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:02/18/2025

  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.

  I am writing to formally file a complaint against Smith Family Homes, Inc. of *** ***** *** ************** ** ****** regarding the quality of work provided as part of a new home construction located at *** ******** ***** **** ****** ** ***** 
  The issue at contention is the quality of the concrete used to pave the landing in front of the garage area. The house was delivered on November 1, 2024. On January 26, 2025, I observed that the concrete slab in front of the garage began deteriorating at an alarming rate. I immediately contacted Smith Family Homes, Inc. and informed them of the issue with the concrete slab and the need for it to be repaired.
  
  **** ****** owner and general contractor, refused to address the issue and insisted that he would not repave the area, claiming that it is normal wear and tear, without providing any scientific evidence that the rapid deterioration is normal. This response is unacceptable as the concrete slab's condition is clearly a result of subpar materials or workmanship. According to the ************* *********** ** ********* **** **********, the expected lifespan of that concrete should be 15-25 years.
  
  It is evident from the attached photos that Smith Family Homes, Inc. used substandard building materials when pouring the landing. I am requesting that Smith Family Homes, Inc. replace the current concrete slab with one that meets the expected lifespan of concrete that is normally determined by the certified home inspectors.
  
  Despite their 1-year warranty which includes the repair of any construction defects, the business is refusing to honor it in this case. I expect immediate action to rectify this issue by replacing the defective concrete slab.
  
  The amount paid for the concrete was around $4,700. I request that Smith Family Homes, Inc. take immediate action to repair the deteriorating concrete slab in front of the garage.

  Business Response

  Date: 02/18/2025

  ******* ******** notified **** ***** with Smith Family Homes on January 27th, 2025 at 12:31pm.  Smith Family Homes sent the concrete finisher, ***** *** out on February 4th to look at the damage on the concrete.  **** responded to *** ******** and explained the finisher felt like it was damage from Brine from the weather where the roads had been treated and it had stayed on his car and damaged the concrete but that we would be reaching out to IMI the concrete company to do further research.  *** ******** then responded "You can not tell me that is the problem.  There are people all around me that don't have that problem.  Do you really want to have that discussion?" "This is going to cost you!" Never once has anything been decided at this point and *** ******** is coming across threatening.  Smith Family Homes then sent a foreman- **** *****, the finisher-***** ***, IMI salesman-***** ****** and IMI Production Manager-*** ***** to the home on February 7th, 2025 at 11am and they met with ** *********  Since that meeting and throughout the entire process the weather in Kentucky has been horrible.  ** ******** did not allow a great line of communication with his threats and IT HAS BEEN LESS THAN THIRTY DAYS since the initial complaint to Smith Family Homes.  The complaint states that the concrete slab is valued at $4700 then the disputed amount is $535,000.00.  We are waiting on a solution from IMI about the concrete.  The concrete ticket has been pulled to investigate the mix.  If *** ******** would be cordial all this could have been explained to him.  Not sure how many slabs of concrete have been poured in the last 23 days with the weather but Smith Family Homes has not poured any driveway slabs with the cold temperature and the wet weather.  

  I would also like to note that this concrete has been poured since 06/24/2024.  *** ******** stated in meeting on Feb 7th that the concrete was only 90 days old. 

   

   

  Customer Answer

  Date: 02/22/2025

  
  
  Complaint: ********

  I am rejecting Smith Family Homes response because I do not believe that the business provided adequate communication of their intent to stand behind the quality of their workmanship. It was never made clear that there would be a resolution to the substandard subcontractor work. The customer was accused of maltreatment of the concrete. Customer was never provided care instructions, if that is required. Business dispute of timeline of when concrete was poured vs. when house was turned over to customer is not relevant, due to expected lifespan of concrete.
  
  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  
  
  ******* ********

  Business Response

  Date: 03/03/2025

  I am ****** ** ****** with the law firm of ******** * ****** and I am the attorney for Smith Family Homes and am responding in kind to this complaint from this homeowner.

  Again, my client would reiterate all that has been said before. However, it is important to look at the facts in this situation and one would determine that the homeowner making false and slanderous statements is unwarranted given the facts and overall circumstances present here.

  There were inconsistencies in the homeowner’s complaint. At that, he made multiple allegations, first stating he believed that the subcontractor was incompetent and then that substandard materials were used. Now he has also, in response to multiple sources as to the basis of the problem, that he was given improper instructions regarding care of the driveway/concrete. All of these allegations are disputed.

  The fact that the homeowner immediately began making aggressive threats and the fact that he filed this complaint within two weeks of notifying my client of the alleged issues is telling and controlling on the reasonableness of my client’s response. To wit, it sent representatives out to the property within short order to investigate and attempt to identify the issue. The homeowner, among other inaccurate complaints/allegations, asserted that improper or substandard materials were used. Therefore, a request by my client was made to the supplier to investigate the mix used. Upon investigation by all involved (all whom have extensive building and concrete experience and/or knowledge) it has been determined that the damage caused to the driveway was NOT improper installation, nor poor workmanship, nor substandard materials, but that it was instead due to salt, brine, and/or other ice material, all of which is known to damage concrete. Whether this came from direct placement on the surface, or from run off from vehicles tracking such substances on the driveway, it is unknown, but more than one person in the concrete industry has come to this same conclusion as to the cause of the issues experienced by the homeowner.

  Kentucky weather has been historically harsh in 2025. We have had extreme freezing and low temperatures, along with record snow and rainfall.  Receiving a multi-part complaint from the homeowner and then a BBB complaint within approximately 2 weeks of being notified by the homeowner is not a fair or proper timeline for my client to be expected to act and react. The aforementioned harsh weather further would, and continues to, hinder any response.

  My client is still in process of investigating the matter and having to deflect allegations made herein simply detract from its ability to adequately do that and to address it, if needed.

  Smith Family Homes is a long-standing business in the community and is proud of its positive reputation and record for building and producing quality homes for its customers. It has not shunned this homeowner, nor refused to offer him help (with said damage being outside the control of my client to start with). However, requesting some sort of immediate remedy in light of making multi-point accusations, along with extremely harsh and severe weather, and then expecting some sort of “overnight fix” is not reasonable nor fair to my client.

  Smith Family Homes has acted, and continues to act, reasonably and prudent in this matter.

  (Sorry for the putting this response as an attachment, but was unable to reduce it to less than 2000 characters and spaces otherwise)

  Customer Answer

  Date: 03/09/2025

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

  underlying issue remains: installed product is deteriorating under normal use in short time period
  
  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  
  
  ******* ********