American Lighting & Design

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Buyer beware! American Lighting in Macon is not one to trust. I asked for the name of gas logs I was interested in buying and was told it was simply called “Deluxe Architectural Series.” The set is actually called “Ponderosa” and made by White Mountain. Why is this important? It set the tone for a series of lies that followed that cost me hundreds of dollars in overcharges. Since I didn’t have the real name of the product I was buying, I was unable to find it online to compare. I assumed it was a product designed for the trade and gave them the benefit of the doubt. I was charged $1,288 (on sale) for it. This is higher than what you can get it online for but I was able to justify it, again by the idea of supporting local businesses. What is not acceptable is all the overcharges for add-ons that the deceitful salesperson/owner convinced me were necessary. The log set at this price point already comes with a remote, he still charged me for a remote for $189, then convinced me I needed an upgrade; one with a thermostat for an additional $50. Remote cost: $239. Then there’s the installation. Not knowing what to expect, I believed his story about an expert who would check the chimney, the flue, and everything I needed for peace of mind for $375. In addition, he charged $119.43 for a “kit” to bring everything up to code. In reality all of this was a scam. It took about 40 minutes to install (should have taken 20 minutes but the plumber was a talker). The “kit” I had paid for was nothing more than a flex connector and a valve, both available for less than $30 at Lowes. After speaking to my plumber he confirmed that gas log installation is not more difficult that installing a dishwasher and should cost no more than $175 with the connector and valve included, not $500! I ended up paying $2,000 for gas logs. After doing all the math, I was overcharged over $500 by this company. When I contacted them, they said I was paying for convenience of one-stop shopping! Avoid at all costs!