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:05/23/2023

  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.

  February 2022 until this date. The contractor only met with me and the design team. Kingdom Karpentry was to come to my home on several occasions for measurements, wiring specs, and the like. No one ever came. I was contacted twice by the lead contractor/owner of Kingdom Karpentry notifying me of the illness of one of his sub-contractors, thereafter I didn't hear from him again. I have been calling the company weekly to resolve this issue since January 2023. My mother passed away in September of 2022. The renovation was being done to benefit her living, thus the job was slowed, then not approached. However, upon my ability to speak to people for business purposes, I reapproached Kingdom Karpentry. Once a young lady returned my several phone calls telling me, ******, the owner would return my call at a later time during that day. No return call came to my phone or my email. I am at my wits end. This is too much money to have just walk away from me. Please help me.

  Business Response

  Date: 06/14/2023

  To whom it may concern,

  Enclosed please find the answer to the notice that was sent to Kingdom Karpentry in reference to ************************* ******'s complaint.  If you need further information please let us know.

  She agreed and paid for our Project Development Agreement.  We spent over 50 hours developing her project, which consisted of multiple site visits, my meetings with her, my project manager, and subcontractors. We talked with the local building inspectors and showed them the plans, and started filing out the permit (to see if there would be any road blocks ahead of time), and worked on several options to build her proposal, scope of work and specifications to try and fit her plan and budget which changed several times, and multiple meeting with my team and the architect. 
  

  Unfortunately, she chose not to move forward, to the next stage of construction, due to her budget limitations. We were upfront with her from the beginning about the possible costs of the project. Finally, she reached out to me and said she was going to try and get some additional contractors to give her prices,  and she wouldn't get any additional services from us. 
  Then out of the blue, a year later she's saying we owe money back.

  Attached is a copy of the Project Developement Agreement

  Dear ********************************,
  Here's your invoice! We appreciate your prompt payment.
  Thanks for your business!
  Kingdom Karpentry
  Bill to
  ************************* ******
  *****************************
  Secane, Pa *****
  Ship to
  ************************* ******
  *****************************
  Secane, Pa *****
  Terms
  Net 15
  02/14/2022Project Development$4,200.00
  The client agrees to retain Kingdom Karpentry to provide Project Development services for the above-mentioned project(s). Project Development services include but not necessarily limited to:
  meetings with clients
  on site evaluation
  review / research project with local
  building officials (if necessary)
  coordinate professional service
  providers
  preliminary budget development
  assist with the development of design
  plans & product selections (if necessary)
  lump sum investment amounts – NO
  line item Breakdowns
  construction proposal & specifications
  Kingdom Karpentry will form a Team to properly develop your project, composed of: Kingdom Karpentry’s Team Leader & Project Developer, ***** *******, and others as required by your municipal officials and CLIENTS.
  Project Development work will be completed and invoiced per the Fee Schedule outlined on page two. A retainer fee of 7% of the mid-range proposal ($60,000) fee(s) is due upon signing of this contract. Actual hours will vary according to the type of project and the amount of work / revisions the CLIENTS’ request.. CLIENT will be invoiced for hours, materials and professional services that exceed the retainer fee work scope which is outlined above.
  ?
  The money paid for Project Development work will be applied proportionately toward the final payment of a construction contract with Kingdom Karpentry for work commencing within one (1) year of the Project Development Agreement. NOTE: Design time related to projects that were developed or designed but not being built by Kingdom Karpentry, will not be credited.
  This Project Development Agreement does NOT place your project into our production schedule. You must sign a Letter of Intent (at any time) or Construction Contract (after PDA is complete) with a 25% nonrefundable deposit (of the mid-range Opinion of Probable Costs) to be placed in the production schedule.
  Project Development Agreement
  FEE SCHEDULE
  Direct in-house Labor billed @ $125.00 per hour [Any work started before a signed contract for any preliminary reasons]
  Cost due upon signing is $4200
  ?
  Credit Card Terms
  We accept personal credit cards (********** and **** only) with an additional 3% convenience fee
  ?
  ?
  CLIENT may, with written notice, cancel this contract with the understanding that full payment is due for all work performed up until receipt of the written notice.
  1 X $4,200.00
  Balance due$4,200.00