ComplaintsforChagnon Building & Remodeling LLC

• Initial Complaint

  05/24/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  In March 2022, my wife and I entered into an agreement with Chagnon Building & Remodeling LLC, ****** ** based on a quote provided us in January 2022 to build a 2 bedroom addition with a 3 car garage attached to a house at ************************. The proposal was estimated at $372,799.00 for a 1240 square foot addition (this comes out to exactly $300 per square foot). The quote indicated +/- 20% variation which we understood. In March 2022, we provided Gary Chagnon with a check for $13,350.00 to get started and provide us with drawings (quoted within 5 wks) based on a detailed sketch we provided in the beginning. After numerous requests on our end and excuses from CBR (such as COVID, 3 vacations ...etc), we became very concerned as CBR never opened their "portal" for us to review drawings as well as allow us to make specific material selections. Weeks turned into months with no set of drawings or access to the online portal. We finally secured a meeting November 11th 2022 (about 26 weeks after signing a contract). Gary showed us some plans on his laptop similar to the original sketch we provided, however, he proceeded to advise us that the price would now be over $600,000 for the addition. He now told us that our costs were going to be more in the range of $500 per square foot. My wife and I are both school teachers that are retiring in June 2023 we do not have any means to pay $600,000 + (over 60% increase from original quote). We sent CBR an email on Nov 18th confirming that they forced us to cancel this project and we sent a certified letter on Nov 21st 2022 requesting a refund of our $13,350.00 deposit since we believe that CBR used deceptive tactics along with bait and switch methods to jack up the price on this project before we could even get started. Rather than help us, he turned it personal saying that we were "too emotional" about the price increase. We are asking for CBR to acknowledge their mistake in pricing and refund our $13,350 deposit.

  

  Business response

  05/25/2023

  This client signed a design agreement with Chagnon Building & Remodeling LLC on May 6, 2022 to design a 3-car garage with living space above.  The initial discussion which started in January of 2022 was to have a detached garage with rear porch and living space above etc but after CBR dug into the property, CBR found that the lot to the side of their existing house that they wanted to build on was converted to a single property at some point within the past five or so years, and the lot did not meet the frontage requirements to be a buildable.  At the time of the finding, it was discussed with town of Amherst officials that they could apply for a ADU project which would require them to keep the design of the addition living space within 1000 sf or under.  During this time several ideas were discussed, and in the end they felt the 1000 sf was to small and would consider just going for a variance with the town to construct a larger unit.  The design agreement was signed by the owner, and changes were made to during the design that had the new addition cutting into the side of the hill next to the house, having upwards of 1300 sf living space.  Design agreements are done in phases, and this owner was at the final stage of the prosses, which you can see in his own words as he got a final price (which he is complaining about).  The final price he got reflects what he and his wife asked for in the project.  

  This was a design agreement, not a construction agreement and was breached by the client.  The process should have been followed out by the client to the end of the design, which would have required him to receive the price, make final adjustments, which myself and his wife started doing at the meeting, before he flipped out and closed himself off to any discussions.

  He is in breach of the agreement, and we will be billing him for the phase 2 of the design agreement.

  Customer response

  05/30/2023

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

  We filed a complaint with the BBB against CBR, to seek resolution, not escalation. Instead, CBR will retaliate against us for filing the complaint to the BBB by fabricating a new bill, 7 months after the project got cancelled. It is unethical and illegal.
  
  The response from CBR is untruthful. We went to 3 contractors (*********************** ***** *********************, and CBR) to quote a 1240 sf addition to the existing house in*********. The two contractors besides CBR can verify. We believe that CBR is fabricating this story about a detached building to justify such an outrageous price hike (additional excavating?). CBRs own proposal and contract agreement (copies included) indicates that it was an addition. He should be embarrassed to make any claim otherwise. Below are more bait and switch tactics used:
  
        CBR proposal states, guaranteed project cost and includes everything needed to complete and while you are still waiting 26 weeks for the initial set of drawings, the price jumps by over 60%.
        CBRs proposal states, we provide a realistic job schedule. We were quoted 5 weeks to get the initial set of drawings. 26 weeks later, CBR shared with us a peek at some plans on his laptop.
        CBRs proposal states, budget figures may be subject to +/- 20%. We were given a 60%+ price increase from $300 per sqft to $500 per sqft and this was before we even started having input on material selections such.
        CBRs proposal states, jobs are managed through online portal to see complete live schedule, make your product selections etc. We took a screen shot of when CBR finally sent the opening of the portal; 26 weeks after signing a contract and after they jacked up the price by over 60%!
        CBR is referencing the word design in the contract, however, it states in the contract Construct a 3-car garage addition and the contract we signed states that it is tied to the proposal which clearly states guaranteed project cost for your project +/- 20%.
  
  To date, we have nothing to show for this project (no materials, no digging, no permits, etc). All we are asking is to refund our deposit since CBR cannot provide the project at the price quoted. It feels like the $13,350 was stolen from us along with our dream of retirement. This has been the worst experience we ever had with a contractor. If the BBB offers any kind of arbitration services, we would be very open to taking this path for resolving. We hope that no one else goes through what we have.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***********************

  

  Business response

  06/12/2023

  1) The client entered into a design agreement not a construction agreement. However, the client failed to fulfill their obligations under the agreement and is now requesting a refund, despite still owing the payment for phase 2.

  2) Based on the client's own statements, they acknowledged being in the concluding stages of phase 2 and commencing phase 3. During our meeting on November 11, 2022, we presented the design and engaged in discussions regarding pricing. The subsequent course of action involved finalizing the design or making necessary adjustments if it surpassed the budgetary constraints. Regrettably, the client opted not to proceed with either of these options.
  

  3) Despite our diligent efforts to resolve the issue through written correspondence, the owner's communication with the attorney general (as stated by the client), the client's letter proposing a 50% refund of $13,350, and CBR's offer to waive the phase 2 cost in light of the client's dissatisfaction, the client has opted to escalate the dispute by involving the Better Business Bureau (BBB).
  

  4) The original design agreement indicated an area of 1000 square feet (sf), while the revised design plan (SF 1647) shows a difference of 647 sf. Considering only the additional square footage, the minimum cost would be $162,750.00, assuming a building cost of $250 per sf. This calculation does not account for other factors related to the existing house.
  

  5) The scope of work changed from constructing a 1000 sf Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) to the client's desire for a larger size, which would require a variance. It is important to note that a larger project comes with a higher cost.
  

  6) The client is complaining about access to the job portal, which is not used during the design process. The portal is intended for the client to make selections and other activities once a construction agreement is in place. We provided access to the portal during the final stages of phase 2 for the client to download the plans. However, the client chose not to use the portal, possibly to support their claim of lack of access when requesting a refund. It is important to note that access to the portal was not required during the design agreement stage.
  

  7) The client evidently misunderstood that they were signing a design agreement, which included a 50% credit toward the client once a Construction Agreement was signed. Since this was not a construction agreement, product selections were not made during this stage, as we hadn't finalized the layout or cost. If this had been understood, we would not be discussing the issue at this point.

  8) No refund will be provided since CBR has invested considerable effort in conducting comprehensive design work, collaborating with subcontractors, and maintaining consistent communication with the town throughout the design process. We have successfully completed all aspects of phase 1 and 2, including detailed pricing to determine the presented cost.

  9) In summary, the design agreement clearly outlined the project's design, but the scope and cost changed along the way. The client expressed dissatisfaction with the revised cost and refused further discussion, seemingly driven by their emotions rather than a rational process.

  Customer response

  06/17/2023

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

  My wife and I deeply regret the decision to trust CBR with this project. **** Chagnon is trying very hard to distance himself from the original January 2022 proposal because it reveals how he deceived us. The contract we signed is tied directly to the proposal. Notice he does not want to address the questions raised such as guaranteed project cost, realistic job schedule, figures subject to +/-20% that would incriminate himself:
  
  A reasonable person would know that it is outrageous to pay over $600,000 for a 2-bedroom contractor grade addition (and the client already owns the land). It is an absurd trap from the contractor when you compare it to existing homes for sale (all well below $500 per sf even for newly built). When did we realize we have been scammed by CBR? It was the moment that my wife asked CBR to just go back to the original proposal of $372,799 for **** sq ft 2-bedroom addition ($300 per square feet). **** Chagnon immediately retracted saying he could no longer honor the price guaranteed proposal.
  
  The dishonesty from CBR is exposed in several ways: 1. no evidence. 2. changing story. 3. communication that exposes the deceptions.
  
  Exposed Dishonesty #1
  
  In CBRs 5/25 response, he tried to claim a detached garage proposal and has since back tracked on that statement since the evidence we shared clearly states otherwise. Since the detached garage lie was exposed, CBR switched to another false claim to explain the huge price increase.
  
  Exposed Dishonesty #2
  
  In CBRs response, he states that the job portal is not used during the design process. Please see the attached June 10th 2022 text message from **** Chagnon. These are his own words, I am currently working on the new design for the addition to the ************* house. I am looking to get a rough sketch done soon so I can upload to our job portal for your review. I will let you know when I have uploaded them and will upload the job portal for you to access. This text shows the exact opposite of his recent response to the BBB. He is intentionally being misleading in his response and his own text communication proves it.
  
  Exposed Dishonesty #3
  
  CBRs proposal for a 1240 sqft 2-bedroom addition was the standard route requiring approval from the town and letters to be mailed out to abutting properties. It was CBR that convinced us to switch this to an ADU (limited to 1000 sqft) addition and he could still provide us with 1240 sqft by combining a heated 1000 sqft space with an unheated 240 sqft mudroom connected to the house. He sold us on the idea that everything would go smoother since it is less bureaucracy and we could be in the new addition sooner. **** Chagnon told us that he had a contact at the town of *********Amherst (*******************************) that gives him the inside track on getting things passed through. CBRs own text (attached) dated August 4th confirms this concept was his. It reads, spoke to *********** contact again this afternoon, I explained the plan of the carriage/house garage and how I need an access point from existing house to the new part, like a mud room and was hoping it would not go towards the 1000 sf finished space. He said, he doesnt think it would be an issue from his perspective, it would be considered shared space. CBR pushing us into an ADU only seemed to benefit the contractor, not us. We were getting less for the same quoted price. It is extremely dishonest for **** Chagnon to suggest that we wanted a larger size project. It was always 1240 sqft.
  
  Exposed Dishonesty #4
  
  CBRs proposal for $372,799 details a 3 car garage 2nd floor living space one (1) master bedroom and bath, one (1) additional bedroom, main bathroom, living room area, kitchen and laundry. This matches our detailed 1240 sf sketch. **** Chagnon cant even keep his story straight. In his May 25th response to the BBB, **** Chagnon states upwards of 1300 sf of living space. Now in his June 12th response, he has changed this to revised design plan (1647 sf). CBR cant produce any evidence that shows we wanted a larger 1647 ft addition. CBR dishonestly changes their story to try to justify the huge price increase.
  
  Since it was CBR that breached the contract, all we are asking for is for CBR to refund our deposit of $13,350 in good faith so my wife and I can move on with our retirement. Once again, If the BBB offers any kind of arbitration services, we would be very open to taking this path for resolving. We hope that no one else goes through what we have.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***********************

• Initial Complaint

  01/27/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  They refuse to complete our job. They installed our flooring incorrectly and its chipping and cracking and they have not fixed it. They broke items in our home and have not corrected the issue.

  Customer response

  01/27/2023

  My complaint is with Chagnon Building & Remodeling LLC. They installed the ******** flooring in our home. ******** says in their letter that the issues we are having with the flooring are caused by Chagnon Building & Remodeling LLC and their installation of the flooring.

   

  Thank you

  ******

  

  Business response

  01/30/2023

  On 01/27/2023 the following response was submitted to the homeowner via our online job portal as well as various social media avenues she used to complain about the business.   Kindly reference below that a check was sent Priority Mail to cover the cost of refinishing the floor:

  Thank you for taking the time to review our company. We're sorry that you are not happy with how your project turned out. We understand that you are unhappy with the floor and attempted to resolve the issue at our most recent meeting on 1/25. Due to the aggressive and intimidating actions by your husband (of which we experienced that day and on multiple occasions throughout the process), we weren't able to reach resolution and hand you the refund. However, it was mail priority. Also, if you recall, you were offered several appointment slots to choose from prior to 1/26 and was informed that our staff and crew would be unavailable on 1/26-27; yet, in an act of good faith we are trying our best to accommodate you by replying to your message here and now.
  We also have been informed and understand that you are seeking reimbursement from the cabinet manufacturer even though CBR paid out of pocket for a 2nd round of cabinetry to resolve the issues you weren't happy with. Considering this, we feel we have put in a strong effort to appease, remedy, and otherwise be available to you to address any concern or situation brought to our attention throughout your project; but it appears that this situation seemingly has no end to resolution.
  Again, we are sorry you are not happy with your experience with our company. We stand behind all that we do and despite our best attempts to please you, it seems we have fallen short of your expectations.
  Unfortunately, due to the belligerence and threatening actions of your husband (whom is nor our client or the deeded homeowner on contract), we and our trade partners are unwilling to return to your home. At this time our company has not enforced final payment according to our contract terms. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to meet your expectations, sorry it didn't work out.

   

  Customer response

  01/30/2023

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  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. ↩