I'm kind of embarrassed to even post this, but I'm in a panic, and it's too late in the evening to start making calls for help, so here I am, tapping into the considerable resources of Kossacks for some advice, some reassurance, anything I can get. (and please don't beat me up for stupidity - I can't hack that now.)
I got tricked into signing a contract I didn't realize I was signing with a prominent, supposedly reputable, "GET IT DONE" home improvement company here in Michigan, and today they told my husband they intend to hold us to it.
We just finished paying cash this week on a beautiful roof at a fair price to a small local roofer. But before we decided on who to go with, we talked to a lot of companies, saw a lot of estimates, checked out company reputations, etc., trying to be so careful to make the right choice. We love our new roof.
Today I got home from work, and my husband had just gotten off the phone with Hanson's, one of the bigger companies we talked to in late February. They told him that "we bought a roof" from them and they intend to make good on the contract. But we already have a finished roof, paid in cash!
One of the first companies to come out and talk to us for a roofing estimate, the Hanson's salesman was slick, unlike the local real-men roofers from our community. The salesman drove a BMW, flashed gold rings, etc., and he came half an hour early to our door. I had just gotten home from work with no time to relax, change, or eat anything (I'm diabetic and I do have low-blood-sugar episodes.)
The guy was chatty and came in, made himself at home, and it was clear that the real thing on his agenda wasn't a roof, it was a refinance. Well, I'm not in the market for a refinance, at least not until later in the year, and I told him. I also told him that I had made arrangements to get cash to pay for a roof, and I really didn't want to finance a roof or roll a roof into a re-fi. I've had some ugly experiences with mortgage companies and I am EXTRA suspicious about them. (I keep kicking myself for this.)
But he talked about all our options, said he'd run a credit check and see what he could do for us, and though I made it clear (I thought) that we hadn't make any decision yet, he insisted on running a credit check. I was starting to get mentally fuzzy from not eating (I couldn't remember things like my insurance company or mortgage company names).
Unfortunately at that point I just wanted to get rid of him. I SWEAR I thought I was signing an application for credit and for him to run a credit check to see if we would qualify for financing, even though I was determined NOT to finance. I thought we were just discussing options. I didn't even have all the info he wanted (though he was high-pressure) and I told him I would fax the additional info to his office the next day. He bundled up the estimate (what I thought was an estimate) tightly into an envelope, handed it to me, and said we were now "part of the family." Yeah, the part of the family you like to screw blind for a profit.
I know I was stupid to sign anything. I thought it was like a credit check, like one of those write-ups a mortgage lender does when you are shopping for financing. In looking at the copy of what I supposedly signed, both my husband and I think that the cover sheet that I signed may have looked very different than what was on the other pages, but maybe we were just confused.
By the next day, my husband and I had slept on it and we knew we didn't trust the guy and that we could get a better estimate somewhere else. I should have called them back immediately and cancelled whatever I signed, but frankly I was intimidated and (big mistake) didn't want to deal with them at all. I didn't fax the additional info to them and we went on continuing to talk to real roofers for another week before making a decision.
Now the company Hanson's, which massively advertises in this community and I'm sure brings in big ad revenue to the local news stations, tells us we will be getting "a letter" in the mail holding us to the deal. And what was the deal I supposedly contracted with them? Not just the price of the roof. The financing of a roof over multiple years, at 14.5 % interest, payments of $100 plus a month, for a payback value of $12800!!!!! My husband is unemployed and we can barely get by at all. NO WAY did I want this deal!
And funny, if they are so sure that I contracted with them to get a roof, how come there was no date arranged for the work to begin? And apparently, on the phone, they were whining that "well, we MEASURED your roof!" We had lots of folks taking measurements and making estimates; what does that prove?
Tomorrow I'm calling my city government and my state's attorney general. If that route doesn't work, I'm getting a lawyer. Meanwhile I'm scared shitless! So is my husband, who is telling me "I told you so."
Please don't tell me "I told you so" or "never sign anything." I know that part now. But I did want to mention to any Michigan residents...don't trust Hanson's to "get it done," unless you want them to do you in.
Has this happened to anyone else? What did you do? Did you feel monumentally stupid? (of course you did) Please be gentle with me. I'm really scared. (Also, at this point, can I get in trouble for talking about them on DailyKos? If so I will delete or edit this diary because -- did I mention this? -- I'm scared.)
Update: Thank you all so much for your help and support. This site is filled with such good, smart people. I'm glad I can claim to be a part of it. XXOO