Lee Lumber

I ordered specialty windows from Lee Lumber, who had them manufactured by Kolbe and Kolbe. The were expensive, although they are beautiful. Upon delivery, we found a crack in a sash, and that one window came unprimed (I paid for primed). I was told that I would receive a refund for having to have my painter prime the window — but — they have not done anything about this. But more troublesome, is that a window had a crack at delivery. Lee Lumber told me they would fix it. After numerous telephone calls and many, many weeks of waiting — someone finally came, although he either did not have the correct tools, or the training to fix the window sash. The service rep said he would let Lee Lumber know, and they would call me. Nothing. I called Lee Lumber to follow up (Jason), but no return call.
I’ve called Kolbe and Kolbe direct, who promise to get on it and fix the window by either sending out a tech or replacing the sash.

I went in there is past week to buy some lumber for my garage. The customer service was horrible. No one there knew what they were talking about and couldn’t help me. I ended up leaving without purchasing anything because they were so rude. I didn’t want to spend my hard earned money there knowing that they were incompetent. I can’t believe this company is still in business it’s so bad. Please don’t waste you time or energy buying your wood here.

I want to preface this review by saying that if I could give negative stars, I would. This is the worst company I have ever worked with and as someone who owns his own business, I’ve dealt with a myriad of shit in my life.
I ordered windows from Lee in November of 2013 (upon purchase of my first place) after a hard estimate signed and dated by Paul Valenti on behalf Lee. I still have our signed contract. There was a screwup with the order; I called about 6 weeks after the talk Paul and I had in November but the order was not placed. I wanted these installed before the winter and the screwup in the order by Paul led to the first major issue. Since he forgot and these windows had to be special ordered, it was another 6 weeks before they could be shipped in. When the windows did come in (I believe it was mid-​January), Paul and an installer came and delivered the windows around that time and (understandably) thought the install would be too dangerous given the wind and weather. We had talked about that beforehand, but not a big deal; no one can control the weather. I did not want to pay in full for the windows without getting them installed but unfortunately I was nice enough or more likely stupid enough to do so. The windows have now been sitting in my apartment since January and remain untouched. I’ve been unable to host or do anything with my new place. It is now June and they are still dodging me despite me calling them every week for 6 months now. This was extremely frustrating as I ended up spending the winter without insulated windows which caused other issues but that isn’t exactly the brunt of the problem.
I had been calling, texting, and emailing Paul for months after (January through April) and hadn’t received a call back; other than the original order being misplaced, this was my biggest problem with the service I had received. I understand the installer has issues but a call, text, or email back with a simple sentence explaining this would have alleviated a whole lot. Paul could not take 30 seconds out of a day for several months to inform me of this. What should have been a month or two issue though has now turned into me housing these windows and dealing with this for around 6 months.
Lee sent a different installer who is unable to meet the estimate that you guys signed off on and quoted. Fair enough, not his fault, but I am not paying more for something that your people signed off and agreed on. I discussed with Paul back in November about them honoring the estimate; I would have never chosen you guys if there was any doubt about the estimate not being honored. I had plenty of other estimates as well and now that it wasn’t being honored, it would cost me a lot more to use you guys over a competitor. That is simply unacceptable. I’ve been told I would receive some reimbursement for all the failures on Lee’s and/​or Paul Valenti’s but now that they realize how much it would cost, they have decided to rescind this offer.
After speaking to lawyers, they advised me to simply get them installed and send them a bill for the difference in the quoted install. I don’t want to do anything malicious or force this to go to court but at this point I am willing to do so. The level of incompetence by Paul Valenti is absolutely staggering; I do not want to speak for Lee Lumber as a whole but the fact that you allow someone this incompetent or downright deceiving does not represent your company or brand well at all. Again, this is now a 6 month issue and they have sullied my first home-​buying experience beyond repair with this ineptitude. I have had countless amounts of construction and repair work done and even if there has been hiccups, none would even remotely compare to this incident. All of this and Lee Lumber has done everything they can to not even remotely try and resolve the issue.

These guys are unethical people to do business with. I went in to order cabinets for a kitchen and get a quote for counter tops. The counter tops cost more than Home Depot but they said that they would provide better customer service (Don’t believe everything you hear). I was very clear on the design and gave them drawings and it was not complex. A simple L shape kitchen. The cabinets are no brainers because they don’t even make them. The counter tops they completely messed up and they said that its was partly my fault and since it was «custom» then they said they would be nice and would only charge me the cost of a replacement (What a deal!!)…but unfortunately they also said there are minimum lengths so I would have to buy extra linear feet… Gotcha! They said they would put a rush order in and it would take 2 weeks at no additional charge. 4 weeks later they call me and said it was ready. I came by and they screwed it up again. Being specialist in lumber they said they could fix it on site. Wasting a hour of my time on site they show me the botch job they did, which included a handy hole in the counter top I could fit my finger in. Maybe they though holes in counter tops were in style? This time they said they would reorder without charging me again… boy did I feel special! Again two weeks was quoted. Now Six weeks later they call and say the counter top is on site but they can’t find the bloody thing. After waiting 3 months for a simple laminate counter top I thought Iwould have to resort to suing them but they finally got me the counter top. What a nightmare! We need to stick together on this. All Unilocalers… boycott this business. If you need specialty hardwood I use Owl Hardwood Lumber Company.
As a epilogue they see this review and one of the owners apologized for the situation. Then one of the owners threaten to sue me for posting libelous slander on this website. This is my opinion and review of their business.

Lees lumber has just about every type of wood you want. I was remodeling my home in Canaryvile and I noticed that we had a lumber yard in the area. Judging from the looks outside it seemed like they only take contractor and whole sale business, but the staff was more then helpful to a novice home improve-​er. Their service is top notch and their selection in their warehouse is 5 times better then a Home Depot however, unless you are a big contractor buyer you wont always get bottom dollar. So if quality of material and service is what you’re looking for Lee’s is the place.
Tip: Don’t be afraid to go back to the warehouse and pick out your wood.

Do you think jesus was a shitty carpenter?
In all honesty, I think it to be a fair question.
Could there have been one, hot day where he had had hit his thumb one too many times, or perhaps he ended up a couple inches short because of a bad measurement?
Throwing down his hammer and tool pouch he stood up in disguist.
«I’ve had it with this shit. I’m done. No more saw dust in my eyes or pulled back muscles»
«There’s got to be something better than this, something… bigger.»
I don’t know the state of the building trades during the decline of the roman empire and the subsequent ascension of Christianity, but I am guess to believe it must have mirrored some the traits that are now prevalent in it.
While many in the trades are second, third, or fourth generation for many it was in fact our fallback plan or fail safe. Unlike the son of god, I did not start out in carpentry but, was rather chance to happen in to it.
And, perhaps much like the messiah, …I gave it up.
I became tired of building McMansion in the western suburbs and renovating palacial estates in the north shore… so I walked away from it.
I moved on to bigger and better things. Just like Emmanuel did.
Then I bought a home that needed «some work done» to it.
Keeping with my opinion of avoiding Home Depot at all costs. I needed somewhere to procure a majority of home remodeling needs.
Enter Lee Lumber
Their shop there is old and some of the things they carry look old as well. But, two good things going for them is
#1. they have a mill shop on premise. Meaning they can have specialty cuts and different woods made to order. This come in handy when you need a peice of red oak 7/​8″ thick or piece of Poplar for a stool and apron on a window or casing trim.
#2. Their staff has always been helpful. Between getting me the most for my buck and on even one occasion, coming to the home to get a match for some trim, they have always been of the most help.
Could I go to Home Depot?
sure, why not?
but then again I never get either the service nor the material I get at Lee.
pieces of trim green and having nothing but knots in ‘em?
I don’t think so
Unhelpful service and staff?
not for my money.
So I head over down 39^th St. to Lee for what ever I can.
Slowly but surely the house is coming together. And, in the grand scheme of things, i have moved on to bigger and better things.
Which brings me back to my idea of Jesus being a shitty carpenter. Perhaps he was, perhaps he wasn’t.
Maybe he hammered and wedged and pulled with the best of ‘em.
Or
May be he was a «shit bum, slug» and sat on the bucket all day long tellin’ people how great he was going to be. And how they were going to be very sad when it all went down whilst his fellow carpenters just rolled their eyes and said“yeah, yeah, yeah, whatever”.
Who knows?