Complaints

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:09/27/2023

  Type:Order 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 Lana N**** of Design by the Jonathans, LLC to design a fireplace in April 2023 and made an initial payment of $822.36 for her services. We have a tricky space between two windows in a two-story living room, and we wanted someone professional get the fireplace right. We made our expectations very clear – design a fireplace and provide all measurements. Lana agreed, but as we later learnt, she never measured the space (point A to B, from window to window) and relied on some device, which as she later admitted “is inherently incorrect”. This made all her dimensions wrong. In addition, some measurements were never made and were therefore missing on the drawings she later produced. She indicated those wrong measurements on the drawing, but never told us, her clients, that her measurements are approximate. She included, for the stone installer on her drawing, a phrase all measurements "to be verified in field", but she never explained to us what this jargon, peculiar to her profession is. Importantly, she forgot to include the most important dimension -- the distance between the two windows on her drawing. We gave Lana’s documentation to a stone company, they verified all indicated dimensions, and fabricated and installed a marble fireplace, which turned out too big, due to wrong dimensions provided by Lana N****. Now the fireplace is stuck between the windows and is clearly out of proportion with the rest of the room. We had a **** meeting with the firm’s owner, Jonathan G*****, and he was very rude, but he did offer to find a stone company to fix the problem. We made multiple attempts to have him do it, but eventually, Jonathan G***** stopped responding to our emails, which only proves that this firm is absolutely unprofessional and unwilling to fix problems when they arise. We request the design firm provides a full refund for Lana's services and covers the cost of repair of existing fireplace structure.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 10/06/2023

  There are quite a few inaccuracies and details that this
  client has continually left out of this conflict and refuses to
  acknowledge.  I will reply to each item line by line:
  

  *****

  
  “We hired Lana N**** of Design by the Jonathans, LLC to
  design a fireplace in April 2023 and made an initial payment of $822.36 for her
  services. We have a tricky space between two windows in a two-story living
  room, and we wanted someone professional get the fireplace right.”
  
  1. We
  take no issue with this.

   

  “We made our expectations very clear – design a fireplace
  and provide all measurements.”

  
  2. We
  agreed to design a fireplace. There was no specific agreement that we
  “provide all measurements” for a fabricator to build the fireplace based
  on the initial design alone. The design we provided was clearly labeled
  “Conceptual” with a note that dimensions are to be “verified in
  field”. 
  

  
  “Lana agreed, but as we later learnt, she never measured the
  space (point A to B, from window to window) and relied on some device, which as
  she later admitted “is inherently incorrect”. This made all her dimensions
  wrong.”
  

  
  3. The
  device in question is an **** *** running the Canvas ***** capture
  application, which is an industry standard in the 3D measuring of
  spaces.  Lana did not “admit” anything about the measurements being
  “inherently incorrect” – what was said is there is a variance that is
  assumed with each scan, usually one half of one percent.  This did not
  mean that her dimensions were “wrong”, and we clearly labeled the plans as
  “Conceptual” with a note that dimensions are to be “verified in field”.

   

  “In addition, some measurements were never made and were
  therefore missing on the drawings she later produced. She indicated those wrong
  measurements on the drawing, but never told us, her clients, that her
  measurements are approximate.”
  

  
  4. The
  measurements were taken by the Canvas app using the ****** ***** measuring
  system.  The drawings are also done to scale, which is indicated on
  every page.  The measurement between the windows was not included
  because the site conditions are supposed to be field verified by the
  installer, which is standard practice for stone installation
  companies.  The width of the fireplace was included, which helps
  demonstrate the intended placement and design to the installer.  The
  phrase “to be verified in field” accounts for variances in measurements
  versus true site conditions – this is a note for the fabricators who
  produce and install the end product.  Lana would not need to orally
  state that the measurements are approximate because it is written on the
  plans that dimensions are “to be verified in field” and that the plans are
  “conceptual”.  This is how the vast majority of plans are produced, from
  designers to architects.  It is an industry standard.

   

  “She included, for the stone installer on her drawing, a
  phrase all measurements "to be verified in field", but she never
  explained to us what this jargon, peculiar to her profession is. Importantly,
  she forgot to include the most important dimension -- the distance between the
  two windows on her drawing.”

  
  5. As
  stated, the note is for the installer – if the client was curious about
  the meaning of the note, all they would need to do is ask.  Regarding
  the distance between the windows, it is assumed that the distance would be
  measured on-site by the stone installer – that particular dimensions is left blank in many cases to ensure that
  the distance IS field-measured to avoid any issues during installation.

  
  “We gave Lana’s documentation to a stone company, they
  verified all indicated dimensions, and fabricated and installed a marble
  fireplace, which turned out too big, due to wrong dimensions provided by Lana
  N****.”
  

  
  6. We
  spoke to the stone company once this issue was brought to our attention,
  and they stated in no uncertain terms that they told the client that the
  fireplace proportions could be slightly off. As a safeguard against
  potential problems, most stone installers follow four steps: on-site
  templating, templating approval, fabrication, and installation. 
  On-site templating is measuring and laying out the dimensions of the piece
  of stone in question – for countertops they create basswood templates in
  the shape of a countertop, and for items like fireplaces they usually
  create this or set up painters tape on the wall in question. 
  Template approval is the process by which the fabricator asks the client –
  and usually, the designer – to approve the template BEFORE they begin
  fabrication of the pieces of stone.  Only then does the stone
  installer move on to fabrication and installation. In this case, according
  to the stone installer, the client was not interested at the time in
  considering the possibility of an issue or looking at the template. It
  appears that the client insisted, inappropriately, that the installer
  build directly from the plans without the benefit of an on-site template.
  

  
  There are a few
  additional things to note here:
  

  
  A. We are usually involved in the process through
  construction or fabrication/installation so that these types of issues
  can be found and mitigated prior to installation.  As part of the
  design process, we ask that clients keep us fully informed and in the loop
  throughout the construction or installation.  This was not done, and
  we only learned about an issue after the fact.  All that it would
  have taken was a quick phone call or email from the client or the stone
  fabricator/installer to bring up a potential issue – this is part of
  quality control.  We cannot be responsible for the results of a
  project when we’re cut out of the process during the most critical parts.

  
  B. Based on this process,
  it seems clear that one of two things happened.  The first
  possibility is that the stone fabricator skipped over template approval
  and went straight to manufacturing – I’ve never heard of this being done,
  but if it was done, then the stone installer would be at fault, and not
  my firm.  The second possibility is that the stone brought up a
  potential issue during template approval which the client then ignored –
  if this is true, then it is unfortunate, but approving the template
  blindly, especially without involving the designer, means that the client
  is responsible.  Someone approved that installation and it was not
  me or a member of my team.  If we had been called in and approved
  the template sight unseen it would be our responsibility, but this is not
  what happened, since we were only informed of this issue after the installation
  had taken place.

   

  “Now the fireplace is stuck between the windows and is
  clearly out of proportion with the rest of the room.”

  
  7. We
  showed the image of the fireplace to colleagues and other trusted friends,
  and they all agreed that it looks very nice and that they don’t understand
  the problem.  This is not to say that the client’s opinion is not
  valid, but the design does not indicate a professional failure.

   

  “We had a **** meeting with the firm’s owner, Jonathan
  G*****, and he was very rude, but he did offer to find a stone company to fix
  the problem.”

  
  
  8. I
  raised my voice because my employee and my firm are being treated
  unfairly, and no explanation was good enough for the client.  I did
  offer to put the client in touch with one of my contractors who specializes
  in stone repair – this offer was refused during the **** meeting.  We
  also offered to pay for a portion or all of the repair (also refused), but
  the client insisted that somehow we should be responsible for a full
  replacement of the fireplace.

  
  “We made multiple attempts to have him do it, but
  eventually, Jonathan G***** stopped responding to our emails, which only proves
  that this firm is absolutely unprofessional and unwilling to fix problems when
  they arise.”

  
  
  9. We
  responded to the client that “While we sympathize with you in this
  situation, we do not accept blame for this outcome and we will absolutely
  not be paying for a new fireplace surround.  We will consider (not
  guarantee) helping you with a fix to the existing installation as a
  courtesy because you are unhappy, however you did not provide a quote for
  a fix.
  
  You currently owe $797.62 to Design
  by the Jonathans for the remainder of the design fee, which you have not paid
  to date.  We will consider (not guarantee) applying the balance towards a
  fix or modification to the existing installation."
  
  The client was unable or unwilling
  to provide a quote, so we did not respond further.

  
  
  “We request the design firm provides a full refund for
  Lana's services and covers the cost of repair of existing fireplace structure.”

  
  
  10. The
  client did not pay for the final 50% of the design, so we’re willing to
  call it even on the work that Lana did.  It seems now that the client
  would like my firm to cover the repair, not replacement, of the fireplace
  surround, even though it was either they themselves or their stone
  installer who is responsible for approving a template without the
  involvement of the designer.

  
  My firm would be willing to discuss
  the repair again, however the client has decided to plaster the internet with
  particularly incendiary 1-star reviews on Google, Yelp, and Angi, as well as
  this complaint, which makes this a particularly hostile interaction, more so
  than it had been previously.

   

  *****
  
  To be clear, my firm did absolutely nothing wrong.  In
  short, the client apparently insisted on using the initial design we provided
  without appropriate confirmation of measurements or communication with the
  designer or installer.

  Nevertheless, because we are service-focused, we are
  willing to try and resolve this as follows:
  
  We will contribute
  $1,500 plus waive the outstanding balance of $797.62 (total value of
  approximately $2,300) in exchange for:
  - Permanently removing
  all reviews of my company, in addition to removing the BBB compliant to
  which I am responding;
  - Agreeing not to post
  any further reviews or other comments concerning my company or the
  project;
  - Signing a mutual
  release of claims.

  
  We request a prompt reply with intent so we will know how to
  proceed.