Complaints

• Initial Complaint

  11/19/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Unresolved

  More info

  Our experience has been profoundly distressing, leaving our family, including two young children, displaced from our home. Despite having the approved plans for months, this construction company excavated incorrectly for an addition to our existing home, disregarding the plans entirely. They repeatedly assured us they were ready to pour concrete, only to abandon the project, leaving our home in a dangerously compromised structural state. This forced us to rush and engage a new contractor to take corrective actions to protect our home. To make matters worse, the company has filed a lien against us, despite the significant costs we have incurred to correct their egregious errors. This is the same company that promised to work amicably with their customers when issues arise. In the final weeks of their work, we questioned the ******* directly about whether they had taken on more than they could handle. His response was to defer us to the general manager. Even one of their employees admitted that the head ******* was disappointed in how the project was being handled. We are heartbroken by the deceitful actions of this company and the harm they have caused our family. However, with the support of our community, we hope to bring attention to their misconduct and prevent others from enduring similar hardship.

  Business response

  11/21/2024

  To Whom It May Concern,
  
  We appreciate the opportunity to address the concerns raised and provide a clear explanation of the situation regarding the project. Below is a detailed response outlining the key points of concern:
  
  1. Contract Agreement and Scope of Work:
  - The signed contract between Better Together Builders (BTB) and the homeowner outlines a clear and detailed scope of work for building a basement and first-floor addition.
  - We received a set of approved architectural and engineering plans provided and paid for by the homeowner, which the job was supported to be performed according to those plans. 
  (The plans were created and approved before we were ever involved in the project.)
  
  2. Significant Plan Discrepancies: 
  - Upon starting the project, it became evident that the provided plans did not accurately reflect the actual site conditions. This included discrepancies in measurements, elevations, and details.
  - These issues were communicated to the client multiple times via emails, on-site discussions, and formal meetings involving the clients, their engineer, and our team. While partial corrections were made, these updates were never submitted to the city for approval. Examples of discrepancies include:
  -Misalignment of window, door, and staircase locations with site measurements.
  -Ground level differences exceeding three feet compared to the plans.
  - Mismatched driveway elevations between the client's property and the neighbor's property.
  
  3. Safety and Structural Integrity Risks: 
  -According to the plans, proper Civil Engineering Structural Plans and shoring were required to safely proceed with work under the existing house. This was repeatedly communicated to the client, but they insisted we proceed without these essential plans.
  -Our General Manager consulted the project with the engineer, who confirmed that he advised the clients not to proceed without obtaining a Civil Engineering Structural report, which the clients declined to pay for.
  
  4. Work Performed 'By Owner' Outside the Contract:
  -Additional Excavation, grading, plumbing, and sewer work conducted by the homeowner deviated significantly from the plans. This included unapproved soil removal, trenching, and driveway alterations, all performed without mechanical engineering details or specifications. that was not part of Better Together Builders scope of work. 
  
  5. Repeated Communication and Client Instructions: 
  - We raised all these issues with the client through emails, phone calls, group messages, and in-person meetings. Despite our warnings, the client consistently instructed us to "proceed with the job." We emphasized that accurate city-approved plans and Civil Engineering reports were essential for safe and compliant project continuation.
  
  6. Access Denial and Payment Issues: 
  - On August 27, 2024, the homeowner replaced our company lock with their own, denying us access to the job site.
  - Additionally, the homeowner issued a payment for a contractual stage but subsequently canceled the check and stopped the payment due under the signed agreement.
  
  7. Commitment to Resolution and Compliance: 
  -Better Together Builders has been willing to continue the project, provided that all necessary documents and plans are submitted to ensure the safety of the property, employees, and subcontractors.
  -Our subcontractors are licensed, bonded, and insured, and we have always operated with the utmost professionalism and integrity.
  
  
  Please let us know if there are additional questions or if further clarification is required. We remain committed to finding a fair and safe resolution for all parties involved.

  Customer response

  12/10/2024

  We are deeply frustrated and disappointed by the contractors ongoing misrepresentations, which raise serious concerns about their integrity. This issue is particularly disheartening because we relied on reviewslater flagged on yelp for originating from the same IP addresswhen selecting them for this important project.
  Our concerns about their negligence remain unaddressed. They failed to excavate according to the soil report, which explicitly called for trench excavation, a form of shoring. Despite our repeated attempts to clarify this critical requirement, it appears they still do not fully understand.
  Our engineer, as well as the city, did not call for civil engineering intervention. The proof of this lies in the current contractors ability to step in, stabilize the home, and make significant progress under the same plans that *** continues to challenge. It became evident *** could not complete the job when their own employees voiced concerns about the lack of progress in the final weeks. Although they promised to remove the ******* in charge, they did not follow through on that promise, further eroding trust.
  Their claim that we asked them to proceed with the project is blatantly false. Documentation from their assigned project manager clearly confirms that a shoring plan was never required. Every subsequent contractor who has seen it has expressed shock at the condition in which it was left.
  Regarding the $15,000 dispute, we have already paid $21,000, which was meant to include demolitiona significant portion of the job that remains incomplete. This payment was made in good faith with the expectation that demolition would follow.
  Rather than approaching these matters with a spirit of understanding, the contractor has continued to make statements that appear self-serving. We shared with them the profound personal challenges our family has endured over the past five years, and building this home represented hope for a brighter future. Despite this, their actions and responses have demonstrated a lack of empathy, integrity, and accountability.
  
  Sincerely, 
  ****** ******
  

  
  

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