Exterior Doors Damage Tolerance
Hi everyone,
Quick question. Trying to gauge the industry standard for Doors. Clients had a new door put in and the door came with an indent, likely a molding issue roughly 1.5X3 inches on the frame maybe 1/8 inches deep. Clients wanted a new door put in, but installer said no it’s well within the damage tolerance for this product.
My question is, has anyone else experienced this? To me any form of damage on a new product is unacceptable, but I’m curious if there is actually a standard in which this is acceptable.
For further reference, client is refusing to pay for the door until it is replaced with a non dented door, contractor has gone and put a lien on the clients house.
Any thoughts or opinions are appreciated.
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Replies
I don’t think that is acceptable. I’ve dealt with many commercial doors, both metal and solid wood, and they are all perfect. I don’t see why residential doors should be any different.
If you’re painting the door, you can probably fill the indent if you can’t get the door replaced. Bondo would probably work well here. Spackle usually isn’t durable enough.
Bill
Thank you for your response. Unfortunately it cannot be painted. Great suggestion though.
I doubt the installer's conclusion that the dent is well within the manufacturer's damage tolerance. It sounds like it is well within the installer's damage tolerance. The manufacturer would probably say the door should have been inspected for damage and returned for exchange if any damage was found.
Thank you for your comment. These are my thoughts exactly.
Without a photo it is hard to say who is being unreasonable, if you need a magnifying glass to see the damage that is different than something noticeable from several feet away. Please post a photo.
Was the door to be stained and varnished or painted?
At this point both parties have dug in the owner must decide if he can out wait the one year limit most states put on contractors liens or lawyer up and go to court. Sounds like he would likely win but pay the lawyer more than the door costs.
Walta
Hopefully, the issue can be resolved amicably, and your clients can get the door they're happy with.
That sounds like a frustrating situation for your clients. While any damage to a new product can be disappointing, it's not uncommon for there to be industry standards for acceptable imperfections.
https://www.usafiredoor.com/commercial-doors/commercial-steel-doors/ , like many other products, often have specific guidelines for damage tolerance. It might be worth checking with the manufacturer or installer to see if the indent falls within these standards.
In the meantime, it's understandable that your clients are hesitant to pay for a door with visible damage. Communication between all parties involved is key to finding a resolution that satisfies everyone.