Anonymous Review
Published:over 1 year ago
Very unhappy with the service and response from the owner Doug. Doug installed a new garage door opener for me in 2018. We have had chronic problems with the opener working intermittently since the install. It flashes error messages that the sensors or wiring are causing the alert and not allowing the door to close. In fairness to Grove, Doug has come out multiple times at no charge to try to resolve the issue but never found a cause. After his last visit several months ago, I was able to identify the problem in the spliced wire to the sensor. If I put tension against the wire to hold it in place, it worked for quite awhile until it would vibrate loose again. I called Doug back to let him know I identified the problem as the splice. He came out promptly within a couple of days and said yes, he saw where a staple was stapled into the wire. He redid the wire splice and was on his way in 5 minutes. Within an hour of his departure, the door wasn't working again. I called him and he said he would be back out as soon as he could get me back on the schedule, a couple of days later. He just left.
He said the "old" sensors were bad (then they have always been bad. He didn't notice they were bad 2 days ago) and charged me $190 for the new sensors and installation. As this has been an ongoing problem we have had to live with since he installed our door, I don't understand why now I am being billed because he either installed a defective or inferior part. I questioned if the "old" sensors were from the previous door and was assured he would never take that shortcut, I believe him. I then questioned why I have a wire splice in the first place from the old wiring and he said it is standard practice to use the old wiring and splice into it. That doesn't seem like the best or even proper way to install the door opening system but he is supposedly the expert. Seems like he should have just run the new wire (provided with the opener but not used) initially to isolate one issue as opposed to coming out multiple times for a problem he has never been able to diagnose. I clearly got better results when applying tension to the splice, so I still believe the splice may be part of the problem if not the entire problem. I paid Doug his $190 but if I could upload a photo, I would show you that for $190 he put new sensors on but still left the 32 year old spliced wires which may still be the culprit. Of course why would he make sure this problem is finely resolved for all us. It is standard operating procedure to take short cuts, even after he knows this may be a part of the issue. I understand that this has been inconvenient to him and his schedule but this problem has been ongoing for 5 years! His visits haven't exactly been convenient for us either and neither is having a garage door opener that doesn't work as intended due to the installation. I now question his ability to diagnose issues in his chosen field, to do installations in a proper manner and clearly not make decisions in the best interest of the customer. He got his $190 bucks and may or may not have fixed my problem but if he didn't, I will find a professional garage door company to come out and resolve the issue I have dealt with for 5 years all because of Grove Overhead Door's inability to properly install, or repair my garage door.
UPDATE: I just hung up with Liftmaster who confirmed the installer should have used the new wire that comes from the new sensor to the opener and NOT splice into the existing old wiring, ESPECIALLY IF HE HAD BEEN TOLD THERE WAS AN ISSUE WITH THAT WIRING. He had been told, remember, I am the homeowner who diagnosed the problem incorrectly (I told him when I apply tension to the wires it works).
2nd UPDATE: I called their office as requested below. Doug answered and said he didn't need to speak to me about anything. The reply was obviously to appear as if they care about the customer for their future business. It has now been confirmed, you will find a better, more trust worthy door company.