Complaints

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• Initial Complaint

  Date:06/22/2023

  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 hired ******************************* from Cedars Construction Co. on 17 Feb 2023 to perform restoration and remodeling to our first floor after having water damage. We provided ******************** with $60,960.00 and determined his quality of work was at best, subpar. We needed to find someone to re-stain trim and woodwork and have someone repaint our walls after finding his subcontractor only applied one coat of paint and without properly preparing the walls before painting. His electrician left junction boxes hidden behind walls and we need to have our toilet replumbed because of issues that would lead to leaking. We have asked for a refund of $22,275.00 so we can have the deficits repaired and corrected. **. ******** has not responded to our request.

  Business Response

  Date: 08/11/2023

  Good Afternoon

  This is my response to the above mentioned complaint. 

  Cedars Construction Co LLC entered into an agreement signed by the client ***** ******  on 2/3/2023 . His wife ******** **** could never make herself available to review or sign the contract. We received a down payment as is standard practice to protect our time spent. On our start date another deposit was due and that was $23140 short because they didn't have their finances in place. On good faith we proceeded  to remove wallpaper, repair drywall and paint all of the rooms on the 1st floor front and 2nd floor hallway of the home. From day one there was a content manipulation issue as they were reluctant to get proper storage for their belongings. The strategy always was to finish the front rooms, then jockey belongings from other rooms into those areas and proceed accordingly. This was a constant struggle. In the process of getting started on painting the client decided to replace all of the Hardwood flooring in the front of the house rather than refinish as stated in the contract. This was the first of many time consuming changes on their part. I had to get involved with insurance adjusters and meetings to convince the Insurer that these floors needed replacing. Not what i signed up for. I did however manage to get them an additional $20k for flooring. And that selection process began. They came back from my supplier with “12” selections. It took many hours and days to finally get a selection, gathering larger samples etc.  which of course was a special order item, and very costly.  Lots of time spent. 

  So now, the shoe molding already stained and finished had to be removed. Which would make this almost impossible for a perfect match, but they were seemingly OK with this. We completed the front rooms as per contract , But  suddenly they wanted changes , They decided on installing a custom made pocket door (by Cedars) to accompany a treasured piece of stained glass they had made. However this decision was very time consuming with Drafts of the door and decisions to be made. A wall had to be framed and drywalled and chair rail and crown molding removed, in an already completed dining room. Then they decided they wanted recessed lighting in the living room and dining room. This required some access holes in the walls and patch and repaint. On top of this, and keep in mind these rooms were finished, They decided on some Faux painting below the chair rail in the dining room. I spent many hours with Michelle going over what she was looking for in a finish. This was never a contract item. I brought in a very artsy painter just for the project. He made sample areas on the pocket door (unfinished area)., 4 samples. A pattern was selected the lower portion of wall was prepped and a small area applied to the wall below the chair rail for approval. Days went by and I finally asked if there was a green light on the Faux painting. ***** told me ******* didn't like it and she would do it herself. All of this time and labor wasted. 

    Carpet for the stairs and upstairs hallway was more difficult decisions. I have a carpet vendor who visited the client 4 times with different grades of samples. I was at 2 of those meetings and several without him to discuss selections, each time leaving with the feeling that we made a selection. Only to finally be told that they would go elsewhere and handle it them selves. Note that we could only meet them on late Saturday afternoons or on Sundays. Sometimes extending into the evening with trying to make decisions. 

    In the complaint they mentioned electrical boxes being buried in the wall. It was made clear to them that because of the strategy of doing the project some electrical was temporary until we got into the other rooms. As for the comment of one coat of paint and not prepping the walls is nonsense. I use this painter on a very busy schedule and never have a complaint. As for the toilet  resetting," because it could lead to leaking" is simply an assumption on their part. It didn't leak and was set temporarily as the flooring was still not finished. All Payments and additional items were made by a payment schedule in the contract signed by Peter Habeeb. As for me owing 1 box of flooring ? I only owe it if they should come up short, since it was not installed they have no way of knowing if I owe it. But if 1 box of flooring satisfies this I will supply it when needed. 

    Another  Item that decisions could never be arrived on was the Powder room. To keep things short We could not complete this room because of the constant go around and many hours of indecision. Wanting to use a special tile they purchased years ago and trying many designs and ideas, ordering accent pieces to try and make it work, many many hours spent and then to be told that Michelle will do it herself. They wanted special bathroom cabinets and then they didn't want them, then they wanted a vanity and decided no vanity. we couldn't complete painting the one wall because a tile decision couldn't be reached. There was also a fireplace/ bookshelf that we just couldn't seem to get a handle on, I'm usually pretty good at determining what a client is looking for but I just couldn’t narrow things down as they changed every time we spoke. 

    Finally the kitchen design was seemingly the final blow. With all of the indecision and changes and many meetings and discussions I started to become concerned. My showroom is small and although I have success with selections and satisfaction with other clients I made a suggestion that they use another vendor I had located with a much bigger showroom, so they could get a clear feel of the product and their selections. They could not find time in their schedules to visit this vendor. At which  point I said, with great discomfort, “i guess we are back to the original selection from my shop. As days went by I had growing concerns when I recalled that they had given me a rendering from another vendor from 11/2022 and a weak excuse as to why they didn't stick with them. I had made my decision that I couldn't deliver a 40k + kitchen with all of the past uncertainties ,with fear of it being rejected and being stuck for a very expensive kitchen and Laundry area. 

  There was no deposit on the kitchen or Laundry, but the Laundry design was completed using a different manufacturer. As I look back ,as this was winding down Peter was constantly asking or trying to find out what my actual costs were as though I wasn't deserving of a profit. 

  
  

  I feel that I did everything in my power to accommodate this client. When Peter suggested that we terminate I had to agree. As for Cedars owing money, as mentioned we were paid for work done and time spent per the contract. Its real easy to find a contractor to walk in and degrade another contractors work. Its like an open cash register as reflected on the list provided by them. 

  I'm sure I missed things. 

  
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 08/17/2023

  [To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed as Answered]
  
  
  
   Complaint: ********
  
  
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  

  Please see attached
  
  
  
  Regards,
  
  
  
  ***** ****** 

  Business Response

  Date: 09/15/2023

  Good Afternoon This is my response to the above mentioned complaint. Cedars Construction Co LLC entered into an agreement signed by the client ***** ******** 2/3/2023 . His wife ******** **** could never make herself available to review or sign the contract. We received a down payment as is standard practice to protect our time spent. On our start date another deposit was due and that was $23140 short because they didn't have their finances in place. On good faith we proceededto remove wallpaper, repair drywall and paint all of the rooms on the 1st floor front and 2nd floor hallway of the home. From day one there was a content manipulation issue as they were reluctant to get proper storage for their belongings. The strategy always was to finish the front rooms, then jockey belongings from other rooms into those areas and proceed accordingly. This was a constant struggle. In the process of getting started on painting the client decided to replace all of the Hardwood flooring in the front of the house rather than refinish as stated in the contract. This was the first of many time consuming changes on their part. I had to get involved with insurance adjusters and meetings to convince the Insurer that these floors needed replacing. Not what i signed up for. I did however manage to get them an additional $20k for flooring. And that selection process began. They came back from my supplier with “12” selections. It took many hours and days to finally get a selection, gathering larger samples etc.which of course was a special order item, and very costly.Lots of time spent.Paragraph 1 Comments : Peter claims the adjuster determined it would be better to replace hardwood. This is inaccurate, I fought to convince them that this would be best as they 1st determined it was a finished onsite product and I had to convince them it was a prefinished product and difficult to refinish. If they didnt understand cost then they should have asked. If you have ever seen an insurance adjusterbreakdownyou would understand. This is not how a contractor does an estimate. New special order prefinishedmaterial is typically more expensive than Finished onsite material. And Im entitled to a profit especially considering the time spent trying to get selections. As for ******* not signing the contract I was never informed of her concerns. Only that she was to busy working many hours which shall be reflected more as we go along. It seemed bizarre that a project of this magnitude wasnt given more consideration. As for the comment about their special needs daughter, Although I sympathize this is a totally unfair unwarranted comment. So now, the shoe molding already stained and finished had to be removed. Which would make this almost impossible for a perfect match, but they were seemingly OK with this. We completed the front rooms as per contract ,Paragraph 2 comments : As stated before the front of the house was completed as much as possible. While waiting for the flooring to arrive.Butsuddenly they wanted changes , Paragraph 3 comments: This is really just nonsense as we discussed at lenght the approach and we were on it until we couldnt go any further. As for the comment of being difficult living in the home, I belive if this was the case that insurance provides for temporary living arrangments. But Im to blame ?As for access and men coming and going, I always informed them of who, and when people would be coming and going. we even had the alarm code for when they were not there. As for Change Orders they were verbally conveyed and approved. After the fact, after they made payment with no complaint NOW they complain of not liking the price.Then they decided they wanted recessed lighting in theliving room and dining room. This required some access holes in the walls and patch and repaint. On top of this, and keep in mind these rooms were finished, Paragraph 4 talks about my inexpierience as a plumber. Attached you will find my Master plumbing licenses from Upper ******* township for years 2019 and 2020. I had not renewed in the pandemic time frame. As for the wrong color lines, we are talking about 2- 2’ sections of pex tubing and if you really need an explanation I can provide one. As for the rest of the negative comments of sharkbites being frowned upon Im not sure why that comment would be made. They meet code. Paragraph 5:They decided on some Faux painting below the chair rail in the dining room. I spent many hours with ******** going over what she was looking for in a finish. This was never a contract item. I brought in a very artsy painter just for the project. He made sample areas on the pocket door (unfinished area)., 4 samples. A pattern was selected the lower portion of wall was prepped and a small area applied to the wall below the chair rail for approval. Days went by and I finally asked if there was a green light on the Faux painting. ***** told me ******* didn't like it and she would do it herself. All of this time and labor wasted. I would be happy to provide many references for both of the painters I had onsite. If they were unhappy it was never conveyed to me in that manner. As mentioned before, its very easy to get another contractor to jump on your bandwagon. As stated inparagraph 6 the new painter posts on ******** referring to us as idiots. This speaks volumes as to the class act he must be. ****** fed the fire !!! Paragraph 6 : I did tell ******** that new baseboard and shoe molding would be expensive. It was there decision to not replace it which was a decision I did not agree with. This also include conversation of new sill material on the bay windows which they declined doing. The money they claim to have spent repainting would clearly have covered new trim work. IF there were minor punchlist item on the walls this would not be an uncommon occurrence. As for rushing the work this is once again the 1st Ive heard this. and i dont understand the comment of “I can only guess why”. This is simply not how we do our work. Paragraph 7They decided on installing a custom made pocket door (by Cedars) to accompany a treasured piece of stained glass they had made. However this decision was very time consuming with Drafts of the door and decisions to be made. A wall had to be framed and drywalled and chair rail and crown molding removed, in an already completed dining room.****** comments at length on transporting. I haul things all the time. I was prepared to wrap it in blankets. Its a lot of talk about something that never happened. Everything arrived home safely, but for some reason is still a problem. Paragraph 8 :Carpet for the stairs and upstairs hallway was more difficult decisions. I have a carpet vendor who visited the client 4 times with different grades of samples. I was at 2 of those meetings and several without him to discuss selections,each time leaving with the feeling that we made a selection. Only to finally be told that they would go elsewhere and handle it them selves. Note that we could only meet them on late Saturday afternoons or on Sundays. Sometimes extending into the evening with trying to make decisions.****** was relentless in trying to determine my profit margins as though I wasntentitled. He wanted the flooring supplier so he could call them, he wanted the door manufacturer. He spent many hours tracking down where I bought the flooring to cut my profit out.He even mentions it. He tracks down (somehow) andpicks up the last box of Hardwood from *****, not because he needs it but because he wants to know what I paid. To cut my profit. Inactuality ***** wasillegal giving it to him as it was in my company name. Does this not seem like obsessive behavior. and a little scary. He could have just told the insurance company the selection and that would have satisfied them. Paragraph 9 :Powder roomAnotherItem that decisions could never be arrived on was the Powder room. To keep things short We could not complete this room because of the constant go around and many hours of indecision. Wanting to use a special tile they purchased years ago and trying many designs and ideas, ordering accent pieces to try and make it work,many many hours spent and then to be told that ******** will do it herself. They wanted special bathroom cabinets and then they didn't want them, then they wanted a vanity and decided no vanity. we couldn't complete painting the one wall because a tile decision couldn't be reached.My comments remain the same as before. Many many hours of my time spent with no final decision and no consideration as to what my time is worth. I only make suggestions, notselections. Paragraph 10: I can refinish “refinishable hardwood” for 1/4 of the cost of special order Prefinished hardwood. So all these numbers make him an expert wy after the fact. Bottom line is Habeeb signed the contract then wanted out. and I let him out. Paragraph 11: The powder room flooring was left in until decisions were made in order to keep the bathroom operational.He talks about a large bhole from removing hardwood. Yes it happen (I dont know if large is fair) but nnever given the opportunity to repair it. Paragraph 12Finally the kitchen design was seemingly the final blow. With all of the indecision and changes and many meetings and discussions I started to become concerned. My showroom is small and although I have success with selections and satisfaction with other clients I made a suggestion that they use another vendor I had located with a much bigger showroom, so they could get a clear feel of the product and their selections. They could not find time in their schedules to visit this vendor.At whichpoint I said, with great discomfort, “I guess we are back to the original selection from my shop. As days went by I had growing concerns when I recalled that they had given me a rendering from another vendor from 11/2022 and a weak excuse as to why they didn't stick with them. I had made my decision that I couldn't deliver a 40k + kitchen with all of the past uncertainties ,with fear of it being rejected and being stuck for a very expensive kitchen and Laundry area.There was no deposit on the kitchen or Laundry, but the Laundry design was completed using a different manufacturer.He states that I did not respond. Not true. See highlighted originalcomment above. Just like not signing the contract, ******** could not take time to make this important decision and give us all a comfort level. Paragraph 13. Just a lot of repeat about myability perform Plumbing and electrical. He makes a comment about rewiring an outlet. It was more like sorting out an overload of wiring going into1 junction box. But it was done properly and I dont believe requires further explanation. there was not cost incurred by them. nd soul into this project. I passed on other opportunities so that we could focus on this project.Ifeel that I did everything in my power to accommodate this client. When Peter suggested that we terminate I had to agree. As for Cedars owing money, as mentioned we were paid for work done and time spent per the contract. As he thinks I owe money , I believe all the time spent and opportunities passed up that I owe nothing. This is my livelihood, its how I pay my bills and provide for my family. My time was spent dealing with and trying myhardest to accomodate them. Im not talking about 8 hours here. I'm talking about hundreds of hours, and when they wanted to meet with me at some crazy hour Saturdays and Sundays to meet ********’s schedule I was there. Its real easy to find a contractor to walk in and degrade another contractors work. Its like an open cash register as reflected on the list provided by them. In the complaint they mentioned electrical boxes being buried in the wall. It was made clear to them that because of the strategy of doing the project some electrical was temporary until we got into the other rooms. As for the comment of one coat of paint and not prepping the walls is nonsense. I use this painter on a very busy schedule and never have a complaint. As for the toiletresetting," because it could lead to leaking" is simply an assumption on their part. It didn't leak and was set temporarily as the flooring was still not finished. All Payments and additional items were made by a payment schedule in the contract signed by Peter Habeeb. There was also a fireplace/ bookshelf that we just couldn't seem to get a handle on, Im usually pretty good at determining what a client is looking for but I just couldn’t narrow things down as they changed every time we spoke. There is another situation that certainly impacted me during this project. In discussion with***** and ******* they talked about ******** starting her own business so she could be closer to home. I told them I have my real Estate license and metioned an off market commercial property that I knew about. This started a Situation of researching and visiting other properties and taking up more of my time. I didnt mind because it seemed like a sincere endeavor. But after many hours, more indecision and finally “no” decision that thought fizzled out. This just seems to be the pattern I found myself in.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 09/20/2023

  [To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed as Answered]
  
  
  
   Complaint: ********
  
  
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  
  
  Regards,
  
  
  
  ***** ******
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 09/25/2023

  I am not sure why you closed this case as he still owes me over $20,000.00.