ComplaintsforModern Heritage Design & Build LLC

• Initial Complaint

  08/17/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Local contractor, con artists and scammers. We paid approx. $150,000 to begin our complete home remodel. As of Today only demo has been performed, project started June 6, 2023 with a projected finish date of July 21, 2023. Our house is in complete demo going on 3 months. This company is contracting Without a license, falsely represented themselves with someone elses invalid contractor license. none of the workers have valid CSLB licenses, the license they are using is not under their name and is expired, no *********************** expired NMLS license, theft of our money, .I have also found out most contractors have not been paid - including windows, cabinets, labor, etc. The few projects they completed were deemed unlivable and substandard by a licensed contractor and had to be completely demoed for a second time. At this point, we have hired new licensed contractors, and paid out-of-pocket to have work completed correctly. They lie and harass by demands more money, including a new demand today for over $20,000 to complete work. they also demanded almost $60,000 on July 8th. they have 130K of our money that is unaccounted for.I also have been in contact with another home owner with a similar experience with Modern Heritage Design and build. They had a $1 million project and fired this company after many new charged in excess of $100,000 in permits/work that were never filed or completed. They have also implicated another local contractor by fraudulently including them in our original contract. We have spoken with the owner of that company and confirmed that this husband and wife team have done this to several people. This other company is a respectable valid company within the community.**** and *********************** are husband and wife - Modern Heritage Design and Build is their business -both refuse to pay for licensed contractors to complete the project correctly or give us our money back. Detailed documentation:*********************************

  Business response

  08/17/2023

  Unfortunately the claims made within this filing are wildly misleading and inaccurate. Modern Heritage Design & Build is a project management and design/build consulting firm. We work with clients strictly on a referral basis and assist in the design and management of their projects with coordination of subcontractors, should it be necessary. At no point has the company claimed to be licensed contractors, operate under alternative licenses or claimed to directly be associated with the **** (although many of our work partners are registered, licensed and utilized when the project requires).
  We were first contacted by this consumer via a mutual referral 1 yr prior to our commencement and with full clarity of our business. 3 months before the expected start date we received their refundable scheduling deposit and reviewed all 'finalized' items they requested to be performed. 3 days to project start, we received 3 payments which were specifically accounted for (built to order windows, custom cabinets, and general materials deposit).
  Everything was fine for 2 weeks until their next progress payment was due. This payment was submitted below the invoiced amount and 10 days late. After this point, the consumer had changed their tune from adding more work items and being excited as they saw progress to then removing nearly half of the items they requested and agreed to within their contract. We were willing to make amendments to the scope of work and continued forward until it became clear that these clients had no intent to pay the remaining balance of their contract as work was performed. 
  They continuously manipulated the work schedule with demands of materials onsite earlier than planned and demands for completion of items out of order (which in turn effects not only schedule but quality of work). We have written statements verifying that they attempted misdirection of workers, called vendors in attempts to cancel or manipulate orders, and represented themselves as representatives of our business. Within these actions, they rushed the install of cabinets and floors despite denying recommended floor prep only to then request that everything be removed and discovered this was because of them wanting different floors for free and to paint their cabinets a different color (even though they selected and approved all design items/finishes in writing).
  Through all of this, we did our best to make accommodations and clarify exactly what their desired outcome was. Despite the many instances of harassment and extortion via threats of do this or else we remained calm as we maintained our willingness and transparency through hours of time spent reviewing business accounting records of their project and full explanations of what has been spent, performed, yet to be performed and outstanding balances due.
  Despite this whole experience, we have continued to request (almost daily for 2 months) written verification of what they propose be done so it may be agreed/discussed and get their project completed. Unfortunately they have denied these requests and continued to make conflicting demands that only add to the confusion theyve already created.
  It is of our own fault that we did not require a verification of funds prior to starting (since it was a referral) and that we were too accommodating with changes (instead of exercising our right to cancel due to breach of contract). Now we are left with allowing our attorney to step in and utilize the very detailed records of their project and all correspondence displaying their constant manipulation and start/stop requests.
  Within the documents shown in their claim, these are personal accounting documents with the consumers hand written notes, not factual status of work performed (multiple times) which we have for our records and  provided to our attorney showing daily progress made throughout the project.
  Regarding claims of any instances regarding projects outside of their own, they have no facts or knowledge on the matters. Although it is similar in that the client confirmed they ran out of available funds (which were actually verified) and requested to halt work until they were ready to continue. We agreed, only to receive a request for cancellation months later even though they have an outstanding balance of $40,000 due.
  We do our best to accommodate all projects that come to us for assistance and pride ourselves on quality, cost, and timeline. We have clients who continuously offer themselves as referrals and return for our services on their future projects no matter the size. 
  It is unfortunate that these claims are being made without any truth and is clear that these consumers have no desire to complete their project unless its free (as we later found they had done to others on projects they contracted) while they falsely defame the businesses of all those involved.

  Customer response

  08/24/2023

  I am rejecting this response because:  The response is a fabrication, not supported with documentation and honestly offensive.  Everything I am stating below is supported with documentation, current photos and quotes/assessments from CSLB licensed contractors.

  
  1.  **** and **** continue to claim all work has been completed as well as new invoices for more money every few days, each one a different amount.  No work as of today has been completed by them.  We have at our own expense had new assessments, bids and some work completed. At this time as documented by photos not a single job we contracted with them is done.

  2.  Today our electricians we hired to finish the work have discovered the water line and electrical work performed by **** and ***** workers was installed incorrectly - see attached photos.  The water line was not strapped down as required and was sitting next to the gas and electric lines.  The electrical lines in the wall and ceiling are not boxed with a flat plate and some wires are not boxed at all.  None of the wires have been secured as required.

  3.  **** and **** claim to only be a design firm yet the first paragraph in our home improvement contract which they wrote states a fraudulent ** license #******.  It also states they are to be referred as contractor and agrees to furnish materials and labor necessary to do the work specified in a good, workmanlike and substantial manner.

  4.  We have not received all of our cabinets.  Today I also learned that **** actual went to the warehouse and took the missing items so we would not be able to complete them.  Yet **** continues to send emails and invoices to us stating the cabinets are installed.

  5.  We have paid $147,000 for work that has not been performed, performed incorrectly by unlicensed contractors, not been completed and has now been abandoned by **** and ****.  I have attached a detailed itemized list of each item, what is missing or not completed and the differential of funds un-accounted for by **** and ****.  

  I warmly invite you to come and see our home, go through all of my documentation and decide for yourself is they have performed work paid in full.  My request is to only get the money back that I paid for jobs not competed.  I do not want anything for free.  We have paid licensed contractors to complete work correctly with no attempt from **** and ****  to correct their unlivable and dangerous work.  **** and **** are holding our family and money hostage and continue to lie and manipulate this situation with complete disregard to the people that trusted them.

  FYI - have hundreds of photos and documents.  Please let me know the best way to share.  Thank you.

   

  
  

  Business response

  09/02/2023

  These claims are not only inaccurate, but now have become completely fabricated. At this point there is nothing left to say, with continued harassment from this client. Our attorney has stepped in to address their delinquencies and complete disregard for written verifications of work performed and/or to be performed.

  Customer response

  09/12/2023

  I am rejecting this response because: We continue to have to remove and replace everything due to dangerous and sub-level work completed by this company.  No work completed. No work corrected. No attempt to give our money back.  These people should not be allowed to do business. They misrepresented themselves, their business, their workers - They are professional scammers. 
  

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