This company's biggest shortcoming is their lack of accountability to fix issues when things go wrong. You'll notice in a lot of their responses to bad reviews here or homestars), they offer hollow assurances to take issues offline or they finger-point and call out users for "fake reviews" - not a whole lot of integrity in that, is there? In 2017, we had a new storm door installed and 3 basement windows replaced and we were very happy with our experience. However in March of 2021, the storm door pump bracket ripped out of the door frame. When we called Clera to see if it would be covered under warranty, we were told that the issue was due to water damage to the frame and they would not cover the cost of the repair. Clera agreed that there was water damage in our door frame that could only have existed prior to the storm door install. This shouldn't be left up to the homeowners to determine - we are NOT professionals in this trade. At one point, they tried to imply that maybe the water damage occurred after install, but they quickly retracted that theory when we suggested that it meant the storm door was of poor quality if it didn't protect our door frame from water damage. Our front door never had a storm door or awning to protect it from the elements. If the installer didn't consider this to be a potential issue for our wood door frame, it tells me that Clera willingly works with negligent installers who do sub-par work. While we felt that we shouldn't be responsible for the repair bill, we were willing to accept a fair compromise at $100 for the repair, to which they refused.
Our experience tells the story of a company with a lack of integrity who operates on unethical practices. If you are like us, you will want to give money to companies who stand by their work and make things right when they go wrong. We've worked with other companies on home renovation projects and paid extra money at the advice of the professionals to ensure things were done properly. And when things went wrong, these companies came back to fix the issues. Unfortunately, Clera is not that company. Proceed with extreme caution!
UPDATE: Soon after posting a negative review on Homestars, Clera agreed to fix the screen door at a discounted rate, if we agreed to take an earlier review down. They were willing to go as low as $100 to send someone for the repair. We agreed to pay the $100 dollars in advance and were told we would be contacted by the installer directly. After quite a bit of chasing, an installer finally contacted us three months later to schedule the repair.
When the installer arrived, he made no effort to contact us. Instead, he quickly did his work and left. A wooden block was screwed over the existing frame. To make matters worse, the door only opens half-way. I contacted Clera who confirmed they considered the door fixed, knowing that the door was not functioning. I essentially spent $100 to wait 3 months for a few screws, a wooden block, and a fix that now prevents my door from opening properly. We continued to go back-and-forth with Clera. The installer pointed out that the door was not installed properly, but wouldnt believe that the error was made by Clera. The installer accused me of tampering with the door. This further validates what weve been trying to get through to Clera - The storm door was not properly installed.
We got our $100 refunded, but the time we spent arguing and chasing these people, well never get back. Terrible experience.
FINAL UPDATE: it is now November 2022, the storm door needs to be replaced. The door will not shut properly and the retractable screen will not open. At this point, I'll cut my losses and find a company that stand behind their products and services to replace my storm door.
