Complaints

• Initial Complaint

  01/09/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Unresolved

  More info

  We had used this contractor previously to do a major remodel. It made sense to come back to him 10 years later when we needed to remodel just a bathroom. We were confident going in but it soon became apparent that the job was smaller than he would have liked and he wasn't interested in putting in the time or supplying qualified personnel to do a quality job. The main issue of our bathroom remodel is the flooring heat that was to be installed under the tile. Before the tile going in over to the wiring we came across a book that went with the heater. In thumbing thru it we saw that it was to be installed by a trained technician. When we questioned the contractor and the tile contractor, we were assured that it would be fine and that the sales rep was overseeing. It turns out the rep. worked for this company 10 years ago. After everything was installed, we found that the heat wasn't coming up in the small section of the shower area it was in. The contractor kept insisting that we weren't giving enough time for the heat, but we were giving it a 3-hour window for warming. We contacted the company and talked with a trained Mapei technician. He made suggestions of what it could be, and it turned out he was right. He told us this is why they require a trained technician. He also informed us that our 25-year warranty would not be valid because of this. When the tile subcontractor finally came out to look, he agreed that the heat was in fact not working. He had buried the wiring too deep. Something he would have known if he were properly trained in installing the product. The floor in approximately 1/3 of the shower had to be dug out. The tile contractor dug up that section of the floor and poured the section higher and then re-installed the cable. In doing this he made several ****** in the wiring leaving us with little confidence in the product working properly and come to find out invalidated the "limited warranty". It also left us with the grout in the tile unmatching.When pressed, the contractor agreed to a 5-year warranty himself since the other warranties had been voided. Currently, the heater on the floor is not warming properly. We have to set it up to 90+ degrees to get it to warm to ***** degrees. Again, we find ourselves in a debate with him. WE told the contractor to talk with the Mapei technician. The contractor came away with the floor not working because we have no insulation under the floor, but if that was needed to have the floor work properly, why weren't we advised of this? He replaced the insulation in the walls; this could have been easily done then. Nothing was said. The Mapei technician told us that it could be the wires that were nicked, or the spacing of the wiring not being adequate and/ or the insulation.In addition to the floor, we still have a punch list of items to be completed. The contractor said in his last email:At this point, I don't think we can do anything else so maybe a mutual release might be a good idea. We still need all the extras paid that were not part of the original contract that you approved and do not have anything to do with this.We are tired and disappointed and left with no trust whatsoever in this contractor. This job started in March 2022 and here we are in January 2023, not done. We don't think it is in our best interest to continue to work with this contractor. We would like to have the floors redone by qualified installers. We paid for a 25-year warranty and feel we are entitled to have it. We would like to have someone come and address the punch list. We currently owe $4400.00 on our ****** bathroom. We know this will not cover our expenses. We feel he should pay to fix the problems that he created. Problems that we tried to get him to address early on before it became a problem.The pictures attached are of the wire cuts, the spacing of the wiring, and the mismatched tile. We also attached pages of the Mapei instructions that apply.Appreciate your help with this.

  Customer response

  01/15/2023

  ***Document Attached***
  I don't think all the documents made it to you. Will attach again.
  
  The first file is other support documents from the Mapei Installation instructions
  
  The rest are support pictures that show that the wiring was not done properly per Mapei Instructions, exposed wiring, spacing and shower mismatch on grout.
  
  Thank you!
  See Attachment/File: sup doc 2

  Business response

  01/20/2023

  The nature of the dispute is mischaracterized. The homeowner's remodel was completed per plans and specifications. Mapei instruction manual says "only a professional contractor (tile or electrical) should install this product. We have both subcontractors licensed which comes with a (3) year "limited warranty". The (25) year warranty is only for "Certified **************" which there are only (2) in an area with over 7.7 million people. They charge more for this warranty and was not in our contract language. A manufacturer's representative for the heated floor mats (Mapei) inspected and found no issues with the install; it was determine the lack of sub-floor insulation is resulting in the floor achieving a less than desired temperature. Jay Andre Construction stands by its workmanship, has addressed the situation repeatedly and in-person with the homeowners. The Contractor remains willing and able to complete any punch list items conditioned upon final payment, which the homeowners admit remains due and owing.

  Customer response

  01/27/2023

  (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
  The contractor says our remodel was completed per plans and specifications. The heated floor was not done per specification according to installation guidelines by Mapei Heat. (We provided you with Mapei documentation and pictures previously) These were:
  
  1. Wiring installed at improper distances. Should be at a minimum of 3 inches apart for minimum heating and 2"3" increments for standard heating. Our wiring spacing exceeded any of this. Spacing grids were not used other than in the shower area that had to be redone because of lack of heat. The Mapei technical support, tells us this is the reason that our floor is heating improperly, the wiring is too far apart.
  
  2. Electrical Testing documentation was never done or recorded. This invalidates the 25-year warranty as well as the limited warranty.
  
  3. The warranty was also voided when the cables were dug up in the shower where the heat was not working because it was installed too deep. This was also done without electical testing and documentation.
  
  The Contractor says that there are only 2 qualified installers in the area of 7.7 million people, there are many more than 2 in the ************ ********. He also says a 25-year warranty cost more and was "not in our contract language". The contract said floor heating system, period.
  
  The Contractor states that a manufacturer representative inspected and found no issues with the installation. No one came out to inspect the floor. A manufacturer representative would not have let the warranty become invalid.
  
  The contractor says that the lack of subfloor insulation resulted in the floor not achieving the desired temp. The technician feels that the improper space of the cable is the result of a lack of desired temp. He also said if the system was not working properly, we would not know because of the lack of electrical testing and documentation before, during, and after the installation.
  
  The contractor says he is willing to address punch list items, but then tells us he is not responsible for the problems with the floor heat. In his last email he says, "At this point, I don't think we can do anything else so maybe a mutual release might be a good idea".
  
  The contractor is not interested in providing us with a floor that works properly. We no longer have the trust or desire to work with this contractor.
  
  

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