We had a highly unpleasant and stressful experience. After much time and energy, we were provided with an estimate that was 35% higher than our stated budget for a pricey kitchen cabinetry job. Most contract jobs involve some form of negotiation / compromise, but Luxwood would not budge. They would only provide a tiny discount because we were willing to add 2500 sf of hardwood flooring to the job - which had been previously quoted. We decided to move forward, but then discovered the revised cost of installing the hardwood flooring was going to run a couple thousand dollars more, which far more than wiped out the so-called bundled discount. They told us they couldn't remember quoting a very specific, lower cost for installation. Naturally, we asked if there was any flexibility that could help offset this second setback, but the response we received via text message was shocking. We were told Luxwood was going to take a pass on the job.
We were stunned. Crushed. After being led down a path and mislead (or misquoted) twice on price, you would think Luxwood might try to work with us a tiny bit... or at least apologize for its error. You certainly wouldn't expect a respectable establishment to pour salt in the wound. I can understand a business not wishing to work with unpleasant customers, but my wife and I are very nice people. We weren't abrasive or problematic. And the price difference was not a deal killer per se; it was simply our second unexpected surprise.
I apologized for any misunderstanding - which seemed ludicrous and arguably pathetic, and made sure to clarify we would be happy to move forward notwithstanding. (The reason is we'd lost so much time, and were now over a barrel.) Their response was "I understand", in a way that felt fairly patronizing.
I'm sure companies like Luxwood have done extremely well during Covid. But the truth is anyone can "sell" and prosper in the best of times. I hate to see how long they can last when the going gets tough. read more