Complaints

• Initial Complaint

  09/15/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  We hired design Everest to provide us a full set of house plans including structural engineering, architectural, Title 24 etc, with assistance submitting plans for permitting with **************. We paid them $20,500 with the first payment 9/22/22 and the final payment on 4/28/23. They sent us an alleged final set of plans months after our final payment, but the architect had replied to that email stating the structural engineering did not work with the architectural design and would need to be re-worked, to which we got no response. The architect who was contracted to do the work by Design Everest contacted me a while later, asking if we had heard from Design Everest, because they had not been paid in full for our project and that they were in the process of closing, to which I informed him I had not heard from them, and that we had paid Design Everest in full for our project. I am no longer able to access the email or link to our alleged Final plan set so I have no useable documents from them to continue with this project even with a different licensed company.

• Initial Complaint

  01/16/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  I have paid in full, $24,000 + but have not received final plan drawings or information about the city's permit. The person I had been emailing now has an obsolete email address. I have called several numbers, left messages, and even reached out on ********* but have had no luck getting in contact with anyone. I do not know what to do. They have not delivered anything I need yet have taken my money. I am devastated and confused. The last message I got from them was in August , them telling me in a slightly incoherent way that we were waiting on the permit to get approved. Please please help me.

• Initial Complaint

  11/28/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  I paid everest in full a couple years ago to do engineering for two houses . one in fairfield and one in *******. They were to do all engineering and follow up civil and structural to conclusion and obtain the permit from these two cities. for two separate houses. a relatively simple task , I paid **** per house with numerous supplementary payments. totalling over ten thousand dollars. I submitted the plans for ******* myself and now looking for a engineer who can complete and follow up. I have not even submitted the one for fairfield. That will be a do over since no follow up will be provided by everest. The plans are useless unless submitted. The architect suggests a complete do over instead since everest wont follow up. I am requesting a refund of six thousand dollars to finish up what they claimed they could do seamlessly from beginning to end.

• Initial Complaint

  09/14/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  Feb 2022 to Sept 2023. I have paid the amount of $20,000 plus. They are to supply me with a permit of an *** in my yard. They have not done so. It has been an over a year a half and I still done have my plans. They have not given any help with the design and I have been on my own with trying to figure out what the *** should be and look like.I have paid the 1st and 2nd payments and now they are asking for the final payment of $5,100.00. They are now hassling me for that payment even after they have filed for bankruptcy On Aug 29 they said that they have completed the structural plans and wanted the payment ASPI was going out of town and emailed them that I would be back on the 15th of Sept. I am being hassled for this final pay with 6 email of threats if I dont pay immediately. Ironic isnt it, since they have taken over a year and 7 months and I am not sure they will be able to complete my order. What to do. I did fill a complaint within the company, that project manager no longer work for them.I am filling this complaint because I was relying on Design Everest to help me design and get the permits through the City of Berkeley, Ca. I do not feel I should give the last payment until I have a better picture of the conclusion. I have no idea how to get this to work but I feel I need to talk to a higher power within the company. I also want it in writing that it will be completed. Remember they sent me an email saying that they were filling for bankruptcy. Help

• Initial Complaint

  08/01/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  We contracted with Design Everest (DE) to provide the documentation we need to acquire permits from ******************** for our home remodel project. After initiating this process with DE over nine months ago (October of 2022), as well as paying $14,396.00 we have absolutely nothing to show for it. Although the staff were very professional, helpful and attentive prior to receiving our initial deposit of $8,998, almost immediately after making this initial payment we have been met with failure to follow through with dates/timelines, disrespectful and unprofessional behavior, specifically from the architect, false claims/promise for included services and gross oversight and errors in the documentation from the architect. We have quickly communicated our concerns at each step and have provided DE several opportunities to correct the deficiencies and comply with the contracted services. However, the problems have not been solved. Instead, we have repeatedly been promised that the errors will be corrected and that our project will be prioritized. We have been patient and understanding with each excuse and have made several attempts to provide DE opportunity to comply with the contracted services. And now, after being told that our project was receiving an internal quality review and that they "are considering your project top priority and working on the discrepancies so the plans are in line with your ideas we have not received ANY CONTACT from DE since July 10, 2023. Despite our reaching out to DE on several occasions (6 via email and 1 via the **************** link on the company website) we have received absolutely no communication from DE since July 10, 2023. This complete cut off of all communication is not only unprofessional but is completely unacceptable. Although there is nothing that can be done about the months that we have lost waiting for this contract to be fulfilled as promised, we are forced to demand a full refund for breach of contract.

  Business response

  09/15/2023

  On July 27, 2023, ****************** and Design Everest, Inc.  (Assignor) made a general assignment for the benefit of creditors (the Assignment) under ********** law.  A copy of the document evidencing the Assignment can be requested by mail or downloaded from: 
  
  *************************************************************************;
   
  Pursuant to the Assignment, Assignor transferred ownership of all of its rights in tangible and intangible assets (collectively, the Assets) to Design (assignment for the benefit of creditors), LLC (" Assignee") for liquidation1. Assignee will liquidate the Assets, wind down Assignor and distribute the net liquidation proceeds to creditors of Assignor who timely submit claims as instructed below.
   
  All entities asserting any claim against ****************** and/or Design Everest, Inc. must submit a proof of claim (the "Claim") and proper supporting documentation to the addressee listed below no later than January 23, 2024.  A proof of claim form can be found at: www.proofofclaims.com/design and completed online. The form can also be requested by mail or downloaded for completion, and sent by ************* ************** or facsimile to:
   
  Design (assignment for the benefit of creditors), LLC
  P.O. Box 530199
  *******, ******* 30353
  *************
  *************** Facsimile
   
  Any claimant who fails to timely submit a Claim in accordance with the instructions set forth above will be barred from sharing in any distribution of proceeds of the liquidation of the assets of Assignor and will not receive any payment from the Assignee.  
  

  
  

  Customer response

  09/17/2023

   
  Complaint: 20408174
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  This response does not provide any commitment to produce the contracted services that we have already paid for.  Nor does it provide any commitment to refund us the money we have paid for the contracted services we are NOT receiving.  We have given Design Everest over 75% of the contracted payments and have received absolutely 0% usable product.  It is completely inappropriate that we would be asked in this response to accept no services and/or no refund.  We have a signed contract and have made several timely payments.  We now have nothing to show for those payments and now are being asked to file a claim in hopes of receiving something once Design Everest is liquidated.  As a consumer, there is nothing acceptable about this response.    

  Additionally, it is extremely problematic that Design Everest,although under assignment since July 27, 2023, continues to receive an A+rating on the BBB website.  As a consumer we count on the BBB to monitor companies and provide guidance to us when a company has been compromised.  We fear that we are not the only consumers being hurt by Design Everest and plead with you, the BBB, to update their rating to more accurately reflect the compromised status of this company immediately so that other consumers are not cheated in the same way.   
  Sincerely,
  
  *****************************

  Business response

  09/19/2023

  My name is ***************************************** and I represent the Assignee, as described below:

   

  Design Everest, Inc. and ************* **** filed for an assignment for the benefit of creditors (Assignment) on 7/27/23. The Assignment is a state level insolvency proceeding undertaken under state law, in this case **********, with the primary governing law is found in **********. This Assignment process is similar to a Bankruptcy proceeding.

   

  The Assignment entity is a ********** limited liability company, Design (assignment for the benefit of creditors), LLC (Assignee).  The Assignee is a special purpose entity established to liquidate the assets of the Company, compile claims, and distribute proceeds, if any, to creditors according to the priority established in the California Code. I represent the Assignee

   

  Unfortunately, there is nothing that Design Everest, *** or ************* **** can do in regards to the complaints. The owner/customer may file a claim, per the attached.

  -******

   

   

  ***************************************** ************************************ ************** Direct/eFax www.sherwoodpartners.com ************** | *********** | ********

  
  

• Initial Complaint

  12/07/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  This email sums up the points:Dec 2, 2022 at 5:14 PM ******** wrote:Hello ******,Suggesting this delay is "unprecedented" is deeply disingenuous, as is claiming that resolving this is your companies "top priority." Design Everest (DE) was contracted exactly a year ago for a job that was supposed to take up to 4-5 months (this "padded estimate took into consideration the upcoming Holidays and City's review-time; as it was clearly expressed to me that DE could not account for how long the City would take to review and that they have been notably behind in their reviews so a "safe" estimate would be 4-5 months for project completion). Here we are TWELVE months later with more DE excuses about why this job remains outstanding; ironically, the City's review was completed in lightening fast time, by DE's standards. In the last 12 months, all I know about DE performance is "delays" and unkept deadline promises. In fact, the only time that DE has followed through with a deadline has been in collecting funds from me. Outside of that, every step of this 12-month process has required multiple calls and emails from myself and/or ****************** only to receive an occasional response back with yet another promise to have their portion completed at a future date that doesn't get met. You may want to relook at what "top priority" means to DE.Your company's lackadaisical work ethic coupled with it's extremely "precedented" systemically missed deadlines has cost me over $24,000 in missed rent, thus far. You have until 5pm, Tuesday, December 6th to respond to the City's plan check comments, with a cc to both myself and ******************. Failure to do so will result in a formal complaint to the BBB as a preliminary step followed by seeking counsel representation to assist in recouping fees paid to DE, fees paid to the City, damages to me for all of DE's response/production delays. ***************As of 5pm today, DE failed to acknowledge receipt of my email

  Business response

  12/14/2022

  We apologize for our clients frustrating experience, as well as for any unnecessary stress and inconvenience caused by the delays on our end. Our ************** Delivery Officer attempted to speak with her personally; however she was unable to reach her and left a message apologizing for her experience, as well as not acknowledging her email sooner.
  
  While the architect missed self-imposed deadlines on many occasions, he ultimately did address the plan check comments and submit the revised plans to the city directly on December 8th. As a result, we did not have the opportunity to review them on our end before resubmission. The revised plans were also forwarded to the client and ******************.  

  
  We are unable to issue a refund for the services provided since Design Everest has completed the contracted scope of work.  In the event the client receives any further plan check comments, they will be addressed under the terms of our contract.
  

  Once again, we sincerely apologize for the clients frustrating experience with our service.
  
  
  

  
  

  Customer response

  12/15/2022

   
  Complaint: 18535920
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  Looks like Design Everest (DE) isn't aware that ****** and I have spoken in response to her email.

  Here is the communication I sent today, prior to receiving this response from DE this evening:

  
  
  On Wednesday, December 14, 2022 at 01:50:48 PM PST, *********************** wrote:
  
  
  "Hi ******,
  
  
  Glad we had a chance to talk about what happened and how to keep things moving forward.
  
  
  To summarize my understanding, and our conversation:
  
  
  1.  Comments were sent directly to the City after-hours last Friday (12/9/22) by the architect w/out the built in review from Design Everest (DE).
  
  
  2. To date, it seems what was sent to the City still has not been reviewed by DE.
  
  
  In hopes of saving some time in this already extended process, in our conversation today, I requested that DE conduct that review asap, rather than wait for the City to respond.  Besides being good business practice, this way, if any corrections/additions need to be made, they might be sent to the City before they review what was sent this past Friday.
  
  
  Please let me know once those comments have been reviewed and approved by DE.  Thanks, ************* 
  
  Thanks,
  ********"

  Now, to respond directly regarding DE's response to me.  Yes, the response was FINALLY sent to the City, but it wasn't reviewed by DE prior to submission, as it should have been, nor was any effort put forth to correct that mistake (sending unchecked response to the City).  Again I had to reach out and asked that the DE complete their obligation - par for the course!

  My request for reimbursement is based on the fact that DE has drug their heels on this project - taking a TWELVE (who knows how long it will before DE completes their work) to complete what should have taken 4 months to complete...and note that we are still not done!  This ridiculous and unjustifiable delay has cost me severly.  I have been more than gracious with missed deadline upon missed deadline and prodding DE to move along in their work.  This last bit was the absolute last straw.  Even now, I'm having to coach DE on how to best do their job (review the work that was submitted to the City to get ahead of any corrections that *** need to be made).  I would suggest you reconsider my request to return payment - that would be a better outcome than my looking to be made financially whole for DE's repeated dropped ***** over these past TWELVE months.

  Thanks,

  ********

   

  Business response

  12/21/2022

  Given the latest development with our clients project, we have mutually agreed to a partial refund and an agreement has been sent for her signature.  
  
  Once we have received the signed agreement along with the clients confirmation of two items, Design Everest will mail a check to her within seven business days of receipt of the fully executed Agreement.  We will also provide her with notes from our internal review of the Citys plan check comments for her future reference, if needed, within three business days of receiving the signed agreement. 
  
  We deeply regret not providing the hassle-free experience we are known for.
  
  
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  09/12/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  My husband and I are building a new construction, **** square foot house at ***************************************************** (Sonoma County). We hired Design Everest in the beginning of August 2021, to do all of the civil and structural engineering for this house. Design Everest was supposed to engineer the house in 4-8 weeks, but instead it took them **** months. We finally received our permits from Sonoma County on July 5, 2022 (almost a year after hiring Design Everest). After excavating and removing more than **** yards of dirt, we got stopped by Sonoma County inspector because the civil plan prepared by Design Everest did not property work and the retaining walls were improperly engineered. We asked Design Everest on August 8, 2022 to do a proper civil re-design and made some minor changes to the house plan. Today is September 12, 2022 and we still dont have any of the changes to submit to Sonoma County for approval. Design Everest has caused at least 6-9 months of delay on this project, causing us extreme financial hardship and unnecessary cost. They keep extorting us for more money in order to do what we already paid them to do. At this point our project is completely stopped. We had to cancel the foundational footings pour which was supposed to happen on September 15, 2022. We cannot continue building without having proper engineering. We have written hundreds of emails pleading with Design Everest to finish the engineering but to no avail. We are still waiting. Please help!

  Business response

  10/12/2022

  Dear ****************,
  
  Attached please find the response to Complaint ******** filed by ********************
  
  Please let me know if you have any questions.
  
  Best,
  
  
  
   
  
  *****************************;
  ************** ******************************************************************* ************** e: *************************************** 
  w: www.designeverest.com 
  
  ************ Trusted Architecture & Engineering firm
  for Residential & Commercial projects. 
  

  
  

  Business response

  10/13/2022

  See attached - REVISED response

  Customer response

  10/14/2022

   
  Complaint: 18004150
  
  I am rejecting this response because: 

  Despite the fact that by October 11, **** (when the respondent, Design Everest, submitted their reply to my complaint to the BBB ) Design Everest ("DE") had FINALLY replied to the comments from Sonoma ************************** for the structural engineers and revised the drainage report, they still caused a substantial delay in the project.  We had to stop the foundational pour because the DE failed to properly engineer the retaining walls and drainage plan for the house and we still do not have the final civil engineering plans.  

  
  

  In fact, from the very commencement of us hiring Design Everest on August 9, 2021, it took until July 5th, 2022 (almost an entire year) for DE's structural and civil plans to be approved by Sonoma **************************!

  DE was provided with all the necessary documentation they needed to engineer the ***************************************** house.  We had made minor changes in the plans, which DE refused to make in CAD and delayed the project for months and month.  DE was also was perfectly aware that our architect, *********************** only works in hand drawings and does not use CAD.   Consequently part of the fee for the engineering was converting the hand drawing into CAD format.  DE allegations that the project could not be engineered in a timely manner because of CAD requirement is misleading and false since CAD conversion and editing rested with Design Everest.  CAD conversion was the sole responsibility of Design Everest not with me.  The fact of the matter is that it took almost a year for Design Everest to properly engineer the house and caused a substantial delay in the building of the house and an increase in cost of construction by more than 30%.  

  
  

  I have written hundreds of emails complaining of the delay by Design Everest and the financial hardship it is causing us including, but not limited to the following:

  
  

  On September 12, 2022, I wrote:

  "***** and ******, its been over a month since I submitted to Design Everest as built CAD ( submitted on August 8,2022) and asked for **** and ***** to make the appropriate changes.  We still do not have any revisions to the plans to submit to Sonoma county. Today, September 12, 2022, our foundation crew stopped all work and no one is working on our project. The foundation footings that were supposed to be poured on September 15, 2022 have been cancelled.  Your company is once again causing a substantial delay and severe monetary damages to our project.  I have no words to express our dissatisfaction and disappointment with Design Everest.  Please ask the engineers to submit the revisions ASAP!  Sincerely ****** German Innes."

  
  

  On September 15th, I wrote:

  ***** and ******
  I am writing to recap the course of events which recently transpired regarding ***************************************** **
  - July 30, 2022 I emailed you the Failed Inspection Report from Sonoma County Inspector stating that the "retaining wall along back patio area was not detailed in the plans" and the design of the retaining walls had to be in the stamped plan set.
  - Since ****, the structural engineer had to design the retaining walls and submit a revised structural plan, we also asked **** to make a few changes to his structural design because we eliminated a few windows and a few other minor changes.
  - August 1, 2022, I emailed you our architectural revised drawings, asking for approval to have the rear retaining walls attach to the garage south wall.   
  - Monday, August 8, 2022 we had a zoom meeting with to discuss the changes and about the need to be expedient because our project is well underway.  During the meeting, **** seemed very unprepared; unfamiliar with our project, did not know about the lack of retaining wall designs in the plans and the changes he was supposed to make. 
  -8/10/22 Design Everest requested $4700 to do the redesign of the civil plan to do as built and $250 to revise the Title 24 
  - 8/10/22 I received a completely erroneous and incorrect CAD conversion of the architectural drawings which was very wrong so instead of going back and forth, I hired a draftsman to correct the CAD
  - 8/12/22,  I emailed you the revised CAD noting that the previous CAD conversion which the civil and structural engineers were working off of for the permitted plans was also incorrect and inaccurate and did not match with the architectural drawings.   
  - 8/15/22, I emailed you a CAD of the currently dug trenches (as built) for the water drainage and explained that the previously designed and approved Civil Plan does not work in reality because the footing of the south wall of the house and the south retaining wall of the property do not leave enough room to run all of the drain pipes.  
  -8/17/22 we had a zoom call with *****, the civil engineer, and we went over what was happening on site and the necessary revisions to the Civil/Grading Plan
  - 8/18/22 I emailed a completely corrected CAD for the engineers to work off of. 
  -8/23/22 I paid an additional $2300 for Revised Civil Plan and we received preliminary revised plan, where ***** is using the wrong CAD and made our corrections. ***** responded that he refused to work on the correct CAD version because it was outside the scope of his work.  
  -9/5/22, we requested that ******************* the rear retaining wall detail to reflect what was already erected on site (as per original design 6 foot retaining wall requirement for Sonoma County), because to change what was already erected would be very expensive and what was already installed is much stronger than the ***** proposed retaining wall.  
  I again mentioned in my email that time is of the essence. 
  -9/7/22 I received an immediately submitted to Sonoma County for review the revised but incomplete Structural Plan 
  -9/8/22 We received comments back from Sonoma County requesting a fully revised set of structural plans and explanation of changes made to the original plan.  I asked Design Everest to forward to me a full set of revised structural plan stamped with ***** signature.
  -9/12/22 I informed you that we were forced to STOP all work of the project because without the revised plans, we couldnt get inspection to pour the foundation footings and slab. We had to cancel the pour which was scheduled for Sep 15, 2022 for the house footing.   
  -9/15/22 We are still waiting for the full set of stamped structural plans, Revised Title 22, and the revised civil plans.
  Again, this delay in plan re-submission caused by Design Everest is causing a substantial, detrimental, and very expensive delay in the building of this house.  Please ask the engineers, at the very least ****, to immediately submit his stamped revised structural plan so that we can pour the foundation of this house before it rains and all of our dug tranches turn to mud.  
  Thank you in advance for your prompt response and attention to this very serious and very delayed matter. 
  Sincerely ****** German Innes and *****************************

  
  

  
  

  In a September 30, 2022 email we wrote 

  "Your (DE) inability to preform the job you have been contracted to preform is causing significant cost to our project. You have been saying the exact same thing for weeks now. **** is clearly not working on our plan neither is ***** or our plans would have been completed by now. There is no acceptable excuse or apology that makes up for the cost we are incurring due to your failure to preform your task in the timeline you defined.  We have listened to excuses and apologys time and time again. We have inspections scheduled for Thursday and Friday this week in order to make our pour. We canceled the last one 2 weeks ago after hearing the same thing from you. We had to pay for that one..."

  
  

  I am therefore requesting equitable monetary compensation for the continuous and deliberate delay in this project.  Design Everest continuously failed to properly engineer the civil and structural plans of the house causing a substantial delay and financial hardship of this project.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ****** German-Innes

• Initial Complaint

  07/06/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I have engaged Design Everest on 4/30/2021 to provide structural/mechanical plans for the new build in *********** (******** Ave).At which time I paid **** to start the project. We had several meetings where I indicated that structural plans have to be designed around SIP walls instead of regular framing. After several months the firm provided draft plans which were designed around regular framing instead. On my request to correct I was faced with silence. I reached out again and requested to finish what they provided (regular framing plans instead). I was faced with silence again. Further attempt to get any communication had no result. In the past few days, I asked if they are planning to ever complete the project. Week come by with no response again. Today 7/6/2022 I called the company and asked them again to talk with somebody there, on which I just got invoiced for the rest of the project. I'm requesting full refund (i.e. $****) for non performance and non communication.

  Business response

  08/12/2022

  We have spoken to Dmitry and shared the finalized plans for his project. We have had a discussion with the client to address all his immediate concerns and have completed the project to his satisfaction. He has already provided his approval for our plans and we have settled the matter amicably with him. The client has also asked us to provide engineering services for his next project and we are currently working on the proposal for the same.
  
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  06/22/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  Mom delivery of services and asking for information in a manner that constitutes deception instead of delivery of project.

  Business response

  07/13/2022

  Hi ******,
  
  Thank you for your email.
  
  We have resolved this customer complaint and settled the matter with the client by way of a refund. It was an amicable settlement done by way of mutual agreement executed on June 23, 2022. Please see attached the settlement agreement signed by the client.
  
  Please **** this complaint closed accordingly.
  
  We are unable to access BBB right now so please take all necessary action to close this case.
  
  Please let us know if there are any questions or concerns.
  
  Best regards,
  ******
  

  
  

  Customer response

  07/13/2022

  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.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *********************

*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. ↩