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:09/21/2023

  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.

  In February I contacted him to look at work I wanted done for the back door and to weatherize 2 doors that needed to be replaced and to drywall the entrance at the back door. I wanted dry wall put up to make it look cohesive. He gave me an estimate and on April 2 I paid him over 2200 dollars up front. I have been trying to have the repairs finished since April. This has been happening for 6 months He took the old material out but he was only here a couple of hours doing that . THe next time he came he used 3 pieces of drywall and he left mud everywhere on the carpet each time that I had to clean up myself every time he left. The next time he came back to paint the hallway and told me to pick out the paint and pay for it so I did. He then came for 10 minutes to touch up a spot of paint and again left, with most of the work I paid him to do unfinished. I finally started calling him in August because I needed the entrance way weatherized since it will soon be winter and nothing has been done to the doors at all. I have been patient with him and now he wont answer any of my calls. I am a widow and I live alone. I trusted him to do what he said he would do and I have been waiting for 6 months. The final time he came he abruptly left and told me he would not do any more work because asked him how long it would take him. He came to my house in the evening and I wanted to know how long he would be. He abruptly yelled at me and left without finishing any of the work he came to do. I told him if it was too much work for him to handle that he should not accept the work or the money from customers. He got upset and left. His wife works as his assistant so I went to the office and told her to tell her husband that I would no longer require his services. I would gladly pay him for his time but I wanted my refund back immediately. I gave him a down payment for work he never completed. They told me they would call and of course they did not. I have not heard anything from them. I want others to be aware, especially senior single women, of how they have treated me and took advantage of my age and trusting attitude.

  Business Response

  Date: 10/10/2023

  The job was quoted on 10/14/22 to paint a door on the garage, paint a door on the house, install a new door between the kitchen and stairwell, remove old paneling and door frame to basement, install new drywall in stairwell, finish, prime and paint drywall, install new flooring in stairwell on landing, install two new interior doors in the home with trim. In April of 2023 ***** accepted the proposal for stairwell drywall and flooring, door painting to entry of stairwell, new interior door to room in house to match the other doors we did previously in 2022. When the material was ordered for the job the contract stated 50% down required to purchase materials and ***** was told we were booked all summer and would get to it in between jobs, we started said job in late June. First day we started we removed all of the old paneling, removed old door frame work, installed new drywall, taped and installed first coat of drywall compound, she was told we would be back in a couple days to do the next coat of compound, per working around our scheduled projects, that were started and accepted prior to her. Over the next couple weeks we had drywall finished up and painted the walls. ***** went on vacation after walls were finished so we were under the impression we would wait for her to call when she returned home to finish the flooring. When she did call she expected us to show up promptly. Our schedule was booked solid for the next few weeks with other jobs that had accepted and communicated properly prior to her. When we showed up to install the flooring she was unfriendly and rude to my employee and myself. She asked rudely how long it was going to take because this had been going on for six months. I apologized to Mrs. ***** and reminded her that we were doing all we could to get her job done. I also asked her if she recalled when I ordered her material I also explained to her that if she needed her job done promptly we would have to fit it in around the already scheduled jobs. She said a few chose words and we left the job site due to her being rude and unreasonable, the floor was left unfinished. She called the office the next day and fired us and demanded on voicemail we send her the money for materials back. I've since reached out about when she would like us to deliver the materials to her and I have not heard back from her to date. 
  
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/17/2023

  Complaint: ********
  
  
  
  I am rejecting this response because: He never told me anything about ordering supplies. He never put a new door frame on at all.  I never said any choice words. I asked him much time can you give me today because he was suppose up at 3 he showed up at 5. I was out of town 2 days and it wasn't a vacation.  I went to my grandsons graduation.  I told him that if I wasn't home the door would be unlocked so he could access the house.  I told his wife as well. He never showed up and I was left waiting. I told him I wanted to get it from Mernards and get the rebate.  He didnt go to Mernards but instead went to Effinghams Building Store and bought a door which I later found out cost 600 dollars.  This is ridiculous.  He took advantage and bought the door with my money instead of honoring my request to get the materials from Mernards at a reasonable price.  I ended up purchasing all the materials I needed for 1700 dollars. I never saw the cost of anything listed that he claims he paid for or a rebate. The only painting he did was the hallway. He was here 10 minutes or less touching up an area with paint. I bought the paint and the flooring so he didn't put out any money for that stuff I did. Every time I call their office I never get a person its always an automated response. Its obvious he spent the money but he didnt spend it on what I requested he spend it on. If I am paying for the door I want the door.  I asked him to paint the backdoor and for it to be weatherized that's it. He took advantage of me because of my age and because I paid for the materials.  He used my money and kept it without finishing the work I paid him to do. I was not rude to him.  He was rude to me in front of his employees.  His response is a lie. 

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

  Business Response

  Date: 10/25/2023

  In response to Ms. *****, the $600.00 door she speaks of is the exact same door as the other two interior doors we replaced in her home in the spring of 2022. The door is a special door order due to the extra height of the doorway size in the home. When we first met about this phase of work she was wanting done in November of 2022, she stated she wanted a door installed to a bedroom that matched the two we previously installed. The door is ready to be delivered to her home when she is ready. We have tried to contact her several times via phone to make arrangements. Also she did state she wanted rebates for any materials that we purchased from Menards, to date we hadn't purchased any from Menards for her project. 

  Job Report for *****

  Day 1- Removal of all wall covering, door frame work to basement, baseboard trim, floor covering, installation of new drywall on walls that needed to be replaced, 1st coat of compound and tape, dispose of waste.

  Day 2-Sand, second coat of compound

  Day 3-Sand, third coat of compound

  Day 4-Sand, fourth coat of compound 

  Day 5- Sand, paint ceiling

  Day 6- Paint walls

  Day 7- Second coat of paint on walls, touch up 

  Total hours to date for job are 29.75

  With labor and materials we have in the job it totals well over the amount of the half down payment she sent in. When Ms. ***** is ready for the door to be in her possession, we will gladly deliver it to her. All of us at Affordable Home Improvements apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused on our behalf. We would like to get this situation settled and move forward. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/27/2023

  he was never here for as many hrs as stated.  also he never told a door had been ordered.  we never had CONVERSATION.  I wanted my purchases to be from menards better prices and also I wanted the rebates.  I also had to purchase all the paint for the project.  he never cleaned up anything paint on the floor mud on the carpet and on the flight fixers.  shis attitude was horrible and  he treated me badly.  I told him at the onset that I needed this project done before cold weather.  So if he didn't or couldnt do it he should have said so before taking my money.   The hallway is a mess and not done .  The outside and the kitchen door were not touched .  also it looks like he was attempting to charge me for a door twice.  I am not having someone in my house who has tantrums.  I am 78 and I don't want to be fighting and begging to get the work done in a timely manner.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/27/2023

  As I said  I do not trust or want him to enter my home again.  He has no value or regard to my time or the money I spent on the materials and his blatant lie about the door and about all the hours of work he spent at my house.  He took advantage of my age and my limitations and is extremely deceitful.  None of the hours he claims to have spent in my house are true. He took advantage of me and took my money and left me with work that needs to be completed by another contractor.  Thankfully I have someone who will help me fix the mess he made.