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:12/08/2023

  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 have had significant cracks, ripples, and dips in the 1st and 2nd stories of our home at **************************************************** since the addition of the attic by Flow Design Architects. Three independent structural engineer's have visited the home and confirmed the design is flawed, the ridge is overstressed all due to the architect designs. Notes from structural engineers. ?1. Reinforce the two load bearing lines (the walls that run back to front along the sides of the chimney. Put two 1.75x9.5 LVLs under each wall with ***** column down to new 2x2x12 pad footings. Space posts no more that 7 apart.2. Replace the new ridge beam with (2) 1.75x11.25 LVL beam with 4x4 PSL posts down all the way to central beam below, with a new ***** column down below the column line to a new pad footing.3. Monitor the load bearing walls under the new front dormers. If cracks are noticed in the bedroom ceilings, we will need to sister the joists under those walls, in the bedroom ceilings. 4. The rafters at the new stair opening up to the attic are no longer tied back in an a-frame design because the rafter ties were cut to make the stair opening. The ridge board should probably be also changed to the a ridge beam (extend the new one out), with a post down. There is a window where that post would come down, so put a header over the window, with new posts down along with sides of the window- Down to the foundation. This will prevent the rafters from kicking out (the ladder analogy). This work requires structural repairs to all four floors of the home. AND rework of the recently completed construction. **** has admitted to the errors but is now not responding to move this effort forward and resolve the matter. They have pushed this to insurance ************************* , License No. ******* Hiscox USA and the insurance has pushed it to an a lawyer ************* as a law firm ************************ *****************************************************************, who is requiring a fourth engineer.

  Business Response

  Date: 12/18/2023

  Dear Representative of BBB,
  
  This is a letter in response to the complain #********* at the home located in ***********************************************************. We were hired by Mrs. ************************ back on January 14, **************************************************************** order for the space to become a master suite. During the first introduction meeting with the owner on site on November 19th, 2021, the owner briefly commented pre-existing structural shifts in the counters at her kitchen counter and the existing unleveled floor at the chimney location which she would address on a different time.
  
  We were hired January 14,2022, after many meetings with the client and many variations of the schematic drawings for the potential layout of the space, the client approved the design and the final permit set of drawings were completed June 29,2022 and both Mrs. ******* and her husband were happy with the design and all the help provided to that point.
  
  August 27th, 2023 we received and email from the client describing significant cracks in the first and second floor (outside of the scope of work architecturally speaking) and we scheduled a meeting on site to discuss the matter. Mrs. ******* hired *********************** (structural engineer) which created a report on August 31,2023 were they mentioned several pre-existing structural items that compromised the appropriate distribution of loads down to the basement causing some of the issues in his professional opinion (see attachment for report).
  
  Due to the claims by the owner, we immediately involved our professional liability insurance agent on October,2023 and forwarded the information to the client October 25,2023.
  
  A site visit was conducted December 15th, 2023 on site with the owner, Flow Design, ************************* (our lawyer assigned by the insurance company) and ********************************************************* (engineer assigned by the insurance company) in order to resolve the matter.
  
  We have done all we can do to make the situation better for the client including the full refund of the costs for our services and have waived any additional costs from the investigations and professional services rendered to date. We have been very proactive in supporting the owner since the beginning of the situation. We have served hundreds of families through years of practice and have never received a complaint in the past so we are taking all the steps to make sure to mitigate the situation.