ComplaintsforJ E Custom Building LLC

• Initial Complaint

  07/19/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  We signed a contract with ************************* of JE Custom Building for work to be done in our outdoor kitchen area and to level the porch floor above it. ****** and ******(business partner) said they could have the work completed in 6-8weeks. The check for the first draw, $13,600.00 cleared on April 13, 2023. One man came and demolished the outdoor kitchen,exposing the range, hood, refrigerator, dishwasher, trash compactor and sink/garbage disposal plus a 12-person wooden table to the elements. A JE subcontractor performed partial framing per contract in April. On Friday May 5 ****** texted asking for the $20,500.00 2nd draw check that day so he could order the windows. We did as he asked and his office manager came and picked up the check within 12 hours. Then no communication or activity since- piles of debris sitting at our house, 1 or 2 word responses to our inquiries or just "****". The second draw was said to order the windows but when they arrived in early June the **** showed that they were ordered May 31 but the check was cashed 3 weeks prior.We asked for an accounting and June 21 he replied to our email below;"First,What is the purpose for where money is spent. I told you that the windows were holding up the schedule due to being damaged. The crew that is doing the work is doing majority of the work,they want to do it all at once. I will not provide a financial break down unless its needed."The replacement windows for the damaged ones were reordered promptly by the supplier and arrived June 30. JE Custom let us know windows arrived but could not give us an installation. We emailed JE Custom and they replied thanking us for our patience and letting us know that they had no date/plan of when they would return to our job. We again asked for an accounting & no receipts were provided. Seeking partial refund and potential appliance replacement.

  

  Business response

  07/27/2023

  The ***** did sign a contract with our company on April 11, ********************************************************************************* 6-8 weeks as long as there were no complications or additional work added. On May 2, 2023 the ***** wanted to amend the contract and asked us to add on additional work that included raising the floor joists, remove & replace the subfloor, install vinyl on the floor, order and install 5 windows and 1 sliding door, and install support on bottom level to remove post which made the original 6-8 week timeline null & void. We asked the homeowners where they would like for us to place the appliances when demolition started and they told us to place them outside by the pool area so we did what we were told to do. The homeowners should have had a designated place that was covered to protect their appliances. In their complaint they stated that there has been no communication or activity since May 5, ********************************************************************** his complaint when he states that we were responding with 1 or 2 words or "****". There have been several emails and texts exchanged and we had employees at their home on several different occasions since May 5. There was a pile of debris from the demo that we completed and we did clean all of that debris up and I am attaching a picture to show proof of that. ************** even emailed our secretary showing that the debris had been cleaned up. The pile of concrete debris that the ***** attached in their complaint was not from any work done by J E Custom Building. ************** hired another contractor to do some work and their company left that pile of debris in the driveway, but our company went ahead and cleaned it up for the ***** even though the responsibility did not fall on us to do so. We explained to the ***** that the windows were damaged and having to be replaced by the supplier and that we were getting those ordered asap. The subcontractor that was doing the rest of the framing work would also be the one to install the windows. We explained to the ***** that as soon as the windows came in we would be able to get a date from our subcontractor of when he could come complete the work but we couldn't get that date until the windows actually came in. ************** emailed our secretary on July 12, 2023 asking for a meeting with the owners ************************* & ************************* on either July 17th or 18th. She emailed him back immediately letting him know that ****** would not be able to attend the meeting due to his fiance passing away the day before but that she would talk with ****** and get it set up. ****** sent ************** a text (see attached screen shot) about meeting Monday or Tuesday and ************** replied on July 17th at 2:34 pm that late in the day would be best but then sent an email later that evening wanting to terminate his contract and asked for a reconciliation or money paid to date which we sent them. The ***** still owed $23,000 on their contract but we were willing to cease all work and we sent them a breakdown of what they had paid and what work they had been charged for to date. When we finished the breakdown they would not owe us any remaining money and we would cease all work and we would not owe them any money back and they could use the $23,000 left on their contract to hire someone they would be more satisfied with. 

  Customer response

  08/03/2023

   
  Complaint: 20345611
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *******************

  

  Business response

  08/23/2023

  I think i am having trouble getting my responses to come through. We do have a signed contract from the *****. 

  

  Business response

  08/23/2023

  All of our contracts are listed the same way with all work to be performed and a total price agreed upon by the contractor and the homeowner. The issue these homeowners had was that we weren't finishing fast enough even though they made changes to the original contract which caused the finish date to be pushed out. We were not even a month over the original deadline which the homeowners were aware would not be met due to the changes and extras they had added on. 

  

  Business response

  08/23/2023

  We are not willing to replace any appliances for them because they were put exactly where the homeowners asked us to place them and the homeowners chose to leave them out in the elements instead of storing them properly. We would have been happy to place them in a different place for them if they had somewhere else that was better covered but they told us they wanted them out on the patio that was uncovered. 

  Customer response

  12/11/2023

  The basis of filing a complaint with the BBB was to obtiain a fair and equitable reconcilliation of the project at the time of termination. With the lack of response from JE Custom Building, LLC we sought legal action. We filed a complaint against JE Custom Building, ************************* and ************************* in ***************************** and the Judge ruled in our favor DV-***********.00, filed 11/22/2023. We consider this complaint not resolved as it is still ongoing at this time.

  

  Business response

  12/22/2023

  This complaint has been resolved. The judge ruled that we would reimburse the homeowner an amount of $8,000 which we will be taking care of. 

  Customer response

  01/02/2024

  My question now is what action is the BBB going to take.  Down grade the rating of JE Custom?  - Provide place that the public a notice of a civil complaint and action that has been leveled against JE Custom?  The courts agreed with us - that we were owed financial compensation something the ownership of JE Custom denied.  The BBB is a trusted place that is supposed to give a fair rating of a company.  If would be a disgrace if the BBB remains providing a positive rating of a company that had to be taken to court for a fair and equitable financial resolution to a contract dispute.  

  Customer response

  01/04/2024

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********.  

  They did pay us the $9,100.22 that the court ordered, based on falsely paid invoices generated by JE. The amount they stole from us was more than that.

  I'd hate for anyone else to have to go through what we went through. They are not a reputable business.

   

  Regards,

  ****

   

   

• Initial Complaint

  12/27/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  This company did a horrible remodel on our home. Loan was done through a bank. Business put a false lien on our house stating he was not paid for the materials we, the homeowners purchased out of pocket. Lien needs to be removed from house. We have all documents from bank showing full payout.

  

  Business response

  12/28/2022

  Our company felt like we had no other choice but to place a lien on the homeowner's home after multiple attempts to collect the money that was owed to us for the remaining balance on the original contract plus the amount owed to us for the additional work (and materials needed for the additional work) that the owners asked us to do outside of the original contract. Any materials that were purchased by the homeowner were deducted from the amount owed to us. We sent the homeowner a breakdown of what was owed. Our company agreed to settle for $10,000 to help settle the matter if it was paid that day and after viewing the breakdown of what was owed the homeowner agreed through email to pay the $10,000 and asked us to send a document stating that everyone agreed to the $10,000 settlement which our company did that day. But after agreeing to the settlement the homeowner changed her mind and decided she no longer wanted to pay the $10,000 so we were left with no other choice but to file the lien. Our company delivers quality work, and we always do that with integrity, and we did everything in our power to resolve this without having to place a lien on their home. 

  

  Business response

  01/10/2023

  The picture shows that $1,500 was sent to someone but does not show anywhere on there that it was sent to our company. Our company never does any upgrades or additional work outside of the original contract without the homeowner's approval. All work was approved by either the complainant or her husband. We would never choose to do additional work without the homeowners' approval and take the risk of not getting paid because the homeowner did not want the changes so all changes and price are discussed with the homeowner prior to any work being done. The homeowners agreed to have the laundry room raised, asked for the tile to be installed in their guest bathroom, made changes to the electrical for their living room ceiling, added tub face panel in the guest bathroom, and although we deducted the cost of the LVP material (which the homeowner was not supposed to buy per our contract but we deducted it from their balance anyway) the homeowner is still responsible for the cost of the engineer and the time invested. There was an unpaid balance of $20,839.35 before any additions or deductions were made. Even with the deduction of the materials the homeowner purchased that still left a balance of $8,938.35 from the original contract and that does not include the cost of the changes the homeowners added that were outside the original contract that are an additional $6,700. The homeowner has an unpaid balance of $15,638.35 and we were willing to settle for $10,000 and to fix the things that she had decided she was unhappy with but the homeowner agreed to it and then changed her mind and was not willing to pay any of the money she owed our company. Filing a lien on their home was a last resort and the homeowner left us no choice. We just want to get paid the money that is owed to us. 

  Customer response

  01/10/2023

  I am rejecting this response because:
  Once again..the only additions were the trim and doors. Ill attach a better picture for you to see it was paid to you. We did not agree to raise laundry room floor. We did not agree to extra charge for lighting because there was no ceiling (remember you ripped it down when you told us we needed a new roof which was another ploy to try and get more money out of us?) the lights were placed after sheetrock was placed back up and hole that were cut are the holes that are still there. You have some memory issues, or maybe its just the fact you were never at our house. And I’m still waiting to see the change orders and these extra charges we agrees to..ill wait. You can make up alllll the numbers you want to, but i have all the texts and these messages now that are different numbers each time. I wish you luck for whats coming your way. 
  Sincerely,
  

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