Complaints

• Initial Complaint

  01/04/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Flooring and backsplash contracted 12.21.22. Demo on 1500 sq foot condo began 2.14.22 with final work by 5.2.22. Quarter round work poor with 4 different type of cuts at various angles. Deep scratches left on kitchen floor by workers. Backsplash was not flush, varying width of grout lines, and grout used at base in error with improper backing. Multiple attempts to redo 1/4 rd. work, backsplash, and cabinetry were unsuccessful between 4.22 and 8.22 (condo owner initially requested work to be halted 6.22 but in 7.22 allowed company one more attempt to "make it right"). Although some floor boards replaced, the majority of scratched boards were not. Instead, liquid scratch pens used to try and cover damage. Additionally, there were scratches to front of stainless refrigerator (company credited door replacement), and water line had been fractured in removing/returning door and is unrepairable. In summary, multiple attempts by Underfoot to address quality and damages were sub-standard. Outside tradesmen required to fix poor quality work. A new refrigerator is required. Ventilation duct cleaning was required at $700. Over forty texts, over 50 emails, and numerous phone calls between owner and company related to quality. Work is below industry standards as verified by a licensed contractor. Damages have been incurred by owners related to flooring, quarterround trim, backsplash, carpentry, granite, ventilation cleaning for air quality, and loss of rental income. Detailed invoice sent to Underfoot owner on 11.11.22 for $2485.72 in damages. Requested name and policy number of insurance company in order to file for damages. Company owner responded to give him time to check with counsel. Additional email sent 11.22.22 and 12.6.22 with acknowledged receipt on 11.22.22 only. As of 1.4.23, no reply. Invoice revised to include additional flooring product needed, carpentry repairs, and loss of rental income for $16,213.72 and sent to owner on 1.4.23.

  

  Business response

  01/06/2023

  To Whom it may concern,

   

  We at Underfoot make all concerns of customers a priority.  In regard to this complaint.  We always made Mrs. **** a priority.  We tried to service her in a way to solve her issues.  

  This transaction drug out over a year.  We were always waiting for third parties to come and look at the work and for her to come back with critiques.  Some were valid and we would immediately correct them, but some were not.

  We installed the first backsplash per her requirements ( tight grout lines ).  Once completed, she did not like the tight grout lines.  So, she asked to tear it out and redo it and she would pay for it.  So, we did.  Then she said we had some small minor touchup issues with the second install.  We came out and corrected those immediately.  Then later she came back with more issues. We agreed to correct them, but she denied us access.

  The Floor.

  We always tell clients there will be allot of dust when tearing out existing floors.  We do our best to keep the dust down. Especially with gypcrete. We also, hired a cleaning person to go and clean the house after demo.  Mrs **** came back and complained so we gave her a $500.00 credit to help the dust issues.  We also were told to use 1/4 round with the floor, and we usually tear out the baseboard and reinstall them or use bay shoe. We tell the clients we do not caulk or paint them.  They will need to do that themselves or have a painter do it.  We installed the floor, and she did not like the job with the quarter round trim and an area by the dishwasher.  We sent multiple people out to correct these issues, but nothing was working for her. So, we offered her to remove the 1/4 round from the bill including the labor.  She said we dented her refrigerated.  We don't know if we did or not.  But we offered to pay for the door, and she agreed.  We credited that off the bill.  Then she came back and said we scratched her new floor we installed.  She had many people coming in and out of her building checking our work etc.  Then she came back and said she found some scratches in the floor.  We immediately came out and tore the floor out where the scratches were and corrected them.  That said, we don't know who scratched the floor, but we took responsibility and corrected them.  She said we tracked in other stuff on the floor, so we went and cleaned the floors by hand.  Then she came back and said we glued the floor down and glue squeezed out onto the floor.  This is a floating floor and there is no glue used.  She, then came back with additional minor issues and we said we would again come out and address them, but she declined.  We then wanted to be paid and 

  she is now claiming many issues that are new and or not our responsibility.  We have two outstanding invoices that need to be paid in full which also reflect all the above credits mentioned.   We have tried to make this customer happy.  It has 

  now come to that we have forwarded this to our lawyer.  Our attorney will be getting in touch with Mrs. ****

   

  Customer response

  01/16/2023

  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  
    Please see the customer’s rejection of company’s response below.  As requested by BBB, identifying names should not be used.  Customer respectfully requests that previous company response be revised to eliminate customer’s name and be consistent with BBB guidelines for this process. First two initials of first names were used in this response to identify individuals involved.
  

  SUMMARY
  
  Eight months lapsed from time of contract signing to company message that “work complete”.  There was a period of a 6 week “cease work” by customer due to ongoing issues with quality work and repeated damages.  When customer discussed with company the length of time it would take for flooring install, she was told “about 1 month” by **, with work to begin late January 2022.  Unfortunately, after the “all clear” by the company in August 2022, the customer was still left with significantly scratched floors, a backsplash with powdering caulking with small holes, messy grout, an improperly repaired granite countertop seal, a shoddily repaired 3- inch square hole in cabinetry, quarter rounds that had 4 different cut angles, adhesive dollops on kitchen floor and elsewhere, and a non-working refrigerator water/ icemaker. Company credited customer for quarter round work and $500 out of $1300 cleaning, and $100 toward repair of grout.  However, it cost customer more to find outside tradesmen to repair and redo the substandard work and to fix the cabinetry damages.  Damages to cabinetry, floors, and granite had been admitted by the company (except for the fractured water line and adhesive) and were never in doubt of who caused them until the customer filed this BBB complaint. Customer had paid $10,688.00 total (this included $1327.79 for first backsplash) and was still left with unfinished and substandard work and a unit that could not be rented until work completed. 
  
  The customer was extremely patient allowing the company repeated attempts to address the damages and multiple workmanship issues with at least 6 visits of tradesmen after initial install between April 2022 and August 2022.  She had a licensed contractor with 40 years of experience view work.  She simply lost confidence after 8 months and hired other skilled tradesmen to complete work.  This process took 10 weeks.  The customer always communicated with the company of her plan to settle any invoices once the work was completed.  Due to the multiple damages and lost rental income, the company owes the customer a sum of $16,213.72. This is after $1319.28 was deducted from outstanding balance that customer owed company, although the company has asked the customer pay twice for a substandard backsplash job that is still not complete.  Customer requested company’s insurance information in order to file a claim on damages and was denied.
  
  Although the customer would prefer to settle this case, she has significant documentation and will move forward until it is resolved. This rejection only allowed 4 attachments, but many more photos and invoices for damages were unable to be attached. 
  __________________________________________________________________________
  Underfoot Statement: This transaction drug out over a year.  We were always waiting for third parties to come and look at the work and for her to come back with critiques.

  RESPONSE: It is a true statement that this process has lasted a year, but it is not due to “waiting on the customer or third parties”. Five months lapsed between initial install and company “all clear”. Customer or licensed general contractor viewed work in person or with video often within 2 business days of all clear.   It took 9 weeks from demo until install. Customer was told “wrong flooring had been sent and a supply chain issue”.   Condo was left with major concrete dust. (see photo).  Another seven weeks lapsed  between install of floor in April until halt work order 6.9.22.  Customer allowed one more attempt to “make it right” on 7.27.22, it was another 5 weeks for company to complete work. Condo owner invited company owner to meet the week of 7.25.22 but ** came without company owner.  That is a total of 5 months, and at least six additional visits after initial install in which customer was awaiting work to be completed by the company. (the cease period between 6.9.22 and 7.27.22 was not included).Rental income was lost from June 2022 moving forward; property manager had to cancel listing.

  
  Underfoot: So, she asked to tear it out and redo it and she would pay for it.  So, we did.  Then she said we had some small minor touchup issues with the second install.  We came out and corrected those immediately.  Then later she came back with more issues. We agreed to correct them, but she denied us access.
  RESPONSE: The original backsplash was not installed properly.  Unfortunately, it was paid for by customer.  Customer originally stated redo needed and would pay for tile, but as work was reviewed by customer and licensed general contractor, it was apparent that work was sub-standard. Company/** made site visit in mid May 2 wks later and agreed that although the tile did have some wave, the lack of consistent spacing between and lack of flushness did not give proper appearance.  On redo, the installer TR stated the wrong backing had been used which may have caused some of the poor appearance issues.  Unfortunately, the redo completed 5 weeks later had messy grout lines, and there were visible holes appearing in the grout.  Additionally, grout was used instead of industry standard of colored caulking a**** entire bottom 12 ft of backsplash.(photo) Customer was very clear about issues of messy grout, powdering grout, and holes in grout, as well as one tile that was sticking out and had to be replaced.  Final all clear 8.24.22 revealed grout still not cleaned up, and powdering still present. Professional tile installer charged $400 to address backsplash issues.  Statement that customer denied access is untrue, as company was to fix these issues beginning 7.27.22, and date of all clear 8.24.22.  Cease work message sent to company owner and ** on 8.24.22.
  

  Underfoot: We do our best to keep the dust down. Especially with gypcrete. We also, hired a cleaning person to go and clean the house after demo.  Mrs **** came back and complained so we gave her a $500.00 credit to help the dust issues.
  RESPONSE:  “Doing best to keep dust down”.  There was no partitioning off or covering areas, appliances, cabinets, ventilation ducts, fuse boxes, etc.. The amount of dust created by demo was not the company’s fault, but lack of proper preparation and protection was.  The company may have had to hire a service to clean floors because it would have been difficult to install the flooring over the inches thick dust (see 1st photo). However, no other surfaces were cleaned. Customer paid $1300 for additional cleaning (ventilation duct and a construction cleaner (see attachment). The company did credit $500 of the $1300 spent for cleaning.  Customer spent an additional 20 hours cleaning in the week 5.15.22.  
  

  Underfoot: We also were told to use 1/4 round with the floor, and we usually tear out the baseboard and reinstall them or use bay shoe. We tell the clients we do not caulk or paint them.  They will need to do that themselves or have a painter do it.  We installed the floor, and she did not like the job with the quarter round trim and an area by the dishwasher.  We sent multiple people out to correct these issues, but nothing was working for her. So, we offered her to remove the 1/4 round from the bill including the labor. 
  RESPONSE: The customer did not even know to ask for ¼ round and never “told company to use” such a product.   The options of baseboard/bay shoe were never presented to customer upon original contract. Once flooring installed, poor quality finishing of quarter rounds using 90 degree cuts were immediately brought to ** attention.  Subsequent teams attempted to band-aid the cuts using a multi-tool. The results were poor when viewed as a whole.  On the site visit in July by **, he agreed that 4 different cuts were used and appearance not consistent.  Licensed general contractor stated that quarter round work appeared unprofessional with cuts varying and lack of finished corners.   Additionally, there were lack of transitions of doors from utility and front door which were brought to company’s attention 4.27.22 and were finally completed 8.24.22 (see photo).  There were multiple other issues including no quarter rounds installed on wood cabinets, white quarter rounds on wood cabinet, etc.  As previously noted, there was damage to kitchen cabinetry (see photo; a 3 inch square hole) below dishwasher which company was unable to adequately address and required a finish carpenter by condo owner and painter to stain.
  

  Underfoot:  She said we dented her refrigerated.  We don't know if we did or not.  But we offered to pay for the door, and she agreed.  We credited that off the bill. 
  RESPONSE:  Company admitted to damage of refrigerator previously. Upon entry to the condo 2.18.22, two large scratches noted in fridge.(photo)  ** alerted immediately.  No other workers had been in unit.  In April when installer TH was present, he admitted, and stated “talk to **”.  ** stated in conversation that they had not taken doors off to get it by the peninsula.  In subsequent moving of the fridge back into the kitchen in May, ** stated “it took all of 8 mins to remove those doors”.  The company was the ONLY individuals in the unit prior to  2.22 when doors were noted to be scratched. Pictures are present prior to demo with fridge unscratched. The company were the ONLY ones to move the fridge which fractured the water line, which caused leaking of water whenever water or ice used from door.  This was noted in May visit when the fridge was first used after being reinserted and water leaked from door.  An experienced appliance repairman made the diagnosis (see invoice). The only way for it to be fractured is from reinstalling a door or moving and kinking it.  The fridge had no leaking January 30, 2022 upon exit of renter and was used in early February for ice water without leaking.  The customer paid for appliances to be moved and re-inserted safely. A credit for one of the door panels was issued, but the fracture in water line and the scratched doors required a new refrigerator to be purchased.
  

  Underfoot:  Then she came back and said we scratched her new floor we installed.  She had many people coming in and out of her building checking our work etc.  Then she came back and said she found some scratches in the floor.  We immediately came out and tore the floor out where the scratches were and corrected them.  That said, we don't know who scratched the floor, but we took responsibility and corrected them. 
  RESPONSE:  The scratches to the floor were noted in on condo owners return in May 14 after flooring and backsplash was supposedly complete.  Only one other worker and the general contractor viewing work had been in the unit on May 1 and May 8; there were no floor scratches present.  They are parallel on entry to the kitchen and quite visible. (photo). The scratches were possibly caused by moving the refrigerator back into place which was done by Underfoot May 13, but it is not clear.   ** kept saying “we have pens we can used to take care of it”. On a subsequent visit, he attempted repair unsuccessfully, and stated he wanted someone from their company to address that was more experienced with the scratch fillers. When that was not successful, the boards were to be replaced and “all clear” given 8.24.22.  Some boards had been replaced, but the kitchen entry boards were not replaced despite company stating they had been. It appears the crayon pen was used.  Additionally, there were new smaller scratches in middle of the floor.  These were also reported. 
  

  Underfoot:  She said we tracked in other stuff on the floor, so we went and cleaned the floors by hand.  Then she came back and said we glued the floor down and glue squeezed out onto the floor.  This is a floating floor and there is no glue used.  She, then came back with additional minor issues and we said we would again come out and address them, but she declined. 
  RESPONSE:  The “black substance” was adhesive.  Condo owner was alerted by flooring contractor after 8.24.22 “all clear” by company of its presence, and there was concern about where it was used.  Was reassured by company that it was not used on flooring.  When company owner queried company owner as to WHERE was it used? (utility transition boards, or 3 inch repair below dishwasher) there was no reply. 
  The condo owner cleaned additional adhesive two weeks later that was located in kitchen and by patio door.  There were no other individuals in unit between Aug 1 and Aug 24. 
  

  Underfoot: We then wanted to be paid and she is now claiming many issues that are new and or not our responsibility. 
  RESPONSE: Outside tradesmen were required to complete work to meet industry standards. Company actually owes customer for damages, labor, product, and lost rent.  Customer had to locate workers and get job scheduled.  Work required included replacement of flooring from area of scratches to end of kitchen, redo of many of 1/4round repair of cabinet damage below dishwasher, cleanup of grout, and regrouting of several pieces of tile due to holes and powdering out, and a new refrigerator.   All mentioned issues are the result of company damages, labor and product required to correct poor quality work which did not meet industry standards, and loss of rental income.  A detailed invoice was sent to company owner in November, revised in January. 

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