Nobody wants a home improvement project to come with an unexpected problem. That includes the homeowner, and it definitely includes the contractor doing the work.
When Lisa Mueller and Laurie Hamre chose Binder Heat & Air to replace the furnace and air conditioning system in their condo, the air conditioning portion of the project went well. Their new equipment was installed, the A/C performed exactly as expected through the summer, and they were looking forward to the same dependable comfort from their new furnace once Minnesota’s heating season arrived.
But there was a problem.
During the installation, our team damaged portions of their flooring while moving heavy HVAC equipment through the home.
There’s no clever way to dress that up. We caused the damage, and it wasn’t the experience our customers should expect from Binder.
What happened next is the part of the story we’re proud to share.
An Installation With an Unwanted Side Effect
Replacing a furnace and A/C system involves bringing large, heavy pieces of equipment into and out of a home. Our installers take precautions to protect the spaces where they’re working, but in this case, those precautions weren’t enough.
The installation left noticeable scratches, scuff marks, and, in a couple of places, deeper damage on the floors.
The newly installed HVAC system was working well, but Lisa and Laurie were understandably left with another issue that hadn’t existed before the project began.
For us, there was only one appropriate response: We needed to take responsibility and make it right.
No finger-pointing. No excuses. No trying to minimize what happened.
As Lisa and Laurie later described it:
“Your immediate, no-excuses, ‘we’ll make this right’ approach spoke volumes.”
That’s exactly how we believe situations like this should be handled.
Finding the Right Solution, Not the Easiest One
Repairing the visibly damaged spots might have been the simplest solution, but that didn’t necessarily mean it was the best solution for the homeowners.
We brought in several flooring vendors to evaluate the damage and talk through the available options with Lisa and Laurie.
Rather than simply repairing isolated areas, they ultimately decided they wanted the floors throughout the entire condo buffed and coated. That approach would create a more consistent finished appearance instead of leaving certain repaired areas looking noticeably different from the rest of the home.
We supported their decision and covered the cost of the work.
The goal wasn’t to find the least expensive way to close out the issue. It was to listen to what the homeowners were comfortable with and work toward a solution everyone could feel good about.
That took additional coordination, time, and expense, but standing behind your work means more than correcting the smallest possible portion of a problem.
It means seeing the problem through.
Taking Care of More Than the Floors
The flooring work presented another practical challenge: Heavy furniture throughout the condo had to be moved before the work could begin.
We didn’t want Lisa and Laurie to be left figuring that out on their own because of damage our team had caused.
Binder arranged and paid for a crew to move the heavy furniture out of the way before the flooring work and return everything afterward.
For Lisa and Laurie, that additional help made the process considerably easier.
Sometimes making something right involves more than paying for the repair itself. It also means thinking through the inconvenience the mistake created and doing what you can to reduce that burden for the customer.
A Much Better Result
Once the flooring work was complete, the scratches and scuff marks were gone, and the overall appearance of the floors had improved considerably.
Some of the deeper gouges remained, which Lisa and Laurie understood would be the case based on the flooring professionals’ recommendations. Still, the final result represented a significant improvement, and they were happy with how the floors looked after the work was completed.
Meanwhile, their new heating and cooling equipment continued doing exactly what it was supposed to do.
As they shared afterward:
“We are very happy with the new equipment — the AC has been working great, and we expect the same will be true with the furnace come heating season.”
For us, though, this project ultimately became about something bigger than the HVAC equipment. It became a reminder of what customer service looks like when a job doesn’t go perfectly.
Problems Can Happen. The Response Matters.
We’d love to say every project Binder has completed since 1927 has gone exactly according to plan… but that wouldn’t be honest.
Homes are different. Projects can be complicated. Heavy equipment has to move through finished spaces. Unexpected issues happen. And sometimes, despite everyone’s best efforts, mistakes happen too.
None of that makes a mistake acceptable.
As Lisa pointed out:
“Problems can happen; it’s how a company responds to them that really tells you something. More importantly, we appreciate that when something went wrong, you stood behind your company and took responsibility for making it right.”
We agree.
When our team makes a mistake, our responsibility doesn’t end when the furnace starts running, or the A/C turns on. We stand behind our craftsmanship, take ownership of the problem, and work with the customer to find a reasonable solution.
And perhaps the most meaningful part of their message was what came next:
“We remain true Binder clients, and your response to this situation certainly reinforced the decision we made in the first place to choose Binder.”
We Stand Behind Our Work, And Always Will
Trust isn’t just built when everything goes perfectly. Sometimes it’s built in the moments when something goes wrong, and a company has to decide how it’s going to respond.
Since 1927, Binder has served Twin Cities homeowners with a simple approach: Provide honest recommendations, do quality work, and take care of the people who trust us with their homes.
That doesn’t mean we’re perfect. It means we take responsibility when we aren’t.
If you’re looking for a local HVAC company that will stand behind its work before, during, and after your project, we’d be happy to help. Contact us today to discuss your HVAC needs.
This blog post is based on a real testimonial provided by Lisa Mueller. She was not paid or incentivized in any way to share her experience.
