ComplaintsforAffordable Foundation & Home Repairs - The Crack Guys

• Initial Complaint

  05/03/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I hired the crack guys to do foundation work on my slab. A week later, it was discovered that they drilled two holes into my drainage pipe and filled it with their foam causing my toilet to back up into my bathtub. I have now had to pay $5,500 to replace the pipe, and I have to find someone to fill in the concrete. I'm still working to get a quote for someone to complete that work. The crack guys job was supposed to be $6,500, and I'm now at $8,700 ($5,500 for plumbing job plus $3,200 I paid the crack guys up front). I still owe the crack guys another $3,200. I had no plumbing issues before calling them. The pipe was inspected by the plumbers who removed it, and there is no other damage than where the crack guys drilled a hole into it.

  

  Business response

  05/12/2023

  On 03/27/2023 **** ****** (“Customer”) contacted our company (Affordable Foundation & Home Repairs, Inc.-The Crack Guys “AFHR”) to request a free inspection. She claimed that she was experiencing cracks in her home's slab foundation. Additionally, she reported that certain areas of her slab foundation appeared to be sinking. An inspection of the property areas of concern was completed on March 29, 2023. The AFHR Inspector determined that a poly foam slab injection (Poly Rise) would be/is the best solution in order to address the sinking slab. The Customer agreed upon and signed a contract for AFHR to install 435 square feet of Poly Rise Foam Slab Injection for $6,525. The contract was signed by the Customer and the Company on March 29, 2023. As required by the contract, the Customer is required to deposit half of the amount of the job ($3,262.50) and sign a contract on March 29, 2023. On April 14, 2023 an installation crew performed the installation of the Poly Rise in an attempt to lift the slab. On 4/20/23, the customer notified AFHR and stated that plumbing issues were occurring at the home. The Customer was adamant that AFHR damaged the plumbing at the home by installing the poly foam slab lifting materials, although no plumbing issues had arisen or were mentioned upon the final job walk through. 
  As signed by the Customer, the contract states the following line items regarding plumbing and other issues:
  4. PLUMBING. Unless specifically authorized by this Contract, this Contract price does not include rerouting, relocation, or replacement of vents, pipes, ducts, conduits, or any of the like, that may be encountered in areas of excavation.
  8. PROPERTY CONDITIONS. The Contractor shall not be held liable/responsible for ANY of the following including but not limited to (Before completion of work, During work progression, After work completion); Cracks in brick, cracks in sheetrock, cracks in molding, separation of molding, cracks in windows, cracks in ceilings, separation of door facings, floors not completely level as contractor will attempt and to the best of the contractors ability to level the floors, saving bushes, trees, shrubs, flowers, gardens, grass, soil, or any such decorations, sidewalk cracks, driveway or other slab cracks, driveway or other slab sinking due to machinery or other acts, windows and doors may need to be realigned after a structural lift.
  23. Additional Owner Responsibilities. Owner is responsible for all the following: 1.) Make final payment to foreman on site before crew members leave unless other terms have been agreed upon by the Contractor. Final payment shall not be withheld for any reason. 2.) Prepping the area for work. This includes ensuring that sprinkler lines are clearly marked, propane lines and any other lines that may be damaged during excavation must be marked. (Customer assumes responsibility for damages due to hidden or unmarked utility, fuel, private, sprinkler, gas, and any other lines that may be buried or above ground). 3.) Ensure maintenance of drainage is properly dispersed way from the home away from any repaired walls. 4.) Keeping gutters maintained. 5.) Keep downspout water directed a sufficient distance away from the structure. 6.) Water seepage into the structure. Contractor recommends that basements and crawlspaces should be waterproofed to reduce the chance of water seepage into the structural areas of the home. 7.) Owner is responsible for maintaining electrical plugs/outlets in which sump pumps are maintaining source of electricity from. Failure to check blown breakers or bad plugs can result in flooding when the sump pump does not have electricity. The Contractor DOES NOT take any responsibility and WILL charge a service fee (up to $300) to inspect electrical plugs/outlets for sump pumps that are not working due to no electricity. 8.) Any other items mentioned in the aforementioned statements. Please be aware that the Contractor will to the best of their ability, prevent the destruction or damage of any lines and to the property. However, due to the nature of work being performed, additional damage may occur, at no fault to the Contractor
  31. Damage – Due to the nature of construction and the use of heavy equipment, some damage may occur to the existing driveways, walks, landscaping, and irrigation systems. The Contractor will work to minimize damage, but no guarantee can be made. The Owner is responsible for any repaving, replanting and repair work. The contractor will at the Owners direction, make repairs at the rate of cost-plus Contractors fees. 
  Furthermore, AFHR did take precautionary measures to attempt to minimize the risk of hitting any unforeseen, buried pipes. AFHR uses 2 main drill bit sizes in order to pump underneath slabs 12” or 18” ? drill bit. With this specific home’s thickness of slab (4” - 8”), our installation technician used the 12” bit to drill the injection hole. If the home and plumbing is constructed to code, specifically IPC 305.4, the drill bit would not be in the area of plumbing pipes.
  The installation technician did achieve lift on the slab from 1” to 1 ¾” in the areas of concern.
  AFHR takes preventative measures to minimize risk. Since there are some things that are out of our control, our Contract states that we are not at fault for additional damage, specifically with plumbing. Despite this, when the Customer called in regards to plumbing issues AFHR offered to pay for the repairs as a courtesy to the Customer. We also advised the Customer that she would still be responsible for the remaining part of her bill for the work done and completed, as the materials were installed and lift was achieved as expected. The Customer has since stated that she would not accept the courtesy of the repair bill paid. She has also advised that she would attempt to defame AFHR by reviewing all social media accounts, BBB and that she would be filing a legal complaint against AFHR. At this time, our position is still that we are not liable and that we have attempted a courteous offer in order to settle the dispute. 
  
  

  Customer response

  05/19/2023

  
  Complaint: 20010614
  
  When the contractor was completed with the work, the plumbing issue wasn’t discovered because I didn’t flush the toilet before he left. I would not have associated the two. The problem was discovered six days later when the spare bathroom was used. It is not used often, and I had been out of town on travel for work. I did not contact the crack guys to tell them about the situation until a definitive response was received on what was blocking the drainage pipe and the cost of what it would be to saw into my floor, remove 10 feet of concrete, and have 10 feet of the drainage pipe replaced. At the time, I did not have a quote on the cost of the concrete, but I’ve since had someone to my house to complete that part, and it was $1,300. This is not “some damage” that had occurred due to the work of lifting and leveling the foundation, which is what’s stated according to their contract. This stopped the use of a whole bathroom that caused water to backup into the bathtub and has now cost me $6,828 in total to fix it, which doesn’t include replacing my floor. The pictures clearly show the drainage pipe filled with their poly foam along with two holes that were drilled directly into it. The plumbing code stated in their response is from 2018. My house was built in 1997. I stand by this is negligence. They are a company that advertises foundation repair, including concrete lifting. As this type of company, they should have the resources to make sure they are not blindly drilling into the foundation. The cost of this job was a significant amount, $6,525, and with this large amount, and I’m sure most of their jobs are significant in cost, they should be doing more to avoid causing significant damage as they have done in this case. I’ve confirmed with other foundation companies they have tools to do just this and have insurance to cover damages like what they have done to mine. I hired them to correct my foundation, not to have to have a piece of it replaced due to inadequate work. I want a copy of their liability insurance and license. 

• Initial Complaint

  08/25/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  On 5/04/22 we hired the crack guys to repair underneath the house the girder and rotten joists. 6/13/22 they sent a crew to do the job. Unaware they did not use pressure treated wood, did not remove the rotten wood they sistered to them, the joists do not touch the header nor attached to it or the girder which leaves the joists not re-attached on either side of girder which now the subflooring is dropping, the floor supports they added are not level and leaning

  

  Business response

  08/26/2022

  On 6/16/22 job was completed, customer signed walk through stating work had been completed and they were satisfied. Customer called on 6/29/22 with concerns.. Sent out service technician to access the situation, technician stated that more work might be needed. Went out on 8/5/22 to complete repair, and was told to leave premises until a permit was given. A permit was obtained on 8/25/22 and are returning to finish repair on 9/7/22

  Customer response

  08/31/2022

  I am rejecting this response because: I took the technicians word on  the work  being done correctly. We were unaware they Did NOT reattach  the joists to the girder permanently, as stated in the contract. The supports are NOT level and are leaning which shows in the photo submitted along with other  photos! On 8/5/22 . The technicians boss  (***) came and  my husband  went underneath  the house with him. *** didn't go all the way under the house to see what all we were concerned about.

  On 8/25/22 The technician did come back to house. We told him his boss needed to get in touch with  our county building codes. The technician talked with the inspector using my phone and  then he called his office. We never told him to vacate the premises. The code inspector told them they could not work until a permit was pulled and plans submitted  for the job to be done.

  I am not going to agree with anything until the job is done and it passes building codes.

• Initial Complaint

  08/12/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  The Crack Guys suggested The repair of sagging floor with 2 6x6 beams and 8 pier supports. The floors are still sagging and I called Crack Guys to get problem corrected and they claim they have no personnel to correct the repair. They gave no date or promise for correction. I just want the contracted work to be completed.

  

  Business response

  08/24/2022

  On 7/29/22 customer called to schedule service regarding issue described in complaint, on 8/2/22 crack guys cancelled service appointment due to staffing issues within company. On 8/11 BBB claim was filed by customer. Customer has not given ********************** guys appropriate time to correct issue, customer has not notified us again since appointment was canceled. Crack Guys has cancelation list to contact customers to reschedule. Called customer 8/24/22 to escalate service appointment, offered additional appointment on 9/6/22. Customer just called, we confirmed that date and ************************* accepted. 

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