Complaints

• Initial Complaint

  19/06/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On or about August 2022, I purchased with my fiancé delivered concrete, from A1 Concrete in Thunder Bay. My fiancé at the time worked for this company, and they offered a bit of a rebate on the material. I believe I spent around $ ****** in delivered concrete, and had our hired contractor use it to make all new concrete pathways , driveway and other slabs on my property. Not sure much about this product, but was assured it was good condition by my contractor, at the time it was being poured. On or about March 2003, when we had some warmer days. I noticed my rear pathway’s had thawed down to the surface, where I could see the surface of my finished concrete was chipping and peeling off the surface. I had my fiancé contact our contractor and to tell him about the problem. I then had my fiancé contact his boss at the time about the issue. Both he contractor and the concrete provider, agreed they would look after the problem and replace the spalled concrete, that I paid for. My fiancé left the Company in May 2023,:and as soon as he left, A1 concrete owners Marco ********* and Louis ********* refused to take any responsibility in the damages to my property. They told my fiancé to get core testing done, which I’m going to do if I have to claim these damages in court. The testing is very expensive and it just adds to my hardship. I can’t believe how this Company treats customers. **** *** **** * ****** ** ***** ******* ****** **** ******* **** ****** *********** * I want what they agreed to, when we first discovered the problem. Now I want them to pay for new concrete, from a ********* company that can test and assure the product is good. $******** dollars is our loss. **** ** ** ***** The concrete is still spalling and coming apart today. I believe by next summer it will have mostly been destroyed. Concrete, if it’s made properly and Finished properly can last over a hundred years. My concrete might give me two years, before I have to rip it all out anyway. * *** **** ** ********** *** **** ****** ** ******. ****** **** ** ** ***** ** **** ******** ********* ***** *** *** **** **** **** **** ****** *** *** ***** *** ******** ***** **** ***** **** ******** *** **** ***** **** **** ** **** *** **** ****** **** ** ***** **** ***** *** ***** ******** ********* **** ** *** ******* *** *** ****** * **** ********

  Business response

  30/06/2023

  Firstly, for the record, nobody from our company has ever met or had any contact with Nadia ******* and although she may be the fiancé of Jackson *******, I’m not sure of her role in this matter prior to her correspondence to the Better Business Bureau.  Jackson ******** the complainant’s fiancé, is a former employee of A1 Concrete Inc. and any contact in regards to this matter has been with Jackson.

  
  During the summer of 2022, Jackson advised me, Marco ********** – General Manager of A1 Concrete Inc., that he contracted ****** **** ************ ****) to complete various work on his property located at *** ********* *** ** ** ******* **** ******** Jackson also advised that as part of this work, *** will place an order with A1 Concrete Inc., for the supply and delivery of concrete which will be used for the construction of a new driveway.  Those orders were eventually placed by *** for concrete to be delivered on August 11, 2022 and August 16, 2022, totaling 23 cubic metres of concrete.  The concrete ordered by *** specified 32mpa strength and air entrainment – both of which are industry standard for concrete to be placed outdoors, for driveway construction.  We’ve reviewed our notes for those deliveries and can confirm that the delivery of all concrete was completed successfully and without issue.  Most importantly, the contractor who ordered the concrete - ****** **** ********, did not, and has not, expressed any concern to A1 Concrete Inc. regarding the concrete delivered to this site.

  
  In order to address this matter fairly and correctly, we’ve taken the opportunity to review the concrete driveway located at *** ********* *** *. and just as I’ve advised Jackson ******* earlier this year, when he first advised me of his concerns, the spalling of the surface at an isolated area located on the walkway adjacent to the house appears to be the result of winter ice melting products applied to the concrete (ie: ice melting salt).  I’ve discussed the matter with ****** **** ******** and it’s also his opinion; the spalling appears to be the result of ice melting products.  This has become a common occurrence in our industry and is the result of a lack of caution taken by home owners with their concrete driveways.  Our delivery tickets which are given to our customers clearly state; “Winter de-icing products used on concrete within the first year of the concrete’s placement will result in scaling/flaking. A1 Concrete Inc. will not warrantee any concrete which has had contact with deicing products prior to 1 year of it’s placement.” (******** ****** ** * **** ** *** ***** * ********** ***** ** *** ******** *******). Essentially, concrete is still in the curing stages for it’s first year and extra precautions have to be taken in order to ensure it’s longevity.

  
  Furthermore, and most importantly, I asked Jackson in the Spring of 2023 if he had applied concrete sealer to the driveway’s surface prior to this past Winter.  He responded that he didn’t and wasn’t aware that he had to.  I explained to him that concrete sealer would have most likely prevented any spalling, as it creates a barrier on the concrete’s surface, making it difficult for any harmful products and/or adverse conditions to penetrate the concrete (ie: ice-melting salt).  Our delivery tickets which are given to our customers clearly state; “It is recommended that a certified concrete sealing product be applied (as soon as recommended by the manufacturer) to any concrete exposed to outdoor weather conditions and/or de-icing products (to be applied as per the manufacturer’s specifications)”. 

  
  Moreover, the complainant has made it clear in her correspondence that $********* was spent on this project and gives the impression that there was complete failure of all concrete on this project.  ****** ****** **** *** *** ***** *** ********* *********** ** *** **** **** ************** ** ****** ***** ** ******** ******** ******* *** *****  It’s important to understand, if there is an issue with the batching or delivery of the concrete, then the entire load is defective and that defect is visible over the entire area at which the concrete was placed.  *** **** **** ** *** ************* *********** ** **** ** * **** ** ******** ***** *** ****** **** ************* *** ****** ****.  ********** something occurred at that specific area of the project after the concrete was delivered. In reviewing the driveway, aside from the spalled walkway, all concrete appears to be in tact and performing as if should ********* ****** ** * ********** * ***** *** **** ****** *** ***** ** * ***** ** *********** ** **** ****** 

  
  It must be expressly understood, A1 Concrete Inc.’s only responsibility is to supply and deliver the product specified by the customer and/or contractor for the project (32mpa strength with air entrainment).  I’ve reviewed this matter very thoroughly and cannot find any error and/or deficiency in our batching or delivery of the concrete placed at *** ********* *** **  A1 Concrete Inc. was not hired to place the concrete, seal the concrete, or maintain the concrete’s longevity – A1 Concrete Inc. was solely hired to supply and deliver concrete.  I’ve advised Jackson that if he’s not content with our position on this matter, he has the option to retain a qualified engineer to core and test the concrete.  If the concrete doesn’t meet the standard which was ordered, then we’ll have to review the matter once again and advise of options moving forward.  On the other hand, it is the home owner's responsibility to maintain the concrete driveway properly.  The approximately 15 tonnes of gravel which has been placed on the concrete driveway for over a month now and also the oil stains on the driveway (**** ** ***** *** ******* ** *** ******** *******) are representative of a home owner whom has not made maintenance of the driveway their priority. 

  Also for the record, our concrete is tested frequently and meets industry standards consistently (**** ******** ****** * ******** **** ****** *** ******** ******* *** ***** ***** ** **** ******** ***** *** *** ******** **************).  Our concrete plant, concrete trucks and batching accuracy are inspected annually by *** *********** as part of the requirements set out by Concrete Ontario whom sets the standards for ready-mix concrete throughout the province (**** ******** *** ****** *********** ** ********** **** ******** *******).  We supply ready-mix concrete not only to residential customers, but also to numerous City of Thunder Bay contracts and meet their standards consistently as well. 

  
  ******* ** ******** ** *** ************ ******** ****** ******* ****** *** *********** *** **** *** **** ******* ** *** ***************  * **** **** ** ** **** ********** *** **********  The foundation of our company was established by my father when he started his business in Thunder Bay in 1972.  My brother Louie and I grew up working in his business and eventually expanded to different facets of the construction industry, primarily to ready-mix concrete.  We’ve been operating with our family business for 50+ years and have become very reputable in the community, known for quality service and quality products.  *** ****** ********* ** *** *********** ******* ** ****** ** ************* *** ********** ******** *** *******
  ************ *** ********** ** ****** ******** ******* ** ****** *********** ** ********** ** ******** ******* **** ********* ** ** ******** ** ******* **** **** ** **** ***** ***** *** ********** ***** ** *** ******* ** ***** ******** ****** *********** **** ******** ******* ** ******* ** ******** ******** **** ** ******** *** ****** ***********
  

  Customer response

  04/07/2023

   
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because: firstly, there has never been the use of salt products on my property. *** ***** ****** **** **** ******* ** *** ******** *** **** ** ** *** ********* My question is how do they know the MPA value of concrete when they don’t test it ? Also, they state that ****** **** ************ didn’t make any comments to them in regards to our concrete spalling. This statement is completely untrue, we know for a fact that Fern ****** made several complaints about the concrete at our property, and we were told that they were both in on repairing the damages in whole. *** **** **** ** ******* **** *** **** *** **** ******** ***** ** ******* ** **** ***** ******* **** ** **** ***** ******* *** ***** ** ***** ******* *** *** ******* **** ***** *** ****** *** *** *** ********* *** ******* *** *** *** ******* **** ****** *** ** **** * ***** ** *** ******** ** *** ******** ** **** ******** **** ** ********* ** *** ** ***** ***** ***** ****** ** *** ******** **** ***** ******* ** *** ** ***** ** ***** *** ******  
  Sincerely,
  
  Nadia *******

*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. ↩