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:06/27/2024

  Type:Order 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.

  June 10th, I rgot an invoice from Fowlers Tree and Fence, that I accepted and paid $1500 down on the job which they required up front. ***************************** reassured me that they would do the work. She had told me to pay the day before they started the job- and she advised me they would be starting the job on 06/12 or 06/13. They actually started on 6/18. They tore down my fence on two sides and THEN told me they couldn't re use my 6 month old panels. I bought new panels and paid them to deliver them. They raised my invoice for no reason. I agreed and they came the next day and cut down my posts and starting digging holes without contacting Okie811. They told me that they were hitting bedrock and they needed to rent a jackhammer and that would be an extra $120hr for 10 hours to dig 4 holes. I got my husband to talk to them- and he agreed to pay their price but we asked questions and after that they told me they were leaving to get the jackhammer and come back- 30 minutes later I got a text saying they were coming back because we were rude and they dont have to take that. I nicely asked for my money to be returned since they are the ones who decided not to do the work- and was told they didn't owe us anything. They charged us in a made up after the fact invoice for work that wasn't done and it is all documented with emails, texts, and video and photos. They left mine and both neighbors yards a mess and the materials they left are not sufficient to do the job. The final email states and I quote directly from the email, " Regardless - you have no right to talk to ppl like you did and call it asking questions and we can quit a job anytime we like. Think before you treat ppl horribly becuase we obviously arent going to put up with that when we did nothing wrong to deserve it. "Regardless of if we were rude or not- that does not make our money her money. The job wasn't done. We paid a deposit and they refused to give it back. I have more to say but out of characters.

  Business Response

  Date: 07/09/2024

  We tried to be very fair with these ppl but was obv they had a botch job and were tight on money. We originally estimated to repair the poorly installed backside fence then replace a fence on the right side.  A deposit of 60% of the original estimate was paid-as required for all of our fence jobs to cover the cost of materials and the trip charge. We did get started later than expected but I was in contact with her but they started stressing us bc of their previous situation. We made a special trip to drop materials off to show good faith. Upon arrivals and demolition of the backside fence, the crew discovered that most panels had been cut at various lengths-this discovery was shown and explained that the scope of work had changed.Customer was informed of an additional labor charge to be added and suggested to have a correctly done fence to get new panels.**** was told to leave and the project was put on hold.New panels were ordered, paid for by the customer then picked up and delivered by ******************* the crew began to dig holes for the new posts on the backside, it was discovered that there was rock less than a foot deep which would be impossible to get thru by hand and would need a jackhammer.This proving the previous company didnt take the time to do the work to make this fence sturdy/done properly.Again this discovery was shown and explained to customers that the scope of work changed again and that a labor charge of $100/per hour to jackhammer 8-11 holes that contained rock would apply.At this time, customers became rude, insulting demeaning and attacking our integrity.******** has the right to refuse to provide service to anyone which was then utilized.All materials that the customer paid for were left on site we billed for our time and making 3 different trips to the site and 2 for materials.They were just broke over it and expected us to work for little or free
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 07/09/2024

  Complaint: ********

  ??I am rejecting this response because:
  They changed price twice after the initial bid. I was able to have the job done for $2400 including all materials, including new panels on both sides supplied by the contractor. One man came to my house and did the entire job by himself without a jackhammer, proving that I was correct that Fowlers Tree and Fence were in fact trying to take advantage of the situation once they had my fence down and I had no other options.
  The itemized list of things done in their invoice that they created after they left my place-were not done. They didnt pull the old fence posts- they cut them off as demonstrated in the photos. They didnt haul off the old panels, and  they didnt move the existing panels to my neighbors yard. They did leave a mess in both yards and dug holes without having **** come out. They came within an inch of a gas line with their auger. The company who did do the job called Okie811 out and had the lines marked before digging.
  They tried to ******************* us for an extra $1200 to dig holes that one man dug himself(the new company who installed my fence) with a set of post hole diggers. There was no rock. All items that ******** Tree and Fence brought to my house and dropped off are still in my yard, unused. I would like the money back that I paid for the 60% deposit in good faith that the job would be completed. I agreed to a job and agreed to pay to do the services offered at the price that they were offered at and this company took my money and didnt complete the services that I agreed to.
  My financial situation is irrelevant but their claims of us not having money is incorrect. If that makes any difference I'll be happy to show that their claims are also false.

  ************ took down the fence between us and two neighbors  and abandoned the job and it took nearly two weeks to get someone else out to do the job. How Fowlers Tree and Fence think they earned $1500 for that is beyond belief.

  *********************

  Business Response

  Date: 07/16/2024

  Majority of that deposit was already spent on materials, the materials left at the job. No clue why they would buy materials again. The rock was shown to the customers in every single hole. We also didnt offer to do call Okie, customers have always done that if needed and its not always needed. The work shown was trip charges and demoing the fence - which means, get it down, dismantle. Whether it says pull or cut, the fence was demoed and the problem started after that. We basically wasted several hours of multiple days to try and HELP these ppl. We have NEVER tried to take advantage of anyone and its down right insulting. Financially, all they talked about was how they just spent thousands on a trip and were trying to nickle and dime everything. We shouldnt have to work for nothing or be subjected to questioning or attacking our integrity because they had a horrible fence put in the first time. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 07/17/2024

  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because
  
  We were being charged 10hrs@ $120/hr to dig 4 holes. We agreed to the charge to get our fence done. I asked questions because we know there is not bed rock at the level. The company who installed my fence- it was one man and a set of post hole diggers- after the lines were marked by Okie. You can also see in the initial quote that if a jackhammer has to be used- it's an additional $50 per hole. You can see in the receipt for payment that I didnt have that charge because a jackhammer was not needed. 
  
   They could have used the 6mo old panels- all they had to do was set the posts a few inches off
  
  They could have picked up their materials that they left spread out all over three yards and used them on another job and gave me at least a partial refund since they voluntarily walked away and I ask for that and I was refused. I am uploading a screenshot of my email with response.
  
  They left 3.5 new panels, 10 posts and 8 bags of cement. All of it left strewn about my yard as well as my neighbors yard. The contractor who came and did this job had no way of matching the panels that were left  and insisted to use their own industrial grade metal posts. 
  
  She states it doesn't matter if fence posts were cut off or dug out. I paid for them to be dug out. They didnt cut them off at ground level- they left 1-2 inches of sharp metal protruding. I paid for them to remove the old panels and they were not removed.My husband and my neighbor picked them up out of my neighbors yard and put them on the curb.  I also paid to move the previous panels to my neighbors yard and that wasn't done. And the "final" invoice claims all of that was done and it was not and I can prove it.
  
  I cannot see how it is my responsibility to call Okie before they dig- this is a business that I hired to do a job and I would think they are responsible for their own safety before they dig
  
  *********************
  
  

  Business Response

  Date: 07/22/2024

  Listen. We literally showed them the rock problem thats why they agreed to the jackhammer and it wasnt only 4 holes.

  
  

  We said $100/hr and never said for 10hrs, we didnt even know how long it would take 

  
  

  We left 5 panels plus the others we picked up for her and at least 11 posts with hardware and cement - materials alone was $1000 

  
  

  The dug vs cut of posts was never discussed beforehand 

  
  

  When there is existing fence we dont typically call okie 811 bc we dont offset posts by much to be an issue. 

  
  

  We didnt tell them they couldnt use their old panels, we just showed them it would be all different lengths and look bad, they chose to purchase new panels that we then delivered 

  
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 07/24/2024

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  

  We paid 60% down on a job to have 8 posts removed, replaced and panels put back up as well as reusing posts on another side of the yard to replace old panels with new panels. That job was not done.

  They have admitted they left the job voluntarily because "they can quit a job anytime they want to".

  We did not agree to give this company money to come to our house, cut down our fence, spread their materials and our fence all over my yard and two neighbors yards and leave.

  We should not be forced to keep the materials they left here when they abandoned the job.

  They have admitted we agreed to their jackhammer charges that were completely un necessary.

  They are flat out lying about the price we were told - *************************** told me and my husband both that they charge $120 hr for jackhammer and it was for 4 holes that they "couldn't" dig.

  Yet the other company did it with a set of post hole digger and a shovel- just one man.

  They took our money and didnt do the work we agreed to. We want a refund. End of story. They can come get the materials they left here when they issue a refund- they were not used due to being insufficient to do the job and couldn't be matched.

  
  Sincerely,
  
  *********************