Complaints

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• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/21/2023

  Type:Order Issues
  Status:

  UnresolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Contract was signed on 1/15/23 for McPherson General Contracting to build an addition (basement and dining room 2 stories on to back of our home). Total price was to be $64,000.

  First Payment to be paid upon signing was $30,000 (which was paid) and 2nd payment was to be paid on 2 weeks later, but also supposed to be the completion of the entire basement along with the passing of inspections. The basement footer, walls and floor poured ended up being completed in May, so that was when we made end payment of $20,000.

  Mike walked off the job the day after we paid the 2nd payment with only 1/4th of the job done at that point. Mike sent us back $9,000 of our $50,000 saying it cost $41,000 at that point. The first 2 inspections failed during this time and the block walls had never had an inspection (so he lied about that). He made so many mistakes including: digging the hole at least 2 foot deeper than needed, the sides over 3 foot wider each and the back wall was way more than 6 foot wider than needed, busted our main sewer line, changed his plans almost daily.

  We never had a change order for any additional work to be done. He also purchased 10 wrong windows (smaller than originally promised). He needed to purchase new build windows, not replacement windows.

  We had a 2nd estimate on the fair cost of work that was done and that fair cost was $17,000 including a 25% mark up. That fair cost minus extra work he caused us, extra time, health issues due to the stress, and attorney if we need to go that route, would be $0 amount that he is due.

  We are desperate for your help. We worked our entire lives for this and he took it all and left us with a mess. We even had to take from our 401K to help pay for a new contractor. We are very close to retirement, but this may set us back a while. 

  Business Response

  Date: 09/21/2023

  I started this job and  the basement was dug, passed inspection with the backfilled stone and third party compaction test, the block foundation went up and before I had the walls inspected I ended the contract. This customer was a nightmare to work for. We discussed the project and process, after I had the basement dug I started getting rid of dirt like discussed with the customer before signing of contract. The customers son showed up on my job site being very rude about me getting rid of the dirt stating if anyone was going to get it that he should get it. Once I explained the agreement between his mother (the customer) and I he left only for **** to call and harass me about the dirt. This was followed by **** telling me she wanted to add something to the scope of work that wasn’t in the contract and instead of paying the extra cost for the extra work told me that her son would be doing the work (on my jobsite) and I told her that wasn’t happening. This was followed by **** trying to get me to cover $3800.00 of electrical work because “she didn’t have the money” that being said I paid every sub contractor and I cured all the cost for everything start to finish and provided a detailed list of where all the money that was spent went so that everything was accounted for. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 09/22/2023

  I am rejecting this response because: It is not true at all.  I have all the text messages saved on my phone.  I had to text him every day because I wanted to know what was happening each day and who was on my property daily.  He didn't always give me that information, so I had to ask every day.  As far as the "Other work", I asked him if he minded if my son (part owner of ****** ********, this info is so you know my son is licensed and bonded plumber) came in just before pouring the floor and add a sump pump hole.  At first, Mike said sure and that he would work with ******* (my son) to tell him when to do this.  Then just before time to do so, Mike decided to make ******* responsible for the warranty for everything from the ground up, and Mike would be responsible for everything from the top down to basement level.  At that time, ******* said it would be easy enough (if ever needed) for him to cut into the floor and add the sump pump later, so I told Mike we wouldn't be doing that.  Like I already said: we do have all the text messages.  The dirt issue was also discussed ahead of time and I let Mike know that ******* wanted some of the left over dirt and ******* would bring his own equipment at the end of the renovation to get the dirt.  I also told MIke that while we were gone on vacation, ******* would be in charge of the project.  At that time, Mike and ******* had some good conversations and we thought things were going to work out great while we were gone.  While we were on vacation, is when Mike decided to give neighbors some dirt and take money for it.  The addition to the scope of the work and the extra $3,800 cost Mike is talking about is: The electrical main pole would have to be moved in order to do the renovation.  That should have been planned and in the total budget of the renovation.  Any contractor, and our new contractor planned ahead for that to be done as part of the scope of work.  Our electrician just did the moving of the main electrical pole and new meter box for $1900 total cost through our new contractor.  I told Mike that our electrician would only charge $1900 total for the same item he was charging us $3800 (which should have been part of the main original estimate).  If there is no way to do an addition with the main line and meter box in the way, and it has to be moved in order to do the work, that is something that needs to be in the original contract.  We do also have the paperwork where the inspections failed already downloaded, so you can see for yourself that ALL of the inspections on Mike's watch failed the first time.  He was all over the place and changing his plans daily to try to navigate this project.  He was not trustworthy, told us lies many times, broke our main sewer line and tried to fix it with the cheapest way possible, left us without sewer for a week, told his block sub contractors to do the cheapest job possible, and in the end walked off the job and stole our money.  My son ******* (part owner of ****** ********) almost shut him down with City Health Department  because he left our main sewer line open overnight and was not going to use the proper material and do the correction correctly.  We told ******* to give him one more day to do it right before he called the City Health Department.  We have all the attachments already loaded and more than ready to share the text messages and provide any photo's needed.  
  
  Regards,
  
  **** ******