ComplaintsforPerkins Concrete, Inc.

• Initial Complaint

  04/04/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I hired Perkins Concrete to pour cement on the sides of our 2 buildings. It's about 40' long from 19' to 32' wide x 5'' and 5'10" x20'x5". The other side of the building is 8'x95'x4". The cost of the job is $19,500. The concrete was scheduled to pour on 3/29/2023. I was presence on that day but ******, the owner wasn't there, only his workers). There are 3 problems with this project.1. At 7am, his worker arrived and I asked him if they will pour the concrete at the level of the 2x4 form. I noticed that one end of the 2X4 facing the street is at the level of the existing pavers but the opposite side of that is 5 inches above the ground and the existing pavers, giving a clear 5 inches height difference. I told the workers it doesn't look right and that it is not safe to have that much height difference as it will cause tripping hazards. He called ****** and they said they would not lower it. After hours of back and forth, they did lower the edge by one inch.2. While waiting for the new cement to dry, I also the middle section of the concrete is higher, creating a hill like walkway. I asked them to fix it but they refused again. This higher section is due to the fact that the pump was there, they did not level it out to the rest of the surface. It was like 7-8 inches high.3. The contract stated that he was supposed to pour 95'x8' but he only poured 89'x8'. I called ****** and told him that I am not happy with the concrete and that said I am willing to pay extra money to repair it. Not only he refused to work with me to fix the problem, he demanded that I pay the balance before he will talk to me. He threatened to put a lien on my house with 17% interest if I don't pay him within 2 days. All these problems could have been avoided if he did his job properly. He should have dug 4-5 inches down instead on laying the form above the existing pavers. Now my yard is a total mess. He created these problems himself and refused to fix it.

  Business response

  04/04/2023

  First contract was sent to *************** on 3/9/23.We revised contract on 3/12/23 , 3/14/23 and 3/15/23  she had us revised the scope of work and asked for a reduction in price. ***** signed the contract dated 3/15/23. ***** advised me **** her brother was the contact on site. On  3/23/23 we excavate area's to receive forms. On 3/24 we set all forms to receive concrete. **** was on site each time we were there. We poured concrete on 4/29/23 5 days after we set forms. ***** knew the pour date and knew our schedule when we set forms. On the day we were pouring concrete [4/29/23 at 7am]  ***** asked my crew to make a change as we were pouring concrete. We made 1 change for her. ***** asked us to dig out concrete 1" on the top edge that had already been placed, we were able to do that for her. As the day progressed ***** asked for other areas to be altered, following the crew around all day, taking there tools with out asking and walking on the fresh concrete. I explained to ***** the concrete too was hard, a concept she could not understand. I 4/30/23 8am. I was on site, No *****. She called on phone asking for concrete to be removed and she would pay me to redo it. I told her we would need to meet because I did not understand what she wanted and the job was done correctly. Job was completed on 4/30/23. I asked her to settle up with me because she told me she would pay me to replace an area of the concrete. I had a feeling she did not want to pay. She told me on 4/30 11:32 she was not going to pay me. I told her that jobs not paid in 7 days from completion bear a 17% interest per contract and if she did not pay me and would use my lien rights. There is nothing wrong with the concrete we placed. We had to match a existing paver parking lot. We sloped the concrete 1/4" per foot from the back towards the existing paver parking and towards the street to drain water. From the new concrete slab we poured a sidewalk to an existing set of steps. ***** has pavers in the back yard that we could not match, they are uneven and would cause the rain water not to drain towards the existing paver parking lot which drains to road. The side sidewalk was only 8' x 89' not 8' x 95' and a gave her a $576.00 credit. I've had 2 concrete professionals check the job. I have been in business for 33 years and have never dealt with anyone like *****. I don't want to deal with her ever again. Again. The forms were set for 5 days before we poured concrete and my contact [per *****] **** was on site. She is trying not to pay me. Why would she say she would pay me to redo some area she wanted but not pay the balance due?   

  Customer response

  04/06/2023

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because: the contractor refuse to repair the problem. How can you have concrete poured 5 inches above your pavers and called that is normal. If you would spend sometimes digging the ground, it would have been better.  I had the security cameras on the entire time asking to lower the concrete. I was promised that it will get done later and then promised that they will help me fix the pavers. Of course, he purposely do this in order to create more work so that I have to pay extra to raise the pavers.  As seen in the photos, my entire yard now needs to raise higher to match with the 4 inches height of the new concrete.  It is a trip hazard to leave it like that. I was begging for him to make a repair and even agree to pay extra money to have it repaired, which it shouldn't be a case.

  ****** is well aware that I live out of state.  I flew in the day before.  He claimed that he had the forms there, we are not professional and wouldn't understand if the forms above the ground means the concrete is going to pour to that height above the ground.  That is when I asked if this is the level they would pour the morning the crew came.  When I found out that they were going to have it 5 inches above my existing pavers, I asked them to make it lower.  I even digged the soil myself to try to get it lower because I didn't want it to look like that.  They did a very lousy job that's why I had to use their tools to smooth out the part that looked so terrible.  They had the part closer to the building lower, that will cause water to accumulate. I had to ask them to add more concrete to make it higher. I used their leveler to check their work.

  Of course I will never want to hire Perkins again, he wants to do a quick job without digging to the ground before pouring. Yet, when customer raised concerns, he ignored and continue to do it his way.  He refused to make repairs even though I'm willing to pay extra for their lousy job.  The concrete was poured on 3/29/2023, I flew in the day before but ****** wasn't onsite the day of pouring.  He came the day after it was poured and he knew I had to fly back that evening. I texted him and let him know that I will back again in 3 days which is 4/3 and would like to meet with him for repairing the problem, his response was "NO".  He is unwilling to try to repair the problem.

  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ************

  Business response

  04/06/2023

  We had to match the paver parking lot to drain water to that point. We put pitch to drain the water to the paver parking lot. If we matched the pavers in the back the concrete would hold water.

   

  Customer response

  04/07/2023

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because: now its going to cost me money to either break part of this concrete or to raise up pavers in my backyard. Otherwise, it is 4-5 inches above the existing paver, which cause tripping hazards. I want to settle this issue and will agree to one of theses options instead of getting an attorney involved:

  1. I will hire another contractor to break part of this concrete and make a new section that is deeper to the ground by 4 inches.

  2. I will get someone to raise the rest of my yard higher to match with this new concrete. 
  

  since you refused to do any of the above, I will deduct what Im being charged for the work and send you the remaining balance. I can get it settled after getting an estimates. We are military family and my husband was in the Navy for 15 years. We believe in fairness and do not want free stuff.  

  
  Sincerely,
  
  ************

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