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:03/02/2024

  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.

  House was started in July of 2023. We were given time lines for work to be done but they were not met. Options sent in but they were ignored. Fails to see he is working for the client. This is supposed to be a custom home. There is little to no communication. When I told them I was going to complain to BBB back on Nov. 21st, of 2023, I was threatened with "we will stop production asap". They have used intimidation, manipulation and have at times, been plain rude. There is WAY too much to post here. If an agent is assigned to this, I can send emails and elaborate on all the problems this builder has caused. There is poor management We are told things just to "keep us quiet". They need to follow through. They change the story on the things we chose for options then tell us all of a sudden they "can't do it". They install what they choose and tell the client nothing. When going thru the house, we see not what we chose, but what they decide to install. We have had to tell them several times about things. This is not aceptable. They trap you into a contract and then you are stuck. One example is the fireplace liner. We told them 4 times a brick liner. Project manager says ok. Then all of a sudden, because we are supposed to close, they "can't do it". Again, Not acceptable. From all I have experienced this company is not ethical. We were told we were not going over budget but now they are trying to charge more money. We were told by the loan officer we were staying at the original price, all of a sudden because we are supposed to go thru final walkthru, the price is more. I hope someone at BBB can please help us. As I said before, I can tell you much more than what I have briefly said here. Thank you.

  Business Response

  Date: 03/05/2024

  Good afternoon, We discussed this with the client and it seems like there were a lot of things that should have been discussed more in depth throughout the project. As a builder we were not able to have regular meetings due to the clients unwillingness to meet in person.  After the final walk through with the client the clients were satisfied and signed the attached paperwork. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 03/05/2024

  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, reasons for rejection are included below.

  There was no unwillingness to meet with the builder. There was not one time, **** refused to meet with him. There was a difficult time with communication. We received complaints that there were too many emails. The first email we ever received from the builder noted there might possibly be updates and not to question or ask about them. We were told they had too many homes to build to keep up with client input.

  There has been one issue resolved. The fireplace liner has been replaced with the correct brick liner. I should have sent in a complaint back in September of 2023 but was threatened with "stopping production asap". 

  The house sat with nothing being done for 6 weeks the summer of 2023. Poor management and lack of knowledge concerning building on property with city utilities. We were told multiple things prior to signing a contract. Once the contract was signed, we were told differently. There were options we chose that started to become "issues". For the showers we purchased a double handle unit. After being told it would not pass inspection, we spoke to the County inspector. He told us there was a way to get the 2 handle faucet to work and the plumber should be able to handle it. Our complaint to the builder was igmored and a single lever faucet was installed. 

  There are a few issues still to be resolved but according to what I have been told, they cannot be addressed at present.

  We were told about the "seed and straw" which was planted too early. Per the County inspector, March 1st was considered the first day to seed. Our neighbors watch the whole pross and kept us informed. 

  I hope the crack in the shower stall can be taken care of promptly, as I understand this is under warrananty. I hope the builder will keep his word and follow through on the remaining issues. It seems for a few options, we have had to complain for what we have asked to be done. Thank you.
  
  Regards,
  
  * *********
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 03/07/2024

  Hello,
  Additional information in regards to complaint #********. I did not sign off on this build. I was very displeased with how the process was handled and the manner in which we were treated.
  Thank you,
  * *********

  Customer Answer

  Date: 03/07/2024

  complaint id ********
  External
  Inbox
  
  ******************* *********************
  Wed, Mar 6, 3:44 PM (1 day ago)
  to ************
  
  Good afternoon,
  
  It has since been discovered there is now a leaky toilet to be repaired. The water has been shut off. These things need to be addressed and taken care of. Appreciate your help with these issues. It is not right that we are still waiting for certificate of occupancy as well.
  Thank you,
  * *********

  Customer Answer

  Date: 03/11/2024

  
  
  Good afternoon,
  Here is more information to add to complaint number ********.
  Cert. of Occupancy was issued yesterday, March 8th, 2024. Went to the house today to try and clean. I discovered there is also a dent in the same shower on the opposite side. Last summer, we had to wait 3 extra weeks for showers because they were not ordered a month or so prior to needing them and now there are 2 places in the main bath shower unit with dents. This is not acceptable. My guess is it was damaged by one of the subs because prior to installing them there were no dents. Both of them need to be repaired.
  
  The flooring has issues as well. They make a cracking noise in some places. The steps in front of the house needs a handrail. There are 3 people with disabilities needing the support of the handrail. I'm still checking on the flooring. Some of the baseboards are not installed properly as there is a gap between the board and the floor.
  
  Just because this house is not one of the builders higher end “projects” It does not make it right to be poorly done. 
  To be told that and made to feel inferior, is in itself an insult. I hope he will do what is right and see to it these issues are taken care of properly. A lot of issues with supplies not being ordered in a timely manner. 
  It has been my understanding from speaking to other builders and real estate professionals that supplies should be ordered well in advance of install dates. Again, poor management, lack of communication. Poor attitude toward clients.
  
  He changed out the door knobs from what we had chosen to what he thought "should" be installed. We chose the doorknobs to what we needed. We complained and thankfully they were changed back. We were told the house was "his project" and not to interfere. That is not correct thinking. He needs to keep in mind, he is building for the client installing what the client chooses and needs. 
  
  Appreciate your help in trying to resolve this matter. 
  Thank you,
  
  * *********

  Customer Answer

  Date: 04/10/2024

  *******************
  Mar 17, 2024, 12:07?PM
  to me
  
  Good morning *** ***********,
  
  Seems the builder has not made any attempt to address the additional complaints I sent in on March 9th. I guess I should not be surprised.
  I have since looked around the house further. The edges on the bottom of the interior doors are very rough, some paint looks chipped, like they were rough sawn with a dull handsaw. From what I have observed, cheap materials are used and the workmanship appears shoddy. I feel we were taken advantage of on the price as well. We did not go over budget and the last time we spoke to the loan officer we were told the 5% add on fee should not be needed. We were charged for a sewer tap that was supposed to be included in the cost of the house. If that was not the case, it should have come out of the 5% fee they added to the sale price. We were also charged additional fees for gas hookup. We were told in the office PRIOR to signing a contract they had experience with city utilities. As it turned out, it was not true. They gave the loan officer a closing invoice with no explanation or receipts to justify charging the additional 5%.
  Unfortunately, the fireplace does not seem to be working. I do not know if the builder hooked up the gas. We sent him info several times on what fireplace we would like to have. He messed up the order and the options. We did not want to pay $300 for the remote and he told us there would be a credit on it. We asked for a brick liner but it was not installed. The day before the walk through, he tried to get out of it but I insisted it needed to be done as he had the information PRIOR to signing the contract. The brick liner was installed but the log set is right up against the back of the fireplace with NO clearance. That does not look safe.
  We chose to install unfinished oak cabinets for the kitchen. That was a fight as well.
  When the time came to purchase and install them, the project manager wanted to charge another $500. to pick them up, even though we TOLD him 6 months prior, we would take care of the delivery. Always seems to look for ways to add on more fees. 
  The list goes on. 
  There were several other builders we spoke with prior to building the house. I deeply regret that we did not go with one of them.
  I know nothing can be done to reverse the effects or results of the ills we have endured dealing with this company, but I hope this will remain on the website. Perhaps it may help someone else make a wiser decision when choosing a builder for home construction. The stress and strife that came with building this house was not worth it. It's very sad when clients can't have a say in their "custom" home. It's sad when clients are told by the project manager the house is "my project" not the home they are paying the builder to construct. It's sad to be made to feel you have nothing to say about how the process goes. It's sad to be locked out and not allowed to go in to observe progress.
  The garage door was installed but the project manager did not give us the code for weeks. It's sad to be told one thing prior to signing a contract, then it's different as things progress. It's sad to be manipulated and threatened that progress would be "stopped "asap" if we chose to send a complaint to BBB. It was my error to not have ignored such a statement and sent a complaint to BBB anyway.
  Again, the list goes on but hopefully enough said for now. If emails are needed to confirm these things, I have them. The loan officer was copied to them as well as our realtor.
  Our neighbors went with a different builder. When they saw what we suffered, they told us "I guess we didn't have it so bad after all".  I regret not going with a different builder. We had a modular home in 2003 and sold it in 2016. There was not one issue with that home. The people living there now are also enjoying the benefit of this quality home. If it were not for the location, I would never have moved from there.
  Please do not close this case as there are issues the builder needs to address. I guess we will see if he follows through. We were told a lot of things PRIOR to signing a contract but afterwards, their story changed. In all honesty I feel we have been taken advantage of both financially and ethically.
  

  It has been over a month and have not a reply from the builder. There are still things that need to be corrected.  
  Can you please post my complaint to the BBB website. I'm hoping it can help others to make a wise decision when choosing a builder. Thank you.
  * *********
  Thank you again for your assistance,
  
  

  
  

  Business Response

  Date: 04/18/2024

  
  Jonas S*******
  Attachments
  Apr 17, 2024, 4:25 PM (18 hours ago)
  to me
  
  Attached is the contract and the proposal details that were signed by the owners. The fireplace is being taken care of. The supplier ordered the standard gas fireplace and had to order a part to convert the burner to a natural gas fireplace. The 5% was used for the external sewer and gas connections. These were not in the contract and were the owners responsibility. The fireplace we installed were from our local distributor. He supplies and installs the units as he is licensed/insured installer. I do not have insurance to install fireplaces and had a conversation with the client about why I can't order something they picked online and have it shipped and install it without being insured for that. As I told the client, I cannot take the risk of it burning the house down and not be covered by insurance. That is why contractors use licensed plumbers, electricians ect. The unit installed looks like the one they chose but is the brand that the installer sells and warrantees. As for the bathroom faucets, the ones they brought me would not pass inspection as they were not stamped with the lead free certification required in Ohio. I physically took them to the health department and showed them to the inspector and he said that they will not pass inspection anywhere in Ohio. When the client wanted to buy the cabinets from **** ****** in ********* we told them we do not use that supplier due to them not having delivery. The client insisted on buying from that supplier due to they were trying to save money. When it came time for delivery the supplier wanted to contract a 3rd party delivery that would have cost an additional $500. Since I do not have an enclosed trailer big enough to deliver the cabinets, I offered the client to rent a U haul trailer and deliver them but they are responsible for the delivery cost per conversation with the salesman at POS. I gave the owner the code for the garage door with in a few weeks of installation. Per the section "Site visits and inspections" in the contract I, the contractor, was to be informed and the visit needs to be scheduled and agreed upon. I let them have access to the project even though I was never informed of any of their visits. I had promised the owner to go above and beyond by installing the light pole in the front yard after it dries up the spring despite it not being in the contract. I would have installed it earlier but they sent me pictures of where it is supposed to be but then changed their mind and wanted me to move the wire I had installed to the pole location per contract. 
  
  Jonas S*******
  Harmony Building Company
  Phone ###-###-####
  

  
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 04/18/2024

  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, reasons for rejection are included below.

  I have sent an update to Ms. Shackleford this morning for her review explaining the same things I sent to the company this morning. I'm hoping this can be resolved peaceably. I do not appreciate the way we have been treated. As I wrote in my email this morning to the company, they did mot tell us to avoid **** ******, they told us Lowes had "crappy" cabinets. On several ocassions, the company was told via email and in person, WE were responsible for delivering the cabinets. The issue is the company uses another cabinet makers that is much more expensive and we opted for unfinished to complete the look we chose. I'm sorry that this is not one of their "high end $500+k" homes but not everyone can affort that. This is a retirement home not a showplace and I though I made that clear when we signed the contract and spoke to the P.M. Irregardless, that does not make it acceptable to be made to feel as what we chose is less. That was told to **** buy the P. M. At this point I would greatly appreciate the company being honest enough to grade, seed and straw the yard correctly.

  Why the equipment mentioned this morning by the company was not used in the first place is beyond me. I questioned them about "seeding and strawing" because it was still Winter and the ground was saturated. Needless to say the inspection failed when the county came out. My only guess in this is that the company wanted to get it finished and did not care how it was finished, they only thought of getting their money. Even though I'm an owner on the property I did not sign off on the walkthrough. In my estimation this company is not about happy clients and building a quality home. I would never have signed off on such a poor job. Again, I have forwarded the communication with the builder this morning to Ms. Shackleford for review. Thank you.

  Regards,

  
  * *********
  

  Business Response

  Date: 04/22/2024

  
  Jonas S*******
  1:28 PM (45 minutes ago)
  to me
  
  Good afternoon,
  Yes I am wanting to get closure on this. The wife, who wrote the emails to BBB, has to be present for any mediation meetings. She has refused to meet with us since last fall. When she emailed us about a concern or complaint we would ask for a meeting and she refused and even sent the loan officer to meet with us instead. I am willing if she agrees to this 1 condition.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 04/25/2024

  Better Business Bureau:

  I would like to reject the offer of Mediation for complaint ID ********.

  At this point in time I do not see what mediation will solve. The financial, emotional and physical damage has been done. "They claim to have rolled the yard" but there are still ruts and holes making it very hard to walk on for someone with disabilities. Because the proper job was not done on the yard, it will cost us more to try and have it passable. This will be an additional financial burden as we are on Social Security and a limited income.

  For what ever is left needing attention, I can only hope the company will be ethical enough to take care of them. We have an email from the company that have sent in noting the light post was a committment they made to install. The broken back steps that were poorly constructed are "supposed" to be repaired on 4/26/25. 

  The only thing left I can ad is I should have heeded the warning I received not to hire this company for home construction.

  I regret the decision. Thank you for your assistance. I understand BBB's position needing to close the case. 

  Regards,

  * *********