Complaints

This profile includes complaints for Connecticut Dry Basements LLC's headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see Find Local Branches.

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  Connecticut Dry Basements LLC

  2091 Meriden Rd Cheshire, CT 06410-1039

  
• 

  New England Dry Basements

  2 Cedar St Framingham, MA 01702-6926

  
• 

  New England Dry Basements of Western Massachusetts

  900 Riverdale St West Springfield, MA 01089-4900

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:04/05/2024

  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 February 5, we hired CT Dry Basements and spent thousands of dollars to replace our existing sump pump which had been previously installed in 2012. We opted to go with a deeper basin and stronger pump in case of excessive rain and/or groundwater in the future. In addition, they installed a battery backup and alarm system, replaced the PVC piping inside my home, as well as the freeze guard at the point of exit in my back yard.
  
  March 6th I e-mailed CT Dry Basements because I had removed the lid during a rainstorm that day and had a concern over the water level which was very high. I sent a video of the area and was told it looked “a bit muddy”. He suggested I add water to the basin in an effort to clean out the mud. I took this action and while the water level did not go down, it did not overflow. No one was dispatched to inspect or follow up.
  
  The next time we had significant rain was March 23rd. While there was no water in the basement that day, the ground water had started to rise and on March 24th the alarm finally went off and we discovered a lot of water had already overflowed from the new sump pump basin. As a result, we incurred remediation damages in the amount of $3,094.19 as well as property damage for $1,209.52.
  
  The following afternoon CT Dry Basements came out and the foreman explained that the PVC pipe had mud blocking the flow of water, which is what caused the overflow. He cut the pipe and made the repair.
  
  I reached out to get reimbursement for the damages incurred and was told they are not the cause of the emergency we had. I disagree. We had no prior issues with the previous sump pump and this new basin, pump, pipe and freeze guard were all installed just weeks earlier. I then asked CT Dry Basements for their insurance carrier information so I could file a claim for negligence in the installation and they refused.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 04/12/2024

  We have had record rain fall over the last several months
  that has caused many homeowners to experience water for the first time in their
  home.
  The water table is extremely high throughout the north east
  and every day more rain is being forecast.
  The installation of a sump pump does not guarantee a dry
  basement. Water can enter from many other areas of the basement, floor seams,
  wall cracks, window wells, etc.
  We add inches of ¾” stone around every sump basin and drain
  pipe in an attempt to filter out the dirt and clay but its just not possible to
  prevent some of it from getting through.
  Some towns like **** ******** for example have a very
  high-water table and excessive amounts of heavy clay in the soil.
  Our warranty expressly states:
  CDB shall fix system failures only and is not responsible
  for contents damage due to flooding regardless of reason for flood

  
  We make every effort to make sure that the equipment we
  install is in good working order and will continue to do its job. 

  Sincerely, 

  Richard T*****

  Customer Answer

  Date: 04/18/2024

  
  
  Complaint: ********
  
  
  I appreciate the response and understand that the rainfall has been high this year. However, I want to assert two things:

  1. The problem that caused the resulting damage was mud clogging up the output line. This was dirt/mud left from your workers after digging the space for the new sump pump. There was not a single incident prior to this.
  2. From the attached you will see that there were at least two other periods of high rainfall in the time that I had my prior sump pump without incident.

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

  

  Business Response

  Date: 04/22/2024

  I do understand you thinking that, but we do surround the
  new basin with hundreds of pounds of ¾” stone in an attempt to only allow water
  to filter into the sump basin. Some areas in the state have very heavy amounts
  of red clay, your area is one of these. We make ever effort to prevent debris
  from entering the new basin. When the home is 70 + years old things have
  settled that’s why you did not have this problem before.

  We are very sorry for this inconvenience 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/13/2023

  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.

  We hired Connecticut Dry Basement (CDB) to fix our wet basement. They gave us (in writing) a lifetime warranty. Our basement has 2 levels. The upper level is 2 feet higher than the lower level with a dirt floor. The lower level has a cement floor. In July 2022 CDB's crew buried a drain pipe on the upper level in our basement, ran it through the foundation to the lower level. The pipe then was run on top of the cement floor to the existing sump pump on the lower level. We were told the upper level pipe would catch the incoming water and direct it to the sump pump.
  On May 4th 2023 our basement flooded after a big rain storm. The water came in around the pipe that ran through the foundation, flooding the lower level. We called CDB salesperson Chris Dxxxx who said we needed to put water sealer on the foundation wall where the water leaked in. We did that. He also said we needed to have the pipe buried below the cement on the lower level. We asked Chris how burying the pipe would help because the leak was above the lower level. We didn't have the lower level pipe buried.
  On July 16th 2023 the basement again flooded after a big rain storm. We emailed Richard Txxxx, owner of CDB. Richard told us the lower pipe needs to be buried and referred us back to Chris Dxxxx. On aug 17th we emailed Chris who told us that since we didn't bury the lower pipe there was nothing he could do. He said our lifetime warranty was now void and we needed to find a new basement company.
  We called another basement company who said burying the lower pipe won't help the water problem.
  We have a lifetime warranty that CDB refuses to honor, we now request CDB refund our money so we can hire another company and have the work done properly. Thank you.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 09/26/2023

  
  ***** *****
  
  ****** ** ****
  
  ** *****
  
  As I mentioned in my last email that pipe should have absolutely
  been installed below the floor, after talking to my Manager Chris, he’s telling
  me that you requested it to be installed on top of the floor, why would you have gone against his advice?
  Having
  the pipe installed the way that you requested allows the water to seep
  in around the pipe giving the illusion that the pipe fitting is
  leaking... and also the pipe will sweat due to the cold water running
  through it, the only way to resolve this would be to have the pipe
  reinstalled the correct way as Chris had originally advised.
  
  Rich

  ***** *****
  
  ****** *******
  
  ** *****
  
  
          Let me start off by saying I have
  been nothing but truthful with you throughout this entire process.  When
  I first evaluated your basement issue I proposed the entire drain
  system to be installed under the floor.  You did not like the idea of
  cutting the concrete floor and asked about running the pipe from the
  crawl space to the pump above the floor.  I told you it could be done
  but I wouldn't recommend it.  At the same time I also advised the
  caulking you blocked off the basin holes with should be removed, but you
  didn't like that idea either. 
           After the install
  your first complaint was in regards to rocks and soil that my crew
  allegedly left under your crawl space tarp. Although it was very obvious
  in the photos this material had been there for some time, I sent
  someone to remove it just to make you happy.
         The next
  complaint was that the pipe we installed was clogged with rocks and not
  allowing water to flow.  In reality you decided to stick a camera in the
  pipe which went right through the weep hole and into the stone bed.  So
  in fact the pipe was not clogged, and I spent a good deal of time on
  numerous phone calls explaining this to you.
        The next
  issue was water on the floor, you sent me photos of the issue. After
  evaluating the photos I explained this is why I had proposed installing
  all of the drainage under the floor, and that the fix would be to do as I
  originally proposed.  However you didn't want to do that and started
  sending me screen shots of our warranty online.  To clarify this for
  you, there is no warranty on an installation method that you
  specifically request even after being advised against. I have provided
  you with a proposed solution, but you just don't like the answer.  So
  you continue to call hoping I will agree with the incorrect idea you
  have.  And now you're calling my boss stating that I have not been
  honest with you. I am sorry Gary but I cannot do this anymore.  At this
  time I think I would be best if you find a new contractor.
  
  
  Thank you,
  Chris
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 09/26/2023

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

        Let me start off by saying, Chris D****** ***ponse to my complaint is less than accurate. Chris suggested the pipe be buried below the cement floor. When I asked him if they could run it over the floor, Chris said "yeah we can do that". He did NOT advise against it. Chris did NOT say there was no warranty on the installation method that I suggested . Chris did NOT say this will cause the system to fail.
       If there is no warranty on the work, why did Chris send me the warranty AFTER the work was completed?
       Chris said they would no longer work with us to try to fix the problem. We called another dry basement company. That company said Chris and Rich's idea to bury the pipe would do nothing to fix the problem. They said burying the pipe below where the water is coming in is ridiculous.
  Thank you
  
  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  
  
  **** *******

  

  Business Response

  Date: 09/29/2023

   I first evaluated Mr. *******s house on March 10 2022.  He had a
  problem with water flooding a crawl space and then running into the main
  basement.  He had previously installed his own sump pump, the
  installation had flaws that I pointed out to him but he insisted this
  was the right way to do it.  I presented him with a solution, but he
  didn't like the concept.  Instead he had a "better" idea on how to solve
  the issue.  Even though he was advised against it, ultimately we
  completed the repair the way he wanted us to.  After that he called me
  many, many times asking the same questions over and over and knit
  picking every little detail of the repair.  The install did solve the
  water issue in the crawl space but he was still getting some in the main
  basement, where we used his idea, rather than the standard
  repair process.  After many more phone calls answering the same
  questions over and over, to the point of harassment.  I told Mr. *******
  it would be best if he found a new contractor.  He has since then filed
  a fraud claim on the credit card he paid the bill with and has made
  some outlandish accusations.  He claims he has a warranty, this is not
  true.  He was sent a sample warranty to show him what he would get if
  the repair was done to our specifications.  Mr. ******* thinks he knows
  more about basement waterproofing than we do, even though we have
  installed thousands of these drainage systems for well over a decade now. He is remembering the
  chain of events and conversation in a way that puts the blame on us,
  rather than accept the fact that his idea didn't work.
  
  Chris D*****
  CT Dry Basement
  Field Operations manager

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/02/2023

     Why would Chris ****** install a system he knew would fail because it wasn't done to his specifications, as he claims?   
      There was no issue with the previously installed sump pump. The only time Chris ****** was here, he said the installation of the sump pump was fine.
       Mr. ****** claims I called him "many, many times". I called him twice. The first time was when his system failed and flooded our basement. (5-5-23) The second time was when his system failed and flooded our basement again. (7-16-23)
      Chris ****** said he would bury the pipe under the cement floor. I asked if he could run the pipe over the cement floor, he agreed that would be alright. He never advised us the pipe should be buried. He only changed his story after the company owner, Richard Taylor, said the pipe should have been buried.
     After the work was done we asked for a copy of the lifetime warranty. They sent us a copy. When their system failed we asked about the warranty. They said they only sent us a "sample" copy, not a real lifetime warranty. Why would we want a "sample copy" of their warranty? If Chris ****** had told us there was no warranty on the work Connecticut Dry Basements was doing, we would not have had them do the work.
      It's unfortunate that Chris ****** hasn't been an honest person.
  Thank you
  

  

  Business Response

  Date: 10/06/2023

  I’m just at a loss for words… Mr. ******* you are a very
  dishonest man. Sir we did exactly what you asked us to do and you know it… but
  now somehow you feel the need to blame us for your error.
  Please see the attached screen shot again stating that we
  DO NOT recommend putting the pipe on top of the floor.
  Mr. ******* you already took your money back almost a
  year and a half after we completed your job, so please help me to understand
  what it is that you’re now looking for? we will be happy to come and remove everything
  that we installed at you house if that is your goal. Please let me know.