Complaints

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• Initial Complaint

  Date:10/18/2022

  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.

  We hired Lewis back in April, 2022 to re-do an septic system. We were told it would cost $20K. We paid them $5K to get started with permits. We had already gotten a perk test done and paid for this ourselves. Lewis said those test holes were not in the correct location and said they would have to get others drilled. Months and months later after much stalling we heard from them. They now were charging us $40k. We told them no, and asked to get our deposit back minus the charge for new tests holes and permit. It is now October and we still do not have our deposit back. We have not seen any bills for the test holes they had drilled. And the ones that they did drill were in a low area which the county won't approve, They original test sites would have worked as they were in the current location of our septic. We have not used the permit that they said the got just before they let us know it was now going to be $40K. We have also not seen a copy of the bill for the permit. We would be happy to pay for those 2 things, and have the rest of our $5K refunded. Most of the correspondence over the last months and months have been through texts. When I tried to get our refund back the communication stopped.

  Business Response

  Date: 11/23/2022

  *************** to the written complaint, assigned ID #********, from **********************************.  I will first address some things that where stated in Mrs. ********* letter of complaint, followed by some attachments.

   

  ********************* and her husband did hire us to update their septic system to be in compliance with ******* Countys Code.  They have a five bedroom home and their system is compliant for a three bedroom home.  I did try to give alternative suggestions that would not require an updated system at this time because it became apparent that they wished the yard, landscaping and underground sprinkler system to have minimal disturbance. They did indeed pay for their soil test. It was done in the correct place for LPC allowances.  We did try another route that would include under ground boring, however, those holes, which where not billed to the homeowner, reached outside the allownces.  We then went back to the original soil test they had done and the site plan that was intially turned in on April 19Th, 2022, was approved on June 16th, 2022. 

  Upon the last visit our project manager had with the homeowner he explained the permits are issued and we are ready to proceed when our time frame might open up. At that time the Cornwells realized that the yard, and landscaping and watering system would be disturbed. There is no way around this unfortunate situation. Ground gets disturbed while installing a sizable septic system for a five bedroom house. We did offer for an additional $5,000 we could do more fine tuning with the final excavating, but that did not seem to relieve their anxiousness. I then received a text from ********************* on June 23rd, 2022 that they didnt realize the yard would be destroyedand didnt want to continue with the project.  I did respond by text a few days later explaining I was sorry that they didnt want to proceed. I understood their frustration, however the $5,000 deposit was to submit and get an approved a site plan, get the permits and get a secured spot on our schedule. We let them know we where committed with other jobs until September or October but if there was a time to proceed sooner we would let them know. We accomplished all those things and even turned jobs down in that time frame became we where full.  There where many site visits and phone calls and time taken to get to the permit stage. I let ********************* know I was trying to come up with a resolution that was fair to both parties. As I also explained, those permits are the homeowners, they are good for one year. They can have another company come and use the permits by simply changing the letter head. Their job just became weeks  easier and ahead of anyone else that isnt that far in the process. 

  We to this day, have no idea where a number of $40,000 came from. We have never installed a residential septic system for that much and honestly find it very offensive that the optional $5,000, if chosen was exaggerated to $40,000. The significant increase was stated as the main cause to ending the project in their legal action against us.   We have all searched through our texts and emails to see if there was a typo and that number formed and we have found no proof of that happening. 

   

  I have attached the text received from ********************* cancelling the project on June 23rd. I have attached the letter sent from our attorney to theirs explaining our position. They have indeed filed suit against us. I have attached the permits provided to us from the ***************************************, which the originals  are still at the ***** office and available for the homeowner to pick up and use until the year expiration date. Also attached is the intial estimate highlighted 4/15/22 and then the site plan that was designed and submitted on 4/19/22, 2 business days after receiving the deposit. No stalling tactics, we attacked this project like any other, to get the best desired results for our client. 

   

  In closing, it is unfortunate that this project didnt proceed forward.  The intial reasonings the homeowners presented to us as to why they wanted their system in compliance could have been resolved and the work would have been done in 2-3 days, they would have been surprised by what we can accomplish and just how well our final inspections and systems turn out.