ComplaintsforK N C General Construction Inc.

• Initial Complaint

  06/07/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  This company put a fence in my yard and busted the gas pipe. The entire neighborhood was on alert. I was so stressed they gave us $300 for my medical bills. They also hooked up their equipment to our power and it blew our power box. They put a deck in for us and the wood is splitting and popping up. I called them and they said not to call them again until 4 boards popped up. The planks are spreading apart. We paid over $9000 in November for a deck we cannot use. We are going to have to tear it down.

  Business response

  06/13/2022

  To: Dispute resolution Department

  Better Business Bureau

  RE: ID #********

  ***** *** **** ********

  **** ******** ***** **** *********** ** ******

  This is the responds from KNC General Construction to the complaint files by the *********.

  K.N.C. General Construction has been in business for many years. We have had thousands of customers and we would like to believe they were all satisfied. In the years that we have been in business and have been a member of the BBB, as far as I can recall this is the first BBB complaint that we have had filed against us. After reading the complaints and actuations stated in this complaint, we are glad the BBB allows us to respond and set the record straight.

  We were hired by the ********* to install an aluminum fence with two gates around the rear yard. Unfortunately while installing the last post, one of our workers struck a plastic gas line. Dig-Rite did come out and mark all the utilities, but our worker thought he could get close to the gas line without damaging it.

  Upon the worker hitting the gas line he called the project manager. Our project manager told them to keep everyone away from the leak. Our Project manager was offsite at the time, when he received the call he immediately call the gas company to notify them of the gas leak and told the workers to keep everyone back from the area.

  While our project manager was heading back to the site, he called the workers to check on the situation. Mr. ******** also called our project manager to tell him the gas line was hit and that

  his wife was upset and afraid the house would blow up. Our project manager told him to reassure his wife, that the house was fine and that since the gas leak was outside she would be safe.

  The gas company at this point has still not showed up and the gas was still escaping from the break in the line and disbursing into the air. Our project manager then called the fire department to see if they could get there sooner. A few minutes later our project manager arrived on site to access the situation, shortly afterwards, the fire department, then the gas company supervisor showed up.

  At this time the gas was still coming out of the pipe in the hole. Our project manager asked the gas company supervisor if we need to do anything. To paraphrase the gas company’s supervisor said “No we just need to stay back until his repair crew got there to fit the pipe and as long as the pressure from the pipe is pushing the gas out, it will just dissipate into the air.” Shortly thereafter the gas company’s crew showed up and repaired the gas line by splicing it back together without even turning the gas off. Our project manager stayed on site with the gas company’s supervisor until the gas company went in to the house, inspected it and made sure all the pilot lights were relit and the appliance were working safely.

  While this was all going on Mrs. ******** started telling our project manager, “That she should not have to pay for the entire fence since the crew hit the gas line”. He then explained to her, “That while digging near utilities, it is not uncommon to hit one even if they are marked. Hitting the gas line should not have any effect on paying for the fence, since KNC paid for all the repairs to the gas line.”

  Next day we received a call from the ********* again stating that they should not have to pay for the entire fence. Because Mrs. ******** was so upset and traumatized that she had to seek medical help so she could sleep and was still upset. To appease the *********, KNC told them that they would not wave the cost of the fence and settled with them by paying them $300.00 for their medical expense without asking for prove of the expenses incurred.

  We would like to address the claim that we hooked up our equipment to their power outlet and blew their power box. Our carpenters plugged in a circular saw to cut the material for the deck. (It is not uncommon to obtain electric from the homeowners on additions or remodeling projects.) When ask where we could get power Mrs. ******** pointed to an outside electrical outlet near the deck location. The carpenter tried to use the saw and there was no power. He was told that the outlet was working and was told to try the outlet on the side of the house. Our project manager was shown where the electrical panel was, he checked for blown breakers and did not find any. Later that evening Mr. ******** called a local electrical company to come out and see if they could find what caused the problem. The ********* did not notify us of any repairs made by the electrician that came out. They then told us we should be responsible for his bill. Once again to appease the ********* and to get things back on track KNC agreed to pay the bill since it was only $130.00. Upon following up with the electrical company, apparently who ever wired the Finish Basement after the house was built wired a circuit wrong.

  Next is the portion of the complaint about the deck. The ********* also purchased a deck platform with rails on three sides from KNC to be built alongside their existing patio. The KNC Salesperson presented them with several options of what the deck could be made out of composite, cedar and treated yellow pine. He explained the pros and cons each option and presented the price of each. He explained to them that the composite decking was the best option; it was also the most costly. The cedar option; was less expensive then the composite however it was cedar wood material and it has a possibilities of checking and fading. He then explained the Treated Yellow Pine option; while it was lower in price the treated wood was more prone to warping, checking and shrinking. The ********* purchased the treated yellow pine option.

  When the material for the deck was delivered to the site, our project manager noticed that some of the 4x4 to be used for post needed to be returned because of the checking on them. He returned them and hand selected new 4x4’s for the job. The deck project proceeded as normal (Except for the power issue) St Louis county came out and approved the piers, came back to approve the deck framing, and did a final inspection and approved the project.

  Mr. and Mrs. ******** inspected the deck, they found a few boards not to their liking, so KNC replaced them at no cost. They called us back again with a few more minor issues which once again KNC replace/repaired in a few days. The deck was completed in November, in March we were called again because of concern with the treated lumber checking and developing splits. We once again explained to them that this was the nature of the treated yellow pine. We advised them that since their deck sets in full sun, it would be best to stain their deck to help it retain moisture and slow down the wood from checking. While staining their deck they notice a few screws missing on the hand rails, and they were also concerned about rigidly of the top rail. We add the few missing screws and added additional screw to the top rail to strengthen it.

  About a month later I received a photo from Mr. ******** showing that one of the deck boards has warped on the end and was sticking up. Our project managers made arrangement to go out and repair this board. It rained the day before he got out there and the treated yellow pine board had laid back down. Our project manager inspected the board and found that several of the screw holding it down had broken; he was able to repair the board. Mrs. ******** again expressed how she was not satisfied with the deck and that she should get her money back for the deck. Our project manager explained to her again about the properties of the treated yellow pine wood. He also explained to her that he agreed this board that he just repaired was a trip hazard and that it need to be repaired right away. Some of the other minor things if any she finds, he asked her if they were not a trip hazard or danger to anyone could she wait to call us if there were a few more items that could be repaired at one time. Mrs. ******** seemed satisfied so he left.

  A few days later the ********* called again to demand a meeting to discuss their deck. The owner of KNC, Office Manager and Sales/Project Manager all met with the *********. As everyone was proceeding to the deck, Mrs. ******** said, “I don’t care what you all have to say, I want all of my money back.” We then listened to what Mr. ******** had to say including that he needs to tear the entire deck down because of the boards shrinking and splitting.

  KNC examined the deck, the workmanship was good, and the deck passed three inspections from St. Louis County and the shrinking and splitting of the treated yellow pine is what the wood does. That is why we explain to our customer so they know what to expect, if they choose to use it. So we cannot refund the cost of the deck, because this is the deck the ********* purchased.

  ***** ******* ***** ****** ******* ************ ************ *****************************

  Customer response

  06/15/2022

  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because: They did not tell us about what the wood would do until after the deck was built, and we had asked them to fix things.  They brought it up as they went.  As far as the rest of their response goes,  there are way too many inaccuracies in it.  There is no way we can use this deck.   Who would expect a new deck to be unusable after only 3 months?
  

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

*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. ↩