ComplaintsforCanadian Tiny Homes

• Initial Complaint

  29/04/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Despite our hopes in supporting a new family-owned business, our experience has been marred by severe construction deficiencies leading to our homelessness on Xmas Day. The main cause for our distress (2000 characters in not enough), the unsafe humidity levels, resulting in a severe mold infestation. Despite our efforts to mitigate the problem, including the installation of humidity fans, constantly running exhaust fans, and the use of a large dehumidifier, the mold continued relentlessly. Our ******************** were constantly soaking wet & moldy, forcing us to use dog pee blankets over our bed, & even our rest was disrupted by water dripping from skylights on us while we slept. The magnitude of this issue cannot be overstated. Daily management of these issues was nothing short of a nightmare, demanding immense physical, mental, and emotional energy to cope with the constant challenges. The builder's stance became increasingly defensive. He asserted that the humidity issues were solely our fault. While it's true that human habitation naturally generates humidity, he disregarded my pleas that a tiny home is specifically engineered for habitation. He continued to refuse to acknowledge his obligation to ensure its functionality under normal living conditions. I then contacted several of his industry peers and learnt that the issues indicated the need for a comprehensive overhaul of the entire unit. Despite our persistent but very kind efforts to address the situation via email (all correspondence documented), the builder firmly refuses to accept any accountability for the situation resulting from his construction. Moreover, his attempts to shift blame onto us, coupled with his using personal tragedies as leverage as reasons not to assist, only underscore his evasion of accountability. Despite our willingness to collaborate towards a resolution, even openly acknowledging the potential impact on his small business, we have been left without any avenue for justice.

  Business response

  03/05/2024

  Response to BBB
  ID # ********
  04/30/24
  
  To whom it may concern,
  
  Thank you for the opportunity to respond to this complaint.
  
  After visiting our shop, viewing the construction techniques of one of our tiny homes that was under construction at the time, and discussing with us what they were looking for in a tiny house, the client entered into a contract with Canadian Tiny Homes on 09/05/2020. Construction began on 11/01/2020.
  
  Their expressed desire was to have us build for them a 8'6" x 16' (128 square feet) Tiny Home that they intended to use as an Air B&B.
  
  I brought to the construction of their Tiny Home all of my 40+ years of experience building residential homes of all sizes. This is my first BBB complaint in those 40 years.
  
  The construction of their Tiny Home was completed and paid for on 03/01/2021.
  The Tiny Home remained unoccupied for over 2 years. The client asked for advice on how to hook up the water and sewer on 05/04/2023. The client asked us to have our electrician make a power cord for them. They picked up this cord on 06/30/2023. On 06/29/2023 the client sent a text that reads: "...the tiny house is in good shape." There is no mention of any deficiency. No leaking skylight, no leaking wheel well. No issues of any kind.
  
  Our email and text messaging history with the client will show the amount of assistance we extended. The following quotes are taken from the clients' emails:
  -"I appreciate how responsive and helpful you guys have been".
  -"...appreciate all of the assistance you and your family have provided us".
  -"...You, your family, and your subcontractors have gone above and beyond in my opinion. We are ecstatic about the services and guidance that you have provided...couldn't have asked to work with better people for all of this! <3".
  -"Hello! Everything is settling and moving forwards! I wanna thank you and your family again for being so awesome, best customer service I've ever had."
  -"The wonderful family operation that Canadian Tiny Homes is thoroughly impressed us with their kindness, compassion, and friendly demeanor and made our tiny home journey exceptional. We felt like part of their family while receiving the utmost professionalism and care. What truly sets Canadian Tiny Homes apart is their remarkable responsiveness. They promptly addressed any concerns or questions, going above and beyond to ensure our satisfaction. Even more impressively, they took care of any issues at their own expense. From day one, they took the time to educate us, patiently answering all of our many questions. Their expertise put us at ease throughout the process. We are incredibly grateful for ***** and ********'s outstanding service.They not only provided us with a beautiful tiny home but also a lasting relationship with us...we wholeheartedly recommend them."
  
  The client informed us on 06/29/2023 that they were forced to move out of the residence they were occupying because of the development of severe mold infestation.
   
  Around this time they informed us that they were moving into the Tiny Home to live full time. Two adults and two dogs. Over the next few months they shared some concerns they had about the Tiny Home. The email and text messaging history will show that on at least five different occasions we offered to come out to the Tiny Home and address their concerns. ALL of our offers were refused. One of the client's excuses for refusing our assistance was that she said she had recently lost her child. Only after I expressed my condolences and empathy did I come to discover that the loss the client was referring to was her pet, not her child. I felt manipulated and I lost all trust in the client. Despite her behavior, and out of compassion for their situation, I offered the client $3,000 to hire someone to clean their home and have a fresh start. The client declined.
  
  I firmly believe that the construction methods used in the building of their tiny home, which are the same methods used in all our Tiny Homes, are not the cause of their excessive humidity levels leading to mold growth. I feel that this is a user generated problem. The client's history with interior mold infestation is indicative of a lifestyle that generates elevated indoor humidity levels. None of our other clients have mold issues.
  
  I also believe that we have consistently acted in good faith, and did everything that could be reasonably expected to resolve the issue.
  
  
  
  Sincerely,
  ***********************

  Customer response

  06/05/2024

   
  Complaint: 21627374
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  
  *****'s building experience, spanning over 40 years, might suggest a wealth of knowledge, but although he boasts decades of expertise, as I understand it, his venture into the tiny home business is new. Our project marked only the sixth tiny home he had undertaken in his business, and notably, it was the very first of its minuscule size, an important detail to this case. I conducted thorough research, speaking at length to *****'s competitors for insights, since he was no longer willing to help. Their unanimous feedback shed light on the severity of our predicament: a comprehensive overhaul was imperative, indicating that the problem isnt an easy fix. A local competitor went a step further, reviewing the materials used. Their analysis uncovered a common oversight among novice tiny home builders: the use of heavy spray foam in a unit of such a small size. While I acknowledge *****'s intention may have been to exceed expectations, the application of spray foam, in this case, proved counterproductive. The compact size of the unit resulted in an unintended consequence, akin to living within a plastic bag, exacerbating humidity levels and fostering the rampant growth of mold. Supportive evidence corroborating these findings can readily be found online, particularly in discussions concerning attic spray foam use.
  
  ********************* incorporated several compliments I conveyed to him and his daughter throughout our interactions, along with a review they specifically requested from me for their own use. Importantly, these gestures occurred well in advance of any occupancy of the unit and prior to the emergence of any issues. All shared in ******* enthusiasm and with genuine hopes of supporting and encouraging their new budding small business. What he did not include is the extensive correspondence spanning months, where I pleaded with him to address the persistent issues we were facing. Following the implementation of all of *****'s suggested solutions, none of which yielded success, his demeanor noticeably shifted towards defensiveness. It appears he came to the ***** realization that this was no easy fix, prompting his defensive stance and his side stepping of accountability.
  
  Its profoundly frustrating that despite months of correspondence begging ***** to address the issues, he continues to cite our supposed refusal of assistance. I stand ready for him to rectify the issue, but as mentioned its not an easy fix, and he is refusing assistance. His offers of aid that he mentions began abruptly, with a message announcing his presence in our area, with less than an hour's notice, which unfortunately we were unable to accommodate. The remaining times were during the last days of Dojas (my fur babies) life, where we were unable to accommodate anything besides her care. *****'s conduct regarding this matter has been distressing on multiple fronts. Firstly, he conveniently overlooks the context of our inability to host him due to the exigencies of caring for our terminally ill baby, choosing instead to interpret it as a rejection of his assistance. Secondly, he now cites his refusal to help based on his perceived misunderstanding of the language I used to refer to ****, despite prior correspondence with his business partner (which I have documented) regarding her illness, so he was well aware what I was talking about. It is notable that this has nothing to do with the matter I have been trying to address, and It is evident from these interactions that ***** is using anything, including my grief and loss, as ammunition. A loss that holds immense significance for my husband and I, as the choice to have human children has been taken from us. I received an incredibly unkind email from *****, shortly after his construction deficiencies rendered my family homeless, where in the midst of our bereavement, of not only our home but our soulmate, he unjustly berates me for my choice of language and calls me disgusting.
  
  *****'s transparency has also been lacking. He initially proposed a $2000 "settlement," not the $3000 he now claims, and this was offered before the incident he refers to regarding my behavior. Regarding my conduct throughout this ordeal, I am resolutely confident and comfortable in my actions and demeanor throughout. I can readily provide a trail of emails demonstrating nothing but kindness, professionalism, and patience on my part, throughout, a ***** contrast to *****'s. We had to decline his $2000 settlement offer, as it simply wouldn't suffice to address the extensive overhaul required for the entire unit, this would hardly make a dent in rectifying the issues at hand and recover that large investment I made on this unit.
  
  ***** continues to attribute our humidity-related mold problem to being user generated. Its perplexing to be in a situation where I have to explain to a builder that a home should be constructed to handle everyday humidity, which ours clearly was not. Further, I have included an image of the humidity level being 70% (much higher than what is considered safe), after over a month of the tiny home not being inhabited. He also contends that none of his other clients encountered mold or humidity issues, yet his own daughter disclosed their struggles with humidity and mold in their own tiny home, offering up suggestions ***** also says he has done everything expected to resolve this issue, but beyond giving suggestions, that did not work, he has done nothing to resolve the humidity issues.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ********************

  Business response

  10/05/2024

  BBB
  ID ********
  05/08/24
  
  
  
  To whom it may concern,
  
  
  Thank you for the opportunity to respond to this complaint.
  
  
  The client is correct that my offer to them was for $2,0000. My apologies.
  
  
  The "research" the client claims, consists of only conversations with my "competitors".
  Noone physically inspected the tiny house. There was no analysis conducted.
  The "unanimous feedback" is based solely on what a disgruntled client told them.
  There is no basis to support a claim that "a complete overhaul was imperative".
  No overhaul is necessary. 
  
  
  The client has unfortunately been misinformed.
  The use of spray-foam insulation was not a mistake, and is not the cause of their mold situation.
  
  
  In any residence, all insulated exterior walls, including fiberglass, cellulose, or roxul, require a vapour barrier of some type. Typically, this barrier is a 6mm sheet of poly applied to the interior side of the stud walls. This vapour barrier is designed to prevent any interior moisture, in the form of humidity, from entering into the wall cavity and migrating toward the exterior wall. Moisture within a wall cavity will reach its dew point and condense as it migrates to colder exterior temperatures. (This is basic building science.) This condensation can lead to insulation damage and mold growth. To be clear; all insulated exterior walls require a vapour barrier.
  
  
  Spray-foam however, does not require the installation of an additional vapour barrier. The spray-foam itself  performs as a vapour barrier. Spray-foam is a common material used to insulate buildings of all sizes. Their spray-foam was installed by a licensed installer with decades of experience.
  
  
  We did not have any experience with mold in our tiny home, we had a brief issue with condensation which we solved by running an exhaust fan.
  
  
  While I do sympathize with the situation the client is experiencing, the construction and insulation of their tiny home is not the cause of their situation. It is very important to remember that the client has a history of a lifestyle that generates high indoor humidity levels, creating an environment conducive to mold growth.Their previous residence was condemned due to mold .
  
  
  Sincerely,
  *****

  Customer response

  14/05/2024

   
  Complaint: 21627374
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  
  Due to *****'s lack of support, with no where else to turn, I had no choice but to seek assistance and education from his competitors to gain my own understanding of the issues plaguing my tiny home resulting in the homelessness of my family... I provided his competitors with a description of the issues at hand, pictures and videos showcasing the severity, the details of the building materials used by *****, along with all of the recommended solutions that we had attempted. Reaching out to *****'s competitors as a "disgruntled client" would have been counterproductive and a waste of my valuable time and energy. My intention was to seek solutions and answers to the ongoing issues affecting my family and me,rather than engage in fruitless confrontations as ***** seems to be suggesting.In fact, as ***** knows, I deliberately refrained from mentioning his company name throughout all interactions with his competitors. My sole purpose was to seek clarity on why my family and I were facing homelessness due to ongoing issues that ***** has neglected to address. After meticulously gathering information through numerous emails, phone conversations, and virtual inspections,I returned to ***** armed with insights from his industry peers, hoping he would grasp the severity of the situation caused by his faulty work and listen to someone elses opinion in his industry, since he was no longer receptive to my desperate and ongoing pleas. Throughout our interactions spanning months, I repeatedly emphasized my desire to resolve the matter privately between us,aiming to avoid escalation. Regrettably, despite my efforts, I find myself here escalating the issue to reclaim the financial losses incurred from his construction deficiencies and apparent lack of accountability.

  
  If ***** disagrees with the assessments provided by the 5+ companies I've extensively consulted, including the Tiny ************************* of Canada, why hasn't he undertaken his own investigation into the root causes of our problems? Furthermore, why has he failed to implement or offer any necessary amendments if a complete overhaul isn't warranted? In all my efforts to seek understanding through industry professionals, if ***** disagrees with their unanimous opinions of the need for extensive repairs, where is his assistance in standing behind his work or proving them wrong? ***** has failed to acknowledge or even investigate the root causes of our problems. Despite evidence from industry professionals, ***** has neglected to take any corrective action or provide alternative insights and instead attempts to place blame on us for simply existing in our home. Moreover,despite claims of having executed everything correctly, I possess emails from ***** himself acknowledging and admitting to deficiencies in the wheel *****. I have documented videos illustrating pools of water infiltrating from these wheel *****, alongside moisture seepage elsewhere along where the floors and walls meet, all contributing significantly to the mold growth. Yet, ***** has taken no action to rectify even the issues he conceded were his deficiencies...
  
  Once again, ***** attempts to exploit my family's trauma, grief, and loss to deflect accountability. While it's true that my families very first home, recently purchased, that we worked so incredibly hard to acquire, was tragically condemned due to mold, *****'s reference only underscores and highlights his own construction shortcomings. The issues in our home stem from DIY type construction done about 20 years ago,lacking implementation of exterior ventilation for the bathroom fan, resulting in accumulated humidity within an enclosed in-between space for over two decades. The construction deficiencies and long-term neglect by the previous owners allowed the issue to reach its severity, and we had resided there only for a brief period. It is crucial to note that this moisture accumulation, causing the mold, occurred in a space between walls, entirely unrelated to the interior of our home. This problem wasnt related to the humidity we generate, but what the bathroom fan blew into an enclosed in-between space. Similar to *****'s tiny home, it stemmed from oversights during construction, and only shines light on the problems we are having with the construction of our tiny home.
  
  It's clear to me, as I hope it is to you, that ***** is desperately trying to deflect accountability by grasping at irrelevant matters beyond the scope of his construction. His numerous attempts to shift blame indicate a lack of genuine sympathy or understanding for our situation despite his claims of sympathizing.... Since ***** has been the one to so graciously bring up the challenges and trauma we've been navigating this year repeatedly, in attempts to use it as ammunition,allow me to provide a summary. We were made homelessness, for the first time,due to mold issues in our previous home, as mentioned earlier, forcing us to move into the tiny home. During our time in the tiny home, as we dealt with the incredibly stressful daily management of the steady water and mold accumulation,we were also fighting to save our fur babies life which was all consuming and involved 24/7 care, a battle that tragically ended in her passing despite our best efforts. Shortly after, we faced homelessness once again, for the 2nd time, due to *****'s blatant refusal of accountability or to even investigate why we were having these ongoing issues. It's been the most difficult year of our lives, and we're still grappling with finding stable housing amidst the chaos that has befallen us, stemming from factors beyond our control.
  
  With that said, dealing with the tiny home predicament is just one aspect of the challenges my family is tackling as we fight to survive our circumstances. Therefore, I kindly request that ***** stays focused on the pertinent issues and avoid further diversions, as my plate is already quite full. To refocus the discussion, it's imperative to acknowledge the fundamental truth: we invested in a tiny home explicitly designed for year-round living. Regrettably, it has failed to provide a habitable environment due to unsafe humidity levels, resulting in severe and rapid mold growth. Despite this critical well documented issue, and my extensive attempts to enlist ****** assistance, he has not provided any meaningful assistance beyond offering ineffective solutions and invalid accusations.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ********************

  Business response

  30/05/2024

  Complaint: 21627374
  
  
  To BBB,
  
  
  Thank you for the opportunity to reply to the client's most recent letter.
  
  
  I find that the issues mentioned by the client in her most recent letter, are repetitive. 
  My responses to the client's concerns have been addressed, and can be found in my two previous letters to the BBB. 
  
  
  I contend that the construction methods used to build the client's tiny home are not the cause of their current situation.
  
  
  Sincerely,
  *****

  Customer response

  03/06/2024

   
  Complaint: 21627374
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  
  As I understand, this conversation will be public for future consumers to see, and I wholeheartedly welcome this transparency. It is my sincere hope that sharing my experience will serve as a warning to potential customers.
  
  To summarize my previous replies, Canadian Tiny Homes sold me a product riddled with multiple construction deficiencies. These range from unfinished and sloppy finishing to severe unsafe humidity levels and leaks,which ultimately forced my family to evacuate the tiny home due to uncontrollable mold growth. Despite these glaring problems, the company has shown a complete lack of support and responsibility.They have not taken any steps to address the issues resulting in our homelessness, nor have they even bothered to inspect the potential causes. Instead, they have continually sought ways to sidestep accountability.
  
  This is particularly disheartening considering that several of their competitors have offered multiple suggestions on what could be causing these issues. It is evident that Canadian Tiny Homes lacks both the expertise and the commitment to quality and customer service that one would expect from a reputable builder.
  
  I strongly advise any future consumers to seek out tiny home builders with more experience and a proven track record of standing behind their products. The frustration and inconvenience I have experienced should serve as a cautionary tale for anyone considering doing business with Canadian Tiny Homes.
  
  Thank you for allowing me to share my experience.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ********************

*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. ↩