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:01/11/2023

  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.

  Paid to have addition added on. Complained about the issues with the shower and owner looked right at me and said he sees no issues. Had contractor come to see what needs to be done and he said it all needs taken out and replaced. There is a long list of issues with the shower. Unable to use it. No response from Smart Restoration

  

  Business Response

  Date: 01/14/2023

  The client said "Paid to have addition added on. Complained about the issues with the shower and owner looked right at me and said he sees no issues. Had contractor come to see what needs to be done and he said it all needs taken out and replaced. There is a long list of issues with the shower. Unable to use it. No response from Smart Restoration"
  
  Ok lets back this up a bit. This project was completed over a year ago, our last day of service for this project was 12-3-21. This complaint for those services is being filed on 1-9-23. Why has it taken a year to file the complaint if there was an issue? We had to file a lien on the property to collect for our services as the client and her husband had begun the process of divorcing each other during the completion of the project and they were disputing amongst themselves as to whom would pay for our services. During this completion process and dispute over payments there was no mention or concern over the product provided. It wasnt until a third party realtor whom we had no contact with or contract with complained to the client that they could sell the house for more money if the shower was functional. Now lets step back a little more in this saga by saying the shower is not functional, in no way is this by fault of smart restoration. The owner had purchased and provided the shower base and doors for the shower that they wished to be installed. We installed the base during the rough in phase and during the finishes stage attempted to install the shower doors that were purchased. We found out at that time that the client had purchased 2 separate products that were not compatible with each other. There for after our efforts of laying out the pieces to install the doors to this base that they had purchase and our lost production we notified the client of their error. We also provided them with the solution to the problem at that time. Which was to replace the base with a new one that matched the door they wished to install as purchasing the door was not an option due to the product being discontinued which is why the base was on clearance. The client blamed the husband and asked us for a quote to fix the problem. Which we provided. We told the client at that time we would not make those repairs until such time as we were paid in full for our services so we could remove the lien from the property.
  We did eventually get the funds for the services and removed the lien.
  Yes the client called us and voiced concerns about the shower when her realtor told her she needed a functioning shower. In an attempt to not have to pay for the shower base mistake that they had made they started to complain about things they had not voiced concern over before. Things that had been completed for several months with plenty of time to inspect and notify us of any dissatisfaction.
  
  Client said in her complaint:Complained about the issues with the shower and owner looked right at me and said he sees no issues: This is an inaccurate statement the client has fabricated. I havent talked to the client about this issue in a year. She is not remembering the conversation as it actually took place. She made some complaints about the shower that were given to her from her realtor. These were not issues that she had with the shower but they were things that she was told by someone else to complain about. I told her we were not hired by her realtor and were not obligated to appease him with our services and that she was our client and our job was to provide a product that she was happy with. she was happy with the product for several months until the realtor started advising her. I told her we had a standard for installing and a method we used. We werent obligated to rotate tile a different direction just because someone came in and didnt like the rotation we used. I also pointed out to her some areas I wasnt happy with myself and was wanting to fix. Areas that the realtor didnt mention and that were true issues that needed resolved. We talked about those issues and came to the conclusion that when we replaced the shower base we would also take care of the addition items. As it didnt make since to either of us to repair these issues and then come back and replace the shower base which would have cause those areas to be damaged and replaced again. This entire conversation took place on February 7th 2022 2 months after we completed the entire project and over 3 months since the shower had been installed. Despite the delay we warranty our work and was willing to address the matter in a sensible timeframe. It was the client that had chosen not to proceed with the repairs or the replacement of the shower base. She stated she didnt want to deal with it at this time and that she would reach back out when she was ready to proceed. We didnt hear back from her until 11-8-22. When she emailed us asking if we could replace the shower base as soon as possible. We informed her at that time we were already scheduled out several months and wouldnt be able to get to it right away. She told us that she needed it done ASAP and that the timeline wouldnt work for her and thanked us to letting her know what the timeline was. At this time she had no issues with our services or complaints. 11 months after we completed her project. If there was a urgency to complete the project before our schedule allowed the client had 11 months to plan that out and get it scheduled for repair. They choose to procrastinate the repairs and then additionally choose to not wait for our schedule to clear up. There delays and decisions are not our burden to bare. We will not be financially responsible for their poor planning and decisions.
  
  The client said in her complaint:No response from Smart Restoration: This is a false statement every correspondent we received from the client was returned in a timely manner. here are those correspondents as we received them and replied.   On March 23 2022 We sent her a revised proposal for the replacement of the shower base. On 11/8/22 she asked us if we would start the project ASAP. Within 21 minutes we responded to the request with the appropriated information for her to make a decision on if she wanted us to perform the work or not. That same day she replayed that the timeline would not work for her and that she would try to find someone else to do the project. On 1/2/23 nearly 2 months later we hear back from her with a list of complaints about the shower. Now ill remind you we told her in November we would repair the shower by mid January and she didnt want to wait. Its now the first of January and she hasnt fixed the shower. Ill share the 1/2/23 complaint and respond to it later in this response. We responded to the complaint in email 1/3/23 letting her know that I was unavailable and out of town and that I would respond to the email when I returned. 1/4/23 She emailed inquiring when I would be back and also if someone else could address the issue because she was in a hurry to let the other contractor begin work. On 1/4/23 She received a response letting her know I would be back the following Monday (1/9/23) and that I was the only one who could address her concerns. On 1/10/23 at 4:06 PM the client sent a follow up email as to when she could expect to be reached out to concerning her concerns. On 1/11/23 at 12:36 PM she received a response that I was aware of the complaint, however I was busy and didnt have the available time to compose a response and would have it out to her by the end of the week. On 1/11/23 she filed this complaint to the BBB before I could free up the time to compose an appropriate response to her concerns. On 1/12/23 I freed up from some time from catching up on the active projects I was away from for a week. And began to compose a response to her concerns. This is a response that has now taken up over 4 hours to compose which is why I didnt have time earlier in the week to address it. I prioritize active client over clients who have procrastinated a project for a year before reaching out with urgency to complete the project. The clients poor planning and decision are not our burdens to carry. 

  
  The client stated, Unable to use it (It being the shower): It is not smart restoration fault the shower is not usable. As stated, before the shower base and shower doors purchased by the owner were incompatible, they attempted to purchase the products on clearance and didnt pay attention to the products. This was not our fault and the client recognized this during the project. They are now wanting smart restoration to carry the burden of the repairs for a product they took little care in planning out. This is not our burden to bare.  

  
  The client stated :Had contractor come to see what needs to be done and he said it all needs taken out and replaced: I am sure the new contractor did say this. He will make a lot more money replacing the entire shower vs just replacing the shower base and patching in the shower. As a sales man its his job to sell his services. We provided the client with a proposal to repair the shower base. We cannot require the client to use our services if they choose to use another contractor and buy a whole new shower that is their prerogative. We would still offer the same services if the client wanted to call and get on the schedule for us to repair the shower base. We will not be paying the bill from another contractor who is upselling his services to pad his bill.
  
    The client stated: There is a long list of issues with the shower: Here is the email we received from the client on 1/2/23 with the list of complaints:

  
   Good afternoon,
  I will be placing my home on the market soon and had contractor out here this morning to repair my shower that was not completed.The contractor confirmed what I had thought all along. None of the work done on this shower is acceptable and will not pass an inspection. The following is a list of issues that were found so far. 
  70-reverse cuts
  6-chipped tiles
  Grout hardener was not used tested and failed
  Inside corner not installed correctly.
  Should have started with a full tile on the bottom.
  Dura rock done wrong at pan causing a bow at the bottom.
  ********* corner not 45 or have corner inserts.
  Pan not set.
  
  I also had him look at the slider door because the seal is breaking down This is what he said
  No virgin hole. No screws in the hole.
  
  I have a real issue with ******* because he flat out took zero responsibility for the very poor quality of work. Saying he sees nothing wrong with it and was very rude when I told him the realtor was concerned about the whole shower. I also feel that he took full advantage of my situation. I will need to be fully reimbursed for the shower and correcting the plumbing if needed. I am scheduling a full inspection of all the work done by Smart Restoration due to the lack of ******************* on this job. You will be notified of all issues and I will expect reimbursement for all issues. I do not want smart restoration to repair any work done here. Prepared to reach out to my lawyer if needed. 
  
  I look forward to receiving your response.
  
  The client stated: None of the work done on this shower is acceptable and will not pass an inspection This is a false Statement. As the project was inspected by the authority having jurisdiction and it did past the inspection. We are not obligated to pass an inspection from another contractor or her realtor. This method of inspection is insane. It would be like asking Pepsi to inspect coke and tell the Coke drinker if its ok to drink Coke or should they drink Pepsi. Of course, Pepsi is going to tell them Coke is terrible and to let Pepsi provide them with all their beverage needs. Now is it a perfect shower. No. I admitted that already. I also talked to the client about the issues and provided them with a plan to repair it for them. They chose not to proceed and to delay for nearly a year. They choose not to wait for time in our schedule to open up to make the repairs after they procrastinated for 11 months.  These are not our decision or anything we can control. If the client wants to allow us to return and address the issue we will be happy to do so. If the client chooses to hire someone else.They can do that too.  we cant stop them.  
  
  The client stated : The following is a list of issues that were found so far. 
  70-reverse cuts
  6-chipped tiles
  Grout hardener was not used tested and failed
  Inside corner not installed correctly.
  Should have started with a full tile on the bottom.
  Dura rock done wrong at pan causing a bow at the bottom.
  ********* corner not 45 or have corner inserts.
  Pan not set.: 

  
  70 reverse tile cuts. Wow that is a lot. First off that would be just about every cut in the shower as being defined as a reverse cutwhich would be really cool if there was an actual definition for a reverse cuton tile. Do the research yourself everything is on the internet. ****** reverse tile cut or what is a reverse cut for tile or whatever you want to type in there. The term doesnt exist this guy made it up and sold it to the client as an issue or problem.

  
  6- chipped ********** tile has been installed for a year. Who knows what could have happened to it in that time while it was in the clints house. However If there are 6 chipped tile. We will address it. All the client has to do is call let us know and we will come out and address the concerns. They will have to wait until we can get it on the schedule. We are obligated to other clients and cant just drop those clients to address these concerns on a whim. But we will come out and address concerns brought to our attention by our clients.

  
  Grout hardener was not used. This is a correct statement. We did not use grout hardener on this project. Its not a requirement, or suggested,or advised by any standard or building law to use grout hardener. It wasnt needed for the shower. It wasnt requested to be used by the owners before we started the project. There is nothing wrong with not using grout hardener. Maybe this other contractor who is inspecting our work always uses grout hardener. Ok good for him. That doesnt make it a violation if other contractors dont use it all the time. It doesnt mean our product failed. It just means we didnt use hardener. This contractor is making things up to add to the fictional list of faults to convince the client to replace the entire shower vs only getting paid to repair the base which is what they were called out to do.

  
  Inside corners not installed correctly: I dont believe it. I didnt notice it when I inspected it myself over a year ago. They might not be installed in the manner this contractor would have done it. Id believe that.Maybe he would have lapped the left wall over the right wall vs the other way around. But those are the prerogative of the installer based on how they see the shower. We would love to come out and reinspect our work just to make sure there isnt really an issue here. If the client would call and ask for that we would fix any real issues. But we wont change the way the inside corners are laid just because some other contractor said he would lay it differently. That doesnt make the way we installed the inside corner incorrect.

  
  Should have started with a full tile on the bottom. :again this is another option based on the installer and not any type of malfunction of the shower system. There are a large number of reason for starting with a half cut vs a full cut tile. The way the base is laid, or the layout of the tile. Just because this guy said he would have stared with a full tile doesnt mean the installer of the shower did anything wrong. This was another attempt to fluff the fictional list of errors for the contractor to sell the client on replacing the full shower vs doing the smaller job of repairing the base. Regardless when the base is replaced with the new base which is inevitable then its tile is going to be getting replaces and recut to fit the new base.
  Dura rock done wrong at pan causing a bow at the bottom.:Im just going to be repeating myself here. Again he might do it differently but that doesnt mean the manner in which it was installed was incorrect. A year ago when we did this shower we used cement boards. Today we use a different product that makes this transition better. Its a lighter weight product easier to manipulate. But that doesnt mean the cement board that was installed on this shower is wrong. Its still a great product and works really well. He might be saying he doesnt install the cement board over the nailing flag of the base. Which would be wrong. But also would not cause the bow at the bottom. What I do know is that just because the cement board laps the ****** and caused a flection in the wall doesnt mean that the cement board was installed wrong. The board has to lay over the ******. This is another I would have done it differentlyitems added to the list to make is sound like he needs to get paid to replace the entire shower. We are not required to install the shower in the same manner as any random person brought into the home would have like to see it installed.We meet our own standards and the requests from the owners at the time of the installation.

  ********* corner not 45 or have corner inserts.  I dont know that this was the issue because its been so long but I do remember there being an issue with the metal installation. We offered to repair the issue. We were told by the client that they were not interested in making the repairs at that time and that they would reach out if and when they were ready. We have always maintained our willingness to address any issues that are real issues and not made up.

  
  Pan not set: I mean really. I dont know. When I inspected the site there was a pan laying on the ground in the corner of the bathroom screwed to the wall with tile laid on it and a drain line hooked up to it. Looked pretty set to me. Regardless though its the wrong pan the client cant get a shower door or curtain to enclose the shower so it has to be replaced anyways. Which is the entire reason the shower is not functional. It has to be replaced. Its not an issue. There is noting we can do to fix this. We would try if we could. We will always do everything within our ability to resolve any issues the client brings to our attention. But the client has to be willing to allow us to assist them with those issues. This client has not been willing to allow us to assist. Mostly because they didnt want to deal with it at first and then several months latter wanted it done ASAP.
  
  The client said I also had him look at the slider door because the seal is breaking down This is what he said
  No virgin hole. No screws in the hole.:    the seal in the door breaking down is a manufacturers defect and not an installation defect. The solution would be to contact the manufacturer and have them send out a rep to resolve the issue. I dont even know where to begin with what the other contractor said. I guess I should start with there is nothing in the construction industry that is called what he said. The term doesnt exist. Again you can look it up yourself. Do a ****** search. But beware its not going to bring up anything construction related and its not going to be PG rated either. I dont know where he got that language from or what he is referencing to but its not the correct term to use or an appropriate term  to use with a client. My best guess is its a slang term he has picked up on through the years of working in the field and he doesnt even know its not the correct term for it or that its inappropriate to use with clients.

  
  The client said: I have a real issue with ******* because he flat out took zero responsibility for the very poor quality of work.Saying he sees nothing wrong with it and was very rude when I told him the realtor was concerned about the whole shower. I also feel that he took full advantage of my situation:  It is not true that I took zero responsibility. I pointed out areas that I was concerned about. I provided a very reasonably solution to the situation which involved removing and replacing tile at the appropriate time to limit the turnaround time based on the scope of work that still need to be performed.
   In what manner did I ever take advantage of the client? We provided a service and were paid for that service. We never provided additional services or charged for extras. We never requested or received funds outside of our contact work. There was never a point that I was in a favorable position over the client and profited from that position. Which would be the definition of taking advantage. This is a false and slanderous accusation.

  
  The client said I will need to be fully reimbursed for the shower and correcting the plumbing if needed. I am scheduling a full inspection of all the work done by Smart Restoration due to the lack of ******************* on this job. You will be notified of all issues and I will expect reimbursement for all issues. I do not want smart restoration to repair any work done here. Prepared to reach out to my lawyer if needed.  : We will not be issuing a full reimbursement for the shower and correcting the plumbing if needed. The client ordered the wrong products this is not our fault.We will not be paying for their error despite their efforts to force our hand by filing a complaint or hiring a lawyer. They have already had a full inspection done on the property by the authority having jurisdiction and that inspection passed. The client is welcome to have as many inspections done on their property as the client wants. We will not be paying for those inspections or fixing anything that is called out in the inspection unless those are issues that fall under our warranty policy agreed to in our contract. We will not be paying for any bills  the client incurred from a third party contractor to make alterations to their property. We will keep to our original agreement to make repairs to the shower at such time as the client request us to. However we will not be making the unnecessary repairs that the realtor or the third party contractor have eluted to because those issues are in fact not violating any industry standards or codes, and not faulty installation issues as I have pointed out in my response above. We always stand behind our services and are willing to make the appropriate repairs. We are not willing to pay a third parts contractors bill for unnecessary repairs.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 01/29/2023

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined the response would not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below. 
  
  [Provide details of why you are not satisfied with this resolution.]
  
  

  I have rejected the response because it is unclear if business is willing to refund for the shower which includes possible plumbing. 
  It has never been functional and its been an ongoing complaint, not recent. There are several issues wrong with the shower that the manager refuses to fix without charging more money after have paid 76k. All of the issues are the fault of the builder and he not once in response takes accountability and lies and blames me and continues to take advantage of my situation. The inspector story is all wrong as well. I will reach out to ****. 

   

  Regards,

  
  
  *********************************

  
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 02/01/2023

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined the response would not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below. 
  
  [Provide details of why you are not satisfied with this
  My concerns regarding the shower tile and doors were initially addressed and blown off during the walk-through where the manager made it seem like it was our error and took no responsibility for the issue of the discontinued shower door. We were asked to purchase a shower pan early on in the project not a shower kit per text message attached they didnt know if the pan would need switched out or would work so we were asked to hold off on purchase of shower door, by the time we were given the OK to get the door that goes with the pan it had been discontinued by American standard and I had no choice but to purchase an entire shower kit on my own. Thats the issue with the shower door as for the tile work I expressed my concerns at the same time during the walk-through, but as I previously mentioned, the manager took no initiative or accountability to correct it, he barely walked into the bathroom from the bathroom doorway, or took his hands out of his pockets. *******, the project manager has no respect for the opinions of others, including professionals, realtors customers, other contractors, friends, or family, who also agreed that the work was low quality and unacceptable. The only assistance they offered was an estimate to fix and pay more money on top of ****** already spent, let me be clear that we paid for a functional shower and we have never had one. Its never been used. The lien per the text message attached was just filed for the sake of having it on file and I was told they had no intentions of enforcing it,regardless we paid the very next day and the only issue they ever had with payment from us was the reluctance to pay for final plumbing due to incomplete shower. We paid ****** with no delay or issues, the manager has flat out lied stating my ex-husband and myself were bickering over who would pay. This could not be further from the truth and shows how he tried to manipulate our situation. The local building inspector stated that any work outside of running water and smoke detectors, and things of that matter were between myself and builder. He said builder failed to  install smoke detector. I had to have the leak in the kitchenette drain fixed and the hot cold switched to be corrected in the bathroom. We also lost the original countertop that we drove all the way to Greenwood to pick out because Smart restoration dropped the ball. There were two instances where other contractors would stop by unexpectedly and hang around and harass me with threats because they were not getting payment from Smart restoration continued harassing phone calls from other contractors for lack of payment from Smart restoration. Smart restoration had to bring in a handyman to complete jobs because he was not paying construction crew. The tile shower was not installed by a professional. The plumber flooded bathroom and kitchenette are and I have to keep damp rid under sinks because of a smell, concerns about this were mentioned to Smart restoration with no response. The slider door was not installed correctly. It is not the manufactures fault that screws were not screwed into s**** holes and seals are already breaking down as shown in attached pictures its been a year and stuff is already breaking down and needing repaired. The last thing I would like to stress here is how the manager responded with 6 to 7 pages and never takes accountability for anything and he wrote several flat out lies. He did and continues to manipulate my personal situation of divorce. It is just not realistic that everything is always the homeowners fault. This is the reason they should not be accredited lack of customer service, lack of quality, lack of accountability, lack of compromise to create a solution to fix their errors. Thank you kindly, **********************************
  
  

  Regards,
  
  *********************************

  
  

  

  Business Response

  Date: 02/14/2023

  Client said:My concerns regarding the shower tile and doors were initially addressed and blown off during the walk-through where the manager made it seem like it was our error and took no responsibility for the issue of the discontinued shower door.

  
  Response:We did not blow off any issues. We brought the issues to the clients attention and provided the client solutions to resolve the issues. The client failed to ever make a decision as to how they wished to proceed and address the issue.
  We did not make is seem like it was their error it was in fact their error. We did not purchase the products we did not select them. We were not contracted to provide these items either. We were responsible for the installation of the products that were selected and provided by the client. We stopped providing finishes from box stores and manufacturers because of issues similar to this and those issues becoming our responsibility when the manufacturer defects and delays causes issues with the construction process. By our company not being involved with the products we eliminate those issues with manufacturers from being our issues. Those are issues that the clients have with those induvial manufacturers and their short falls. We have no control over them and cannot predict them. This was a part of the construction agreement from the beginning. The client was aware of the agreement. They were responsible for selecting and providing the finishes they wished for us to install. Items such as vanity, toilet, faucets, floor covering, light fixtures, tile and grout. We assist with the process my providing quantities needed and size limitations. But we dont design or select colors for our projects.  
  

  Client says: We were asked to purchase a shower pan early on in the project not a shower kit per text message attached they didnt know if the pan would need switched out or would work so we were asked to hold off on purchase of shower door, by the time we were given the OK to get the door that goes with the pan it had been discontinued by American standard and I had no choice but to purchase an entire shower kit on my own. Thats the issue with the shower door
  

  Response:The client was provided with a complete list of all items they were responsible for purchasing for the projects at the beginning of the project (the email was sent on 3/16/2021). In that list at the very beginning of the project while they were still undecided as to what finishes they wanted and how they were going to proceed with the shower base (tile custom base or a fiberglass base) our office advised them to wait on the purchase of the shower door. With the intent of the client making a decision on the base first so they would be compatible with one another.  We did not ever restrict or advise them from purchasing these items other than when the items was needed we requested the items at stages relevant to the current stage of the construction process. Example: exhaust fans, shower faucets, and shower pan were all requested during the framing process because they had to be installed at the time of construction.We did not tell the client to purchase the base separate from the door or to get 2 products that were not compatible with one another. The only advise that was given was at the very beginning of the project while they were still making decision to hold off for now the client waited until October to make the decision of what door they wanted. Those delays are not our responsibility. They waited 7 months to get the door and are now trying to blame us for their procrastination. We asked them to get the shower pan because we needed it to progress on the project. They made the decision to purchase one on clearance from the box store to save them money.  The manufacturer didnt discontinue the product after they purchased the pan as the client alludes to. The pan was on clearance because the manufacturer had discontinued the product.
  

  Client says: per text message attached they didnt know if the pan would need switched out or would work so we were asked to hold off on purchase of shower door,

  Response: First off the message provided doesnt provide the entire conversation. When the original statement of Shower door. But lets hold on this one for right now was made the client hadnt even made a decision on what type of base was being installed. We had quoted a fiberglass base for contract reasons but at the beginning of the project it was still undecided if they would switch to a custom tile base. The comment was to hold off for that decision to be made. It wasnt because we didnt know if the pan we had installed needed changed out as the client stated. As when the statement was made the building didnt even exist yet and the shower pan wasnt even purchased yet
  
  The client said: as for the tile work I expressed my concerns at the same time during the walk-through, but as I previously mentioned, the manager took no initiative or accountability to correct it, he barely walked into the bathroom from the bathroom doorway, or took his hands out of his pockets.
  

  Response:Again. This is inaccurate and is now well documented. During this walk throughI actually stood inside the shower and have pictures in our job file that I took of the shower while I was standing in the shower. As is stated In my original response to this complaint on 1/14/23 and as I stated on the original date of the walk through and as I will state here again but the client wont listen because we wont be issuing her a check for free money. We did notice things that needed corrected about the shower we did offer to correct those items once the accounting for the project was corrected on their behalf. We did provide a reasonable solution for the repairs. It was in fact the client who procrastinated on scheduling those to be done. It was also the client who was inpatient when they did finally decide to proceed and refused to wait until we had availability in our schedule to address the concerns. I wont rehash all those details because they are already documented in the original response to their complaint.But it is well documented that we did offer to take action and accountability to correct issues that needed address. We will not be taking action of items that are not reasonable items to take action on. Those item that were debunked as being issues but were really just made up gibberish her other contractor was spewing out we will not be attempting to address. We cannot do anything about these issues without the client allowing it. At this time the client has proven difficult and unreasonable to accept any type to solution other than free money being issues to them which we will not be issuing as the truth behind entire story is not the fault of smart restoration.
  

   The client said: *******, the project manager has no respect for the opinions of others, including professionals, realtors customers, other contractors, friends, or family, who also agreed that the work was low quality and unacceptable.
  

  Response:perhaps this might be the only statement I might actually agree with to an extent. Whereas I do have a regard for the feeling and rights of theses individuals the client is referencing. It is not feasible for me to have any admiration for them in the slightest. I have never meet any of them. I dont know them from any other induvial and have zero understanding of their background or experience in the construction industry. The only information the client has provided me about anyone they are referencing are the comments they received from the other contractor. Based on those comments alone I can honestly say I have no respect for that individual. Those comments and an understanding of why I wouldnt be respectful of that individual can be found in my original response to this complaint dated 1/14/23
  

   The client said: The only assistance they offered was an estimate to fix and pay more money on top of ****** already spent,
  

  Response:We keep recirculating back to this as being inaccurate. The reasons for the inaccurateness of this statement have been documented several times over in my responses. The client owes for the error of the shower. We will not be forced into and held responsible for their mistakes. We have made several offers to make repairs to the shower. The client has failed to be reasonable in accepting those attempts and is only interested in financial reimbursement for damages we are not responsible for. The values of the entire room addition is irrelevant as the sums to repair for the mistakes made by the client are the burden of the client alone.
  

  The client said: let me be clear that we paid for a functional shower and we have never had one. Its never been used.
  

  Response:the client paid for us to set a shower base they provided. They also received a full refund for the installation of the shower doors. Even though we spent several hours opening boxes and separations parts laying out tracks of different products purchased by the client then determining that they will not work packing it all back up for them so they can return them. We even went so far as to load and unload the products from the clients personal vehicle to assist them as much as we could. We then gave them a full refund on the doors and took a loss on the production and hours spent assisting them with the doors. The functional and use of the shower is not by fault of anything smart restoration has done. We have always left the door open for the client to accept our assistances in resolving their problem with the shower. The client would need to accept and request us to assist and allow the process to take place. To date the client has either been procrastinating the issue or when they did decided they were ready they were unwilling to be patient.
  
  The client said: The lien per the text message attached was just filed for the sake of having it on file and I was told they had no intentions of enforcing it, regardless we paid the very next day and the only issue they ever had with payment from us was the reluctance to pay for final plumbing due to incomplete shower.
  

  Response:lien laws, a contractor must file to reserve their lien rights within 60 days of completion of work or they forfeit their lien rights. They then have up to a year from the date of the filing to enforce the lien if the client fails to pay for the final bill. This client did finally pay the final bill which had been outstanding for more than 30 days but less then the 60 days allowed by state law. The final payment was the only issue we had for receiving payment from the client. They were very prompt in issuing payments up to this point. We at that time had no intentions of enforcing the lien due to the clients promptness of payment up to that point. But would have enforced it had we not received payment before the one-year limitation were up.
  
  The client said:  We paid ****** with no delay or issues, the manager has flat out lied stating my ex-husband and myself were bickering over who would pay. This could not be further from the truth and shows how he tried to manipulate our situation.
  

  Response:I was repeating the information provided to me by the client herself. If there was alternative motives for delaying the final payment those motives were not communicated to me from the client. She had in fact stated that they were trying to figure out who was going to pay for the project as they were stating the divorce proceedings. She though he should have to pay for it and I believe he did end up making the payment. He felt since she was keeping the house then those were her responsibilities. None of it matters as we received the payment and released the lien.
  
  The client said: The local building inspector stated that any work outside of running water and smoke detectors, and things of that matter were between myself and builder. He said builder failed to  install smoke detector.
  

  Response:the builder (the project manager) holds multiple certifications from the international code council ( the organization the writes the building code which is what the building official enforces) the inspector doesnt hold any certifications from the international code council. The building code doesnt require us to install new smoke detector for this project as we didnt add any new bedrooms. A fact that we were able to take advantage of on behalf of the clients for several cost saving for the project. Saving in the amount of tens of thousands of dollars..
  The client benefited from several building code allowances we were able to take advantage of due to our extensive experience and knowledge of building standards. If the inspector made a comment about failed to install smoke detector it was an ignorant statement and I would be more than happy to provide him with a  more extensive understanding of the legal requirements for smoke detectors. Similarly to the conversations I had with him about your project in relation to the energy standards and compliances with those regulations. Where the same inspector attempted to unjustly enforce requirements on the clients  project that would have cause them to endure additional expenses. I, on the clients behalf, was able to show the inspector the error in his enforcement and prevent the additional job expenses from being incurred.
  

  The client said: I had to have the leak in the kitchenette drain fixed and the hot cold switched to be corrected in the bathroom.
  

  Response:Smart restoration did not self-perfume the plumbing on the project. State law requires that licensed plumbers be used. We hired a third part licensed pluming contractor to perform the plumbing. If there were plumbing issues and those issues were brought to our attention, we would have notified the third party plumber to resolve the issues. As those would have been their issues to resolve. However we were not until just now (well over a year later) told of these issues or concerns.
  

   The client said We also lost the original countertop that we drove all the way to Greenwood to pick out because Smart restoration dropped the ball. There were two instances where other contractors would stop by unexpectedly and hang around and harass me with threats because they were not getting payment from Smart restoration continued harassing phone calls from other contractors for lack of payment from Smart restoration.
  

  Response:The only contractor who had payment issues for this project was the plumber. those issues were due to your complaints (coming up later in this message) about him flooding the project. We had to respond with our labor forces and equipment to dry out the structure. The plumber owed use for those services. He also owed ********************** for issues unrelated to your project. There was a payment dispute as there is commonly in the construction industry. We no longer use ************ due to these issues he had with your project and others before yours.We did balance out the finances and severed ties with the company.
  

  The client said Smart restoration had to bring in a handyman to complete jobs because he was not paying construction crew.
  

  Response:there were several different level of experience of  crew members used on the project as there are with all construction project. We assigned the task out to the appropriate individuals based on their level of competency. We utilized licensed individual when required as we used general labore for task that suited their ability. The derogative manner in which you refer to handyman says more about you than it does about our company. All individuals were paid based on their level of experience and skill. All of the individuals were construction crews members.
  

  The client said The tile shower was not installed by a professional.
  

  Response:Im not going to continues repeating this over and over again. Comments about the shower have already been made. The resolution has been offered. There is nothing more smart restoration can do but provide the offer. Its up to the client now.
  

  The client said The plumber flooded bathroom and kitchenette are and I have to keep damp rid under sinks because of a smell,concerns about this were mentioned to Smart restoration with no response.
  

  Response:plumber did flood the area during the framing rough in stage of the project. We no longer use this plumber due to the experience with them on this project. There is nothing further we can do about their services. We can come out an look at any smells that are coming from the area to assess a solution.
  

  The client said The slider door was not installed correctly. It is not the manufactures fault that screws were not screwed into s**** holes and seals are already breaking down as shown in attached pictures
  

  Response.This was a new constitution door. There are nail flanges on the exterior of the door behind the siding this door nails to the wall. There shouldnt be any screws holding the new construction door in place. The clients new (better than me) contractor has again provided them with false information.
  Ive looked to the pictures uploaded. This is a new construction addition to an existing house. The pictures show expansion and settlement cracks and shrinkage of caulking around inside corners. There are literally thousands of documents online concerning new construction and expansion and settlement cracking from just as many contractors across the country. Dont take my word for it go read the documents for yourself.  Anyone can look those up and know its unavoidable and not the fault of the contractor. We still acknowledge these are not a desired outcome from the clients perspective and we offer to all our clients (this one included) to come back within the year and address these issues for them without additional charges. This is one of the reasons we leave the wall paint onsite with the clients so we will have the color match onsite when we return.
  

  I also notices a lot of photos taken that the client is intentionally attempting to misrepresent the actual final product. Photos taken from unrealistic angles.Photos of cabinet screws taken from within the cabinet. Photos taken from angles of laying down on the floor and looking up at something. Angles that nobody during the course of a normal life would be looking at these products.
  There is a photo provided that looks like a missing shoe mold near the dishwasher,this was shown to the client at the time of construction. We explained to them the situation and provided them with the option of installing the shoe mold or leaving it off. We didnt care either way. WE explained that if it was installed it would hinder the client from removing the dishwasher. We explained that we can either install it and it will have to be removed with the dishwasher or we can leave it off. It was up to them. She didnt care at that time with what she was going through I dont blame her. But now wants to act like it wasnt an entire conversation and we just left her with it. If she wants a shoe mold installed all she should have had to do was ask and we would have gone out to install it. Instead she is choosing slander.
  

  The client said  been a year and stuff is already breaking down and needing repaired.
  

  Response:we were contracted to perform the original new build of the structure. We are not responsible for the continued maintenance of the structure.
  

  The client said The last thing I would like to stress here is how the manager responded with 6 to 7 pages and never takes accountability for anything and he wrote several flat out lies. He did and continues to manipulate my personal situation of divorce. It is just not realistic that everything is always the homeowners fault.
  

  Response:the client obviously didnt read all 6-7 pages as I repeatedly took responsibility for the issues that were real issues that we were responsible for. However, the client was only interested in hearing us take responsibility for the items they were errored in so they wouldnt have to pay extra out of pocket for fixing their mistakes. We are not going to do that. We are not responsible for it and we will not be paying for it. The client is accusing me of not taking accountability when I have repeatedly stated we are willing to address the issues with the shower. They have also repeatedly not allowed that to happen. The only item *** said was the owner fault was the error in ordering the incorrect products for the shower not addressing the issues in a timely manner. Failing to be patient when they did finally decided to address the issues and then attempting to place the blame on us for their mistakes.
  

  The client said This is the reason they should not be accredited lack of customer service, lack of quality, lack of accountability,lack of compromise to create a solution to fix their errors. Thank you kindly,*********************************.
  

  Response:there is nothing more to say on the matter that hasnt already been said. we made our offer and we are sticking by it as it is a fair offer. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 02/17/2023

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined the response would not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below. 
  
  [Provide details of why you are not satisfied with this resolution.]
  I seriously dont know what ******* is talking about. No one laid on the floor to take pics. They are as plain as day and can be seen all over. I told ******* I wanted a tile shower. I dont know how they are built or what doors or pans would be needed. He states they offered a fair solution. Can you please have him relay what that is to all of us so we are on the same page. I have spoke with two trust worthy contractors who both said the entire shower needs to be replaced. Meaning all tiles removed. ******* does nothing but fabricate the truth to benefit him. Again, no accountability for their errors. No attempt to provide a resolution or appease the customer. 
  Regards,
  
  *********************************