Cadillac Shutters was recommended to me - not inexpensive but I went with them anyway. Their product is beautiful but my installer was so incompetent that during his second trip, I asked him to take his things and leave.
After the initial installation, several problems came to light so he returned to "fix" them. I specifically requested someone else come to fix them but was told that he was the installer so he would be responsible for making it right.
Most (not all) of the problems were fixed on the second visit but my installer (Jay) was unable to do the finishing work properly and was somehow unable to run a clean line of caulking on the trim - it was lumpy and bumpy and ugly to look at - he thought it was fine - he really did. I finally just asked him to leave and said I would finish the job myself. He was either extraordinarily lazy or incredibly incompetent. Instead of taking the shutters off and doing it right, he tried over and over and wasted both my time and his with his trying to take shortcuts. Not cool.
After his initial visit, there were screws sticking out and most of the screws in the hinges weren't countersunk so they dented the inside of the frame. He didn't offer to clean up and left screws and bits of caulking stuck in my carpet and strewn over my furniture and floor. He didn't even offer to sweep even though my broom was propped right there in the corner.
On the second visit, there was one last piece of trim to be applied and stunningly, he just cut a small piece of wood and stuck it directly over a gap in between. I wish I had taken a picture. I told him that was unacceptable and that it had to be redone so he reapplied the strip from top to bottom and it was completely bowed. I asked him to do it again, and on the third try, he finally figured out how to do it right.
It is SO not my job to stand over an installer and show him how to do his work properly. He might have been able to build a square box to hold the doors but anything other than that seemed to escape him. He filled gaps with unnecessary and bulky pieces of trim instead of filling them properly with caulking. I ended up with trim across one section and no trim on the rest - I don't know how that was okay in his mind. He left screws sticking out, and my shutters didn't function as they're supposed to. Unbelievable. Really unbelievable.
The day after his last visit, I opened my window and found the shutters still hit the window frame when I go to adjust them. I have not and will not call the company back to have them come to adjust it for fear they will send the same installer (especially since I requested someone else the last time and was told no).
I did, however, place a call to the owner to enquire about the warranty if I take the shutters off and do the finishing work myself. Thankfully, my warranty will remain intact so that's what I'll do. I'll finish the job myself after paying the full $3300 for the product and installation and taking two unpaid days off work.
It's a shame, really. Their product is quite lovely but the installer killed it. If you could be sure not to get the guy who did the work in my place, then I'd say go for it. If not, I'd certainly stay away.
