Reply to Cairngorm Group Advertisement

[cherokee]

Just read the advertisement in the John O' Groat Journal for "Cairngorm Group". Although (albeit slightly) renamed, this company are still the same as "Cairngorm Windows" who installed our windows some years ago !

The advert actually makes me laugh now, though when all of our newly installed windows leaked, through unprofessional fitting (proven by a reputable company whose representative could put his hand, sideways, between the window frame and outer wall due to all windows not being of correct size) I was most certainly NOT laughing !!

Trading Standards's ? . . . . Cairngorm wouldn't talk to them.

Their attitude was "Not our fault, nothing at all to do with us !!!"

So my reply to the advert in the local paper where they ask "Are Your windows letting you down?" is . . . . .
"Yes, all my windows are leaking when the rain and wind is driving onto them, and its ALL THANKS TO YOUR COMPANY !!!!!!"

( Oh and about 95% of people I mention this company name to just roll their eyes in complete and utter disgust . . . . )

[Taragunn]

I totally agree, any problems they do not want to know. Have found they do not reply to e mails or telephone calls,after sales service is terrible, after 5 years problem with conservatory doors stills not sorted

[RWB]

ditto, we had windows fitted by Cairngorm Windows last year, the workmanship was slap dash and the customer service afterwards to get it sorted has also been terrible.

i told Cairngorm i'd be contacting DGCOS and funnily enough they've arranged to get the problems sorted ASAP

[cherokee]

Thank you Taragunn and also RWB for backing up (through your own experiences !) what I've said; in that, Cairngorm Group are a company to be avoided at all costs !

If you are in the process of looking at companies to do your windows/conservatory/doors, then please take heed . . . .

Cairngorm Group (AKA Cairngorm Windows) are a disgrace to reputable people who are very competent at same.

Also, as mentioned above, their "so-called" after sales is non-existent !

Slap-dash (to repeat another's dealings with them) and dreadful (also very costly to try and remedy their "Mickey Mouse" workmanship !)service all around !!!

[Cairngorm Group]

I am keen to address a couple pf points on this thread which I believe to be inaccurate. Firstly we have not re-named ourselves in the way it is implied. The legal identity of our company has been since 1953 Inverness Glass Co Ltd, that is whats registered at Companies House. Over the years as we have grown and formed different departments we adopted different trading names such as Cairngorm Windows but about 18 months ago we decided to re-brand and just refer to everything as the Cairngorm Group to try and simplify things. We have had an operation in Thurso for around 20 years and while I'm the first to admit we don't get it 100% right 100% of the time, I don't think we'd have survived that long if the level of service was as described below. One comment suggests a gap of 5-6 inches down the side of windows, I'm sorry but that is hard to believe. All our windows carry the latest in BSI certification for wind & water penetration and we send samples away for testing twice a year. We are audited by external organisations up to 7 times a year for all the different certification we hold. The suggestion that we would refuse to talk to trading standards is totally inaccurate. They are a Government organisation with legal powers, not talking to them is not an option! We never have anything to hide (hence why I am replying so publically) when we were going through the process of achieving CE marking (one of the legal requirements Trading Standards have the power to enforce) we invited them to our presentation & they attended. To the person's who said they still have issues with their conservatory/windows I would ask that you contact myself on 01463 238 000 so I can look into it. Chris Dowling Director Cairngorm Group

[cherokee]

From my original post :-

" though when all of our newly installed windows leaked, through unprofessional fitting (proven by a reputable company whose representative could put his hand, sideways, between the window frame and outer wall due to all windows not being of correct size) "

One comment suggests a gap of 5-6 inches down the side of windows, I'm sorry but that is hard to believe.

So, once again, Mr Dowling, your company does not listen to your customer, even when it is written down in black and white !!

I rest my case . . . . .

[Cairngorm Group]

I'm sorry i'm not following this, you have said that a representative from another company could put his hand sideways between the frame & outer wall. Unless I have unusually large hands (I don't believe I do) that would suggest a gap of 5 to 6 inches so I'm not sure what you are suggesting. If you can provide your name & address I am happy to look into this further. Many Thanks Chris Dowling, Cairngorm Group

[crayola]

I'm sorry i'm not following this, you have said that a representative from another company could put his hand sideways between the frame & outer wall. Unless I have unusually large hands (I don't believe I do) that would suggest a gap of 5 to 6 inches so I'm not sure what you are suggesting. If you can provide your name & address I am happy to look into this further. Many Thanks Chris Dowling, Cairngorm Group

Good grief man! If you as director of the company can't understand simple English, why should anyone trust your less senior employees to do anything? That's two apologies you owe the OP already.

[cherokee]

OK Mr Dowling may I , yet again simplify what you are, very obviously, having extreme difficulty in understanding in "lay man's" terms -

Generally speaking the width of a man's hand, whilst spread out, from thumb nail to pinkie nail, is, quite rightly as you suggest, an average of 5 - 6 inches. I believe this is commonly known as a "hand-span" (though do correct me if I'm wrong in this assumption)

What I actually said in my original post was "the representative from a reputable company could put his hand sideways between the window frame and outer wall due to windows not being of correct size."


So, just to sum up this debate : -

1. The "average" span of a man's hand is roughly 5 - 6 inches in width.

2. The average "sideways" projection of a man's hand would be about 2 cm.

3. Should you require any more clarification on this matter I will be more than pleased to explain things to you at an understandable level.

4. I must admit to being very curious as to how one, or more, of your companies windows, would be expected to stay in a space where there is 5 - 6 inches around it and the exterior wall?

[papigoeloon]

I can only say that I have had and excellent job done by Cairngorm and there aftercare is 1st class

[samhutchinson1979]

I wouldn't recommend them took over year to do our doors and took 2 attempts after sales rubbish phone call after phone call never return calls we given up on them then turned up one day out the blue year later to finish the job.

[Cairngorm Group]

Thank you for clarifying what you mean by a hand sideways, it’s not how I would have worded it but it is not uncommon for packers to be used when installing windows (20mm wide being one example) when the internal & external sizes differ, often to take decoration & internal finishing’s into consideration. These packers would be fixed to the window onsite before the windows are fitted. As I have said previously, if you contact me with your name, address & a copy of your invoice or guarantee I'd be happy to look into this. Chris Dowling Director, Cairngorm Group.

[EmmmaBain]

I too got windows from Cairgorm, never again !!!! Had various glass casements replaced as they kept failling and as for the handles they are cr+p, If you get windows I would not go to them.

[cherokee]

I very much appreciate your replies to my thread, samhutchinson1979 and EmmaBain.

Maybe the fact that my complete and utter disgust with Cairngorm have, more than once on here, been reiterated with varying degrees of incompetence by this company, will, hopefully be a warning to those who (like I was initially !) are ignorant of "cowboy's" who try and justify their unethical practices.

[Cairngorm Group]

As per my previous posts, if you tell me who you are & give me details of your guarantee & i would happily look into this. The reason I registered for this site was to tackle head on these types of comments as we have nothing to hide & have a long & successful trading history in Caithness. Not something we could have had achieved if we were "cowboys" or "unethical" as you suggest. It's very easy to make anonymous complaints on this type of forum but for anyone reading this I would encourage you to look at our current adverts where you can see real examples of happy customers giving honest feedback about our product & service. Our website has a section dedicated to this as well - http://www.cairngormgroup.co.uk/testimonials.html - Chris Dowling, Director, Cairngorm Group

[crayola]

Well Mr Cairngorm, are you really suggesting that cherokee's feedback is dishonest? This is not a promising way to improve your reputation. That could be three apologies you owe by now.