Complaints

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• Initial Complaint

  Date:04/25/2024

  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 November 8, 2023, I agreed to proposal #1046-4 from Stoney Hill Construction to convert an outdoor workshop to living quarters for a total of $67,370.36. As agreed, I paid a $15,000 deposit on November 8, 2023.
  
  I am 82 years old and was hospitalized in December 2023 for various health reasons. I was released on January 1, 2024 and within a few days, Joseph Arriaga the owner of Stoney Hill came to my home and asked for another check for $15,000. An invoice was subsequently uploaded to the Jobtread app online showing that 22% of the entire job had already been invoiced and that invoice showed an additional 22% being billed as completed. As of January 5, 2024 when he requested the check, no work had occurred on my property at all. I checked the proposal and verified that money was not due to the contractor until construction had commenced.
  As my health declined I decided it was not in my best interest to continue the project as health care costs were starting to climb. By January 22, 2024 permits were still not issued so I sent the request to terminate the project and request refund of the funds paid. Mr. Arriaga, who has always been very pleasant, agreed to return the funds on Monday, January 29, 2024.
  Mr. Arriaga has indicated a few times that he was still trying to gather the funds, so I was not sure how my project could have ever been completed if nearly half (44%) of the funding was already gone with no work actually having occurred yet. My last message to Mr. Arriaga on April 14, 2024 has gone unanswered for seven business days so far. I am in an assisted living facility and my daughters are trying to help me get this resolved so that I can return the proceeds for the loan I took out for the project. I am continuing to pay interest on money given to this business. I am requesting assistance in obtaining a refund from this business. I am attaching all documents and printouts of communications on the JobTread app that are available.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 05/03/2024

  I was hired by my client to convert a workshop into a livable guest house. I received a deposit of $15,000.00 to start the process on November 8th of 2023. I used those funds to hire a designer to make 3D renderings of the project so the client would be able to see what the final results were going to look like. My client approved the designs and I had hired a drafter to make the plans using the renderings so I could submit them to the city for permits in January. The plans were reviewed and declined because the site plan I found online didn't meet the requirements needed of the present time and they wanted some more information. Luckily my client had a physical copy of a site plan that met the requirements and I had took a scan of it to resubmit. While I was there I figured since my client wanted this project done as soon as possible I'd ask for the 2nd deposit so I could start getting the materials together so we could hit the ground running once the plans were approved. She agreed and wrote me another $15,000.00 check. I had everything lined up as soon an we got the permits. I had my subs ready and cabinets were ordered. As we were waiting on the resubmittal to be reviewed I got a email asking to cancel the project and for a refund. I canceled the permit review but was to late ended up having to pay for that as well. I promised her I would get that back for her as soon as I could. I returned the materials I purchased that I could. I understand her reasons for breaking the contract and have no problems returning the money that was left over after the renderings, plans permits and my time. Unfortunately I had a another client refuse to pay me for some work and cancel their project because the architect I hired took longer then I told the client it would be. Between losing these two jobs in the same month really put me in a pickle. I was unable to pay the money owed to client of which filed this dispute and now I am growing into debt trying to pay my overhead without work to keep up with it. I tried explaining my situation to my client. I realize that my problems are not hers and she really needs the money back that I do owe her. I have one job that is on going that should be done within 2-3 weeks and I plan on paying something to my client. I hope that things will turn around soon and that I will be able to find work so I will be able to pull myself out of the hole that is getting deeper each week. My apologies for the situation but I just want you to know that I am trying hard to resolve this as quickly as possible. My apologies for taking so long to respond when I was reached out to.