According to one of our customers, one of my sub contractor scratched their refrigerator door while they were replacing some hardwood flooring for warranty. The homeowner insists that the whole refrigerator be replaced. I know that ultimately it is not our responsibility to move the refrigerator in order to perform the warrant work however, at this point I would rather not go down that road.

I have not seen the scratch so I do not know if it's deep or just surface. Suggestions? Thoughts?

(Now I'm using F150online as a work tool )

 

I would look into seeing if you could replace the panel.

 

Two questions.

How big is the scratch
and how big are your companies complimentary refridgerator magnets?

 

I would so love to go to there home and slap one on and say there ya go, have a nice day! Can you imagine!!

 

which panels scratched

 

It's a side by side and the refrigeration front door panel is scratched

 

Personally, if it is anywhere in the contract that your company won't move appliances to install the floors, or even reinstall the floors due to warranty work, I'd tell the customer he's SOL.

We just had new floors put in our house about 4 months ago. That was the only thing I contracted out, we did all the other remodeling work. I specifically remember not only the sales rep stating that they will not move any furniture or appliances, but it was also on the paperwork I signed. They had a big list of things they wouldn't do and this was one of them. I was required to initial next to each point.

So, if think you do want to help this customer out, I would politely state that you can do what you can to try and fix the scratch, but you are not responsible for it because the fridge should've been moved in the first place by the customer. Let them know you will help out of the kindness of your own heart, but there is no way you will replace an entire Fridge. If you do have this stated anywhere on the contract, I would be sure to point it out to them.

Replace an entire Fridge that shouldn't have been moved in the first place because of a scratch. I would seriously have to try and not laugh out loud in the guy's face.

 

I have to agree 100% with that. When we moved here several years ago, the moving company damaged my Wife's oak roll top desk. The moving company sent someone from Furniture Medics here to repair the damage. They also cracked the plastic screen on our big screen TV. They wrote us a check for the cost to replace that, since it could not be repaired. They did not offer to replace the TV or the desk, nor did we ask them to.

But, getting back to the scratch. We have stainless steel appliances and had a long scratch in the refrigerator door. It wasn't a gouge, just a surface scratch that wouldn't wipe off. I used Adam's Metal Polish on it and you can't tell it was ever there. I ended up using the Adam's polish on both the refrigerator and freezer doors just so they matched up. Wiped them down with quick detail spray after the polish to remove any residue.

 

People are just crazy now a days man. We had a wind storm on Feb 11 where wind gusts were over 70 mph and people are calling us demanding we come fix this or that, yelling and screaming at us. I'm like give me a frickin' break people. The damage was so widespread ins co.'s had to call in special relief teams to help out. So this guy wanting me to replace his refridge doesn't surprise me in the least bit.

I know once I explain to him that ultimately it wasn't my responsibility to move the appliance, I'm most certain he will respond in a somewhat threatening manner.

Was it a scratch or a scuff?

If I could be all nonchalant about it and have one of our guys go down there and polish the refridge and make it disappear I would be "the man"

 

Threatening Manner? Who is this guy? Tony Soprano?

Honestly. If it's your policy to not move furniture and your guy's did it, it would be best just to pay for a new fridge and be done with it. Then tell your guy's that if they show up at another job and the appliances aren't moved, walk away from the job. Or have a release form ready or something and make the owner sign before moving anything.

 

It was a long thin scratch, but it wasn't deep, it was just on the surface. You could barely feel it when you rubbed a finger across.

 

I can't find any verb-age anywhere protecting us from this type of situation. I guess it's time to add a disclaimer.

If we end up replacing this guys appliance, that makes his old one mine then right? It would make one helluv a nice garage re-fridge

 

That's probably what he's thinking to!

I'd say that should be a good compromise, you'd replace his fridge but you keep his old one.

 

The only thing you should have to replace is the panel, which should be readily available from the manufacturer. In fact, if you get lucky and it's a flat panel unit, the opposite side of the existing stainless panel may also be stainless, in which case all you'd have to do is flip the unscratched side of the panel facing out. This would be way cheaper than replacing the whole fridge.....

 

I had a friend get mad one night and dented his stainless steel fridge door. long story short they were able to get that one door re-sided, and all was well.