Complaints

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• Initial Complaint

  Date:07/28/2024

  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.

  My issues with Scott Fence are as follows:
  
  They went out to the house and installed a fence and gate without notifying me and prior to sending me a quote. Therefore, they installed the fence prior to me being able to review the quote, and make sure there was agreement as to terms.
  
  I had requested a quote for a cedar fence. They installed a fence with cedar boards and pine posts and rails. In the written description on the quote they provided after they had already installed the fence, it states "cedar fence". In a separate section, it gives a description of the rails as "3-Tr.2x4" and the posts as "Tr.4x4x8'). They claim that I should understand that this indicates that the rails and posts would be made with pine. The owner, ******* ****** said that "everyone" knows that "Tr" means treated pine. I don't believe that people that are not in the fence or lumber industry know what that means.
  
  They mistakenly installed a post for a 5-foot gate, when it should have been a 6-foot gate, so they had to remove the original post and install a new post. However, because the ground had been compromised, they had to leave a large slug of concrete in the ground where the first post that they installed was placed.
  
  They left the utility marker flags and did not remove them from the site, once they were done.
  
  They put up a permanent sign on the fence advertising their company without permission to do so. They said that they would remove it and replace the boards where it had been nailed. They removed the sign but did not replace the boards where it had been nailed.
  
  The price on the quote that they sent me after the job was $1,045. As a concession for the issues, they only offered to reduce the bill by $100, to $945. I offered them $800, which I think is very reasonable, given all of the issues. Brandon Scott sent a letter saying that if I do not pay the full $945 that he will put a lien on my property. I am asking that he accept my offer of $800.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 08/12/2024

  Our customer was provided multiple quotes over a few months time about this project. Numerous emails were sent back and forth clearing up details. Initially, we priced a cedar fence for $1,120.00 and a treated pine fence for $1,045.00. The posts and rails for each option was listed as the same ("Tr. 4x4s and Tr. 2x4s"). Standard practice in south Louisiana is to use treated pine posts and rails due to the high humidity and rainfall in the area. Our customer said through email that if we could to the cedar fence for the treated pine price, she would be willing to move forward. We took this as an authorization to begin work and applied the first discount of $75.00. On a busy morning, we forgot to notify that we were coming to begin work. That was a mistake and have apologized for it no less than 4-5 times. We contacted the utility company to come mark any underground lines. They painted the lines and put two small marking flags as well. When we were complete with the job, we missed picking them up and again have apologized no less than 4-5 times. Our crew mistakenly set the fence posts for a 5' gate when she wanted a 6' gate. Again, we apologized for the error and pet a new post for the correct size gate. Since the new post location was right next to the posts that was placed incorrectly, we cut that post off below ground and chipped the concrete footing down so we could leave it there and cover it with dirt. It can not be seen and in no way decreases the integrity of the adjacent post. We install fence sings on all of our fences, as is common industry practice. Most people enjoy the sign. Our customer explained she did not want it, so we removed it and placed two nails through the nail holes into the 2x4 rail, just as every other picket is attached.

  Upon completion, our customer let us know through email what her issues were. We responded to each on of them in a professional, polite, and thorough manner. We also gave a 2nd discount to the invoice of $45.00 to bring the total to $1000.00. This was not accepted, and after a 30 minute phone call with myself going back over the issues where she was willing to pay $500.00, I agreed to give a 3rd discount of $55 to bring the invoice total to $945.00.This was not accepted and we received a letter from an attorney that their client was willing to pay $650.00 and that fence was an eyesore. I have pictures attached that show the fence is built very well and is not an eyesore by any means. We responded that we have already given multiple discounts and stood firm on our balance of $945.00. We received a second letter offering payment of $800.00. After initially refusing, we conceded and accepted $800.00 payment just for it to be over with.

  Please see attached pictures and email chain of communication leading up to the point she hired an attorney. We are a small 3rd generation family business and have been successful for almost 70 years by treating people fairly and doing great work. This attack on our integrity and livelihood is unwarranted.