I hired Eastern Electrical Contractors to install two light fixtures in my home, one of which was a…read morevintage chandelier shipped from Germany. Unfortunately, during installation, 3 out of 5 of the glass globes fell and shattered due to improper handling and a failure to ensure they were correctly secured before lifting.
My state of shock at seeing irreplaceable glass shattered across my dining room floor took over at that moment. Still, after explaining the situation, the original invoice was dropped from $200 to $165. While I can appreciate the partial discount, $35 off really made me feel dismissed. This was a vintage piece, a detail I had stressed while booking. The destruction of the shades doesn't just damage the fixture; it damages the entire value of the piece.
After some back and forth (during which it was stated that it was within reason to fault me too for not explaining the precarious physics of the chandelier), the price was eventually lowered to $100, with a promise that if I found replacements, they would cover the cost (to an extent). Unfortunately, that seems like a long shot; these shades are likely irreplaceable, and I think even they realized the absurdity of trying to find matching replacements. The invoice was ultimately waived, but that doesn't begin to make up for the damage done to a one-of-a-kind piece, plus the hours I have spent searching for something similar since the accident.
I am incredibly heartbroken, and while I understand that mistakes happen, this experience fell short of the care, accountability, and empathy I had hoped for.
If you're installing standard fixtures, you may not run into issues. But if you're working with anything vintage or fragile, I'd strongly recommend finding a team with more specialized experience, more care, and more willingness to take responsibility if something goes wrong sincerely (and immediately).
