If you’ve done home renovations you may be used to hearing this; just two weeks, two more weeks - two weeks passes and nothing. Home renovations can be challenging especially if you’re waiting on contractors to get the job done.

A Vancouver couple decided to avoid the hassle and take matters into their own hands by doing the job themselves. It didn’t matter. They still ran into trouble and needed McLaughlin on Your Side for help.

But Bob and Tasha Maydonik weren’t dealing with a contractor. No, their problem was something else.

When CTV News showed up at their front door, it didn’t reflect the stunning renovations they had done on the inside.

“Yeah, see – it’s just an old crappy door. And it doesn’t fit the reno,” said Bob Maydonik.

However, he had ordered a new front door as well as two other doors on May 9 from Door Express, a company that also does business as Factory Direct Doors. Maydonik paid 50 per cent up front via e-Transfer, because, he said, the company didn’t accept credit cards. After more than six months of back and forth emails with the company, they had nothing.

The man behind the company is Glen Creer of G.C.’s Door Express 2007 Ltd. He sent an email to the Maydoniks on September 30 stating the doors were done and sitting in a Seattle facility, and that they’d get them in the next few days. That didn’t happen.

“I would love for you to go out there and confront him and find out where our doors are and get our money back if possible,” said Maydonik.

The very next day, on November 20, we paid a visit to the address for Factory Direct Doors at 4740 Vanguard Road in Richmond. When we arrived all we saw was construction equipment clearing a piece of land behind a metal fence.

“People are paying money for products that they are not receiving,” said Karla Davis of the Better Business Bureau of Mainland B.C.

She says there has been a pattern of complaints and the business has an F rating.

Although the business was gone we were able to get Creer on the phone.

“The whole complex got bulldozed and we had less than 30 days to move out,” he said.

Creer said the landlord wanted to double the rent and he got squeeze out.

“There’s a possibility that we might have to file for bankruptcy,” he added.

When we asked about the Maydonik’s doors he told us they were done. We suggested since they were done and they paid 50 per cent up front, he could get the rest of the money by delivering the doors. He said he would the following Friday, November 29.

Two weeks later, Bob Maydonik said Creer had not contacted them and the doors had not been delivered.

But when we had another CTV reporter call Creer without identifying themselves, to inquire about ordering new doors, it was clear that Creer was still taking new business.

"There’ll be two possibilities. One is that they’re in stock and just need to be hung and dragged out of the warehouse, in which case it’s only about a week. And the other possibility is they're not available for six weeks because they’re back ordered,” Creer said on the phone to the CTV reporter.

"It doesn't surprise me," said Maydonik.

What does he have to say to Creer now?

"I'd like my money back Glen,” he said.

Maydonik could go to court to fight it but it’s a crap shoot and may not be worth the time and money. According to B.C. law a future performance contract is supposed to have a supply date on it. Maydonik’s contract didn’t. They filed a complaint but they feel like they were brushed off by B.C. Consumer Protection, until CTV News stepped in.

The folks at B.C. consumer protection said a mistake was made and a case has now been opened. If the company is found to be in violation of B.C. law, fines and penalties could be imposed.

Before you order from a company:

  • Check with the BBB for complaints and reviews.
  • Make sure a supply date is on the contract.
  • Beware of paying too much money up front. 
  • Pay by credit card to protect yourself in case the product is not delivered.