Complaints

• Initial Complaint

  08/06/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  June 2024, Landscaping by Hillcrest quoted us a job on a reclaimed rubber coating of a pool deck. We were indeterminate on the install date and we were not yet certain of the color. To hold a place on their project list, they required a 50% deposit. Asked about a contract, they said they don’t have one and they never need one. Wanting to keep the job moving forward, a deposit was made with the assurance that we’ll figure out an install date and exact color of the resurfacing product at a later time. Before color and install dates were finalized, we learned health concerns of products using reclaimed or “crump rubber”. An internet search of that topic will reveal several references to these problems – ie. - *************************************************************************************************************   These concerns were reason enough to cancel the purchase. We called Hillcrest, told them we wanted to cancel the sale and get a return of our deposit. The refund arrives and 15%, or a little more than $900, is deducted from it. This was confusing as there was no previous disclosure from Hillcrest, in writing, verbally or on their website, about such a penalty being applied to a refund on cancellation of a sale. Called Tom S***** about this withholding of our deposit. He said this was a “restocking fee” charged to him by the wholesaler that they purchase the product from for the job. How could anything have been ordered when it wasn’t yet clear what needed to be ordered? Didn’t get a clear answer to that question. He did apologize for not having a contract and for not making us aware that this deduction for “re-stocking fee” was going to be deducted. It was clear however, he had no intention of returning the remaining balance of our deposit. I am filing this complaint in an attempt to get the remaining amount of our deposit returned and to alert others to the less than straight forward practices of this business.

  

  Business response

  08/13/2024

  Our estimates are free!!! An estimate was given and a color in vubastone was chosen by customer to repeat in Rubberstone. 3 samples were made which takes about an 1.5 hr each sample. On the third sample the customer(wife) texted and said that was it. A truck was coming later that week, material was ordered and moved to holding. Customer cancelled one day before truck was to be loaded, so we were able to cancel. Customer NEVER said anything about a problem with “reclaimed rubber” EVER. Customer stated the reason for cancellation was other work was running over budget. Also this product is NOT RECLAIMED RUBBER. It is synthetically manufactured EPDM RUBBER. Safe from all cancerous properties. THIS WAS NEVER MENTIONED, even with my phone call with him. THIS SEEMS TO BE ADDED FLUFF. Between us and the manufacturer there was 8-10 hours of investment in securing this job. EVERYONE CHARGES A RESTOCKING FEE FOR SPECIAL ORDERS. This is custom art. Customer was told that if they had the product installed the 15% would be refunded at that time. TIME IS MONEY AND CUSTOMER WILLING TO MAKE A DEPOSIT HAS CONVEYED THEY UNDERSTAND THAT BY SECURING OUR SERVICES AND PRODUCTS

  Customer response

  08/18/2024

  
       The impetus to cancel the sale was the information we had received from others on safety concerns of the rubber coating product, this includes the mentioned EPDM synthetic rubbers. On finding a suitable coating alternative, Hillcrest was called and told that we have decided on going in a different direction and canceled the order. Did not discuss the concerns we had with Hillcrest about the product as I didn’t want to enter into a debate on the topic.  
       As for the status of our order. The attached text conversation from June 27-28th confirms that up to the time of canceling the sale we had not yet decided on the color configuration of deck covering. Not certain how an order for deck covering product could have been placed when it was not yet decided what the order was going to be.
       The business initially stated the 15% withholding was to cover restocking charges. It was curious that the restocking balance would come in at 15% of 50% of a job bid by the contractor. That seemed rather arbitrary. Reading the business’s response, it is apparent that this 15% withholding was largely or entirely a compensation that the business felt was due for their time.
       The business states that restocking fees of 15% are standard.  That maybe. However, someone who is in business as well, I know it is standard and prudent to make notification to the customer of potential fees at time of sale rather than the customer having to assume such. Absent any contract, verbal statement or notice on the business web page, stating otherwise, the 50% deposit for this job was by default, entirely a partial payment for installation of a product at a later date. Since that job was canceled before any installation and apparently before any materials could have been ordered, the business has no standing in awarding themselves over $900 of the deposit as compensation for time spent trying to complete the sale. 
  

• Initial Complaint

  04/29/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On December 10, 2023 I signed a sales order in the amount of $6,750 for **** ***** to be installed on the surface of a pre-existing concrete patio. I paid 1/2 of this amount ($3375) up front by mailing a check directly to the company with the signed sales order and a balance of $3,000 IN CASH directly to the employee (Derrick) as per his request for a discounted amount at the completion of the project. I was informed of the discount gia text from Derrick on 1/5/2024. The work was done in one day on 1/8/2024 at which point Derrick was paid the $3,000 cash. We were told not to walk on the surface for 24-48 hours so we were not able to get a full view of everything for a bit, but on 1/11/24 I contacted Derrick about two problems, one being a misaligned portion running along a garage door and another being a discolored “square” in the middle of the surface. After several texts and be phone calls, Derrick eventually fixed the misaligned portion, but told me he’d have to contact the manufacturer about the discolored portion to find a fix. He specifically mentioned a conference he was attending near he end of February that he could talk to them. Through these weeks of talking with Derrick, he became less and less responsive. After February came and went with no response, I contacted the company directly and spoke with T** *********, an owner. He promised they’d take care of the problem, eventually trying a partial re-do that failed. He then came one last time to simply pressure wash, which also failed. When I texted him a picture to show the square remained, he yelled and me and told me it looked “perfect” (some of this via text), then proceeded to tell me to “do what I have to do” and hung up on. Me, no longer taking my calls. After posting my story on ********* he also deleted my post and blocked me from their page so no one could know the kind of business they run. All I want is for the surface to be properly repaired and look like it should.

  

  Business response

  05/05/2024

  Our Company is Celebrating 42 Years ..MAJOR POINT***jOB WAS COMPLETED jANUARY 8th, Discoloration in a one batch portion was noticed January11th, Customer states that he reached out and was told we would gather info at a meeting in late February, Customer then placed a hottub on February 15th, which added to the problem of correction. At time of contacting myself, he was given options of his money back, a full coverage over all but he said the hottub was already set and if he got rid of hottub at a later date there would be a hole. I said i would put in writing that we would come if that ever happened and resurface all again. He said no to both. He wanted me to move a hottub more valuable than the job and I said absolutely not. I offered to pay for the company to move it, he said NO.  We replaced section of discolorization, it didnt work. I asked him to clean it because he had another contractor install pavers and they got the surface filthy, he did but it still needed more cleaning, so I sent my guys to use chemicals, scrub and then pressurewash. It changed significantly, and had a chance for a reroll over the complete surface to make it right. Customer called me a liar several times, yelled and became belligerent towads me. Customer was told one more time of calling me a liar and yelling I WAS DONE, he persisted. I hung up and removed myself from the problem. Ive been in business 42 years and all wouldve been made right but this customer is intolerable. 

   

  Customer response

  05/06/2024

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********* and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
  
  Unfortunately the character limit of this response prevents me from addressing all of the inaccuracies of the owners response.

  MAJOR POINT***I've patiently waited for 3 1/2 months for this company to do the right thing and fix this problem.  The company was well aware and informed of the hot tub delivery.  Derrick failed to timely respond to texts and follow through with his own promises, not to mention failing to re-roll prior to the deliver of the hot tub which didn't happen for more than a month after they were made aware of the problem.  

  I was NEVER offered a refund.  But at this point I would accept that to end this fiasco.  All I ever wanted was to get what I paid for, but I never bargained for a company to string me along for 3 1/2 months like they have done.  I was very patient trying to work with them for such an extended period of time in an effort to resolve this.  At least until they told me it looked "PERFECT" while I was standing there staring at this large discoloration with my own eyes.

  I really do not prefer a refund, and would rather they re-roll with them paying to move and then re-place the hot  tub.  I was always led to believe that I would have to pay for that cost.  Again, all I've ever wanted was to get what we paid them to provide to us.

  Another reason I do not prefer a refund is because it will cost me more to have someone else remove the shoddy work we've received to this point and then replace with a new surface.  

  However, in an effort to put all of this behind us, I would accept the full refund that was never previously offered.  At this point I'd just be happy to not deal with these people any longer.

   Regards,
  *** **********

  

  Business response

  05/07/2024

  FULL REFUND OF JOB IS READY FOR YOU TO PICKUP AT OUR SHOP AT **** ****** ***** *** ** AT WHICH TIME YOU WILL ALSO NEED TO SIGN A WAIVER OF RELEASE THAT YOUR JOB HAS BEEN FULLY REFUNDED AND NO FURTHER ACTION IS ASKED FOR OR REQUIRED.

  This offer is being made because the customer can’t keep even the truth straight in his statements. He is Intolerable to work with. THE PROOF IS IN HIS OWN WORDS BETWEEN COMPLAINT AND REBUTTAL. Such as he states about the timeline of install and conversations with Derek. One problem was fixed and the other needed input from home office at end of February, yet He Set a Hot Tub in the Middle of the Month. All That Needed To Be done was tell company to hold setting the tub and we would’ve put new surface over its entirety. Simple Fix, just didn’t fit the customers desire. Such as he says he wasn’t offered a refund (he was), he then comes back that he doesn’t want a refund (unacceptable) yet then states he will take one to end this fiasco, yet that’s not what he wants. WHICH IS IT?? He states how myself and this product is so expensive, yet it will cost him so much more to repair, WHICH IS IT?  I NEVER EVER SAID IT WAS PERFECT…I SAID IT HAD SIGNIFICANTLY CHANGED AND HE SAID IT HAD NOT CHANGED AT ALL. I cant stand being called a liar. If I thought it was PERFECT I WOULDNT BE TRYING TO MAKE THINGS RIGHT. AGAIN OUR COMPANY IS 42 YEARS YOUNG AND DOESNT GET THERE BY NOT DOING THE RIGHT THING…SOMETIMES IN LIFE YOU JUST MEET AN INTOLERABLE PERSON THAT NOTHING IS SATISFYING. WE TRIED….YOUR FULL REFUND IS AVAILABLE AT OUR OFFICE

  Customer response

  05/09/2024

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********* and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
  
  Send me a copy of the document that you want me to sign and I will review prior to dropping it off and picking up the refund.  Be sure it includes the check number and amount.
  Word limits make it easy to fit in untruths from the business, but not enough room to provide details of the inaccuracies.
  FACT - the work was “completed” on 1/8/24
  FACT - I notified them of the problem on 1/11/24
  FACT - I notified Derek more than a week before tub delivery for a reroll prior to delivery.  Derek was to send me pictures of a new color to use to ensure better uniformity, but he never followed through-see pic of texts.
  FACT – Even after the February timeline being discussed, I had not been contacted since Derek's promise to send color pic.  I had to call the office on 3/5/24 due to Derek’s lack of communication.
  FACT – we are now a full four months after install and the surface looks as bad as ever.
  FACT – I texted *** on 4/26/24 to see when they would be back.  His response was that “they got it to blend”-see 2 pics of texts.  When I called him his exactly words were “it’s perfect”.  He sent pictures, but failed to recognize that a wet surface has different look … once dried there was no change.
  I guess when incompetence is called out, the customer is intolerable.  So be it.  I was extremely patient for over 3 months!
  I would have refused any refund offers because I didn’t want money, I wanted it fixed!  It’s only after it became obvious that they were incapable of fixing their mistake that I’ve decided to accept a refund.
  Any decent contractor would know it will cost more for me to have repaired. I will be paying for both a new surface and for them to remove the shoddy work previously done.
  
  Regards,
  *** **********

  

  Business response

  05/14/2024

  CUSTOMER HAS BEEN OFFERED FULL REFUND, WHICH HE HAS NOW REFUSED TWICE, YET CONTINUES TO PLAY GAMES ABOUT IT

  CUSTOMER TELLS UNTRUTHS AND THE PROOF OF THAT IS IN HIS OWN COMMENTS WHERE HE CONTRADICTS HIMSELF FROM INITIAL ACCUSATIONS TO REBUTTALS. 
  

  CUSTOMER WAS NEVER TOLD “IT WAS PERFECT” EVER…IT WAS SAID IT HAD SIGNIFICANT CHANGE THAT A REROLL MAY COVER IT. CUSTOMER SAID IT HAS NO CHANGE AND CALLED ME A LIAR, LOUDLY. I DONT HAVE TO TAKE YOUR LYING AND DISRESPECT 

  YOU ARE THE WORST CUSTOMER AND PERSON IVE MET IN MY 42 YEARS OF BUSINESS SO YOU CAN DECIDE PUBLIC ABOUT THIS *****

  CUSTOMER CHOSE TO SHOW A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF TEXTS BECAUSE SHOWING ALL DOESNT FIT HIS NARRATIVE 

  FULL REFUND IS SETTING HERE AT OFFICE

  NO FURTHER TIME WILL BE WASTED ON THIS

  HAD YOU WAITED TO SET HOTTUB YOU WOULDVE HAD A COMPLETELY NEW SURFACE, WHICH YOU WERE TOLD AND YOU SAID OK VIA TEXT COMMUNICATIONS WITH DEREK AND HIS PROPOSED TIMELINE

*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. ↩