Complaints

This profile includes complaints for FSM Services, Inc.'s headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see Find Local Branches.

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  FSM Services, Inc.

  50 Transylvania Rd Roxbury, CT 06783-2107

  
• 

  FSM Services, Inc.

  PO Box 659 New Milford, CT 06776-0659

  

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:01/17/2023

  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.

  In Feb 2022 we contracted with FSM Services to build a septic system, and to coordinate the drilling of a well at our property. We payed Frank $18,750 and then another $30,000. This was $9,000 more than work that we had been invoiced for at that time, but we gave the money freely in anticipation of the work that would be needed to finish the job. Frank assured us that he would be able to finish within this budget, including putting our excavated driveway back together. He stopped working in March. For all of April he apologized by phone and text, saying it was too rainy to work. He continued to send apologies and then dodge our phonecalls throughout the summer, occasionally sending someone to do a few hours of work. We have been living in a home with two small children, a dug up driveway, no functioning septic and no potable water for close to a year now. Suddenly, after all the apologizing, in November of this year he stated that he would need an additional $25,000 to complete the work.

  Business Response

  Date: 01/19/2023

  In February 2022, FSM Services was hired to install a new
  septic system and to perform driveway excavation required for the customer’s well
  contractor to drill a well. The well contractor could not access the area with
  his well rig because the existing driveway was too steep.

  Septic system installation was quoted to be between
  $45,000-$50,000 based on access to septic fields which could only be accessed
  from a neighbor’s property.  It was unknown
  at the time of quote how access would be obtained.  The customer had to  contact their
  neighbors.

  The customer elected to excavate their driveway for well rig
  access and use the opportunity to improve/lessen the driveway grade as well as widening
  it to allow for more parking.  Septic
  system installation would begin in the spring when weather conditions improved.

  The driveway excavation needed for the well contractor began
  on February 10th.

  On February 16th, the customer was notified by
  the Town that a permit was not in place for the driveway excavation nor the well
  installation and would be required before work could continue.

  On February 22nd, FSM was informed by the
  customer they received required approval to continue driveway excavation.

  Driveway excavation was completed after one month except for
  the final grading and topcoat of stone. The driveway was widened, and the grade
  lowered as agreed upon and is fully accessible and functional. The final
  grading and topcoat of stone was to be done after the well was drilled along
  with the trench line and pipe installation under the driveway.  When the well contractor went to the ****** **********
  to obtain the permit to drill the well, he was informed that the septic system
  needed to be installed before the well.  FSM
  then began the septic system installation,
  as per the ****** **********’s requirement.

  FSM installed new septic fields. The ****** ********** inspected
  and approved the septic fields.  FSM
  contacted the engineer hired by the customer to complete their required inspection
  and was informed that the customer has an outstanding balance and they will
  not do their inspection until that is resolved.   Inspections are required by the ****** ********** and the engineer hired by the customer before septic fields are
  backfilled and before septic installation can proceed.

  Upon completion of the septic fields, FSM Services invoiced
  the customer for the septic work completed to date, which was $25,000. FSM
  Services received an email from the customer stating they do not have the funds
  to continue.

  Customer was invoiced for driveway excavation in stages as
  it was performed. Below is a breakdown as to what was invoiced versus what was paid:

  Invoices sent to customer were as follows:

  -First invoice for driveway excavation = $18,750.00

  -Second invoice for driveway excavation = $16,350.00

  -Invoice for down payment of septic system materials = $5000.00

  -Invoice for installation of septic fields = $25,000.00

  Customer paid as follows:

  -First invoice for driveway excavation = $18,750.00

  -Second invoice for driveway excavation = $16,350.00

  -Invoice for down payment of septic system materials = $5000.00

  -Customer chose to pay $8,650.00 over the invoiced amount. These funds were used towards the cost of septic materials.

  FSM Services has made several attempts to contact the
  customer regarding the unpaid balance for work performed and how to move toward
  resolution.

  To date, the customer has
  not responded and the balance to the engineer also remains outstanding.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 01/23/2023

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

  1) the septic work was initially quoted as 35-45k total. We've already paid more than this.

  2) the statement that the driveway was anything close to finished is ludicrous. Happy to provide statements from neightbors- one of our neighbors has been kind enough to let us use his driveway for the last 10 months, because ours is not useable. Our other neighbors actually offered to let us live in their garage, because they were so concerned about our kids falling trying to get to and from our car and the house.

  3) when Frank claims that he then went on to install the septic system and contact the ****** ********** and engineer for approval, this happened 7 or 8 months after the work was supposed to be finished. This is absolutely NOT what held up the project. He was unresponsive throughout the many, many months that we were left with an excavated driveway, no septic and no well. We have zero outstanding balance with our engineer, all bills to Howland et al were paid immediately and in full. The inspection was put on hold until the septic tanks were to be installed; unsurprisingly, this never happened.

  4) When we tried to get the well driller back to resume work, he stated that he was unwilling because he did not trust the work or timeline provided by FSM Services

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