Complaints

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• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/20/2024

  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.

  Ongoing, still disturbed asbestos in house from reno as he did no testing prior, or containing, & refused to cover HVAC openings while doing major reno inside. Left new stove covered in sawdust (stove positive for asbestos) & screamed at me when I called him. **** stopped working after 1 day, cause = drainpipe covered in sawdust. I have to pay for asbestos ************* will not get back to me with insurance info. Did not get sheet metal permit for HVAC & lied about it for months, & was very hard cooperating to get permit. Did not get a permit for Apt. 1 until months after starting work. He owes $12,600 as I paid 1 contract payment twice in ********** will not give it back. He ruined my hardwood floors - told him prior to starting job floors in good shape and I wanted them covered - never covered them - said he would get them refinished but he wouldn't let me get a stain even though some of the floor had color - sub did horrible job refinishing - floors burned bare feet and very minimal movement left deep scratches - he screamed at me when I told him - I had to pay out of pocket to have another company fix the floors - buffed & added another coat - he ignored requests to cover the cost. He only had one person on his team who was new & no trade background. Poor communicator with his worker, client, and subs. Also told him before hiring that I wanted upstairs unit de-leaded. He did not disclose he doesn't know how to do this until after signing contract & starting work. He only printed out 1 copy of contract to sign when we paid him first payment of 1st contract (30%) - I asked why he didn't bring 2 *********** said to save paper. I requested a copy of the signed contract for our records on that ******** never provided one & has ignored follow up requests. Made hardware in brand kitchen cabinets uneven & put a hole in one cabinet because he screwed up hardware location. Took over 1.5 years to finish work - should have been done in at least half the amount of time.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 09/01/2024

  I have not heard from the business (Old Court Carpenters/**** ******) in response to my complaint. I was only able to include 5 attachments, but I have more I can include.

  Two attachments are two separate checks for $12,600 for the same contract payment (as verified in check memo), paid twice to Old Court in error, which I have still not been reimbursed.

  Two are of the invoice for the hardwood floors I had to pay out of pocket after he ruined by hardwood floors that I told him I did not want refinished as they were in great shape as he never covered them while gutting to the studs.  Hardwood floors are not in contract, nor did he write an invoice for them as he screwed up - his subcontractor floor refinisher ruined them more, and I had to pay out of pocket for another company to fix them. I also included the great review I wrote for the company I hired which explains what my contractor did the floors. I had to pay $2890 to have them fixed which my contractor never reimbursed me despite requests as he ruined my floors.

  The last is a great review I wrote for the window restorers that explains what my general contractor did with the storm windows - he has not reimbursed me the $3800. The window beautifully restored my original wood windows and work great. They are single pane and therefore needed storm windows. My general contractor charged me $3800 to buy and install 9 triple pain exterior storm windows. The storm windows only cost about $100 each = $900. Remaining $2900 was for installation. He never installed the screens so I could open the windows and the glass panes he installed incorrectly. I could tell he installed two upside down as they wouldn't open. When the window restorer came to install the original windows, he noticed on his own that actually all of the storm windows were installed incorrectly. He reinstalled the glass panes and also reinstalled the screens that my contractor never did; he did this all for free and was a simple job for him - yet my contractor charged a hefty price for them and did not finish installing them nor install what he did correctly. 

  If able to send more attachments online or via email - I can send pictures of completely uncontained work gutted to the studs with other rooms not even blocked off. Tons of sawdust throughout the house from cutting do all work inside without covering **** ducts . Positive asbestos reports. Persian carpets left in the attic found this July 2024 unrolled and covered in heaps of  insulation (tested positivie for asbestos) - the steam cleaning company that was here can confirm this and I have a text of it - general contractor left these in attic - I have a picture of these same carpets from 12/31/21 (after work had begun) rolled up neatly in the garage or cellar (picture is a close up and has cement floor) - so am unsure why they were unrolled and placed in attic with heaps of insulation that contains asbestos on them and they never cleaned this out from my house. I can also send texts and emails verifying these as well - i.e. texts verfiying they confirmed the **** stopped working 2 days after they said I could turn it on and they verified the **** drainpipe was clogged with sawdust. Also texts and emails of general contractor and his sub lying about getting a sheet metal permit for the ****.

  Thank you.

  Business Response

  Date: 09/10/2024

  This project ran into issues very early on, Ms ********* hired us to remodel an apartment that had been derelict for a number of years. Quite early in the process, we ran into issues. Other contractors/companies were working on the same apartment, this is not allowed for obvious insurance and permitting reasons. In an effort to keep moving forward, we tried to continue working while trying to stay away when others were there. Then we ran into decision making issues. Practically every choice that Ms ********* made would be changed. Everything from finishes to paint colors were revised after install or application, we tried repeatedly to communicate that this was not working, after countless hours of changing things that Ms ********* had initially specified, many of the subcontractors refused to return, The project came to a halt approximately June 21 after the kitchen cabinets were installed. The cabinets had been onsite for a number of weeks and had been inspected by the client. Despite the initial inspection, the client stopped all work to dispute the finish and color of the cabinets with the cabinet manufacturer and dealer. The cabinet company is separate from us, we have worked with them in the past and continue to do so, but we are totally separate entities. We were asked to return some months later to continue, but it was a continuation of the same issues. Decisions on finishes were delayed, when those decisions were finally made, and we installed, the client would change her mind. After repeated requests to stop changing and allow us to finish it became clear that it wasnt going to work. We left, we were asked to return to get final building inspections, the building inspector having experienced issues with the client, insisted on having a supervisor present. The inspector and supervisor signed off on all our permits and inspections.
  That final inspection was more than a year and a half ago, we stopped working there more than 2 years ago. There was nothing there to indicate the presence of Asbestos, there was numerous other people working there, there have been people working since.
  It was an extremely difficult project that we tried to complete. After the first contract payment was received, no other contract payment , decision or accommodation was made on time. There are 6 other separate businesses/trades people that dealt with the same.