glider; I had the footstool. Something was niggling in my head about the fabric being wrong. As I was backing out I realized "my" fabric had a square colorful print on velour. These were circles on Sunbrella.

    He had locked up and left. We will be discussing this and I hope to get a partial refund. The swivels are not cheap; and it seems to be working properly.

    Live and learn.

Sponsored