ComplaintsforThe Interior Specialist

• Initial Complaint

  01/14/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I am deeply disappointed with my experience with **** **** DBA The Interior Specialist. We initially hired him for a painting project and unfortunately, the entire process has been nothing short of a nightmare. At first, everything was fine. We even asked him to do more work for us and signed and paid for a change order to reflect this work. He wanted another change order but refused to add a completion date to it. Our dissatisfaction began when **** consistently delayed the completion of the project, taking longer than initially agreed upon. He would only work a few hours a week. When we inquired about the progress, **** got threatening and hateful! His work area was consistently disorganized and messy. With empty water bottles thrown on the floor and used plates and utensils left for weeks. This reflects a lack of professionalism and care for our property. **** stored equipment and materials in our home for months, causing significant damage to our floors. We attempted to address the incomplete work, the damage to the floor and asked him to remove his unused equipment that was causing damage to our floors. Instead of cleaning up his mess and finishing the job, he abruptly walked off, leaving it unfinished and creating significant inconvenience for our family. He now has the audacity to send us a bill for over DOUBLE the amount agreed upon even though we have already paid him $7,175!!! Not to mention the job isn’t even halfway done, the damage to the flooring and the 4 month delay of the project. We are now left with an incomplete project and damaged flooring. In conclusion, our experience with **** **** / The Interior Specialist has been a nightmare, and we strongly advise anyone considering his services to proceed with extreme caution. This individual has not only proven to be unreliable but also demonstrated a lack of integrity by attempting to charge us double for an incomplete and unsatisfactory job.

  

  Business response

  02/05/2024

  ***** ******,

  You have stated several false claims that I will try to address at my best with text messages and photos refuting your claims . 
  

  First of all we had a legal binding contract 
  

  With detailed bullet points of the scope of work to be completed. That you read and singed and agreed to , It clearly states that 

  Any additional work would be executed by 

  A separate work order which we had 3 

  2 of which you signed and a 3 rd which you did not sign after promising to do so and I refer to text message in which you made that promise .. the work order that in good faith I purchased materials and completed 

  3/4 ths of was never received you stated in text that you changed your mind after seeing a piece of my equipment on the protected flooring with rosin paper . 

  But in your complaint to the BBB You 

  Stated that it was because I didn’t include 

  A finish date … 2 different stories. 

  A work order is just that and it has nothing to do with the original contract. And the fact that one of the previous work orders included me installing 1/4 round over all flooring and i waited 4 months for you to get 
  

  New flooring down the both bathrooms 

  And kitchen so I could complete that change order which with both bathrooms and the kitchen would have been approximately 30 ft out of the 270 that I already completed, so it would be impossible for me you give you a date because you refused to confirm a completion of said flooring. Also backed 

  Up with text messages. I can’t count the phone calls and text messages that you took days to respond to which cost me time and money for the intentional lack of communication on your part . 

   

  On the contract you requested an approximate completion  date of 3 weeks which was null and void after a minimum of 3 weeks only in wall and ceiling repairs . 

   

  And change orders , and 2 deaths in my family and time off for injections in my back 

  All of which is clearly lined out at the bottom of the contract, we are not responsible delays that are beyond our control which you read and signed . Not to mention your indecisiveness and changing your mind and damage done by other contractors.. that I had to repair . Pics don’t lie . 

   

  As far as housekeeping, I cleaned up after every contractor and supplied trash bags throughout the whole project. Which was a lot more than my trash because there were others working there . 

   

  I was never threatening and hateful 

  In fact I went above and beyond to help you 

  In all of the non paint related questions you had and you even asked me to come over to another one of your properties for advice in which I gladly did which as long as we are talking about delays does that not take time away from the project , favors at no charge 

  Up to and including hauling off piles of old trim that was removed, hauling 1/4 on my ladder racks from home depot Because you had no way to haul it which saved you money in delivery fees and also you told me that you were ready for me to meet you to load up and I pulled up to Home Depot and waited an hour while you were casually browsing the store. 

   

  Let’s talk about the master bedroom floor. 

  Before I even brought one piece of equipment in the house I asked you to come into the master bedroom to address what damage that I accessed and I asked what are you planning on doing with this floor and you said that you were going to polish it and I proceeded to point out these deep wide 

  Scratches which still had stain on the when I left … your reply was yes it’s an old house , 

  So you acknowledged it because I told you that I wanted to point this out to you in advance so it wouldn’t be a problem later on … there is not one piece of equipment of mine that could have caused that damage! 

  It was pre existing as you acknowledged. 

   

  Additionally I went the extra mile as I have throughout this whole project and cleaned old paint drips with a lot of history . 

   

  Now let’s talk about the cautionary caring of your new flooring that was protected with rosin paper , your fireplace insert came in and you had help to install on one of the many late nights ( see you say I’d only work for a few hours a day , not true I pulled many a late night including thanksgiving and Christmas Day ) so the insert wouldn’t fit and you proceeded tear it up 

  By removing screws and bend down the flange on the top to try to make it fit which was a big mistake, you wouldn’t take my advice, and then said we will just send it back to Amazon and say this was the condition when we received it . Then you dragged it across the rosin paper instead of asking for help and picking it up would have been a proactive way to protect your newly finished floors but you dragged it across the rosin paper cutting through and gouging your new floor… pretty sure you guys had a few adult beverages beforehand. 

   

  So you were beside yourself and I said calm down and I had some of the leftover stain and fixed the scratch that you created . 

  And it turned out great and the both of you said thanks so much . Just another favor , 

  So I don’t think that I am the one not taking precaution to protect your floors !

   

  I did not abruptly walk off the job I was there 

  Until you adamantly refused to sign my change order and gave me one reason , and the BBB another . You were clearly out of money , ****** ******** was to do the install  and you couldn’t pay them as you didn’t pay other contractors for their work which I have a witness to , but you did pay the plumber and electrician and your handyman for shoddy work and you did pay them for their change orders … which all three creating damages that I repaired at no charge . 

  Pics don’t lie . 

   

  Now when I viewed the project the living room closet and the rear entry still had wallpaper remaining and I asked you when it would be removed which I never got an answer until several weeks passed 

  And while removing it you totally demolished the walls (pics don’t lie ) I gave you a price for repair and you refused to pay it a measly 

  $200 which was 3 days work , so in good faith and protecting my good name I did it at no charge, is this how I’m hateful ?threatening and hostile …. All of my favors 

  And I get slandered which is against my company name and is punishable by law ! 

   

  What was rude , hateful and threatening was you knowingly kept blowing up my phone while I was having Christmas with my daughter the week after Christmas. You knew I was was there and you kept sending threat text after I asked you to stop several times and that I would never do such a thing 

  If it was reversed. 

   

  Now let’s talk about the legal binding contract with the scope of work . 

   

  We contracted for :

   

  1.) wall and ceiling repairs 

  Not an excessive 3  weeks worth , I went through 3 , 5 gallon buckets of compound 

  I only estimated 1 

   

  2.) 1 primer coat …. Refer to pics 

   

  3.) 2 finish coats on walls, 

   

  4.) trim , I used over a case of caulking . 

   

  I had 10 skim coats in the whole house 

  Every skim coat required another spot prime . 

   

  Contract  was for 2 finish coats there is 4 

  Finish coats . 

   

  So it cost me double the materials and 

  More than tripled my labor . 

   

  My reputation is impeccable, not one complaint in 37 years… I will not be slandered in such a manner with someone who is trying to get something for nothing . 

   

  You clearly ran out of money that’s why you 

  Refused to give me some kind of timeline on the floors after me asking for 4 months . 

   

  So now you are making up fiction to try to recoup your losses that were self inflicted. 

   

  And to think that i bumped a paying customer for you that was on the books for six months , to squeeze you in , your lack of action and accountability on keeping the other work done in a timely manner is one of the many reasons for any delays … 

   

  Also i finally told you that i would have to pull off the job on November 20 to put some days in on that job that I bumped for you but i promised that I would continue with days , late nights and Saturdays , text don’t lie . 

   

  You made it impossible to continue with an unsigned work order that you agreed to , 

  And the fact that you still after 4 months could not tell me when the 2 baths and kitchen floors would be installed . 

   

  Because the money was gone which proves 

  I was never going to get paid . 

   

  The invoice was for everything that I did above and beyond the scope of work on the contract. 

   

  Half done project? Hardly …. I more than exceeded in fact doubled the agreed contract amount … … 

   

  Any unfinished areas are due to your lack 

  Of decisions… and upholding your end in a timely manner … you are however correct 

  It was a nightmare… I have paying customers waiting that know and appreciate my value . 

   

  Let me address the claim in your letter that 

  And I quote “ He wanted another change order and he refused to give a completion date for it .  “ It “ referring to the change order . 

   

  Let me break it down You added an island with 2 cabinets and a back panel , you also had me change the fireplace brick to a dark gray which required 3 coats on brick that I had already finished , and changing 

  Hardware which meant filling holes on drawers and doors and drill new holes and installing 1 shelf . All of which is not on the original contract so you wanted to add more work and you wanted it for free … no that constitutes a change order in compliance with the terms of the contract that you read and signed . I didn’t want another change order as you claim in your letter , which by the way that was the 3rd change order upon your request which equates to more time and material. 

   

  Which in good faith I bought materials and completed 3/4 ‘s of the un signed Change order . You signed the other 2 upon receipt of the documents. All of this is backed up with pics and text messages. 

   

  And please explain to me how I was threatening and hateful when asked about 

  Progress? I updated you on a daily basis in person , by phone , and text messages with pics as I do for all of my clients that’s why they keep calling me back and referring me to others , 

   

  You claim is a complete exaggeration 

  To slander my name and business again which is punishable by law . 

   

  Your text to me repeatedly was to give you a 

  Completion date for the entire project not a completion date on the change order as you stated in your letter , I would have happily given you a completion date on the change order but that’s not what you asked for . I couldn’t do that because you are the one that had delayed the project for 4 months by not being proactive in giving me an answer on when the kitchen and 2 bathroom floors would be completed. I completed the fireplace and the island cabinets . 

   

  Any delays on the project was perpetuated 

  By your lack of organization and scheduling other contractors in a timely manner, it doesn’t take 4 months to get floors installed 

  So I could finish installing my 1/4 round which was on one of the other change orders because that was not on the original 

  Contract . Unforeseen delays beyond my control was 2 deaths in my family which 

  Was 2 weeks 1 week for each death and 

  By phone and text you told me to take all of the time I needed. Plus I was off about 3 weeks for a pinched nerve in 3 places 

  In my back with sciatica pain in my leg which I had to get injections for . 

   

  Housekeeping: 

   

  You told me to move my equipment and materials out of the master bedroom 

  Which I did , and relocated it to another room and loaded anything that I was no longer using… then you claim that I abruptly 

  Left …. Another false claim, after I moved 

  My stuff is when you rudely interrupted 

  My Christmas with my daughter which you knew where I was and said you meant for me to get all of my stuff out of the house ! 

   

  You were the abrupt one ! 

   

  Copied and pasted : 

   

  Hey ****, 

  When I said clean out the room, I meant you need to move it out of the house.  

   

  Your text as follows copied and pasted . 

   

  You can't put all the stuff on our new floors.  We paid a **** ton of money to have those floors redone.   We need for you to move everything out immediately.  Everything has to go !!!

   

  Me : 

   

  So I was there working on that Friday and Saturday the paper was not there . I stayed late the night you said you’d drop it by you never did . Then you said you removed a paper that was never there because my sprayer was on the protected floor . 

  But in your letter you said it was because I didn’t put a completion date on the whole project which was your reason to the BBB . 

   

  2 conflicting stories. 

   

  A completion date ? you made impossible to do after requesting that from you for 4 months . 

   

  Without flooring installed an issue that you have skirted around for 4 months because you didn’t have an answer and consistently 

  Changed the subject every time I brought it up over a 4 month period!!!

   

  Another copied and pasted text :

   

   I'm not breaking anything and you have the paper.  I left it with your stuff like I said I would a couple nights ago.   I just want all of you stuff out of the house.  You don't need to store it all here. 

   

  Me : 

  Yes I sent a bill for double amount of materials and the triple amount of labor. 

  But not double the amount of the contract . 

   

  I went far and above completing the 

  Scope of work laid out in the contract!

   

  You are the one with the Gaul to request 

  Half of your money back… furthermore 

  The BBB is not the arena to do that . 

   

  When you refused to sign a change order that you promised to get to me and almost 2 weeks later after I had virtually completed 

  All but 1/4 of the change order with money 

  Out and labor invested . 

   

  Did I tear up any work by the plumber ?

  Did I tear up any work by the electrician ?

  Did I tear up any sub par work by your handyman? 

   

  No , No , and No !!!

   

  But everyone on them damaged my finished product, pics have been submitted to show all of that damage by others that I repaired at no cost . In addition to me cleaning up their messes . 

   

  Bottom line your attempt to submit false 

  Claims on a contractor with an impeccable 

  Track record in the tri state for over 35 years with zero complaints is nothing more than a lame attempt to try to scam me and slander my good name . 

   

  I stay busy because of my good name . 

  Most painting contractors don’t last more than 3 years . 

   

  I would advise no contractors of any kind to do any business with your company. 

  A signed legal binding contract with a detailed scope of work is what you agreed to , I performed over 50% of the work outlined in the contract, that’s 150% .

   

  (see attached for reference texts and pictures)

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