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:12/28/2024

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  UnresolvedMore 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.

  The job is a heat pump with four mini-splits, started in early August, when I paid $5600. Although Kris Watson did a site inspection, he missed that I'd need to upgrade to 200 amp service and lied about being prepared to install in a stone house. They showed up and didn't have a drill long enough, let alone strong enough, to drill through the wall. After much discussion, it was decided the job would need four condensate pumps. Kris then said he had underbid the job, and would give me the pumps for free if I paid for the rest of the job. I decided to trust him on that. Then, on another visit, they discovered the 100 amp service. Kris told his guy to connect it anyway, but he refused. So, I found an electrician (another $4000), but he couldn't do the job until the third week of October. Instead of finishing the install up to the point of needing electricity, Kris decided to do nothing until the electrician finished. I kept him appraised of that schedule, but when the electric job was done, Kris just kept putting me off, saying he was busy, when the truth is, now, almost January, he still hasn't finished the work up to needed electricity. When he does show, it's late in the day for an hour or two. Several times when scheduled no one came at all. When I finally made clear I would take outside action, he promised it would be done the WTF before Christmas. No one. Then he said he'd get his best crew on it MT before Christmas. Just 1-2 guys for an hour or so. They said Kris would be here on the 26th to test the lines and finish up. No word, no show, all week. I'm trying to heat with just a fireplace insert and three oil-filled heaters, costing a fortune. I have four jagged holes in the side of my house and broken lights. Also, every other contractor takes the rebate off the bill. Not Kris. I need that money for taxes and CSA payments, or I'll be paying late fees as well. And no working heat pump that should have been done in October.

  Business Response

  Date: 02/05/2025

  The business has requested that the response not be published

  Customer Answer

  Date: 02/05/2025

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID 22740901, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
  
  [To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, we would like to know your view on the matter.]
  
  Mr. Watson lives in a world of fantasy and lies.  Only now, after hiring another company to finish this job, am I finding out just how much.
  
  1) In July, I asked whether he had experience working with stone houses.  He said "Oh yeah, we work on these stone houses all the time."  He inspected the site before taking on the job, so knew everything about it before starting -- including the 100 amp service, about which he said nothing.   
  
  He also has an illegal contract (per the Attorney General's site):  it has no completion date, and the downpayment and any other payments are to be held in an escrow account until the job is completed, and the customer notified.  
  
  Additionally, he lied about the NYSEG/NYSERDA rebate, telling me the customer had to file for it.  Actually, the contract MUST file for it, and BEFORE the job starts, the job must be approved.  NONE of this happened, and being on NYSEG's list of contractors for this, HAD to have known (or certainly had a responsibility to know), that in the end, there would be no rebate.  He'd also have to pass a NYSERDA inspection.  
  
  When his crew came to do the job, they didn't even have a drill long enough to go through the wall, let alone drill through stone.   They were stymied.   After some conversation about drilling through the vinyl window frames, the only responsible member of his crew, Phil (who has since left), pointed out the right way to do it was with condensate pumps -- an additional cost.   Watson said he had underbid the job, and offered to throw in the pumps if I paid the rest of the job.  Not yet knowing that delay and excuses were his business model (I've met and talked to others who had the same problem with him), I foolishly did it. 
  
  From that moment on, the bullshit got deep.   It was WEEKS, he said, before he could get four condensate pumps together.   The contractor who is currently finishing the job for me says there aren't condensate pumps installed, and ordered new ones IN A DAY.   ONE DAY.   
  
  When they DID show up again, the outdoor unit was not raised 2' off the ground as required for the rebate, and the junction box isn't where it needs to be either.   When Phil went to connect the unit to the electric panel, he said, "Wait, he doesn't have 200 amp service!"  Watson told him to connect to the 100 amp service anyway.   A now angry Phil refused.   THAT'S why I then had to get an electrician.   The soonest I could get the work done was the third week in October.   Watson used that as an excuse to do nothing, telling me the ridiculous story that they had to wait to be sure the upgrade could be done and the equipment would be OK, something neither the electrician nor NYSEG had ANY concern about.   Further, still, to this day, nothing is hooked to the electrical panel, so any and all work done since could have been done before the third week of October.
  
  Phil now gone, Wayne, who doesn't really know what he's doing, showed up here and there, for an hour or so usually, and basically accomplished cutting four unnecessary holes under the roof to my attic, holes still there today.   Units are sloppily installed, with extra holes, crooked connections to the attic lines, and in one case, a line so crooked the lines cannot be encased to hide them from unsightly view.   
  Some of lines in the attic are kinked, literally kinked so they are worthless, as well as one of the lines to the outdoor unit.   
  
  And still, up to this point, Watson and I had a cordial relationship.
  
  Then the continually excuses, no shows, late shows, promises to finish, no shows, more excuses, always something.   They the "well, the weather is bad for this and we're busy," when the damn job could have been finished in October.  But, even though it was completely paid for, he didn't do that.  
  
  Dec. 3 I texted a formal "demand letter."   More promises, no shows, over and over and over and over and over.   Yep, things turned uncordial at this point.   I had enough of the crap, and said so.   And?  More of the same.   Finally, a few weeks ago, I hired someone else to finish the job, and billed Watson for the cost and for the cost of repairing the damage he did to the home.   
  
  So far, he has again delayed.  If he shows up with a cashier's check, we can settle.  Instead, so far, he's writing this nonsense.   I filed this BBB complaint over a month ago.  Only now does he respond.   I filed a complaint with the Consumer Protection Agency.   He ignored them.   So, I filed a complaint with the Attorney General.  The Clinton County District Attorney tells me there's a good case here for "Scheme to Defraud," as Second Degree offenses need only have one victim, and because the amount exceeds $3000, a case for Grand Larceny as well.   He says this is a slow time of year for them -- previously, they were too busy!   Wth.
  
  I have been in contact with NYSEG/NYSERDA and the new contractor to salvage the rebate situation.  That's in process. Still a few hoops to jump through on that.   
  
  Watson is dishonest, disorganized, unqualified, underfunded, understaffed, inept at running a business, and guilty of multiple violations of NYS law and of the Clean Energy Rebate program.   
  
  As for the site, I explained from the start, I retired abruptly by choice, dumped everything in the new house, and promptly got sick for months, which resulted in the current mess, followed by a serious car accident and month of recovery.   I have been up and about since March, still in PT but OK, and taking care of multiple issues here, starting with grass, trees, house repairs, etc.   One thing at a time.    
  
  If he didn't like it, he didn't have to take the damn job.  I wish he hadn't.  We'd both be happier.   
  
  At this point, if he shows up with the financial settlement, we'll both move forward with that resolution.
  
  Since I won't believe him until a check is in my hands, legal action will commence, criminal and civil, until the moment I have that check.   His delay, excuses, and dishonesty are well documented (something the Attorney General's office asked me to do for them).   I haven't contacted the State Police yet as the District Attorney advised me to do;  I will do that later this week if I still don't have a settlement check.  
  
  I was patient and my usual amiable self for months.  I got screwed in return.   No more.
  
  Regards,
  
  Tim Emerson
  
  
  
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:12/07/2024

  Type:Customer Service Issues
  Status:

  UnresolvedMore 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.

  They installed a heating system in the 1st floor. It was never finished completely. Also, to finish the second floor, they required $3,000 to order the new system. We gave them a check on September 6th. After, several attempts to get them to install it, we requested our money back. On December 3, Kris W***** (owner) said he was waiting on his accountant to release a check. On December 5th, he said he was dropping off check. He never showed up. On December 6th, said he broke his hand and was in the hospital. Also, his phone was dead. However, he was able to withdraw the money because check wasn’t ready. I never received the money or check.

  Business Response

  Date: 02/05/2025

  The business has requested that the response not be published

  Customer Answer

  Date: 02/07/2025

  Better Business Bureau: I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below. Regards, ****** **********:I have sent him a demand letter in December. However, it was returned to me, since it was unclaimed. I then proceeded to submit an application to Small Claims Court. On January 29, we did mediation. He offered $1500.00 or to finish the job. We did not accept it and are waiting for a court date. My paperwork shows we paid $3000.00 for work & new system that we never received.Thank you****** ******************

• Initial Complaint

  Date:11/04/2024

  Type:Customer Service Issues
  Status:

  UnresolvedMore 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’ve paid initially $500 dollars for a manual j. They were “working “ on it while the job started. They came August 19th to measure and collect data. They came to install the heat pump in September 3rd. First they installed the wrong unit (AC) one only. Then didn’t realize that it needs an inflow out flow system. Then, the system had multi leaks. Needless to say , the unit did not become operational until October 22nd. As of today, despite many promises that I will receive a manual j report, this has not happened yet. One excuse after another. The system also qualifies for a rebate from Nyseg. There is a form the installer has to submit. I’ve been told multiple times that this was sent. Never received any confirmation of it. I’ve called the ***** rebate number and there is no application submitted under my name or address. This company has repeatedly failed to fulfill their end of the deal.

  Business Response

  Date: 02/05/2025

  The business has requested that the response not be published
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 02/11/2025

  Better Business Bureau: I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below. The issue with the heat pump has not been resolved. Mr Fixit group has failed again and again to submit the application for the NY State rebate program. After installing the unit, the application must be submitted within 60 days. The representatives from the program have reached out to this company to no avail. I’ve requested information with the unit number and model and I haven’t received this information yet. Upon installation, I’ve asked for the booklet information regarding the unit, but Chris had thrown it away by accident.  Regards, ***** *****