Complaints

• Initial Complaint

  10/24/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  Mr. *** and Foundation Renovations came very well recommended so we had them do a good bit of foundation work on our house in December of 2019 (front two corners and middle section of the back wall - 16 piers total). The work came with a lifetime transferablewarranty. Mr. *** came out and provided an estimate on some unrelated water intrusion issues in spring of 2020 but we went with a different company for those repairs.Starting in late summer of 2022 we started to see some cracks reappearingas well as new cracks formingon the back wall and a small hairline cracking reforming on one of the front corners. Called Foundation Renovations around Labor Day of 2022, Mr. *** came out a few weeks later. We agreed that the front corner was okay for the time being and Mr. *** indicated that the back wall would need some work and was in the area where repairs were previously done.Called Mr. *** a couple weeks later to follow up and to ask what the damage would be. He again told me it was in the area that previous repairs had been done and it would be covered by warranty. He did caution that it would be a little while as he was struggling to get a third crew stood up. Completely understood, I think we all know the post COVID world has made finding help difficult.Didn't hear anything for about 6 months, called a couple times and left a message around Labor Day of 2023. Started calling every couple weeks or so for the past 2 or 3 months as the cracking is getting worse. Front corner that had been a hairline is opening up more as well; I'd like to get that looked at but can't get through to even request that.I'm sure with the dry weather we've had Mr. *** is inundated with calls but I'm at a loss for what to do. I keep calling but cannot get anything more than "I'll make sure **** gets your message." I'm trying to be reasonable and patient but it's been over a year and the cracking is getting worse. I can't even get an update of where I am on the list.

  

  Business response

  11/01/2023

  October 31, 2023
  
  BBB
  
  Complaint #********
  
  If I remember, Im not supposed to reference the homeowner by name so I will call him the homeowner or owner. As he stated, he contacted me or called me around Labor Day of 2022. I met the owner and inspected the area on 10/12/22 and as he stated I informed him we were down to two crews from our normal three crews and have been since Covid started. I know the owner has called many times since then and I apologize for not getting back to him. Our supervisor that oversaw the crews and handled this warranty work died in July 2021 and I have been doing his job and trying to inspect homes and prepare proposals, these people have called repeatedly also before, if Im even able to call them back. Adding to the labor shortage, my best crew ******* has been in and out of the hospital since mid-June of this year, mostly and currently in the hospital.I really dont think he is gong to make it. Two crews pays payroll, material,and most of the overhead, but not all, and no profit. If I pull an entire crew off and do warrantee work I probably will have to shut the doors. We have hired several more employees over the last several months and may have enough for the third crew if everyone will show up every day. Right now we are running two larger than normal crews and I plan on pulling two or three guys off these crews and take care of this homeowners warranty work. We do have several other warranty work repairs, some have been waiting three years, since Covid started,and we have performed several small warranty repairs. Many of our warranty repairs are homes that had two year guarantees originally but were extended to lifetime when we started offering this sometime around 2006.
  
  I apologize again to this homeowner for my inattention to his concerns and will contact him today or tomorrow and inspect again and schedule his warranty repairs.
  
  Respectfully,
  ***************
  Foundation & Structural Renovations, ****

  Customer response

  11/01/2023

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.

  Contact was made by the company and appointment scheduled for 14 Nov to take a look and determine next steps. 

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

• Initial Complaint

  08/18/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  Based on the recommendation of a very respected engineer, we contracted with with FOUNDATION & STRUCTURAL RENOVATIONS, INC (hereinafter “Contractor”). to repair the foundation of our home in southeast Huntsville in January 2009. The job was completed in February 2009 and the contractor was paid in full. Contractor’s final document granted to us a life-time guarantee. Recently, inspection of the exterior of our home has revealed large cracks in the mortar between the bricks in the area that Contractor attempted to repair. I have made several calls to Contractor in an attempt to notify them of the problem and have them come and inspect. Contractor has failed or refused to respond to my telephone calls. Because of apparent worsening conditions in our home we contacted another foundation repair service. The opinion of two different foundation experts is that the foundation repairs done by Contractor has failed. This is not the first time that Contractor has ignored us. We also attempted to have Contractor do additional repairs for us three years ago. Each time they were contacted we were told that Contractor was running way behind and could not get with us at present. That response continued for over a year. Finally, we observed Contractor’s vehicles and workmen next door making repairs to the adjacent house which had been under new ownership for a mere two months. I have been advised by another engineer to talk to Mr. **** ***. Mr. *** will not return my calls. We thought that the BBB should know about the unprofessional conduct of this Contractor.

  

  Business response

  09/13/2022

  First, I would like to apologize to the homeowner for the repeated calls/emails not returned. As all contractors the last three years starting with covid have been hard. I also broke my foot in multiple places just as covid started and really couldn’t inspect homes for five months and the estimator that has been with me since I started business in 1992 couldn’t keep up with the calls. Then a heart issue slowed me down for about 6 months. A year an a half ago this estimator had neck fusion and was out or useless for about 6 months. There is only two of us that inspect and design structural repairs and we get 8 to 15 calls a day. My supervisor that oversees the crews and been with me since I went in business in 1992 died last July so myself and this estimator have been overseeing crews and try to return calls and inspect homes and prepare proposals. This estimator stated above, originally inspected the home when repairs we performed in 2009. I have never seen the home that I am aware of. The home owner started calling again in late July or early August this year. This estimator called a couple times in early August and there was no voice mail and called on 8/19/22 and left a message since he got a voice mail and then was on vacation for a week. He finally made contact with the homeowner and inspected the home on 8/24/22 and stayed 2 hours for the inspection and talking with the owner. No additional movement had occurred in the area of our repair although none of the cracks had been cosmetically repaired. We don’t perform cosmetic repair to the brick but have someone we recommend. There was additional brick damage in an area noted in the comments in our proposal but since it was minor, no repair was recommended at that time. The biggest problem they have is the entire basement slab has settled or dished in the center which existed in 2009 but that proposal stated the owner did not want an option to repair due to damage to the glue down carpet in the entire finished part of the basement. We can’t guarantee raising a slab by pressure grouting since the grout still bears on the filled soil that settled. Pressure grouting is what he was going to recommend but didn’t give an option. The homeowner understood all of this and apologized for the customer review he wrote to you and complaint. I saw the customer review but didn’t know of the complaint.
  
  This estimator returned on 8/30/22 to take slab elevations in the basement where the settlement occurred but someone was sleeping in the downstairs finished area so this couldn’t be performed. This estimator sent the homeowner a proposal on 9/8/22 for pressure grouting the slab back up and installing deep drilled concrete piers under the bearing walls for guaranteed repair. Also repair of small isolated area of exterior settlement at the right front garage corner although we have not heard back from him.
  
  The owner stated in the letter or complaint that two different structural engineers had recommend us in 2009 and recently, that’s because we are the only honest contractor, do not recommend something that is not needed, and our repair process is better than the new simpler repair methods. He also stated two other foundation repair companies had said our repair had failed and gave him an estimate to repair. That’s what I would expect out of the so called salesmen that have never fixed a foundation.
  
  In closing, no failure of our repair from 2009 has occurred, all cracks in that area existed in 2009. Our guarantee states all cracks must be properly repaired prior to any warranty work being performed. The owner appeared happy after our two visits. We sent him a proposal for work in other areas that were noted on our 2008 proposal. The only thing we didn’t do is get back with owner in timely manner and most people that have called for estimate or put on schedule have called several times. We are shorthanded badly and down to two crews from our normal three or four crews due to the labor shortage and I will not hire a salesmen to sell something they don’t need. I apologize again to the homeowner for not getting back with him sooner.
     
  

  Customer response

  09/14/2022

  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID 17729129, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  

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