General Steel

To date, the General has collected deposits from our building site. The schemes outlined in the other posts are still ongoing. T hey have been unable to complete the building in a timely manner, while asking for more deposits. We cannot get any answers about a delivery date, and I am afraid of the product when it does arrive, due to other posters. I can tell you this, the company has a major communication problem. I will let you all know when, and if, I have to start legal action against this company. I am done communicating with them. I have a lawyer now looking into it. I want a delivery date for our product. I am being held hostage by a company with a poor reputation for delivery. I will have a course of action in place by early next week, so I can complete this project.

We have paid them $17,000.00 about four years ago and to this very day, we still do not have our materials for our building. We have to pay the bank every month for something that we do not have.

General Steel made many promises to assist in getting a permit, finding a contractor, etc. but did not deliver on any of these, causing my project three years delay. I lost around $60,000 in forfeited deposit, and associated costs of having to start the project all over.

I have been defrauded by General Steel Corporation. In April 2008, I saw a commercial on television for General Steel. I thought that it would be the perfect solution for my building needs. I called the 800-number, and spoke with a salesperson in the company. She told me that I was guaranteed financing, because of the purpose of the business, and the fact that I am a nurse. She also stated that I needed to send in my $8,700 deposit to start the approval process. She told me that the rates of steel were going up, and to send in the $8,700 immediately to lock in the rates.

I wired General Steel $8,700 from my bank account, for a deposit on a steel building. A few days later, I learned that I was not approved for a loan to cover the complete cost of the project. I asked for a refund of my deposit. The salesperson avoided my phone calls for months. Finally, I was able to speak with Wayne and Bruce via telephone. They both told me that I could not get a refund of my deposit. I have never received the financing that was guaranteed to me by a salesperson in their company. Please help me get a refund of $8,700.

I heard their add on the WOAI with Paul *** as their spokesman. I called and the first thing that I told them was that we couldn't have a steel exterior on our property due to deed restrictions. Adam *** told me that would be no problem as they had other exteriors. They directed me to a product called Genstone and even sent me samples. I thought this would be perfect for our property as the exterior would be this Genstone material. I asked for the total cost for my building and I was quoted a price of $20-$21K. This amount included the doors, windows, etc. I had to hurry because this was a special deal. I sent them the $3000 deposit. Then they sent me a packet to pick out my doors, windows, etc. It showed a price for Genstone.

I immediately called Ryan *** and told him to put a halt to everything that the Genstone was included in the price quoted to me. He said no way that it would be an additional $11,000. Told him no way and immediately pursued getting my deposit back. I spoke with Wayne *** and then Bruce ***. They said I should have made certain that the Genstone was in the contract.

I told them both that had I known I needed to make sure it was in the contract I would have done so. I trusted Adam *** when he gave me a total price for my building. I don't understand how people can daily deceive people. How do they sleep? Here it is two and a half years later and I still have no money. I am pursuing this matter in small claims court. Hopefully, justice will reign and they will have to pay me my deposit plus interest and fees/costs incurred by me to take them to court!

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.

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.

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.

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

I contacted General Steel from a radio add I heard about putting in a grocery store building for me, size of 15,000 sq. ft. I was told the building would cost $202,000 except for the windows and the doors BUT THE PRICE WAS GOING UP MAY 1, SO I HAD TO GET MY DEPOSIT IN ON APRIL 30. They haven't even ordered my building yet as of now!

I sent in $20,000 on April 30, 2008. On June 13, 2008 I sent in another $63,803.28. They never explained to me the process of how I was going to get my building at this point. The city said I needed drawings to get it approved. General Steel said the drawings would cost 9,600 so they needed another deposit of $2,880 which I sent in on June 27, 2008. The drawings were so bad the landscaping engineer said I couldn't use them. In June I called the sales man, Jared Miller and asked him exactly how much this building was going to cost.

I could see they just kept adding on more and more charges. For instance, they called and said they were going to have to charge more because they didn't realize how heavy the snow load was in my area. But on my first conversation with Jared Miller back in April, I told him that we have an 85 pound snow load so to be sure to put that in the bid. So in June when I asked them to give me a completed price for the entire building being built as a grocery store and conforming to the city's requirements of not having exterior steel showing, covered with stone or similar, Jared said it would be between $85 and $90 a square foot. That means that the maximum cost should be no more than $1,350,000. The landscaping and parking lot were to cost $300,000.

In July I was contacted by a man named Jim Spruill. He said it was time for us to talk. He worked with General Steel but said his business name was Design Services. Whenever I called him they answered the phone, General Steel. He said it would cost an additional $70,000 over and above all the other costs for design work. I had to send him $10,500 to get started. I sent the $10,500 on July 23, 2008. As I learned more and more about General Steel I became increasingly more and more uncomfortable with their misrepresentation and the dishonest way they rope people in as if it's an emergency to get your money in. Then they add more and more to the price. They also tell you that your deposit is nonrefundable. I presented their bid of $2,114,000 plus an additional $70,000 for the design work to my banker and his board of bankers. They all agreed that the price was too high and would not give me a loan unless the price was reduced.

General Steel then came up with quite an inferior building, lower ceiling and smaller floor plan and the new price was only $254,000 less so my banker felt the price was very unfair. To date I still do not have financing for this building as the bankers have stated that they overcharged me. Also, I have $80,000 down on the land I want to build on. The $80,000 is nonrefundable earnest money and I can't close on the land until I get a lender approval on the whole project (SBA loan). All I am asking is that General Steel gives me my money back. I spoke with Jonah Goldman, their Vice President and he said NO, MY DEPOSITS ARE NONREFUNDABLE. I even had my attorney call him and it was to no avail.

i specifically communicated my concerns that we were in the preliminary stages of architectural planning and engineering and that I most likely need make adjustments to decrease the size of the building accordingly and everyone i had spoke with told me that price adjustments would be was ensured, especially since there was NOT a final building size determined at this point.

I received calls from their sales manager and other sales people from General steel 'insisting' that the price of steel was going to increase and I that i needed to 'lock in' the current market price of $10.00 per sf. by sending in a cashiers check of $36,000.

The 'original' quote of $129,000 was never modified in their invoice even when the building was REDUCED in size from our initial plan of 130,000 sf to our 'final product' of 8000 sf.

we purchased on a manager's special but it was not explained to us (and not specifically written) that if the building does not get delivered in 3 months then the price would go to $159,000. Even so, another $18,000 was added to the bill as a price increase.

Our initial order of $129,000 is now $288,000 and they hold our deposits of $61,000.00, and we have no building

Basically, sold us a steel building under the guise that it was already made, that they had great subcontractors that would do the erection. That I would get a deal on a building that was already made.

Almost a year later, no building, The blueprints they supplied were incomplete, the salesman never answered his phone or returned calls. The sub contractor they gave me took $12,000 of my money to tear up my driveway, leave a gaping hole in the ground for 3 months and he won't call me back either.

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.

I am a 32 year old Owner of a small masonry company. In May of 2005, my business was expanding rapidly and I needed a building to store my equipment in. After hearing the Paul Harvey commercial on the radio, in which he talks about steel buildings being twice as fast to build at up to half the cost of traditional stick framing, I decided to call them up.

When I was called back by a salesman, he told me that they certain building sizes that they were trying to sell and therefore were for sale at a substantial discount. I was sold on a 40'x65' building for $17,xxx. This price was only going to be honored for 24-48 hours. I went for it, and put down a $4000 deposit. Throughout the process, being charged extra for each opening, then learning that the doors and windows were extra, the price more than doubled to the final price I payed--more than $39,000.

Three montha into the process, before fabrication, I had second thoughts. For business reasons, I did not want to spend that much money on just a building. However, I had already paid in $9,000 and was told that I could not get any of the money back. I felt trapped, and did not want to eat the 49000. My work was slowing down in fall of 2006, when the delivery was due, so I put it off as long as I could. Finally, under threat of a lawsuit against me, I was forced to take delivery of the building. I maxed out the equity in my home to come up with $31,656 for the building, which I could not put up, because it requires footings to be poured, and I was out of money.

My building is still sitting in peices. The housing market is shot, and all my equity is gone for something I was led to believe was strting at half the price of a woodframed building, and at a deeply discounted clearanced rate. After recently giving a bid for some stonework to an aquaintance, and finding out that he has ordered materials for a 40'x60' pole barn for LESS THAN $10,000, I was really steamed. I got online and googled General Steel. Immediatly I came across the 2004 lawsuit which General Steel lost for doing what seems like the same things to others. I don't know if what, if any rights I may have, because of contracts, going through with the delivery, etc. I feel misled and cheated though, regardless of whatever legal rights I have or ever did have. If I had went with a pole barn, I would have saved $30,000 up to this point and had a usable building up.

The greatest damage I (and really my whole family) have sufferred is financial. I no longer have the equity of my home to fall back on. I need that right now, given the sustained housing slump (which was my bread and butter.) Currently, we are juggling bills, including the second mortgage, and incurring late fees and penalties on various accounts. This has really put me on the edge financially. Also, since I can't afford the cost of earthwork and footing masonry and finally to put the building up, it still sits. I'm afraid if it sits through the winter, it will warp and will be imposible to assemble once I have the money to. I'll be left with scrap steel. Maybe it'll be worth enough to buy a wood framed building. Lastly, they still have some parts. I have made several call to try to get them shipped, but have not had any reply. Even with the parts and the money to build the buildin, I would still have to buy overhead doors to have a complete building, but it still bothers me that I get no call backs now that they have their money, when I got multiple calls per week when it was time to pay.

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.

General Steel falsely advertised a show special steel building at a reduced price. They employed a sense of urgency that others were interested in the building and that time was critical. It has turned out that there was not any manufactured building currently available for shipping as was represented.

The company demands a deposit to hold the building but then you find that it is a shell without doors, windows or accessories. You must buy the components from them at grossly inflated costs. And you cannot get your deposit back when you learn that the actual cost will be 150-200% of the represented special price.

Because of this fraud we were delayed in building the facility by 4 months, lost our concrete and erection contractors becasue the ready to ship building didn't exist. COnsequently we are having to rent storage containers to facilitate the building of our house and we are unable to get reimbursed for our $8700 deposits.

In April of 2006, I did business with General Steel. I was led to believe they were manufacturers, and that they were doing me a special deal by dealing with me direct instead of going through one of their dealers. The salesman told me that since I was in Colorado, I would get a special 20% off. I found out that they always do this. They also claimed that there was a 5% increase the next week, and pursuaded me to lock in the price immediately, which I did by sending them a downpayment. The increase didn't happen.

Later, they claimed to have left over product from another building that would fit my structure, and they would let me buy it at a lower cost. I refused the first offer because it was too much. Then, they made another offer of extra parts that I took. Altogether, I gave them almost $16,000 in deposits. A few weeks later, they sent me a list of extra components; gutters, windows, doors, etc.

The prices were outrageous, and I complained to them. I was informed that I didn't have to buy their components, but if I didn't, the 50 year warranty on the building probably wouldn't be good. I began to do research and found out that I could get the same building, made of the same grade of material, and the same components for less than half the price that General Steel was charging me. Now, they are sueing me for loss of profit because I have never finished the contract. I now have an arbitration meeting June 12 to decide the outcome. I am concerned about the many people they are defrauding, and I wonder how many contracts are never fulfilled and they just keep the deposits. The reason they are sueing me is because I threatened to sue them. Can there be anything done to stop this con game they have going?

This has cost me almost $16,000 in deposits, appr. $250 in interest on the deposit (credit card check), $12,500 for a counter suit with the American Arbitration Ass., and over $3000 in legal fees thus far.

Amount of Loss $10,500 plus years of interest on my loan.

I have a 4 page detailed story of mine and the other victims of General STEAL. Gen Steel refuses to do anythig for the problem THEY caused.

The unlicensed contractor they referred has been investigated by the Contractors board in California, and is going to prison. Gen Steal knew he was incapable of erecting our building and was using a fraudlant license # but still referred him to customers and gave him a AAA rating which I have in writting. Gen Steal LIED just to sell their buildings. After we confronted Gen Steel the asked all of us to sign a release from liability in regagrds to contractor referrals from Gen Steal. This was after their referred contractor had stolen over $500K

I feel that I was also mislead in the purchase of a General Steel Building. I was told by General Steel that they manufactured thier own buildings not purchaced them for someone else. The sales person also tried to pressure sell me with a so called liquidation tactict. The buiding is suposed to be a 40'x60'x12' building. I was also told that they would give me a list of contrators in my area for the cement and block work, electical, plumbing, and so forth. As today, I'm still getting the run around on that one.

I was also mislead in the fact that I was told by the sales person that the doors, windows, and interior walls where a part of my original cost of the building. Not an additional $20,000! So far I have only put a downpayment on the building. I'm reluctant to proceed any further. I'm at a loss as to what to do other than to feel stressed and angry.

Might lose my downpayment if I decide to back out of my toliet paper contract!

After e-mailing General Steel about their steel buildings, I received a call from Fry Godfrey of General Steel. He stated that he is not the person who usually deals with sales but would handle my inquirey. He said they had three sale buildings and asked what size I need. I told him 40 by 60. He said they had a 40 by 61 by 14 footer for $15,990, 30% off the normal price. He then contacted Al in the warehouse to see if they have the building I need. (Later I found out they don't have sale buildings or a warehouse. They order them from Star Steel).He said they do and he turned everything over to Tim Wright for collection. Godfrey also stated that I would have to act fast if I wanted that deal, ASAP.

Wright faxed the paperwork and said to fax a copy of the $4,000 deposit ASAP. I did. There was a sense of urgency by them to get my deposit.

The following week I was faxed another form which added an additional $16,000 to the order. They had sold me a steel box with no doors or windows. So I asked for a refund. Nobody would deal with the refund but continued as though I was going forward with construction. Now they want to penalize me for an additional $2,000 for late fees.

I sent the deposit on February 8, 2005. On December 9, 2004 the Colorado Attorney General's office won a consumer fraud case against General Steel for sales practices that were riddled with misrepresentations and omissions, as stated by the judge that granted an injunction against them, Brooke Jackson.

As a result of the fraud, I've lost my $4,000 deposit and General Steel wants an additional $2,000 for the cancellation. They continued to violate the court's order of 12-9-2004 by using the same fraudulent sales practices on me.

Rob Louisell