In 1991, we began the restoration of our 1849/1914 buildings to a 17 room Country Inn. We purchased all our plumbing items from Renovators Supply and had a great experience. During the years, we have bought a few other items mostly replacement parts. A couple of weeks or so, your server went down, taking with it, your website and you phone system. This must have been a most expensive and frustrating experience for you.

We, too, have been having a most expensive and frustrating experience with plumbing we purchased from Renovators Supply. A valve in the shower of my most expensive suite ($285/night) stopped working. We are currently in high season and this suite is occupied every night. The only way a guest can turn on the shower is by using the vise grips we have placed on the unit.

Not only is this most embarrassing, but we have to discount the room by $50/night in an effort to appease the guests. To protect our reputation, we have placed a sign in the bathroom, advising that we have been unable to contact Renovators Supply, (the sole source manufacturer of the valve), to purchase a new one.

The following describes my experience in trying to contact Renovators Supply Company during this time:

Calls several times a day, expecting the problem to be fixed within hours not days. Your message on the website should have given some rough estimate of what customers should expect.

Finally, when your phone system was up, I left three messages, without any response to any of them.

Today I have tried to call your 800 number three times. I am impressed by your very lengthy message advising of your free shipping for orders placed over the internet over $125 and how responsive your customer care is. Finally, after the message is completed, I get one ring of the customer care person and the line goes silent! Unfortunately, I have yet to experience any of this customer care.

All I really want is to find out how to replace a bad valve and move on! Do you suppose someone from your CUSTOMER CARE DEPARTMENT might actually return a call to complete this transaction? I may be reached at 209-962-4000. I will be on property all day, until 11 PM tonight, PST.

I placed one more call and finally reached 'Barbara' (we don't give out our last names), who seemed totally uninterested in the urgency of my situation. She advised she would check and see IF they still manufactured this part and would get back to me. When I pressed for a time, she continued to say 'as soon as I can'.

I then asked to speak with her supervisor. She advised the supervisor wouldn't be in until tomorrow. I then asked to speak to the supervisor's superior and was told by Barbara, that would be the Board of Directors, whom I could write.

I 'Googled' the Renovator's Supply Website and came up with the following information:

"Renovators Supply Inc, Millers Falls MA 01349 -- MerchantCircle.com Renovators Supply Inc is located at 16 Bridge St Millers Falls, MA. Phone: 413-423-3400. . Post a message and leave..."

The phone number listed here is for the Irving Wastewater Treatment Plant - not Renovator's Supply!

I really need to find a replacement valve for this shower, without having to remove the marble walls to replace all the plumbing. I would be forever grateful to get some assistance in making this happen.