Complaints

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. 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.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:06/20/2024

  Type:Order Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Last date of performance at our home July 8, 2023 and not complete as of today. Copperleaf did in a threatening and verbally vile manner, wrongfully remove materials from our home that we fully paid for in advance, as a precondition to contractually required installation (that was also already substantially paid for) in order to force us to pay additional sums that were not due. In addition, performance was unprofessional, defective, substandard, incomplete, also causing damage to our property. These generally include an incomprehensible contract, defective measuring both in the contract and as work ensued over an 18 month period necessitating numerous additional deliveries, along with failure to deliver as informed, defective work, and failure to perform necessary work. Last notice emailed June 12, 2024

  

  Business Response

  Date: 06/20/2024

  We where hired to complete a project that was started by another contractor who did not finish due to non payment

   The client was very abusive and argumentative to our employees during the process. Nevertheless we remained professional during the entire process. The work was completed according to our contract. Left over materials where and are always the property of Copperleaf  cabinets LLC. The client was advised of this. At no time was the client threatened by any member of our team. They where satisfied and paid the balance due at the completion of the project. We havent had any communication from this client since the completion of the project. It is our opinion that this is an attempt to shake down an A+ rated firm with a great reputation for some financial gain by a previous client. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 06/28/2024

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

   

  We have never not paid, in full, any contractor at anytime, for anything. Copperleaf could not know who we have paid and so it begins with lies.  Moreover, no honest person could ever assert that we were argumentative or abusive.  He had a substantial amount of our money.  He removed from our home our paid-for materials and refused to perform work due as well.  We paid the Final Payment which was not due plus other monies we did not owe.  He failed to perform.  He slanders us, which is actionable as well.

  Unlike Copperleaf, we can prove our case.  We have contemporaneous documentation,written communications from ************** and others, checks, various versions of drawings, a litany of pictures that are date/time stamped, and witnesses that verify:
  
  ~ materials that were more than fully paid for were wrongfully removed from our home to secure additional payment to which Copperleaf was not entitled and in addition,we were wrongfully forced to make final payment before he would even commence installation.
  
  ~ inappropriate verbal conduct on his part that were, to us, nasty, vulgar and beyond the bounds of decency
  
  ~ contractual failures were replete from December, 2021 at the time he was paid over 78% of the contract value that included all materials and most of installation, rising to over 86% as a result of credit acknowledged by him,
  
  ~ deliveries were lost, aborted, and on several occasions made with defective materials, occurring in June-July 2022, and again in September 2022 and December 2022, with a final delivery July 2023
  
  ~ appliances and fixtures were damaged due to defective measurements and improper prosecution of the work
  
  work was defectively installed and also impeded the ability of others to properly execute their work,
  
  ~ after FULL payment of the contract amount (including Final Payment not yet due) as well as amounts wrongfully demanded,work was unreasonably delayed for 18 over months, causing great hardship,including without limitation, impairing habitability
  
  
  As of the last date of attempted performance July 2023 -  items of remedial work to redress defective work as agreed to remains not done.
  
  We have never in our lives filed anything with the BBB.  The only reason why we do so now really is because he specifically threatened me with his rating during his belligerence requiring us to make final payment not yet due (per bolded language in his contract) as well as to pay additional, and unentitled money.  In addition to vulgar and vile language, threatening and abusive commentary, he expressly stated to me that we need him, he does not need us.  His BBB rating was A+ and he had over $6milion of business that year.  He demanded that we were either going to pay him the extra or he was gone, with materials fully paid for and most of the installation also paid for.  Our materials had already been taken out of our home and so we paid. 
  
  Having paid more than the contract sum in full with materials finally on site and workers ready to commence, we chose to mitigate damages and proceed instead of dispute or make any further complaint at anytime.  We paid final payment not yet due as well as hostage money and forbore action to secure as much completion as possible.  At that moment we had no idea the extent to which our home would become as war zone with defective materials and work, mis-performance and other breaches at that time (June-2022) and thereafter in September 2022, December 2022 and July 2023.
  
  We rely on the paper  checks written and cashed, his unintelligible contract and error-filled drawings, and his other communications and writings, etc. 
  
  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ******* And *********************

  

  Business Response

  Date: 06/28/2024

  Againwe where hired by the client to finish a project stared by another contractor in which cabinets had already been installed but where missing panels and doors. Part of our agreement was for us to provide some additional cabinetry. We where never hired to provide drawings and have never provided them to her as she states. Perhaps she forgets this fact. Drawings where created by her designer. With her approval. Since the layout including cabinet sizes had already bern established by the designer and previously contractor. We had no or very little input to that design. Not a particularly good or functional design but what the client wanted.  
  

  During our initial consultation the client stated they had a conflict with the contractor who started the project over a payment requested by the previous contractor. While dubious of this situation we agreed to help her finish her kitchen. Something we regret.  At this point it is very clear as to why the previous contractor abandoned the project and client. All cabinets, doors and panels where sized according to existing cabinets and some new cabinets required to complete the design she provided. On several occasions the client requested changes to that design in the field once work had commenced.  Often becoming angry and insulting to our staff. Crying on several occasions. On one occasion she locked the door and demanded they leave without being able to retrieve tools inside the house.

   

  As with any client we require partial or full payment of custom materials prior to ordering. We guarantee that enough materials are ordered to complete any project so we typically order more than needed. Those left over materials are the property of Copperleaf because the agreement is s contractural agreement and not a cost plus agreement in which materials are billed by the piece or foot its important to note we have gone above and beyond making many changes for the client  many without billing or requesting payment for the work simply because she wasnt able to visualize the final product as it relates too the drawings she provided. The only thing that is correct in her statement is that we last worked on her home in June of 2023 in which she was completely satisfied according to our manager and field installer. If at any point this wasnt the case she could have reached out to one of our staff or called the owner directly on his cell phone directly. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 07/05/2024

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  
  
  Copperleaf is a defaulting bully.  Six (6) months before delivery, in December 2021, he was paid almost 90% ($25,000) and did nothing required under the contract.  He failed to properly measure and to properly depict requirements in the contract he wrote; he failed to properly order and fabricate materials, he failed to timely and properly provide samples;he failed to keep commitments to deliver a legible layout to us, or even to show up when promised. 
  
  This is NOT about being paid for custom materials up front.  This is about why Florida Statute ******* was enacted.  Consumers deserve protection from exactly the kind of circumstances here large overpayments up-front, with no basis in fact, followed by fraudulent failure to perform.
  
  NO OTHER PROFESSIONAL WAS TO PROVIDE ANY DRAWINGS.  He most certainly was required to and did make his own measurements and drawings to identify, fabricate and order materials for his installation.  It is ridiculous to even suggest someone else could even do this for him. 
  
  He created the original drawing in December 2021 at the moment he received the $25,000.  He had to.  It is part of the contract.  His contractual obligation was to make things fit how could he do this without knowing what was needed, and what to charge.  This is proved by documentation.   He originally promised to furnish a more coherent drawing than he originally created, being that he was doing in on the spot but he later refused to do so.  When the delivery of materials made clear that a significant volume were in error, a review of his drawing, though onerous, revealed  basis for a large portion of his defaults.  This is proved by documentation.
  
  He could not keep his own books:  After entering our home in a foul, belligerent manner, he was aggressive, yelling, we owed him a lot of money.  He demanded we pay yet another $15,000.  It was a simple matter to prove him wrong with cancelled checks.  He knew he was wrong.  This is proved by documentation. 
  
  When called upon his own mistakes big ones he became angry, abusive, predatory.  A complete wrong delivery was made for an installation start on June 13, 2022.   Our home was torn apart a war zone.  Weeks later when the right delivery was made, at least half of the materials for our entire kitchen were wrong, did not fit or missing.   Our kitchen was still a war zone.  This is proved by documentation.
  
  We attempted to work it out, he became vulgar, yelling and screaming, demanding we pay additional money.  His outrageous conduct is documented.  To force us to pay more, he instructed his  workers to leave as proved by documentation our paid-for materials had already been removed. 
  
  To avoid even more loss than $25,000 long gone, and after our paid-for materials were removed from our home, we were forced to pay an additional $ 3969 in purported extras we did not owe, plus the $3822 Final Payment -- or he would not even start installation.  *** workers were here and ready to go.  What to do?  ALL THIS DID BRING ME TO TEARS. Extortion.  We chose to pay and save disputes for the end, though we had no idea that even another year of default, defective materials and installation would continue.
  
  As a significant amount of materials were mis-measured, missing or defective and installation was defective as well, there would be three (3) more deliveries over the next year, each one purportedly to finish.  In September 2022 our kitchen was to be complete.  It was not. 
  
  In December 2022, the same. His best installer walked off his employ without telling him.  Since he showed up here six months before, he had let us know how disgusted he was with Copperleaf and did his best to make things better here before he was gone. 
  
  Other professionals found dealings so difficult they refused to talk with him or chose to go around him. Our kitchen was still significantly NOT completed six (6) months after Final Payment was extorted and a year after almost 90% was paid.  Yet another six (6) months would ensue.
  
  A further written agreement was reached with another Copperleaf representative on March 7, 2023 for completion and remedial of significant items.  We then informed we would be seeking damages.  *** final date of attempted performance was July 6-7, 2023.  Items are still not done.  This is proved by documentation.
  
  To say extra materials were provided to ensure enough were on hand and those were the ones removed is outright deception.  THERE WERE NO EXTRA MATERIALS.  THEY WERE ALL REQUIRED BY CONTRACT AND DEFECTIVE.  *** sheer volume of mismeasured materials is documented and in large part remains with us.  This is proved by documentation.
  
  *** focal area of our entire kitchen and great room he was to both build and assemble this was a complete disaster:  Improperly sized and hung using warped wood,delaminated sides, other portions with exposed bare wood lacking professional finishing - certainly not anything custom more like low-grade box store .   ***se failures were entirely of his own making.  
  
  THERE WERE NO CHANGES CAUSED BY US.   Prior to his ordering materials, he had all the information he needed, by his own hand and from us, including appliance cuts.  His initial failures led to further failures time and again.  This is proved by documentation.
  
  Documentation proving the above include the Contract he wrote, his drawing, over 60 date/time stamped photos and videos, contemporary communications from him and on his behalf and contemporaneous notes and witnesses,as well.
  
  
  Damages
  $ 3969 of extra payments demanded, for contract work already paid for
  
  $ 3822 wrongfully demanded in violation of the contract as Final Payment and for:remedial repair damages still required; reimbursement credit for contract work we performed in advance to expedite Copperleaf performance;  damage to new refrigerator caused by mismeasurement and defective installation and damage to countertop used as a work top by crew; unreasonable delay (habitability) resulting extended and unfair additional costs for food, additional cleanings; enormous additional time to address / document / pursue continuing performance failures;
  

  
  Sincerely,
  
  ******* And *********************

• Initial Complaint

  Date:03/18/2024

  Type:Order Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  On Aug. 23, 2023 **** from Copperleaf Cabinets measured my home for new ****************************** tops. We wanted to have the project done in Jan. 2024, which **** said would work well with his schedule. ** wrote a proposal, for $32,000.00. I signed it. ** required a $16,000.00 deposit. We paid it. My *********** own the house together. **** said the next step was to send the measurements to the design team who would send us drawings of the project. The first drawing arrived 11 days later on Sept. 3. It was nothing like what we had discussed. After several attempts to finalize the design without success, my brother had to return up north. I contacted ****, and asked to put this on hold until my brother returned in Nov., & requested that my deposit be returned until then. **** became aggressive, calling me names, & saying the proposal was a binding contract, & not to even consider an attorney as his family was high up in judicial system in Fla. ** said I had 3 days to cancel. I did not, so he intended to hold me responsible for the entire contract, & that he would be at my house in Jan. to complete the job. This was getting out of control, I offered to pay him for the time he spent, if he would return my deposit, & we could walk away. His response was " You are not listening honey. I will be at your house in Jan." I have not heard from him since last Sept ** did not show up in Jan. ** could not have invested in this. ** did not know what granite, design choice or color cabinets.I don't understand how this can be a contract without color for the cabinets, grade of granite chosen, which would affect the price, no start or finish date for the project, no acceptance of the drawings, & no mention of a 3 day cancelation. I believed that a contract would be signed when all these details were agreed upon, & included the contract. In my opinion he was very condescending and used intimidation, in order to do very little and keep the deposit .

  

  Business Response

  Date: 03/18/2024

  Our firm was asked to estimate the clients new kitchen on august 23rd 2023. After negotiations the clients agreed to hire us to design and install there kitchen. On august 28 of 2023 the client signed the proposal that I have attached. We went through several designs of a bar area that the client wanted to alter from our previous discussions. We provided several renderings. The client admitted she didnt know exactly what she wanted. We asked for any pictures or renderings to help her. At some point she quit responding to our requests for info or comments on the drawings we provided. ***** later I received a call from the client demanding we return her deposit because she said they where going to wait to do the work. She became very angry and aggressive. She said she was going to *** us!  I advised her that I had an attorney that could handle any legal threats and per ******* law she had 3 days to recent any contract. I did advise her that we had a family member that was an attorney.  I told her we would put her project on hold until she was ready to proceed with the design work, ordering and installation. At no point did anyone at our firm threaten, harass or call the client names as she suggests. Frankly Im disappointed at the complete lack of honesty from this client who has changed there mind AFTER hiring someone to complete a project for them. She is in default as far as we are concerned. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 03/19/2024

   
  Complaint: 21447668
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ************* And ***************************

  Customer Answer

  Date: 03/19/2024

  There are several points I do not agree with.  1. I never admitted that I did not know what I wanted.  I was clear because I wanted to match a hutch which is already in my kitchen.    2. As far as pictures go, **** took pictures when he was here measuring.  When the designs started and were not what we wanted, we **** a picture ,and sent it.  3.  never stopped responding until after the phone call when **** made it clear that he was not giving back the deposit and was coming to complete the job in Jan.   4. I did not wait weeks,  I sent an email to the designer who was supposed to out to my home the next day, saying that my brother had returned up north, and I wanted to resume in Nov. I asked for my deposit back, and she told me to call ****. I did the same day. 5.  I did not demand anything. I requested.  6. He became aggressive.  He insisted that I had not canceled in 3 days, and he was going to hold me responsible for the proposal.  I did ask if I should get a lawyer, and he told me not to bother, as  his family was high up in the judicial system in *******, he knew the law, had the right to hold me responsible, and would be at my house in Jan. to hang the cabinets.  He never offered to put it on hold.   7. He then called me "an arrogant *****.  8.  As far as honesty goes, He gave me a document which says in big letters at the top, that it is a proposal.  He now says it is a binding contract.  He required a 50% deposit which I have discovered is much higher than the norm. So perhaps this is not dishonest, but it certainly is very misleading. 

   

   

   

   

  

  Business Response

  Date: 03/19/2024

  Our response has been provided. We provided drawings and offered to come out for a face to face meeting to go over what she wanted but she refused the meeting and demanded her money back. The clients signed our proposal and agreed to have us complete there kitchen project. Her response is a COMPLETE LIE!  I guess now she says I caller her a *****?  Complete Lie!! I dont know what to say!  I have a daughter and a wife. Never have called any person this. She continues to fabricate the entire timeline and our agreement. This will be my last response. I believe at this point Ill consult with our attorney and potentially pursue I libel lawsuit!  I guess she will say anything to get what she wants. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 03/20/2024

   
  Complaint: 21447668
  
  I am rejecting this response because: I did  tell the designer ****, that she would not need to come out, as my brother had to return up north, and I was not comfortable making decisions without him.  I did request, not demand,  the return of my deposit.  This is documented in the email that I sent to the BBB.  She told me to call ****, which I did immediately.  I explained the same to him as I had to ****, and asked, not demanded that my deposit be returned, and we would resume in Nov. when my brother returned.  I am not sure why he thinks I would be lying about this.  I wanted my kitchen done, and that is why I met with him in the first place.  I think that my pictures and emails that I sent to the BBB reflect my willingness and cooperation.  

  As far as lying goes, his attachment of the proposal in the last response shows that it has been altered.  There are things added to it which are not on the proposal, that I signed.  These changes are in a different color ink.  The BBB has a copy of mine as well as his to compare the discrepancies. He also says that I am in default.  He insisted that he would be at my home in Jan. but I never heard from him to set up a time, and he never showed up.  I would think that perhaps he is the one in default.  It appears that it is not me, but **** who  willing to say anything to avoid being reasonable and fair.

  He says that this is his last response, and that he is considering suing me.  I feel that this is another display of his aggression and intimidation tactics. I think that this would be an added expense to both of us in time and money, and is counterproductive  I am still willing to settle by responding to negotiations  which would involve paying him for his efforts, so that we can both move on.  

  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ************* And ***************************

  

  Business Response

  Date: 03/20/2024

  The file has been given to our legal representation at this point given the large amount of inflammatory comments  and untruths by the client. Ill comment to one  item.  Our proposals are often written on in a different ink after the signature to track changes and notes. Again another unfounded accusation. Our position is and will always be the client is in default. She did not finish the design process with us in spite of several attempts to help her do so. We volunteered to come back out in person to try to work through the design process with her. Even though she says she was clear. She was not! ******* law provided a 3 day window to cancel   She did not!  It wasnt until we where well into the process that she changed her mind and decided to cancel and demand her deposit back. Now In a very childish way she has fabricated the ENTIRE process, Lied about the timeline and in a completely slanderous and dishonest fashion has made horrible accusations that she was called Bad names.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 03/21/2024

   
  Complaint: 21447668
  
  I am rejecting this response because: We both seem to have very different ideas as to what happened. It seems now that ****'s defense is to resort to name calling.  I maintain that he did in fact call me a derogatory name, and THAT is when I I really did not want to continue with him, not before.  However, he insisted that he was coming out to do the job, and I held off until the end of Jan. to see if anything would happen before I filed this complaint.  It seems clear to me that he never had any intention of doing the job.  He already had gotten  $16,000.00 for measuring my cabinets, and having his designer draw up renderings that were not what we wanted. I tried to present this in the photos I sent. Surely even to him, the work he did nowhere near warrants $16,000.00. It is becoming clear to me that he feels entitled to keep that $16,000.00, and intends to. I suspect that he has already spent it, and can't afford to return my money even if he wanted to, which obviously he does now. I maintain that I have not fabricated any untrue statements in my responses,  have tried to provide documentation for my statements, and I have offered to save us both time and money with some sort of  compensation to him as well.  Has he provided anything other than a doctored proposal and blustering comments about my honesty and behavior? I have  been generally on the defensive concerning his statements.  He seems to prefer the aggressive approach.   I guess I have no choice now, but to wait to hear from his attorney.  When he said that was his next step. I did call a lawyer, who told me that if it goes to court, there will most likely be some adjustment to me as the proposal is weak due to missing info.  I suspect that is why he altered the document. the attorney did caution me however, that we should try to come to some agreement on our own., as it would be an expense to both of us to litigate this.  I am hoping common sense will prevail.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ************* And ***************************

• Initial Complaint

  Date:05/11/2023

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I had my cabinets refaced by Copperleaf in Oct 2022. The were missing one of the drawer covers and told me that it would be ordered and installed. I paid the full amount that I owed believing that they would follow through with installation of drawer cover. On Jan 2nd they came to install the drawer cover and it was the incorrect size and told me that they would get correct size and then install. I have been waiting since Jan 2nd for drawer cover and nothing has happened. I have called many times to *********************** ************ person responsible for install and he never answers the call. I leave messages on his voicemail and he doesnt respond. Not sure what I should do and need help. Please advise.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 06/05/2023

  Item in question has been taken care of and our customer is satisfied.