All I Wanted Was a New Front Door....

So, we got a nice new solid front door last week. It's only taken me almost two years...

Without boring you with the finer details, the area where I live is pretty old by US standards. (Our house was built in the 1880s.) The 'hood is now lovingly protected as a landmarked area, which, for property owners means you can't change the front exterior in any way, shape or form. When we had new windows installed they had to be wood, not vinyl, even though they are so high that no one passing would ever know. So when it comes to getting a new front door, we are fairly limited, and the odd size of the entrance means that of course, it has to be custom made.

The first company came and measured, gave us a quote then promptly forgot about us. After the promised 3 months had come and gone I called them only to discover that, underneath the tissue of lies about production schedules etc. someone had basically not processed our order. So we waited another four months and the door was finally delivered. Shame is was about two inches short at the top. Given that we had missed the freezing cold winter and I was fed up to the back teeth with the company, I cancelled the order and asked for my deposit back.

This time last year, after much research, I engaged another company. The guy was nice and friendly, they came out quite a few times to make sure they had all the measurements exactly right. ("Measure twice, cut once.") Unfortunately the nice guy left the company and no one picked up his clients, so the three month mark came and went. This time I hit the roof and went on to the web site where I had found the company and wrote a "factual but scathing" review. They got back to me fairly quickly, admitted that they had dropped the ball and offered me a 50% discount. For me, it was more about getting a front door that did't let freezing air in on either side, so I agreed to this new deal. That was back in February.

Apparently the door was ready in the summer, but as they wanted to install it when we were in England, it didn't quite happen according to plan. Basically they forgot about us, and I didn't remember they'd forgotten about us till last month. Anyway, the door was scheduled for installation last week, and after a nine-hour day, it was indeed installed.

And, if you know anything about me by now you'll know that that's not the end of the story. See, the workmen asked the Ball & Chain if the alarm was "activated". Thinking, as anyone would, that they meant "Is it on?" the B&C said "no". Apparently they thought that meant it didn't work, so they saw fit to cut the wires and embed what was left into the door frame.

I had to get the alarm company out yesterday and was given the news that we can either take the door frame out or go to a wireless alarm system. Of course, since our current system is ten years old, it's not compatible with the new wireless stuff, so the whole house has to be redone; we can't just have a wireless alarm on one door.

Not happy about that, the door company phoned the alarm company and had a nice long chat about MY alarm system. (I will be phoning them to give them a earful. Since when can a complete stranger get all the details about my alarm account?)

I am now in the position of having to stand my ground regarding the remedy. I am not having visible wires running through the house to the front door just because the door company can't be ar*ed to undo their work. I really can't face the thought of having to redo the whole alarm system, not to mention the expense.

Watch this space.....