Complaints

• Initial Complaint

  08/16/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  We had custom cabinets done from andrade custom trim on tuesday Aug 13. They came for install and were negligent and missed that vent will obstruct the cabinet placement. They said best solution is to move the vent by ****************************************** attic to move the vent and stepped on drywall and damaged the ceiling. His foot came right across the ceiling and it damaged the ceiling. Next, without covering the brand new hardwood floors they moved study table and scratched my floors. They attempted to fix and in process broke 2 more hardware floor planks and left a big patch on ceiling wall with uneven work. Also, they did not complete cabinet work, they were suppose to put hole in cabinets for cable management. Currently, this cabinet is not functional.

  

  Business response

  08/16/2024

  
  Monday, August 05, we received the advance payment from ***** for a Custom Built In for their office. The payment was for $3,425.00. We agreed to start building to the end of that same week and weekend and do the installation on Tuesday, Aug. 13. We also agreed to send pictures of the advance, which we sent on Sunday Aug.11.
  
  Monday Aug. 12 at 8:47 am, we sent a text message to her, communicating that the installation will be the following day and that we need to have the room empty to be able to work and do the installation. She agreed. She call us in the afternoon that same day saying that the desk was really heavy and she coudnt move, we told her that we didnt had any lift equipment and that we couldnt move. 
  
  Tuesday Aug. 13, crew get to their house around 11:00 am. The room wasnt empty, she had the desk, a cabinet behind door, full of stuffs and in the window box seat full of books, papers and the printer. 
  
  We started covering the floor, from the entrance to the office and the parts that was possible to cover inside the room. When the crew start working with the installation, despite of the room not being cleared, they needed to remove the existing crown molding. To be able to do that, they need to use the ladder and the space to work was a little tight, due to the desk being in the way, they puch the desk one inch to the side so we can accomadate the ladder to remove the crown molding. As soon as she saw that movement, she get inside the room and said that we scratched the floor, pointing exactly were the scratch was. 
  We are sure that we didnt cause the damage to the floor because the desk was already being tried to being moved out from the room, because it was not in the place we saw it when we were in negotiation and design stage, the desk was already pushed back of the room and where the scratch was.
  As soon as she said that we scratched her floor, we told her that we barely puch the desk, that it wasnt possible that we damage the floor, because the scratch was kind of deep.
  We didnt continue arguing about it and we just keep working, it was getting late and we wanted to finish the installation in one day.
  
  We continue removing the crown molding, when we noticed that the air vent was in the middle of the cabinet will be placed. We told her that it was our mistake that we didnt notice that it will be in the way, we explained that we are humans and unfurtunatelly we missed it. 
  However, we told her that we can move it 10 inch to the front, we had done it before with other installations, and everything will work fine, and we will be covering the cost of it. She agreed. We ask for the attic access to inspect how the vent was installed and check if we can just move it or we had to do an extention. 
  When one of our crew members get inside the attic, he stepped in the walking plywood area and then to each stud from the ceiling to be able to reach the vent area on top of the office room. He notice that it was possible to move it to the front with no problems. When he is heading back to the exit, he did the same route, he steeped in the studs from the ceiling and then to the plywood area that it supposed to be safe to walk. When he reach to that point, he did two steps and the plywood broke, leading him to fall and in the point where the plywood broke his feet goes down taking him to damage the sheet rock that was under, making a hole in the wall. 
  As soon as the noise of the fall was heard by everyone, ***** get into the area and start yeilling You are destroying my house. 
  We went there as well and saw our crew members foot, we first make sure that he was ok, we didnt answer any of the things she was saying, we take care of our crew member first, which she never take in care of, she dont even ask him later if he was ok. He injured his feet but he was able to walk and able to get down from the attic by himself. 
  We are not sure why the plywood broke, but for our experience, our best guess will be that the plywood wasnt installed properly and not secure to walk in it. However, it was an unfurtunately accident.
  
  When we were sure that he was ok, we tell her that it was an accident and we will repair the damage drywall and not to worry, she said again that we were destroying her house, how she would not be worried. She requested in that moment that ********, me, who was in contact with her all the time, get there as soon as possible. She even texted and I answer back saying that I was on my way there.
  
  When I get there she was mad and speaking in high tone repeting again that we were destroying her house, we, respectfully, try to tell her that it was an accident and that never had happens to us before, we will do the repairs and we will continue with the installation.
  
  Meanwhile, she wasnt sure anymore if moving the vent was the right call anymore, she told us that she was worried that more damage will happen. We told her that we understand and try to work with her in other solutions, as to cut the cabinet to not get all to the ceiling, but she said that the cabinet will still block the air and the room would not cool properly, so she agreed again to move the vent 10 inch front. 
  
  When we were in the same page again, she was calmed and we could continue our work, however, the desk was still in the room and the other cabinet back from the door as well. We told her again that we need the room to be empty, she said she couldnt move the desk, so we agreed to remove the drawers from it and lift it (two mens) and it was really heavy and just move it to outside the room (in front of main entrance) on top of a rug to be sure not to damage the floor, and we ask her to be present to watch and see that not damage was done. We help her as well to remove and move the drawers from the other cabinet and move it as well out of the room. We finish cover the floor.
  
  Finally everything was good to go and we started to do the installation of the bottom part of cabinet built in. Meanwhile, same crew member who had the accident in the attic, was repairing the sheet rock and moving the vent to the front.
  
  Everything went well with the installation and both of homeowners were happy with everything was turning out. No concerns or problems were found on the cabinet or the new vent. 
  We worked in the house until 8:30 pm, all the cabinet, crown molding and basebords were installed bak. The two drywall patch were done as well. The only thing it was missing from the cabinet was the small keyboard drawer, that we talk with her and promissed to go back first thing in the morning to finish, as well with the texture for the drywall patches.
  
  Next day, Wednesday Aug. 14, ***** texted early morning asking for the floor to be fixed, and saying that she had some spares as well, we texted back saying that let me see what we can do. Our crew finish the keyboard drawer that morning as we promissed. However, we had to reschedule for the next day the texture and paint for the drywall repairs due to an emergency call and not able to get there that day. 
  That same day, she texted me saying that we were missing the holes for the cable, I answer back that we were just waiting for the plug in outlet to arrived so we were sure about the sizes of the holes.
  
  On Thursday Aug.15, we show up on her house around 2:00 pm to finish the texture and the paint touch **** and we decided to replace the piece of the floor that was scratched, just to be sure, because we didnt wanted that if we try just to fixed it she would argue that doesnt look good. So we try to play safe and just replace it. Our handyman, replaced two pieces, but when he was installing one it rip off a little bit. It was a minor scratch that could be fixed. She told the person to leave and leave everything like that. She texted me with the pictures of the floor and call me after that. She was mad and told me that she didnt want my crew there anymore, that we were doing more damage than good. I told her that I understand and I was sorry that everything turn out so complicated, that never was our intention and first time that something like that happens to us. I told her as well, that like she wasnt confortable with us doing the repairs that we will send other company to do it or she can look for someone else that she feels comfortable with and we will take care of the payment. She said no, that she dont wanted to see us again (which she repeat it several times in our phone call) and she only wanted to get an agreement of close payment and never see each other again. She told me to texted her with the amount and that will be all. My crew member had left the ladder in her house, so she told me to come back for it, which he did.
  
  Like a half hour later, I texted her saying that we will gave her a credit of $200.00 and the balance will be $3225.00. She texted back saying that she will only pay $2700.00 and that I can pick up the check from the mail box. We texted back saying that we can agreed to that price. She texted me then saying that were 3 pieces that were damage (when we talked on the phone she only said one and just send me pictures on one small piece) and that she will need to re-do the whole floor again because everything is unlevel (which we know by experience, because we work in this area, that the plank is heavy glued to the floor and is not possible that the whole room moved because two pieces being replaced), and she had to do the drywall, texture and paint again (which she never said it was bad when we spoke on the phone, and we didnt have the chance to paint because she didnt let us do). I texted back saying that $3100.00 will be fair, we give her a credit of $325.00, given her more if she wanted to do the drywall again. She texted back with $3000.00 as her final offer, didnt want to talk more. We agreed and ask her to let us know when the check was in the mail box.
  
  This morning, Friday Aug. 16, at 7:45 am, she texted me saying she will pay after we did the cable holes in the cabinet built in, and he was reporting us and it was one more damage planks (from one small rip that she sent me the picture, turn in 4 more, which she never send pictures).
  I texted back saying that we were not coming back to her home, due to both being unconfortable working with each other now, that she was very clear the night before saying that she didnt want us to see us again, and requested the payment (Which she said that will pay and we agreed to the value).
  
  Her next text was to let me know that she wouldnt pay until the holes were done, saying that the cabinet is not funcional. Again, we were trying to not get into more troubles with her and agreed to do the two holes the following day (because we ordered an top of counter outlet and it supposed to be delivered today, and we wanted to install as well) and nothing more and after that we will pick up the check.
  
  When she texted back, said that she will tell consummers affairs and BBB and dont bother to come back to her place, and that we can wait forever for our payment. I texted back saying that she changed her mind twice with things that she came out in first place. 
  That was our final conversation and then we received the BBB message about the claim.
  
  In conclusion:
  What happened in the attic was an accident, the attic wasnt safe to walk, which we assumed they didnt know, because should have warned us if they knew. So, tht is why we are saying it was an accident.
  The vent was moved successfully and were not problems with the installation of the cabinet built in.
  The cabinet is functional and its all completed, all drawers, doors and shelves are installed. Outlet was left reachable. The hole in the counter and the one side wall were not done just to confirm the size of one outlet that we were going to install on top of counter, which we agreed to do tomorrow Saturday Aug.17, but those two holes are not indications that we didnt finish the cabinet. All Built In is complete. 
  The floor, we did it as a good faith, because we didnt damaged it, and we ask to had all the room empty to be able to work and avoid this situation, which she didnt and by the end we had to do it. 
  How is possible that as soon as she saw a movement she knew that the floor was scratched and in the exact spot?  
  We knew she moved the desk back (same spot the floor was scratched) because it wasnt in the same place that we knew it was from our past visits, when we were doing design and measurements.
  She keep adding more damage to the floor as hours pass. Why if she sent the first picture with the damage one (after replacement) didnt sent the other ones? 
  She was the one who said that she would pay if we get into an agreement, we did, twice, and in both times she got it back. 
  We were in all disposition to help and fix the damage. We were willing to give her all she was asking, in good faith, eventhough floor wasnt our fault and the hole in the drywall was an accident. Could have happened to anyone who where up there.
  We took our work and clients very seriusly, not matter the amount or the kind of job we will do. We never have been in a situation like this with any of our clients, contrary we only have have good recomendations and a good word to our name. We work hard to make sure this situations dont happen.
  We just want a fair solution.

  

  Business response

  08/16/2024

  I wanted to send you our text messages, just to show our side of the story.

  I am also sending a picture of the complete cabinet installation, doors, drawers, shelves and counter. What is missing in that picture is the small keyboard drawer that we installed next day. I have a picture of the drawer installed.

  Thank you!

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