Because I find it difficult to read poetry when I’m pissed off, I decided to get this rant off my mind before turning to the next chapter in Stevens’ Collected Poems. It also explains how I’ve spent some of my time the last week.
A little over two years ago I spent $5,000 to have my bathroom remodeled (read, have a new, slightly larger shower installed). Well, a little over a month ago I noticed that the ceiling below the shower showed signs of a leak. After a little sleuthing, I was shocked to discover that there was a crack in Mustee’s Durabase fiberglass shower floor.
Naturally I called the contractor who was sympathetic and in turn called the plumber, who, while sympathetic, said that it wasn’t his fault but, rather was a defective shower floor. He said there was a one-year contract on the part, but that he would call the manufacturing representative to see what could be done.
The manufacturing representative called and said that he didn’t need to look because there was a one year guarantee and NOTHING could be done.
Well, it turns out that this must not be an uncommon problem because Washington State just recently passed a law requiring a two year waranty on all such installations.
I wonder if homeowners realized that there was only a one year warranty on these products whether they would opt for a piece of shit like this instead of looking for a better alternative. I know I hadn’t planned on spending another $5,000 on a new shower this year. Even a $400 to $500 price increase for a better product would have been a wise investment.
I realize this is a disposable society, but replacing your shower, or, worse yet, the ceiling and walls around the shower, every year is simply ridiculous.
Of course, when you go to Mustee’s web site, you’ll notice that the prefix “DURA” is prominently displayed, suggesting that they want any professional dumb enough to buy their product to believe that their products are going to last a long, long time, not a year or so. After all, “dura” does suggest durable doesn’t it? I guess that’s why they avoided ever actually using the word durable in their copy, though.
Of course, when you go to their warranty page there’s nary a mention of “durable.” Instead you get phrases like, “Our liability under this Warranty shall be to either repair or replace the product with an identical or reasonably equivalent product. In the alternative, we may refund, in full, the actual purchase price if the repair is not commercially reasonable or possible within a reasonable time and we are unable to supply a replacement product. We shall not be responsible for any labor, damages or installation costs.
” That’s hardly worth the bother, since most of the costs are in the costs of installation.
Musty, indeed, if I were going to remodel my bathroom I’d make sure that I avoided any products from Mustee, professional or not, and ensure that my contractor was using a better product than this if I were planning on living in the house more than another year.