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Classic Conservatories built an attached structure for my 18th century home in Sussex County, NJ in 2006. In February of this year, the structure suffered a complete collapse of the roof. My daughter and I barely escaped. The concussive force of air from the collapse blew her out of the back door of the kitchen.
I contacted the company by phone, email and certified mail. Their production manager came and viewed the collapse. He commented that it had never happened before this. I responded that my 18th century home still had its roof. My 19th century barn's tin roof was intact. However, my 5 year old conservatory collapsed like a house of cards under a moderate load. I added that I hoped that the company would honor its warranty. To date, the company has only passed information to its insurance company.
The contract I foolishly signed had an arbitration clause and a waiver of court claims such as consumer fraud and negligence. So, basically, the best one can do is to make the company do the minimum. In my defense, I trusted in the name of the company. When I buy a Subaru or a Sony, I know that I will receive prompt and courteous responses.
I have a preliminary engineering report which places the blame on a number of faults by the company and its installers. For one, the installers failed to follow their own architectural plans. They did not attache the structure securely to my outside wall. It leaked prior to failure by the way, like some others about which I have read.
I will keep this site up to date but suggest that anyone reading this note to go to their building inspectors and have their plans and the construction reviewed. Ask to have the company cited by your municipality and post the results. I have other legal and public responses planned. If I find a way around the arbitration waiver, I will let this site know.
This Business is not BBB Accredited
Classic Conservatories
Phone: (888) 863-6700Fax: [protected]
(908) 389-0955View Additional Phone Numbers1767 US Highway 22, Union, NJ 07083http://www.classicconservatories.com
Classic Conservatories BBB® Accredited Business Seal
BBB® Non-Accredited F Rating
On a scale of A+ to F Reason for RatingBBB Ratings System Overview
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BBB Accreditation
On 05/24/2011 this company's accreditation in BBB was revoked by BBB's Board of Directors due to failure to honor an arbitrator's decision despite agreeing to do so.
Businesses are under no obligation to seek BBB accreditation, and some businesses are not accredited because they have not sought BBB accreditation.
To be accredited by BBB, a business must apply for accreditation and BBB must determine that the business meets BBB accreditation standards, which include a commitment to make a good faith effort to resolve any consumer complaints. BBB Accredited Businesses must pay a fee for accreditation review/monitoring and for support of BBB services to the public.
Reason for Rating
BBB rating is based on 16 factors. Get the details about the factors considered.
Factors that lowered Classic Conservatories' rating include:
Failure to comply with arbitration decision or mediated settlement.
18 complaints filed against business
Failure to respond to one complaint filed against business.
One complaint filed against business that was not resolved.
BBB Accreditation was revoked because the business failed to honor its accreditation agreement with BBB.
George R Mikulski PhD
1306 Breezeway Drive
Annapolis, MD 21409
September 30, 2009
Re: Excessive heat buildup, health concerns, and fraudulent business practices.
Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation
Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing
Maryland Home Improvement Commission
500 North Calvert Street
Room 306
Baltimore, MD [protected]
Dear Commissioner:
I had a conservatory (sunroom) built by Classic Conservatories that had its final inspection on January 14, 2008. In the advertising from Classic Conservatory (attachment #1), they state that “our customers will enjoy using our sunrooms year-round”, and “highest R-Values available today, allowing our customers year round living”.
In the summer months of 2008, the temperature inside the room reached over 120 degrees with the air conditioning on full. Industry recommendations for rooms up to 20' x 20' (or 400 sq.ft. in area), range from 6, 000 BTUh to 10, 000 BTUh. This sunroom built by Classic Conservatory is only 10’ x 14’, (or only 140 sq.ft. in area), and has a 10, 000 BTUh air conditioning unit, which is almost three times as large as it should be, and the room still reached over 120 degrees.
On February 11, 2009 I corresponded with Ann Lyons from Classic Conservatory. I was told about “energy efficient athermic panels”. I was sent a letter stating that “Our Athermic Roofing system is 35 percent more efficient at reducing heat buildup” (attachment #2). On March 5, 2009 I paid a deposit on the alleged “energy efficient athermic panels”, costing me an additional $1850 over the $42, 700 I have already spent on the sunroom. The alleged “energy efficient athermic panels” were installed on July 17, 2009.
In the summer months of 2009, after the athermic panels were installed, the temperature inside the room still reached over 110 degrees with the air conditioning on full. This is a health hazard to anyone using the room, especially young children and elderly relatives.
I contacted Kevin Rust at Classic Conservatories on July 29, 2009 about the problem. He said that he would research the installation of solid panels to prevent 100% of the light from coming in through the roof, and would get back to me an a few days. I tried contacting him on August 11, 12, and then finally August 24, 2009. A month after the few days he suggested, Kevin Rust finally said that he found the solid panels, and that Classic Conservatories would possibly treat it as a test case to save me the $30/sq ft cost of installation. This sounded reasonable to me, since the roofing material failed to provide a “year-round” room as originally advertised, and also failed in the second “energy efficient athermic panels” advertising (which I paid additional for, and shouldn’t have had to).
I have been trying to get in touch with Kevin Rust for over a month now, and he doesn’t answer my phone calls or return my messages. I have also tried contacting the owner of the company, Peter Burley, and I haven’t received any correspondence from him either.
This concerns me. If Classic Conservatories has addressed other customer’s concerns with the same neglectful attitude, then there could very well be many people that have unsafe construction that chose not to do anything, because of Classic Conservatories neglect to honor their advertised “year-round” sunroom’s construction specifications. I would suggest that a re-inspection of Classic Conservatories past work be done, to insure the health and safety of the people in the Maryland (and the Virginia, New York, and New Jersey) region, which have chosen to have construction done by Classic Conservatories. Classic Conservatories license number is 13VH00551900, 12-31-2008; NJ, but they operate in Maryland (I assume they are licensed to operate in Maryland, because they have done work here).
Please help.
George R Mikulski PhD
Cc:
Senator Barbara Mikulski, 503 Hart Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C., 20510
Peter Burley, Classic Conservatories & Sunrooms By Classic, 1767 US Highway 22 West, Union, NJ [protected]
Kevin Rust, Classic Conservatories & Sunrooms By Classic, 1767 US Highway 22 West, Union, NJ [protected]
Christopher Edwards, CEO of Conservatories & Sunrooms By Classic, 1767 US Highway 22 West, Union, NJ [protected]
Peter Leeming, Vice President, Conservatories & Sunrooms By Classic, 1767 US Highway 22 West, Union, NJ [protected]
Barbra Mulholland, Director of Matrix Marketing, Conservatories & Sunrooms By Classic, 1767 US Highway 22 West, Union, NJ [protected]
Alan McKenna, Conservatories & Sunrooms By Classic, 1767 US Highway 22 West, Union, NJ [protected]
Brian Adams, Director of Operations, Classic Conservatories of Maryland, 86 JOHN ST, unit b, WESTMINSTER, MD 21157
Ed Dee, Classic Conservatories of Maryland, 86 JOHN ST, unit b, WESTMINSTER, MD [protected]
Mike Martino, President, Classic Conservatories of NY, 985 Route 376 Ste 13, Wappingers Falls, NY [protected]
Thomas C. Shaner, CAE, Executive Director Maryland Improvement Contractors Association, 720 Light Street, Baltimore, MD 21230
Department of Inspections and Permits, 2664 Riva Road, P.O. Box 6675, Annapolis, MD 21401
Office of the Attorney General, Consumer Protection Division, Consumer Complaint Form, 200 St. Paul Place, Baltimore, MD 21202
U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Maryland, 36 S. Charles Street 4th Fl., Baltimore, MD 21201
Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation, Commonwealth of Virginia, 3600 West Broad Street, Richmond, VA 23230
White Collar Crime Supervisor, FBI Baltimore, 2600 Lord Baltimore, Baltimore, Maryland 21244
National Consumers League 1701 K Street, NW, Suite 1200, Washington DC 20006
Better Business Bureau of Greater Maryland, 1414 Key Highway, Suite 100, Baltimore, MD [protected]
George R Mikulski PhD
1306 Breezeway Drive
Annapolis, MD 21409
April 22, 2007
Re: Fire exit obstruction, and fraudulent warranty and business practices.
Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation
Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing
Maryland Home Improvement Commission
500 North Calvert Street
Room 306
Baltimore, MD [protected]
Dear Commissioner:
I had a conservatory (sunroom) built by Classic Conservatories that had its final inspection on January 14, 2008. Less than a month after the final inspection, we noticed a small crack in one of the windows that could only be seen in the right light (photo attached). Because the crack is difficult to see, it may well have been there during the final inspection, but even if settling of the construction, a defect in the window, etc, caused it it should still be covered under Classic Conservatories advertised (attached) ten-year warranty.
I contacted Tim Kessel, from Classic Conservatories, on February 12, 2008 and notified him about the crack. His initial response was that he would replace the cracked window, but I would have to pay for it. After I talked with him about the advertised ten-year warranty, he said that he would replace the window under the warranty. My last contact with Mr. Kessel was on March 17, 2007, over a month ago. He said that the window was ready at the window factory, but he didn’t have a delivery date yet. Since then, I’ve made repeated attempts to contact both Tim Kessel and Robin Dee, from Classic Conservatories, but have been ignored. Since then, with the room getting warmer because of the warmer temperatures outside, I cannot open the outside door of the sunroom. I suspect that this can be corrected with an adjustment, but this is a custom built conservatory, built with materials that cannot be purchased at the local hardware store. Every window is a different dimension, and training is required for people that build and maintain this specialized construction. This isn’t a standard wood frame sunroom (picture attached). The fact that I cannot open the door to exit outside from this conservatory creates a safety hazard, and blocks a fire exit from my home, but I cannot get a response from Classic Conservatories to help me with this safety problem or the cracked window.
This concerns me. If Classic Conservatories has addressed other customer’s concerns with the same neglectful attitude, then there could very well be many people that have unsafe construction, that chose not to do anything because of Classic Conservatories neglect to honor their advertised ten-year warranty. I would suggest that a re-inspection of Classic Conservatories past work be done, to insure the safety of the people in the Maryland (and the Virginia, New York, and New Jersey) region, which have chosen to have construction done by Classic Conservatories. Classic Conservatories license number is 13VH00551900, 12-31-2008; NJ, but they operate in Maryland (I assume they are licensed to operate in Maryland, because they have done work here).
Please help.
The 2007 dates were a typo, they should be 2008.
Help
I had Classic build my conservatory in 2003. The past year I have had to replace some of the windows due to moisture between the glass panes. Now my rooftop windows are leaking. I can't find anyone who is willing to repair it. I live on Long Island NY. Please help if you know who I can get to fix my problem
Hello Eileen,
We also have a sunroom built by Classic Conservatories of the UK and ours is now in need of a replacement of the polycarbonate roof. We also live on Long Island, NY(Roslyn Heights) and wondered if you can recommend a contractor who can repair these sunrooms?
Thank you,
Baruch May
We have had all of the same concerns as others have posted. This summer we had hail damage to the polycarbonate roof to add to the several areas of leakage, falling apart gutters, and over working heating, cooling system to keep room temperature stabilized. We have had many contractors come out to look at damage and no one wants to replace roof as they are concerned about the integrity of the rest of the structure. We are debating having the room replaced, but feel so ripped off like the rest of you. I wish that we had done a regular room addition, not much more expensive at the time. It is a shame that the builder is still out there and takes no responsibility for his actions.
I can echo all of the above comments and complaints. Has anyone found an option to replace the polycarbonate roof with more permanent materials? Has anyone sought architectural advice on replacing the roof, which seems to be the most unreliable feature of the room? Please advise.
Hi, have you found an option to replace the roof. I am in need of a replacement also.
This upsets me so much. I dealt with this company from 4/09-6/11. It was a total nightmare. Construction sub-par and corners cut. I've had to redo several things two or more times to get it right. As far as the sun room goes, so far so good but after reading other owners problems I feel like I'm sitting in a time bomb.
I live in central NJ not far from that horrible company that built my POS $30, 000 sunroom in 1997..Have fought with them for years and got nowhere..Cracks and holes in Polycarbonate roof began appearing only a few yrs after construction..Gutter fell down in 1st snow fall in 1998..The roof vents leak..The pieces of plastic that hold the roof together, fell off and are in a bucket in my garage..It leaks inside all the windows, so my nice wood sills are ruined as well as the wood and walls behind the wood that are now bulging inward and black from being soaked all the time..You can't deal with those people..I was planning a lawsuit, but due to other serious issues in my life, I did not.. This winter, window and glass door have condensation between the glass..Seals have let loose..Windows never stayed open when opened wide..Always had to place a strong object to hold them.. It gets to be over 100 degrees in there in summer and just as cold as outside in winter.. I have made a tentative decision to have someone tear it all down..I will need to replace siding on my home and would like to build a deck off the kitchen which is what I had before the horendous room was built..There should be a Class Action Suit against this Owner, since now I see Classic is no longer in business but now called Total Remodeling..Same owner, Chris Edwards..He is the one responsible and we all should go after..I'm willing..Anybody else want to do a Class Action Lawsuit? I"m @ Scorpiosweb@aol.com Let me know.. Joanie
Just reading this is pretty upsetting. Had mine built in 2000. yes I leak issues and at times still. I do the repair my self so far. Didn't know there out of business. had many problems with the construction. Mine was built with a T foundation which they tried to get out of doing. Now I was just looking at how to repair a lock issue with the handle which doesn't really spring back. Happened to see this report and it's sad. The vinyl expands and contracts so much that in the winter have a hard time locking the door. Don't want to keep adjusting it.
Can you tell me how you adjust your doors? I need to adjust mine and have no idea how to do that!
After a rain storm last night [protected]), I discovered that water was coming through the exterior wall and flooding my interior floor. I contacted Classic Conservatories in NJ--[protected], who informed me that Classic Conservatory is no longer in business and that they will not honor any warranty work. Also, Total Remodeling (aka Classic Conservatories) will not do any work in the state of Maryland. I feel totally victimized and scammed.
Thank you all for your comments. I too have a leaky roof on my 2006 conservatory and I just learned that they "Classic Conservatories" is out of business and won't honor their 10 year warrenty. I also learned that the new company "Total Remodeling" builds conservatories now with a 2 year warrenty.
The new ompany is Total Remodeling, same address, same owner (Chris Edwards)...be very careful about oding business with them...they have 4-5 legal entities. I guess they just close one up after the complaints get too much.
Thanks Classic is Awful:
I had wondered about their BBB rating.
Classic is the worst. The have now lost their BBB accrediation due to failure to honor arbitration.
my sunroom was built by Classic in 2003, nothing but trouble with these folks. I will say that I knew that running the heater this winter in order to prevent the ice jam was an absolute must.