I got my toilet, already I am slightly disappointed… I do think it is more of a customer service issue than a product error. They sent me the wrong unit. They sent me the electric version of the one I ordered. It’s not a HUGE deal because I will be tied to the grid for a while but it could certainly cause problems when I take it off-grid. The power usage is minimal but it still adds up, i have a lot of ‘minimal’ draws already… The other, more pressing issue is that the electric unit is a couple inches higher. I purposefully ordered the non-electric version because this needs to sit under my trailer, it was really close on the other one, it just means I have to jack the trailer up more, I already feel like it’s pretty high up… humpffff! The third issue is that the unit they sent is a couple hundred bucks more, i am thinking I got charged for those couple hundred bucks instead of the wrong unit accidentally being shipped, it’s easier to believe that the lady accidentally ordered the wrong one but at the correct price… I am going to sleep on it and see how I feel in the morning… it could go either way. Either way I am planning on having it on display at Boise’s Green Expo in a couple weekends.
To get my mind off that I moved back to the electrical. I got all the circuits run, at least until I ran out of wire. I need about 10-15 more feet to complete it! Oh, and to hook it to the board :). It’s getting there and I think I have it down! Dad made mention of possibly doing the plumbing tomorrow, that would be sweet!
My roof doesn’t seem to have shipped yet, I hope it does soon so I can catch up on the exterior stuff relatively soon. All in good time!
Tomorrow is a work day for USGBC after my day job so no update, probably… I hope you have all had a wonderful day! Here are some pictures:
Well, I know if it was my little house I’d be sending the electric thing back for the NE. I’d also be asking for a bit of a discount for my troubles. This is the type of thing that would bother me every time I looked at the crapper, which is a couple times per day!
I would normally agree with you whole-heartedly, I think I am going to keep it actually though and put a more positive spin on it! It’s actually a ‘better’ fixture as far as performing what it needs to perform. It needs electrical which wasn’t planned but can happen still. It needs a bit more space, which isn’t ideal but in the grand scheme of things is do-able. The broken piece bothers me but I can fix it and make it even stronger (my guess is that it would only have been a matter of time before it broke where it did anyway, that will go in my personal product review). It doesn’t seem worth the gas to send back to New York from Idaho, I would feel pretty selfish about that. All and all it could have been a lot worse. I totally see your point and normally I would feel the exact same way, something is making it ‘all ok’ for me though, it could possibly be the fact I don’t want\to deal with the hassle and the crazy ass lady who sold it to me. I have heard enough lectures on the impending doom of the planet 😉
They usually use it to refer to things like city ordinances, political issues, or just cranky neighbors, but I think this qualifies.
Jonathan is right, I wouldn’t mess around with this one. Get exactly the one you wanted or you will be kicking yourself in the future. Plus on top of everything it’s damaged. Make them express ship you the item you ordered and pay for the return on this one.
I’m going against the grain, I am going to keep it and put it in a positive light. Thank you for the support, I think I have made the situation ‘ok’ in my head and possibly into a better situation. I would really hate to be the reason to waste the gas of a semi driving back and forth again between Idaho and New York. Ill write up a post about the whys once I get some regular internet again. Thanks again.
You might also have a friend contact them to get prices for the non-electric AND electric models to see if you were charged the right price.
As for the toilet you got:
1. It is NOT the toilet you ordered.
2. The WRONG toilet arrived DAMAGED.
Any company worth anything would want to rectify the situation to your satisfaction. If they don’t, contact the credit card company you used to buy it and tell them the situation. A charge-back will quickly get the company’s attention.
I have decided to keep the potty, it’s not the one I ordered but it’s actually a ‘better’ unit for performing what it needs to perform, not for the energy efficiency like I had originally gone with. The damage to it, I estimate, would have occurred eventually anyway so I can get ahead of it and fix it now and I may be better off in the long run. I am trying not to base the quality of the product off of the companies customer service so far. It was the mistake of the sales lady, whom they do employ but that they really contract out and so they have no ‘control’ over her. I originally liked the companies business model in that they contract their sales people all across the country helping out communities across the nation. One of the downfalls with that I suppose is you don’t get ‘quality’ people and have less quality control with those individuals. I don’t believe Sun-mar deserves the blame, it was my independent contractor that I went through. I’m going to roll with it, it may just turn out to be a better situation! Thanks for the comment!
I agree with the other posters; I work in retail – good customer service is everything (sometimes worth as much as a good product)…. call up the company and be patient but persistent, they owe you one and should apologetically cover all costs (and then some!) associated with getting you a new one. Don’t be afraid to insist that they ship it to you expedited! Sorry if you didn’t want advice, I just feel for you! Definitely want you to end up with what you want. 🙂
I think I have righted everything in my head. I am going to stick with the unit they shipped and hope it turns into a better situation. I do think it is a better unit even though it didn’t meet my off grid standards, I have decided to connect to the grid for the first year or so anyway and I think it could easily be modified to be ‘off-grid after… even if it isn’t ‘ideal’ it will lead to more hands on experience and more learning which is my ultimate goal with this whole project. I bet you Sun-Mar would right the wrong but I’m not sure I would feel comfy wasting the gas for a semi to drive back and forth between New York and Idaho. It seems more wasteful and really I can roll with this pretty easy. Thanks so much for your support!
Off the subject of toilets, but McCoys (here in Texas) gives away their wooden pallets for FREE. If you have a small builders supply near you, they might give you theirs for free too. I’m so impressed with your work and creativity.
Good plan! I still need about 30-40 more pallets so I will definitely check it out! Thanks for the comment, that makes me feel like a rock-star ;-). By the way my brother and I are going to weld stuff together and make one of those pallet ripper aparter things (I am pretty sure I posted a video in a previous post, if not I just sound crazy and you will have to wait and see 🙂 ) I think it will save TONS of time. Thanks again for the thoughts and the kind words!
My husband is a metal artist, full time, and I keep telling him I want to learn to weld. You can weld too? Dang girl, you keep knocking my socks off. Kudos! Girl power, that makes me want to learn even more. When we are done with our house build I am going to build my own chicken coop and garden shed, so I’m learning from you. 🙂
I can barely weld, but I have always wanted to learn too! My dad and brother can so I have some awesome people to learn from. I learned a lot when we cut both of the axles off the trailer and welded three back on! My brother will actually be doing most of this work unless I can talk him into letting me have a go at it again! I plan on doing the SAME thing with a coop once this is done! We can learn together!!! So nice to ‘meet’ you!
Well, I know if it was my little house I’d be sending the electric thing back for the NE. I’d also be asking for a bit of a discount for my troubles. This is the type of thing that would bother me every time I looked at the crapper, which is a couple times per day!
I would normally agree with you whole-heartedly, I think I am going to keep it actually though and put a more positive spin on it! It’s actually a ‘better’ fixture as far as performing what it needs to perform. It needs electrical which wasn’t planned but can happen still. It needs a bit more space, which isn’t ideal but in the grand scheme of things is do-able. The broken piece bothers me but I can fix it and make it even stronger (my guess is that it would only have been a matter of time before it broke where it did anyway, that will go in my personal product review). It doesn’t seem worth the gas to send back to New York from Idaho, I would feel pretty selfish about that. All and all it could have been a lot worse. I totally see your point and normally I would feel the exact same way, something is making it ‘all ok’ for me though, it could possibly be the fact I don’t want\to deal with the hassle and the crazy ass lady who sold it to me. I have heard enough lectures on the impending doom of the planet 😉
Chalk it up to what permaculturists refer to as “invisible structures” which limit your options. Not even so much “limit” as “guide” in this case.
I like this! That is what it feels like! I didn’t know there was a name for it! Thanks for enlightening me!
They usually use it to refer to things like city ordinances, political issues, or just cranky neighbors, but I think this qualifies.
Jonathan is right, I wouldn’t mess around with this one. Get exactly the one you wanted or you will be kicking yourself in the future. Plus on top of everything it’s damaged. Make them express ship you the item you ordered and pay for the return on this one.
I’m going against the grain, I am going to keep it and put it in a positive light. Thank you for the support, I think I have made the situation ‘ok’ in my head and possibly into a better situation. I would really hate to be the reason to waste the gas of a semi driving back and forth again between Idaho and New York. Ill write up a post about the whys once I get some regular internet again. Thanks again.
You might also have a friend contact them to get prices for the non-electric AND electric models to see if you were charged the right price.
As for the toilet you got:
1. It is NOT the toilet you ordered.
2. The WRONG toilet arrived DAMAGED.
Any company worth anything would want to rectify the situation to your satisfaction. If they don’t, contact the credit card company you used to buy it and tell them the situation. A charge-back will quickly get the company’s attention.
I have decided to keep the potty, it’s not the one I ordered but it’s actually a ‘better’ unit for performing what it needs to perform, not for the energy efficiency like I had originally gone with. The damage to it, I estimate, would have occurred eventually anyway so I can get ahead of it and fix it now and I may be better off in the long run. I am trying not to base the quality of the product off of the companies customer service so far. It was the mistake of the sales lady, whom they do employ but that they really contract out and so they have no ‘control’ over her. I originally liked the companies business model in that they contract their sales people all across the country helping out communities across the nation. One of the downfalls with that I suppose is you don’t get ‘quality’ people and have less quality control with those individuals. I don’t believe Sun-mar deserves the blame, it was my independent contractor that I went through. I’m going to roll with it, it may just turn out to be a better situation! Thanks for the comment!
I agree with the other posters; I work in retail – good customer service is everything (sometimes worth as much as a good product)…. call up the company and be patient but persistent, they owe you one and should apologetically cover all costs (and then some!) associated with getting you a new one. Don’t be afraid to insist that they ship it to you expedited! Sorry if you didn’t want advice, I just feel for you! Definitely want you to end up with what you want. 🙂
I think I have righted everything in my head. I am going to stick with the unit they shipped and hope it turns into a better situation. I do think it is a better unit even though it didn’t meet my off grid standards, I have decided to connect to the grid for the first year or so anyway and I think it could easily be modified to be ‘off-grid after… even if it isn’t ‘ideal’ it will lead to more hands on experience and more learning which is my ultimate goal with this whole project. I bet you Sun-Mar would right the wrong but I’m not sure I would feel comfy wasting the gas for a semi to drive back and forth between New York and Idaho. It seems more wasteful and really I can roll with this pretty easy. Thanks so much for your support!
Off the subject of toilets, but McCoys (here in Texas) gives away their wooden pallets for FREE. If you have a small builders supply near you, they might give you theirs for free too. I’m so impressed with your work and creativity.
Good plan! I still need about 30-40 more pallets so I will definitely check it out! Thanks for the comment, that makes me feel like a rock-star ;-). By the way my brother and I are going to weld stuff together and make one of those pallet ripper aparter things (I am pretty sure I posted a video in a previous post, if not I just sound crazy and you will have to wait and see 🙂 ) I think it will save TONS of time. Thanks again for the thoughts and the kind words!
My husband is a metal artist, full time, and I keep telling him I want to learn to weld. You can weld too? Dang girl, you keep knocking my socks off. Kudos! Girl power, that makes me want to learn even more. When we are done with our house build I am going to build my own chicken coop and garden shed, so I’m learning from you. 🙂
I can barely weld, but I have always wanted to learn too! My dad and brother can so I have some awesome people to learn from. I learned a lot when we cut both of the axles off the trailer and welded three back on! My brother will actually be doing most of this work unless I can talk him into letting me have a go at it again! I plan on doing the SAME thing with a coop once this is done! We can learn together!!! So nice to ‘meet’ you!
great to “meet” you too. I too am adding your blog to my blog. in fact, you’ll be my next inspiration story that i share on my blog
Awesome! 🙂 Thanks!!