ComplaintsforChesapeake Concrete Raising, LLC

• Initial Complaint

  08/08/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Hired this contractor to repair my front sidewalk. He told us he could lift the concrete and fill in with caulking that would not be noticeable. We even made sure he said it would match before he started the work. He said NO PROBLEM. He said he would use grey caulking which is close to what the sidewalk color was and it would darken in time. He told us the raising of the concrete would last another 20 years. He did the work and then left without talking to us. We paid him for the work because he told us he would address our concerns once the job was done and he was paid. We assumed the job was not done based on He left after the work was done and we contacted him immediately to let him know we were unhappy with the work. He was supposed to use a gray caulking in between the joints and he used bright WHITE making it look like paint was spilled across the walk. Two weeks later we noticed that the concrete was crumbling and again a trip hazard. He refused to come back to look at it or offer any resolution. He told us in an email that the caulk joint was wider than he expected he admitted that the caulk was self leveling and it was now lower on the left side. The caulk he was supposed to use was to Grey but the one that he used is bright white making this an ugly eyesore. He has destroyed my property and devalued my home.

  Business response

  10/11/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2022/08/16) */ Contact Name and Title: Mike ******** Contact Phone: XXX-XXX-XXXX Contact Email: ****@chesapeakeconcreteraising.com Response to Complaint Activity Report Case #XXXXXXXX I was contracted to raise this customer's sunken concrete and caulk the open joints for the sections raised using a light gray color caulk. I clearly described this work in the proposal and the customer signed the contract. I never indicated verbally or in writing that the caulk color would 100% match her concrete color nor do I ever promise my customers that the caulk will match the color of their weather exposed aggregate concrete. I performed the work according to the agreed upon contract. After I completed the work and was still on-site, I spoke with the customer's husband who came outside to meet me. He made a comment that I did not cover the wet caulk with broken pebbles of the concrete. I told him that that was not part of the contract nor is it recommended by the caulk manufacturer to add pebbles to wet caulk as it compromises the integrity of the caulk. When I asked him for payment, he said he did not have the time to pay me. However, the next day I emailed the invoice to the customer and, within an hour, received payment from the customer by taking her credit card information over the phone. A few weeks later, the customer called me to complain that I used white caulk and that the concrete had settled. I explained to her that I used a light gray color caulk as specified in the contract and that the concrete did not settle in the time since raising it. I did explain that the caulked joint was wider than expected because, prior to my raising the sunken concrete to match the adjoining concrete section, I had to remove a previous failed repair that someone had made involving gluing broken pieces of concrete together. She also complained that I did not add broken pebbles of concrete to the caulk and I explained that that was not in the scope of work and not a recommended repair method. Two months later, I received a notice from my merchant service provider that payment for this project was being disputed by the customer through her DISCOVER credit card because she claimed the charge was fraudulent. After providing documentation to the contrary via my merchant service provider, DISCOVER closed the case in my favor and returned the funds that had been withdrawn. The customer then escalated the case with DISCOVER to dispute the "quality of work/service" performed, which also was also closed in my favor after submitting supporting documentation including the signed contract that clearly described that project's scope of work. Still not happy with the case disposition, the customer escalated her complaint for a third time with DISCOVER to dispute the quality of work again. I provided the same documentation to support my case but am currently waiting for the credit card company to make another and, hopefully, final decision. Still not satisfied that she had done enough to wreck my reputation, however, the customer went on social media including Facebook, Google, Yelp, and now BBB, to complain further by writing several similarly false and defamatory reviews. In these reviews, she advised readers to "BEWARE" and said she was going to escalate her complaint to the Office of the Attorney General. I take pride in performing quality work. Over six years of owning my own concrete raising business, I have gained a great reputation that is backed by many 5-star Google and Facebook reviews from customers who were happy with the service and quality of work that I provided. Much of my business comes from my previous customers' referrals who I hope will see through this customer's campaign to ruin my reputation over her misunderstanding of the project's scope of work which she agreed to prior to the work ever starting. She must be held responsible for not understanding or questioning the terms of her contract with meand I should not have to pay for her mistake. Thank you for your consideration in this matter. Consumer Response /* (3000, 8, 2022/08/17) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) This contractor has made no effort to correct the situation or to satisfy us as a paid in full customer. He has not even come out to look at the situation to see that the raised concrete has begun to fall again after only a couple months. He has decided to take a stand against offering any kind of resolution and so we feel we wasted our money. His approach is what I am warning customers about. I paid this contractor in good faith hoping he would return and correct the situation and he refuses to do anything but argue that he is right and we are wrong. We will not stop warning others until we see some kind of satisfaction in resolving this issue. Either refund our money for unsatisfactory work OR FIX it! Business Response /* (4000, 10, 2022/08/22) */ I was contracted to raise a sidewalk to remove a 2" trip hazard. I raised the concrete which removed the trip hazard and caulked the joint as stated in the signed contract. The customer wants the repair already completed to be fixed to make the caulked joint not noticeable which is not possible because the color of the caulked joint will never match the color of the exposed aggregate concrete. I never stated that the repair would be unnoticeable as it is not possible. Consumer Response /* (4200, 12, 2022/08/23) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) Contractor specifically told both of us that his work would make the sidewalk look brand new. He said he would caulk with a gray caulking that would blend with the color of the walk. Why would I hire someone that could NOT do that and depreciate my property. He used BRIGHT WHITE and it looks like someone spilled white paint on our walkway. I have attached the estimate and the WARRANTY. I have attached a letter telling this contractor that he told us the sidewalk would like like new and be unnoticeable. He admitted that he underestimated the gap. The warranty is below the estimate if you scroll down.

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