Complaints

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• Initial Complaint

  Date:15/04/2024

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  On Feb. 6, 2024 my sister Melanie ******* and myself hired Mr ***** to renovate our small bathroom and redo/finish our hallway closet. We asked him how long the job would take as our 91 year old mother has Alzheimers and does not do well with strangers in the house and change in her routine. He said a couple of days as it was an easy job We were willing to give him a week to 10 days to complete the renovations. Mr ***** said he would pick up everything we needed as he knew the correct size of everything we requested. We also mentioned we wanted to keep some items in the bathroom as they were still working and we wanted to save money where we could. He assured us he would look for the best prices including purchasing from a ********* ****** that he dealt with. We requested that he send us photos and prices of the items {2-3 different photos/prices so we could choose the ones we wanted}, he agreed to do this. However, we never received any photos/prices instead Mr. ***** showed up with all the items that he liked and piled them into our laundry room, We could not see the larger items due to being boxed and crammed tightly together. Including new items to replace the ones we said we had wanted to keep. He only worked a few hours a day and on several occasions showed up and immediately left. After 4 weeks we fired him and requested ******* to be returned to us as the bit of work he did do has to be redone. He refused to remove the damaged tub surround he put in, The wall behind tub surround we believe was not renovated to code, as there was some prior water damage, we did not see him remove the water damaged wood or replace insulation, toilet is leaking and much to large for the small bathroom and smells because it was not installed properly. Floor under Sink/Vanity was not leveled. We have not been able to use the shower as he did not seal anything.Due to my health I have had to rent a hotel room just to have a shower. Now we have to hire and pay AGAIN.

  Business Response

  Date: 14/05/2024

  In response to complaint On Feb 6, 2024 I messaged Mary and told her I could come look at what they wanted done and she said she wasn’t there but her sister Melanie was there and knew what they wanted to do and to go there. I met with Melanie who showed me what they wanted done and she stated they wanted stuff in the “better” range. I stopped in another day, Feb 20th to look at things when they were both there just to double check. Their plan was that their mom would live at the other end of the house which had bedrooms and a bathroom with a toilet and sink for them all to use. I told them we would tear out the bathroom and have it useable in 2-3 days, that it would not be complete at that point. On Feb 23rd I told them to do what they wanted done would be $************* and Mary asked if that included everything and taxes and I said yes. She talked it over with her sister and her mom who all live together. They knew I was going to the ********** and was looking for some deals. On Feb 27th we were finally able to drop some stuff off at their place because of them being snowed in, I showed them all the things I had purchased and told them they didn’t have to keep any of it or all of it, they were very very happy with everything. Also got a text message from Mary stating that their mom loved the vanity. On March 6th get a text that their mom didn’t think they needed all the items and wanted a price breakdown, they knew it was going to be a cash sale at the ****** and no receipt. March 10th we find out the Mom isn’t moving to the other end of the house and would be in her bedroom beside the bathroom at night. We tore out everything we could without removing the toilet and vanity so it would be useable for the mom at night. March 13, text from Mary that her mom is upset and it should all be done already. Get a text asking if we are taking the toilet and sink out the next day and I responded yes and hoped to have the tub back in. Then she says her mom wanted us to know she had a commode in her room……..we could have had the rest of the bathroom torn out. On the Friday when we were leaving Mary asked if we would be there on Saturday and I said I would check to see if my brother had his grandson or not. Later she texted me and I responded we could be there on Saturday but she said with her mom it was better to leave it til Monday. March 18 receive a text after we were done for the day thanking us for getting so much done and that their mom is thrilled with the bathroom. That we didn’t need to put pull out shelves in the vanity that their mom likes it just how it was. March 19th get a text that it wasn’t going to be a day for work and that the next day they were going to be away as well. Saturday March 19th get a text in the afternoon that their mom now hates the bathroom, light and fan are good, she loves the tub. Toilet is too big, the sink/cabinet is just good for collecting dirt. The tub surround that I made sure Mary and Melanie approved of doesn’t belong in her bathroom. Hated the gray flooring that both sisters liked very much. And that she was mad at them for liking the products. Mary then told me there was a chip in the tub surround that they noticed with the light coming in the window at sunset. I tried calling but her phone doesn’t accept calls, messaged back and we agreed to discuss things on Monday. March 25th I went and met with them to see what we could do to make everyone happy, on the sat I did offer to switch toilets with the other bathroom if it would make thei mom happy. We looked at the bathroom and I offered to change out the toilet and the vanity but if we could work with the tub surround I would appreciate it as the chip was in the portion of the tub surround that was getting cutout because of the window that was in that area. Melanie said that she was fine with that and so did Mary. They said their mom actually preferred the height and seat to the one in the other bathroom. Everything seemed to be full steam ahead. I got a $*** quartz vanity top with undermount sink that I was going to swap out for the shallow one on the vanity cabinet that they agreed to retain. *** ** ***** ******* ** ***** ****** *** *** ******* **** *** * ** *** ***. March 26th went and finished up the mudding/sanding in the bathroom etc and was planning on the painting being done that day. Later get a text that Mary is concerned that sink wasn’t put in, closet shelving installed, and the painting wasn’t done. They then decided that they needed some time to decide how they were going to proceed and they wanted receipts and they would not be paying for anything they didn’t get a receipt for. I sent them copies of receipts (not everything on the receipts were specific to that job and I explained they were not being charged for those items). This was to be a complete job for a specified price which we all agreed to and now they don’t want to pay, I explained to them there is a contract job like this or a cost plus where markup is charged on everything and the final price quoted is only an approximation. March 28th I was told not to return until told to and I asked about picking up my tools etc. They accused me of taking them for a ride when I showed them I was charging them the prices I paid April 5th I get a text saying they no longer needed my services and to pick up my stuff on the saturday and they were demanding almost all the money back. I picked up what they had set out for me to take and they neglected to set out the medicine cabinet and the light fixture. We had a brief discussion where I was trying to make things right but they said NO. They attacked me over the floor not being level when they knew the toilet and vanity were only in temporary and would be coming out day of painting, the floor would have been leveled, flooring put in and the toilet, vanity and anything else installed. I was asked about warranty and that I should change everything out on warranty because they changed their minds or their mom did. I was then accused of taking them for a ride because the window I quoted was approx $*** (again what I was quoted by supplier) and they got a window for $**** The window I quoted was a way better window (which they wanted) had privacy tempered glass (which is required in a tub/shower area, the one they got is neither. They had wanted a good quality tub surround and not just something that just stuck to the wall. I provided that bearing in mind that it had to be relatively flat for grab handles, had small radius corners because of the location of the window in the tub surround area, and also relatively flat for trimming out the window to prevent leaks. I had purchased proper handhold mounts that would mount directly to studs as they didn’t trust the suction cup varieties. From what I am lead to believe based on prices they said they paid I am assuming they ended up with a glue in, lower value. They also attacked me for not gluing in a direct to stud tub surround……they don’t get glued in. Also for not caulking a caulkless tub surround system that I told them didn’t require caulking. For not installing drywall behind said tub surround unit that has a specific rough opening, the tub and tub surround ( as well as any direct to stud system) would not have fit and you just can’t cut down the tub or tub surround. Accused me of stealing materials from the jobsite when all I was doing was returning excess drywall and studs that I didn’t want to get wet and become non-returnable. This was to be contract job that both parties agreed would be $****** to $********* plain and simple, it was not to be a cost plus job. Most contractors buy some things in bulk and will not have a store invoice for each individual items, they decided they were not going to pay for those items even though they were already installed/ consumed. And I now believe they never had any intention of paying the whole bill……more like a $**k max and as much less from that as they could. They wanted better products and then settle for cheaper products. Everything was on site and visually available for them to approve of which they did, then the mom changed her mind and then they didn’t approve of (once installed and therefore not returnable). Just like the $*** vanity top I paid for and now have no use for. * **** **** **** ********** ** **** **** **** **** *** ***** ** ** * ** *** *** **. My recourse opinion I have been accused of price gouging when I gave them a firm price which they agreed to and I was going to stand by even if the end result would have resulted in a higher cost to me. I am out thousands of dollars because of people changing their minds, out lots of money because my tools and work trailer was sitting on their property from March 26th until April the 6th preventing me from earning a living during this time. Out $*** on an unusable vanity top. Both parties understood at the outset that both parties were looking after elderly family which may and did result in delays on both sides, both parties knew that the weather would play a part in the timeline which it did, with them being snowed in preventing us from starting as soon, we traveled on terrible roads a couple of days to get the bathroom operational as soon as possible. We can either both agree to disagree on things or if they decide to go after reimbursement I may choose to go after the full contract amount that we all verbally and in text messages agreed to as well as lost income while my equipment was on their property that I was not allowed to retrieve. * **** **** ******** ** **** ** ********** * **** ***** ******* ***** *****

  Customer Answer

  Date: 27/05/2024

   
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  ***** * **** **** ** ******* ** ***** ** ****** * **** **** ** **** *****

  ***** ****** ***** **** **** *** **** ******** *** ** *******

  We never Loved anything he brought especially the floors. Tub surround was a manufacturing defect which he refused to remove and return to store.

  Something that he claimed was an easy job and would be completed in 2 to 3 days was now in its 4th week and nowhere near to be done.

  *** *********** *** *** ************ *** ******** *** ******* *** ******* *** *** ******** *** **** ** ****** **** *** *** *****

  * **** * ***** ** ***** * ***** **** ** ****** *** ************* ** *** **** *** **** *** ***** ** ** ***

  Our contractor that we hired to repair Terrys fiasco should have sent in a report by now.

  We were never given any choice Terry purchased items he liked never taking our wishes into account. We did not want anything costly like the ******* tub surround that was the total opposite of what we requested. We now have a ****** tub surround that is exactly what we wanted and needed that includes support rails for our elderly mom. The tub surround Terry put in was so brittle it felt like it would crack every time we leaned against it. Safety bars could not be screwed into the surround because it would have cracked the surround.

  Terry replaced a perfectly good working fan which we did not know about till after it was installed. **** ******* *** * ********** *** ***** ** ** ****** ****** * ** ** ***** **** **** ** * **** * *********

  Terry was working on his basement bathroom the same time he was working on our reno and he had been looking for a round sink like the ****** one he was going to charge us for after we told him how useless the one he put in was for mom.

  Never once did he show us photos or prices as we had requested and he agreed to.

  We did NOT hold his trailer hostage or his belongings, Terry could have picked them up at any time.

  * *** *** *** * *** ***** ** *** ***** *** * **** *** ** ****** ** *** ** ** *** ******** *** ** *** ***** ****** **** ********* **** * ****** **** *** *** ***** *** **** **** *** *** ******* *** ***** **** ** ***** ***********

  I still believe that requesting ******* to be returned is not being unreasonable. **** *** **** * ********* *** *** *** * ******** **** ** ***

  ***** *** *** *** *********** ** *** ***** ****** *** ***** *** ********* *** ** **** * *****  ********** *** **** ** ****** *** ** * **** ********** **** ********* ***** ******
  Sincerely,

  Mary *******

  Business Response

  Date: 04/06/2024

  Like I responded I have the text messages sent by them to back up everything I have stated. It wasn't a $**** tub surround it was $**** for the tub and tub surround together.  It wasn't flimsy and came with a 10 year warranty unlike most in that price range around here. Flooring? The 2 sisters liked it and approved of it until the mom said no way she was having a gray floor, I didn't install it. Yup 4 weeks and they expected it to be done yet never picked out flooring although I showed pictures and advised them to take the short drive and see them in person and the 3 of them could come to an agreement on which one they liked (if any). The $*** for the vanity top with undermount sink wasn't going to cost them a dime,  I had offered to exchange the top on the vanity they originally loved which was approx. $*** for vanity and sink as a unit. So I don't know what me doing anything at my place would have to do with anything as they were coming out about $******* to the good. I wasn't going to put things in my house that someone else was paying for, I had just said if they didn't like it it wasn't going to go to waste. I had purchased the proper mounting brackets that attatch directly to studs not the tub surround so they would definitely be strong enough. I couldn't care less about the cost associated with an exhaust fan as I would rather eat the costs associated then have the customer have an issue later on. The big item in the box was the tub, tub surround was out of the box. The vanity and toilet I was willing to exchange,  they said the mom preferred the height of toilet and I was to change the top which I was in the process of doing. Terrible workmanship but they were mad it wasn't painted and completed???? 

  They told me not to come or contact them until they contacted me,  ***** **** **** ****** ****** ** *** ****** **** ***** ******* ********

  I asked about picking up my tools and trailer and they never responded so I assumed that meant no.

   

  Again, I told them that when their mom moved to the other end of the house and was using that bathroom that I would have it gutted and usable in a few days, never once did I say it would be complete. That the tub would be in, sink and toilet would be in temporarily until it was painted and flooring installed.  They are the one's who changed the game (mother not moving to the other end) at the last minute and then couldn't understand it changes things. 

  * *** *** ****** ** ***** * ****** ** * *** ** **** ** ****** ***** *********** *** *** *** * ******** ** ** **** *** ** **** ****** ** ***** **** ** **** ********* ** ******  *** *** ******** *** **** *** ******* ******* **** ** *** *** ***
  

  Regards

  Terry