Complain about a product or service

General Steel

Boyd of RENTON, WA April 30, 2009

In feb.08 I sent General Steel Corporation a deposet for a building. I told them the building would nead to suport a secound floor,and I wanted extra colums and roof suport. They said this would cost 1,500 extra,but you won't nead it.The sales men had to talk to the engier to come up with price.After they receved my deposet they said the 20'000 price would go up to over 100,000 for what I neaded. Then they said they could not rate the building for secound floor. Then they could for 40,000 extra.They have 6,000 of my money and say I nead to pay moor to cancel order.

Kaye of Broomfield, CO December 17, 2008

Very similar circumstances as with the lawsuit they lost in Colorado a few years ago with the Colorado Attorney General Ken Salazar about misrepresenting their product and services.

We inquired about a building from them after hearing about their company on the radio program Paul Harvey. My wife and I went to their office to see what they had to offer. We wanted a building 22X50 feet. They just so happened to have one in inventory that was 23 by 50 feet but we had to act fast because they could sell it at any time and the price of steel was going to go up so we would get a deal by signing and giving them a deposit right away.

I told them that I had no experience in putting together this kind of structure. They smooth talked like it could be done in a weekend with a couple of buddies. I still told them I wouldn't do it because I didn't have the experience or anyone to help me with it. They said they would line up people that would do the job for me that were experienced. The list they gave me in fact netted only one person that called me back.

This person came out and collected money for the work and then went out of business. When I talked with Gensteel about it they said It was basically my problem and they had a contract. It was up to me to find someone. I finally did at the last minute because they said they were getting ready to deliver the building... This was almost a year later after many calls to them. It turns out the building wasn't even in stock when they sold it to me. Now they wouldn't help me with a sub contracter to put the building together. They just wanted to dump it on my from lawn, collect the rest of their money and leave.

After much hassle I finally found someone a state away that would come out and do the job. Meanwhile GenSteel charged me to store the building. Once the contractors got here to my location, GenSteel didn't send much of the critical pieces for construction and in fact I had to wait and pay the crew extra. All this almost a year later when the building was supposedly already in inventory. Gen Steel didn't disclose that there would be an exhorbitant delivery charge, that the building was built when in fact it wasn't, that the prices of extra pieces needed for the building weren't included in the price, that there was no foundation plan included, that the blueprints were not totally to spec, that they have engineers on staff when in fact they don't, that they would help me with the City securing permits and so forth which they didn't. I basically had to do all the work myself with no experience and at great cost and during the course of almost a year.

Money lost due to general steels poor recommendations for assembly help, money lost due to unexpected and unexplained construction costs, money lost because of their lying about having a building ready to ship, money lost for their promises to have a coordinator that would help with the construction whereby he would never answer his phone,

I could go on and this is just the tip of the iceberg on this project. The building is finally up but General Steel basically sold me a building that they said would be about 20K and in the final form actually cost closer to 100k. I know there are other people out there with similar experiences with General Steel. I would expect that there are many more. I would love to be party to a class action against these crooks.

Jamie of Barker, NY December 10, 2008

They told me that they were the manufacturer of my building. Told me that my building was a clearance building. Told me that I was going to have a 30,000 rebate if we ordered that week and we did but know they are saying we are not entitled to the rebate.We ordered the building in May and had to had a few additional changes and as of now December the building has still not gone into fabrication.

I have had to put workers on hold until the building gets to us. I need the additional space

A-N-C of Bloomington,=, CA February 1, 2008

We discussed the purchase of a steel building, and were led to believe we were getting a complete building ready to be approved by the city where we reside. We were told we needed to secure the steel for the building at the reduced price. A large deposit was given, and then we received later a proposal for the remaining of the building--door frames, doors, window frames, windows. We were told an architect would be at our site to conclude a site plan. So far all we have received are proposals and requests for deposits just to get plans started, all the while never being told there would be extra costs to get the plans drawn. We asked ourselves how were they going to provide us with a complete building when they were trying to sell us overpriced windows and doors? We did try and work with Luke and were told this is their price, and if we wanted something removed they would still charge us for door and window framing at almost the same cost as with doors and windows.

We decided to build with insulated panels and use our own contacts and pricing, so we would not be using their metal. The price did not change. We began to question these sales tactics, and were told this is just the way it is. So, we began a search of this company, and found your article. Now we are trying to find some recourse. Can you assist ?

We do feel we are being strong armed into purchaseing what should be half price, windows and Doors, at Double the price.

Marc of Bridgeport, NY November 26, 2007

I called General Steel for a price on a building (30x50) and was told there is a tonnage discount special for the end of the quarter. I was told that as soon as the allotment was met the special was over. This call was at 4:30. P.M. E.S.T. When I called back I was told that the allotment was almost met and it would probable fill up over night. I told him I was not sure about the size or roof pitch. General Steel's sales man Al Lab responded by telling me that by sending in a 2500.00 deposit it would secure the building and lock me in at the tonnage price. Any additions or changes would be based on the tonnage price. I was also told that they supplied doors and windows at factory direct prices.

I was also told that since I was going to put up the building myself I could buy the building direct from them. In addition to all of this I was told that they provide financing, and as long as my credit was fine they should be able to finance me, no problem. After calls and e-mails back and forth stating these terms up to the time of 12:00 A.M. E.S.T, I decided to send in my deposit to not loose the tonnage special.

A couple weeks later I found out a roof pitch change, but General Steel would not honor the locked-in tonnage price as promised and charged an astonishing price--60% of the building cost.I also found out they do not offer financing but have a consulting firm that works with select financing firms. I was told because I only needed to borrow 20,000 there was nothing they could do for me. Finally, when I was faxed the door and window prices I found that they were almost 2 times the cost of buying them myself. I e-mailed several people ending up with Wayne Gastron. I offered to let them keep 500.00 of the 2500.00. I was finally told that I was obligated to my contract, and if I decided to back out of it my deposit would not be refunded. I researched General Steel and found numerous complaints similar to this including 3 class action law suits from 3 attorney general's offices. My request for contract termination is based on high pressured sales practices and deceptive sales practices misrepresenting important information. I'm out 2500.

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