What a terrible experience!! UGH!!

[Keelah]

Like almost every beardie slave I've decided that my darling deserves bigger and better than what she already has. So with that being said I decided to venture on the mission to find the perfect enclosure for her. Front sliding doors, sleek black melamine or stained wood, as close to 4x2x2 as possible - the works. Upon discovering that I can't even find a commercial enclosure maker that will make and ship the size that I am looking for I decided to find someone local that could craft the enclosure. To make a long story short, I really messed up. I found a local cabinet maker who was quite confident he could do everything I wanted, exactly how I wanted, for $400 (including a stand for the enclosure). That's steep but whatever - I found out that I probably couldn't get one my size for any less. So this guy comes over and draws what I want a long with a receipt, a contract - and I send him off with the initial $200 deposit for materials. He says it'll be done by Monday the 12th, then Tuesday, then today on Wednesday he calls to tell me that he keeps messing it up and giving me a ton of excuses about how it's too hard. He then tells me he actually invested in $250 for materials so he will just bring me the casing of the box (four pieces of melamine nailed together with a slider for plexiglass, no top..) and be done with it. Anyways after him yelling at me about how he messed up (acting like it's my fault) and how he took a job he couldn't handle (again, my fault) I told him I want the $200 back since my money isn't just expendable..

So we'll see if he actually brings me the money back. This experience has been aweful!!

Can anyone please recommend a custom enclosure maker that can build and ship an enclosure the closest size to 4x2x2 I can get for a reasonable amount? Either that or can someone please recommend a custom carpenter located in colorado that is actually able to take on a job like this?

Also if anyone has a bad experience with something like this, I'd love to hear it. I'm just so mad that it would probably make me feel better to know I'm not the only one who has been screwed over. :lol:

 

[Thades22]

Hi, where in Colorado are you? I am in Colorado and just built my own. Heres the posting of what I made.
viewtopic.php?f=75&t=197257

I too had a hard time finding anyone that had anything this size much less make one. I am no expert by any means nor is my enclosure "perfect" (it was my first one) but it is very sturdy and works very well. It wasn't very difficult, just required patience.

I hope he does give your money back because you could take him to court if he doesn't. The contract is for a completed enclosure, done the way it was drawn up. Its a breach of contract if he cant do it and therefore has to give it back to you.

 

[Malon3r]

Hi, where in Colorado are you? I am in Colorado and just built my own. Heres the posting of what I made.
viewtopic.php?f=75&t=197257

I too had a hard time finding anyone that had anything this size much less make one. I am no expert by any means nor is my enclosure "perfect" (it was my first one) but it is very sturdy and works very well. It wasn't very difficult, just required patience.

I hope he does give your money back because you could take him to court if he doesn't. The contract is for a completed enclosure, done the way it was drawn up. Its a breach of contract if he cant do it and therefore has to give it back to you.

While I feel for this person in their situation... And as pathetic as it is that a person in the trade can't make essentially a box while people on these forums build them no problem . It is mindboggling that a cabinet maker could not assemble one...
But as for what you said about court, they said they gave them 200/400 for materials... And as far as if he has receits and gives the merchandise to them, there isn't much they can go to court over as they did not pay the full 400$ for the 'completed' product, but that's just my 2 cents

 

[Thades22]

While I feel for this person in their situation... And as pathetic as it is that a person in the trade can't make essentially a box while people on these forums build them no problem . It is mindboggling that a cabinet maker could not assemble one...
But as for what you said about court, they said they gave them 200/400 for materials... And as far as if he has receits and gives the merchandise to them, there isn't much they can go to court over as they did not pay the full 400$ for the 'completed' product, but that's just my 2 cents

No your right, I didn't think about that. Still worth a shot though if this guy is being like that. Very bad business. Bet hes not with the BBB or on angies list HAHA

 

[Keelah]

I'm located in Denver and your Viv looks great for a first timer. I was incredibly baffled about the fact his other work was flawless but he couldn't figure out how to just put a top on the dang thing or anything else right about making a reptile enclosure. I told him the exact thing about how I didn't understand that people on a forum can do it themselves with like $200 and some spare time, with no experience. While he suppose ably had over 30 years in carpentry.

As far as the whole court thing - I was a smart cookie and made sure to wrap myself up in a safety net in case this sort of thing did happen. The contract was as detailed as possible as well as the blue print and a receipt showing I did pay the $200 so far for materials. It was made clear that I would be putting the $200 as a down payment for materials and that I would then finish the total payment with $200 upon delivery of a completed enclosure. I made sure to put in the contract I would not be charged for anything less than what had been drawn up and even up to the date he had promised it would be done by (Monday). Everything was set in stone and I had both paper and digital copies of all information. I wasn't about to get seriously screwed like this and not have a fall back to get cash back. I think he realized that while the contract made sure I couldn't screw him over on money, in the end he couldn't screw me either - he ended up bringing me the cash back with a chuckle saying he'll sell it on Craigslist to someone else.

Funny story, it's posted now on craigslist with a front facing photo, so it looks like a really nice black melamine enclosure. But mr. bad business ethic over there didn't mention the enclosure comes complete - without a top! :lol: :roll:

 

[Thades22]

Wow. That's crazy. I'm glad you got your money back. I'm up in Greeley. I would suggest you try and build it yourself, if you have time. Just start pricing the materials you want to use and how you want it designed though you might have that done already. Keep in mind to check online too. I paid $45 for the 48" reptisun and then later found it on amazon for $23. And if you have questions I would be able to help you out along the way.

 

[Keelah]

Thank you for being so helpful Thades, I was really going to try to do it myself though I feel like since I don't just have the tools lying around, it's a bit counterproductive to buy the tools and materials if I'll only be building one enclosure then odds are nothing else. Not to mention I've never built anything in my life.. so potentially wasted materials or broken tools?

I did find someone else who is actually skilled in building the black melamine enclosure I'd like and has made quite a few before located in Fort Collins that I called. He quoted me $480 for the enclosure and matching stand (including delivery). He won't charge me a penny until the enclosure and stand is sitting in front of me so that sounds great to me. Lol my budget went from $250 to $480 throughout my hunt, but hey, at least it'll be done right! :roll: :lol:

 

[Sauzo]

There are tons of cage companies. A few are Animal Plastics(the Beardie/Uro cage is the one i'm gonna be getting), Boa Master, Boaphile, Constrictors NW(mostly snake cages which is the one I own for my red tail boa), Monster Cages, Vision Cages, Showcase cages, Cages By Design and i'm sure there are a few im forgetting but that will get you started.

Boa Master does melamine beardie cages. Personally i'd get one of the plastic cages over melamine since it weighs a freakin ton and is a pain to clean. The cages done in HDPE(Constrictor NW) or CDPVC(Animal Plastics and Vision Cages) are prolly the 2 best plastics. HDPE is the same stuff they use for boats. It is light and nothing sticks to it or stains it like poop and urates will do after years to melamine and normal pvc cages. CDPVC is better than PVC cause it's stronger and less chance of gassing when hot. Both of em are UV resistant which i'm not sure the coating on melamine is. Cleaning plastic cages is easy. They are light so you can pick it up yourself and then drag it outside, hose it all off since water wont hurt it and then if you want use a chlorhexidine wipe down after.

 

[Keelah]

I made sure to search every possible cage company I could find any hadn't seen what I had wanted exactly without it being way too overly priced especially considering when I had personally contacted some of those companies I was told that an enclosure the size wasn't even available for shipping since it cost so much to ship on top of enclosure building cost. So that's why I set out to find an independent builder. I did find someone who makes the black melamine enclosures that I want right after the last guy had tried to screw me over, so I already filled out a contract and placed my order with him. He'll be driving it directly to my door. I'm pretty confident in the melamine since it's a widely used material even when considering UV and as for the weight, I'm having a stand made specifically for it, with heavy duty wheels so I can easily move it around my apartment. Lifting will be another story though. Oh well though, I already signed the contract and had my heart set on black melamine so fingers crossed!!

Thanks for the info though Sauzo.

 

[Sauzo]

NP. Yeah the one i'm looking at for Harley is a 48x30x19 CDPVC cage from Animal Plastics with sliding glass doors as well as 2 ceramic light fixtures. I'll put in the 3rd which will just be a fluorescent light fixture. It also comes with screening on the upper 2 sides to vent heat so the cage doesn't turn into an oven since beardies like a nice hot basking spot. It's really not bad, costing me around $400 with locking doors and shipping. Sure I could build one cheaper but that's more work than I really want to do. Well good luck and make sure the builder seals the bottom of the cage all around otherwise if your beardie has any liquid poops or water or any liquids get down between the walls and floor, it can cause the melamine board to separate. More of a concern though for tropical reptiles like boas and stuff that like high humidity.

 

[Bookit]

I live and Denver and just had a custom enclosure made by a guy in Fort Collins. He does really nice work and is very detailed. I had mine built 48 x 22 x22 which is the largest he could make with one sheet of black melamine. I found him on craigslist under terrarium heading Custom Reptile Cage Very nice.

http://fortcollins.craigslist.org/for/4001948037.html


Super nice guy. Check him out. Mine cost $200 with fixture.

 

[Keelah]

Lol that actually happens to be the guy that I'm going through. My order has already been placed and I'm being charged the $480 since I'm having a custom stand made with it plus delivery fee. I'm happy you said something though, it's good to know he comes recommended.

 

[Bookit]

I think you will be very happy with the results. I've seen his setup and he has built cabinets under his that look great.

 

[RangoB]

Did you get your enclosure ? hope all went well this time , I am in Thornton and I am a carpenter as well as a handy man and just finished my first enclosure for our new family member . here is a pic anyhow hope all went well for you , if not let me know and we can talk about what your after.