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:06/06/2023

  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.

  I hired ***** in May to complete a bathroom renovation and painting. Tile, new toilet and vanity, and baseboard and hang hardware and cabinet, and paint downstairs ceiling. I paid him in full. He was VERY UNPROFESSIONAL. Initally he said he'd be done in a weekend which turned into over 2 weeks and not completed. $900 labor $350 “materials” in never saw receipts for $80 more materials $35 thinset from stuff that dried out because he left it uncovered and wanted me to pay $1365 TOTAL Things ruined by his carelessness: $50 **** fan $40 spin mop bucket $30 drop cloth Paint on carpet Stained driveway with thinset More paint Unprofessional work: - cut finger and left bloody mess for me to clean -had my son and I help carry vanity and toilet upstairs -ruined spin mop bucket - stained driveway and game with thinset -stayed at my house until well after 11:30 and even as late as 2:30 am one night - never on time -ruined $50 **** tower fan -spilled paint on tarp and carpet and ruined tarp -towel bar too high and close to shower -cabinet off center -outlet not GFI up to code - tile done wrong and grouted with different colors -“lost” bathroom door replaced with one that doesn’t match others - disrespectful, unprofessional and rude through text -put paper towels and trash down toilet and drains -rigged vanity with a piece of wood after the backsplash fell off wall - vanity not lined up with backsplash -sink not working - did plumbing wrong -left his trash and mess for me to clean - messy caulk - ceiling painted- still see stain -got paint on towel bar -disrespectful texts -expected my son and I to help -spilled paint on $30 tarp and threw away I had someone come in after he "finished" and they were horrified by mistakes. Sink didn't work, grout had to be stripped and redone, hardware had to be rehung bc not centered, vanity had to be ripped off and reattached, plumbing had to be redone. This cost me additional hundreds of dollars to fix his faulty work.

  Business Response

  Date: 06/14/2023

  Thanks for the Glorious review/complaint, ******** **** and  for the delivery and your service Better Business Bureau. I appreciate your time and hope your read my side of the story.
  I was referred to *** ******** from a longtime friend and colleague that has her own contracting business for over 25 year, first referral I got from a friend (made me feel appalled). I had to give an estimate for this job was described as a "small tile job." I told my friend **** sure I would check it out.  I recently left my 16 year career job as a Chef, and General Manager for a multi-restaurant corporation.  This was my third Job since starting my new business.  

  I went to the home on ******* ***** in Macungie, Pa and the homeowner ******** **** had started show me error after error in her town-home.   Starting with her BASEMENT that had wet, smelly rank carped has floods and that hasn’t been dried or attended to in years before covid because she is too busy as a Single Mom school teacher.  Next her TV ROOM stained ceiling from the children's shower curtain dripping through the ceiling. DOWNSTAIRS BATHROOM poor job and over paid,  then multi-tile and wood piece together un-leveled threshold and upside down installed floor trim (I never seen done this way, ever and she still has this there?)  Next was her MAIN BATHROOM Vanity white caulking around her sink to the wall turned yellow and brown from her makeup kit and not being cleaned she blamed on the previous contractor he didn't do correct and refused to return to fix it.  (That was a red flag to me.)
  
  Finally I get to the UPSTAIRS HALF KIDS BATHROOM.  She originally wanted to do ceramic tile install , then switched to linoleum to save money to cut her cost. (******** still very indecisive).  I explained floor installation is fairly the same it goes off of square feet. Linoleum is a little less for installation because the application process is easier although her last floor is damaging her ceiling and she still wanted to do the same floor to save a dollar? (Another Red Flag)  I explained in the long run do tile because you'll never have to redo it and from my experience it will never leak through again if done correctly (I have never had a single problem or complaint until now.) She had some leftover tile from the other bathrooms that she decided to go with bc I showed her it would be enough for the coverage of this half bathroom (floor being 4ft x 5ft)

  She wanted a price estimate of the Floor install,  New trim, New Vanity removed and installed, New toilet, fix holes ,sparkle Painting all the walls, and installing new towel, toilet paper holders, Mirror, and put together and hang new lighting above the sink along with a new cabinet to hang on the wall above the toilet and change the white plug outlet to match the other  was previous there as she requested me.  Downstairs tv room ceiling Painted, fix her main bathroom silicone job. (I ended up doing more work plus the items we took off to find out she wasn't gonna compensate me the $150 plus the laundry room (Another 100 she Verbally agreed too pay me at the end). I heavily sanded the surface mold and painted two coats for her to try to meet her needs for her new washer she ordered to come, she said she would pay med extra in the end but fired me and criticized my unfinished work.)
   I went home and wrote up out this estimate and emailed it to her. Week later she got back to me with a yes. I revisited her reviewed our terms and conditions, then she gave me a check for $900 for the labor and a separate check for the materials $350. (Why separate idk?)  ATTACHED is the estimate/proposal  and I circles what was removed original price for labor was $1050 minus the $150 she cut= 900) I ordered her a Vanity and Toilet on my **** ***** application for my customer so she saved another $225 plus (on my contractor pro discount), also I picked them both up and delivered to her home for free of charge.  **** ***** being 30 Minutes away from her home. I live 30 min from her house so driving every day to show my word is my loyalty wast enough for her.  That wasn't in my contract, only remove and install.  
  HERE I saved HER hundreds PLUS PICKUP AND DELIVERY on the =Pro contractor & Military Veteran Discount , plus delivery fees just on Helping her order the vanity was originally 799$ plus toilet$160, and marble backsplash$95)  I have all receipts and documentation bc I have a pro account with them, everything is on file. I WILL FIND AND ATTACH ALL THESE RECEIPTS AND SCREENSHOTS. She isn't telling you the main parts she is complaining about everything but the tile job to try to be compensated for something she got a great deal on.  To Demo a bathroom of that size is $5,000-$15,000.   I feel that i should be compensated for all the extra money I spent at her home that I never asked for it from her along with the work im gonna tell you I did and she didn't pay for  that wasn't in the contract and time I spent fixing her house.   
  
  I tacked every problem one at a time at this house being transparent and patient with her, and discussing her options to fit her budget and her needs. Im a ****** Veteran, a war veteran OIF. I work at a good pace and do what I say.  I told her the next day I would return between 9-4 or 3-10 depending on her schedule and her kids are in High School 15 & 16 years old as she refers to her children.  She said I could work anytime bc she don't come home until 5 every day so the house was empty which made good working conditions. This should have taken 6-7 days for all the work on the estimate. Starting my own business I work alone and work at a steady pace to try not to make any errors for they will set me back in time and for me that money.  Speed is only good with Accuracy or else the speed means nothing if you have to redo the work. 
  I was at that house every day for ten days straight minus the two days she told me not to come.  I put up with all of her repetitive harassing texts, re-questioning my daily schedules after me telling her the night before what the plan was for the next day, her not remembering my responses. Every night she go out and drink with her friends, the one time I asked her to pick up so more grout she mad a big deal over a 20$ bag only needed a little bit.  Then I reimbursed her with a gift card after hearing all of these stories how it was my fault.   It was like she if I asked her one thing was the biggest inconvience?
  
  I worked the weekends to try to finish even on Sunday. I was there when I said I would be and most of the time she was coming when I was leaving there or leaving to go out when I was arriving for the afternoon. For her to text me the way she did was belittling and immature like I was inferior and doing something wrong?  She treated me like I was a bad Child that needs a scolded and abused and would never be good enough contractor?  It was my first tile job in years and I was taking a mental abuse from a woman who couldn't provide me a ******* when I cut myself on accident. I used my own stuff I had in the car.  Making fun of certain things and using passive aggressive comments to try to get me on edge or tease me., very immature for a 48 year old single (divorced) Mom.  I never said anything negative until she complained of me not coming until later in the evening she was complying but then wouldn't let me work to finish the job not letting me come back.  I try to explain let me do my job and it will get finished.. 
  She ended up Texting me telling me not to come the next morning because she hired a Real Contractor to come out and fix my mistakes?   I wasn't even finished with the job I spend countless hours  on day to day catering to her Needs  Driving to **** ***** after arriving to her house to fix a plumbing problem using as a example and doing everything to get her bathroom where it wanted to be. So for her to call another contractor on a Sunday to come out on a Holiday Mothers Day Monday was insane and Unbelievable story to try to get me to refund 900? She called her friend that referred her to me, im positive for her to come and save the day.  I was on my way to her home I received a big text about her outlet that I replaced.  she told me to just get a white one same outlet to match, what I did. Now it's not up to code?  I have before and after pictures that's what I do to protect myself. she told me to replace the outlet that's what I did. Normal outlet , I replaced for a normal outlet. look at the pictures before and after.   Same style. THERE WAS NO GFI THERE BEORE , HER ORDES WERE TO REPLACE IT WITH A WHITE OUTLET.  SHE WAS out of code from the time she moved in , but now she's telling me Its my fault im a terrible contractor when all I did was follow her orders?>.
  

  Certain things I could have done better, like re-rout the plumbing lines from the floor to the wall would been the correct way.  To Cut the tile I just laid and grouted, and cut the Walls I just painted would cost hundreds more and time and labor, ********s solution was for me to cut the vanity in half. with the saw saw and that. didn't seem professional and correct I refused.  your wouldn't be able to use the bottom drawer the it would defeat the purpose.  I told her to let me do some research and ask my mentor on it and look in to it.  New marble vanity with a pull out drawer on the bottom,(699$) to rush it to go over your pipes extending out the floor wasn't an option for me. Wasn't professional, and still wouldn't fix her problem.  She ordered a vanity knowing there pipes don't come out the Wall, they  come out 4 inches off the edge of there floor. Basically a third off the way in their small bathroom.  So her lack of observation as a home owner and purchasing vanities took another day and running back and forth because she didn't do her homework and have the furniture or vanity there so I could seen it before I started the job.  she ordered it after putting more and more on my plate.  Compounding more unseen problems so she can save a dollar.  In the ******* we have 7 P's.   Prior, proper planning, prevents piss, poor, performance.  I didn't say it but now I will.  She didn't plan out the job with tiles and and appliances ready. she ordered as she went to save money.  Sometimes when you try to say 50 cents it cost you a dollar I learned in business.  Do everything in order and plan it to take your time and make no mistakes.  Slow and Steady wins the race I was taught.  Do a good job and be fair with pricing is my goal. Also to make my customer happy and to meet their time-line.  
  
  To conclude this Experience ill attach receipts and pictures with dates. She gave me dirty buckets and dirty stained tarps that I used to keep her home clean and not stained to find out she wants to be compensated for a bucket and a tarp?  I didn't get paid to Assemble and Install the Mirror above the Sink, the New light above the sink I took off -100, plus I rolled out the tv room ceiling two times to make it match the other paint-above the tv room with the paint she Gave me  that's another +50 so here is +150 she didn't pay me.  Painting the laundry room mold wall wasn't in the contract spot that's another $250 
  $300 She didn't pay me, add the discount for her stuff she is UNGRATEFUL FOR  $200 she saved then delivery gas fee another$100, This is $600 when I gather all my reports on spending it will say every Time i9 went there.  Inns end this cost me a lot of time and money.  I tend to overthink Jobs to protect myself, now hoping it will be smooth in and out to make  everyone happy.
  

  The Black cabinet I fixed and centered the last time was there. She Sent the picture she text me to fix it.  I had fixed that the next day when I was there.  She's sending old pics, idk why I centered that over the toilet . I did everything she wanted daily.  I fixed the door, and toilet was Seated perfectly for her not to complain .  the vanity would been fine it she let me finish because its my job no one will; know why I did what I did unless you worked in that house. every house is different.. the fact she shorted me the money and then told me to not return makes me not feel bad for her because the day were suppose to complete the job she wouldn't allow.  I asked her to buy something we needed one Time because she was there she made a big deal because she had to go out to the bar with her friends on the weekday.  She supposed to get the 20 bag of grout  and she got talked in to the 45 dollar bag.   I gave her a 55$ gift credit I had for there.  One day she was supposed to give me her credit card to pay she handed me an empty card so I paid out of pocket and never got reimbursed for certain stuff.
  
  If I did so something terrible I would hav refunded the customer the  money right away, I know that it took longer than expected but the outcome is always satisfying.  Seemed like in her comment she didn’t complain about what I came there to originally do which was the Tile floor.  she complains about towels and buckets tarps and things like this.  The ceiling downstairs whichShe DIDN’T even pay for, we removed out the contract in the beginning Most of her complaints aren't valid just like the GFI Outlets.  She never said to put that type in there she said to get the same one top match the toilet and other switch which is a fan timer.  Look through all the pictures you see a before and after pics.  If you can't afford to do the work don't do it .  do it right or don't do it at all is my opinion.  Not to mention I cleaned her Garage twice when iu was there because you couldn't move and it was a mess.  I just did it I didn't document it.  I had to work and cut trim and do other stuff in the garage. She didnt pay for the LAUNDRY ROOM MOLD REPAIR AND PAINT SHE VERBALLY AGREEED $150. Im seeking for Travel time of $100 plus the money I saved her with my Pro discount which was $225. The $150 for the light above sink Install, and the Ceiling downstairs that came out perfect before I left.  ******** owes to me 653.50$.  353.50 to be Exact but she Fired me after I did 95% the work to get out of paying me.  My opinion she took the easy way out.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 06/26/2023

  [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:

  The response from ***** contains many statements that are not true. ***** claimed that he had many years of experience when I hired him and that he was "licensed and insured".  Not only "3 jobs before me" as he just responded to my complaint.  His "longtime friend", ******* ******** he claims referred him is the one who brought in another contractor to fix all *****'s mistakes.  She was horrified at his work and felt awful for me.  She has since had to block him from communicating with her.  He is very arrogant and that shows in his response. He was HIRED and PAID IN FULL to do a job.  The fact that he's putting me down for being a single mom and lying about my free time is disgusting. He mentions being a Veteran several times (not sure why) but has the worst work ethic I've ever witnessed and is very rude, disrespectful, immature and unprofessional.
  

  Lies:

  - I asked him to work on things during the morning/day while I was working like most contractors do. He claimed it would take 3 days.  I NEVER said to come anytime as he claimed and honestly found it creepy that he was at my house so late at night.  I had to tell him not to use loud power tools and to leave every time he came.  I'm a teacher and my kids have school.  Why would I want him there late at night?  Total lie by him
  

  -He never came when he said he was coming.  I think he was on some kind of drug/substance and said he said  had a "medical marijuana card".  He was often spacey and didn't seem to know what he was doing and took long for him to do simple tasks.  This includes the night he cut his thumb.
  

  -Never showed him my basement. That's not what he was hired to do.  Another contractor previously worked on that.  The water was treated and not sure what that has to do with what he was hired for.
  

  -I paid him in cash for extra "materials" needed but never saw receipts for anything. 
  

  - He knew I didn't have vanity and toilet and insisted on starting without it. Said it wasn't a problem so why is it now?  HE offered to pick  up even though I wanted it delivered. He did not have to nor did I ask him to do this.

  -He complained daily about gas money and how far I lived.  He knew this prior to taking the jon. 
  

  -Claimed he was "licensed" but when I called to check he IS NOT
  

  -He wanted me to pay for things he lost and damaged- somehow lost my bathroom door and dried up grout but expected me to pay for his negligence

  -He injured himself and I helped him wrap his finger.  Not my job but I did and he lied about it
  

  -HE used my personal things WITHOUT permission.  He used a brand new **** mop bucket and ruined it. Laughed about it and said he'd replace that along with other things ruined such as $50 Omni fan.  Carpet stained with grout and paint from him also and ruined tarp because he spilled paint
  

  - He was paid $900 for labor and $350 for materials by check in full right away. In addition I attached a **** ***** receipt which was $147.22 for more materials and he was also given at least $200 in cash for other materials he claimed he needed. So total he was given $1597.22. I have since had to spend hundreds of dollars to fix the errors he caused such as ALL the grout having to be removed because it was done incorrectly. whole vanity/backsplash had to torn out of wall and redone.

  -Never asked him to cut vanity in half?  I'm not the "contractor".
  

  -He blocked me from communicating so he never communicated completing the job and quite honestly I feared more damage by him.
  

  ***** was hired to remodel my bathroom.  He has caused undue stress and many sleepless nights for my family and I.  He worked late at night and left a huge mess for me to clean every day. This has been the most frustrating and stressful experience I have had.    I had to take time off work to deal with the situation. ***** is inexperienced but portrays himself as the opposite. It truly disgusts me that he would take advantage of someone like this and not admit his faults. Overall, it was a terrible experience that I hope no one else will have to go through. 
  
  Regards,
  
  ******** ****