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:08/04/2023

  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.

  GW Bruno Construction LLC (**** Bruno) Breach the contract that he signed with us. He also committed fraud. **** Bruno went OVER the guaranteed contract price by **********. We would pay him by check as the stages of work would be done. We are Senior Citizens on a fixed income and he knew this. But he was not paying the subcontractors. When it came time to close on our house. Three (3) business days before the deadline for our locked in interest rate of ****% (which he was well aware of the deadline) He said there were aprox ********* owed on invoices to the subcontractors. He DELIBERATELY waited until then (3 days before the locked in interest rate) to let us know this. The subcontractors were calling him asking to be paid and he would not answer the phone calls or emails from them. After that, the subcontractors started calling us. We spoke with the subcontractors, after we knew that they had not been paid and explained that we had paid him by check and he was to pay them. Afterwards, he never responded to them, so they put liens on our house. We had a guaranteed ****% locked in interest rate for a 30 year mortgage. We had 12 months to complete the construction. Which was completed. But he would NOT sign off to close with the mortgage company and us. He said we owed the invoices which he did not pay to the subcontractors, that we paid him for. Because the deadline passed we had to pay over $10,000 more in closing cost and a 30 yr mortgage interest rate of ****% We consulted with a attorney & were told he DIFFENTLY BREACHED the contract and committed FRAUD. BUT it would take thousands of dollars in court cost to *** him. It would take years to settle and after spending the money he would probably file Bankruptcy. We are hoping someone can direct us to some help support. Our whole lives savings is gone and we now can't pay the ******* OVER what the mortgage payment would be. If you can advise us were to reach out to we need your help.

  Business Response

  Date: 08/04/2023

  This is a fraudulent claim from a disgruntled client, in which there was nothing I could possibly do to appease them.... They received payment from their lender, and in turn paid me, not ever on the draw amount.... The amounts I received were always short, they received invoices for the work that was rendered weekly.... This job was cost plus.... I was totally forthright, never misled them...... The home was completed in a timely fashion.... Her Words to me were " I'll get want I want, regardless of the cost.... "..... They went far and above their budgeted amount, with the exception of code is***s that were unforeseen.... All Subs were informed and constantly in the loop as to what was going on.... I was shortchanged in the amount of money I received, and not once did they attempt to help themselves to save money.... Never lifted a finger, helped clean up or push a broom.... nothing .... I did nothing to warrant these claims.... Access to the site, and weather played a large part in the upcharges incurred, which they were fully aware of...... They did this to themselves, with no consideration of the cost of labor and materials. And all the change orders which were created and never paid for.... This is nothing more than a smear campaign.... If this continues, I will *** them for defamation of character....

  Customer Answer

  Date: 08/07/2023

   
  Complaint: 20420505
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *****/*************************

  Customer Answer

  Date: 08/08/2023

  I have the amendment to the original contract in a pdf, many other emails and attachments that can prove our case. We are  not computer savvy and am very concerned I may not be able to get them to you within the 30 minutes. I will do my best. I feel you absolutely need to see them. Could I please talk to or extend the time. I am not sure how to send many things that would prove our breach of contract and fraud. 

  Business Response

  Date: 08/09/2023

  Again,

              The owners were given the invoices weekly.... I don't believe they ever reviewed or looked at them.... All checks stubs and bank statements were submitted to their bank......They were made aware of everything that was done throughout the home building process......Again, weather, access to the site, code issues, well depth, septic, electrical run conduit and other factors played into the cost of the build.... And again, her words to me were, " I'll get what I want, regardless of the cost..." And nothing was hidden or held back.... I reduced the Amount due to Bruno construction to help them out...... They went over budget from the get-go and were made fully aware of the situation.... They did nothing to reduce costs or help out on the site.... never lifted a broom or picked up a piece of trash... This is nothing but unhappy client that went over budget due to their own accord.... And now a smear campaign....

  Customer Answer

  Date: 08/14/2023

  We are sending PDF Files that show the original ********* Then what was signed by us and **** Bruno. 

  This was NOT A COST PLUS CONTRACT! This was guaranteed max ********* Please see the amendment signed by **** Bruno 3/9/ 2022. There was not one CHANGE ORDER signed by us. False statement that his response both times said, I will get what I want regardless of cost. We built our last home with a builder in ****. We never had any problems with the builder, bank, etc... We never received weekly invoices. We had to ask over and over again to get the few invoices we did received. We never took any money from the bank draws except for the Cabinets, lighting and plumbing fixtures. We did this to save money. We are both Military Veterans so we got discounts. The Cabinets we saved over 9079.03.00 compared to the budget in the draw. The flooring we also shop around for and saved ******* compared to the budget.

  We were downsizing because our children were grown and we built a 2bedroom 2bath home because of the cost factor. 

  Business Response

  Date: 08/15/2023

  Home was built at cost, plus 15%.....which was never met...... All **** statements and checks were submitted to your mortgage co.....The homeowner's were notified weekly on progress and invoiced accordingly....They were also supplied all invoices from subs, and all pertinent imformation.....Again, nothing but a smear campaign.... They created this situation, on their own... 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 08/15/2023

   
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  I am following up with the email complaint I sent yesterday. We saw on **** Bruno's Construction website that he was BBB accredited. But after following up on your site we see he is not. 
  We want you also to know that budget that he said would be needed for grading and landscaping went way over cost. But after *********....
   We are unable to get in and out of our house without ************ now. He never planted one ****, tree, plant of any kind. Just grass seed and straw.
   The county inspector (Cherokee County)for the ** had to make him put stepping blocks so he would pass it. The budget for this was aprox *******. But he spent over ********* when he gave us the final bill. 
  As stated the property had already been graded for a home from the previous owners of the land. When we complained about this his comment was (his words) Not my fault you built your house down in a hole.
   In the original contract it states that he inspected the building site and floor plans and he was ready to go. We trusted him at his word. He also said he would expect us to be in our house by the end of November 2022. He was working on other jobs instead of getting ours completed. Going to Alabama to do work. We would give him money and the work would stop at weeks at a time. This was NOT because of weather as he states. We had 3 months of great weather and no work was getting done. We are attaching the 1st contract and the ammendment from *****************. Where he signed both. Here you will see it was a guaranteed price. NOT cost plus. As far as us picking up a broom and trash??? We paid for cleanup in the contract. Very unprofessional for a General Contractor to say anything like that.
   Our original monthly payment for our mortgage was to be aprox ******* which we could afford. Now it is *******. This was all caused by him neglecting to sign the waiver so we could close by April 17 2023. Interest rate was locked in at **** and now it is ****. ALL OF OUR Savings went towards the final closing. It was supposed to be aprox ******. to close and it went to well over 10,000.
   
   Breach of Contract/Fraud
  Please do not let him do this to someone else. Let us know now what the next steps you recommend.
  I have sent over other pdf files  in a separate email because I was unable to attach them to this. What I sent did not have the complaint #******** on it I think. Can you please let me know if you have received them.
  Thank you, so much for anything that you might be able to do to help this situation. We are seniors and are on a fixed income and do not want to lose our home. Desperately needing any advice or other agencies to contact.
  Sincerely,
  ***** and ************************;
  Sincerely,
  
  *****/*************************