Complaints

This profile includes complaints for Hoffmann Brothers's headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see Find Local Branches.

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  Hoffmann Brothers

  1025 Hanley Industrial Ct Brentwood, MO 63144

  
• 

  Hoffmann Brothers

  2043 Woodland Pkwy Ste 100 Saint Louis, MO 63146-4235

  

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:11/09/2024

  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 purchased an HVAC system from them in 2020. An equipment interface module went out, a warrantied part, and they wont replace the part unless i join a memebership. I asked the tech what the quoted time to replace the part and was quoted 1.5 hours. He didnt know the hourly rate and said that the warranty plan would cost more than what he was quoting me. None of it made sense as the part is a warranty part, so i declined. I called their number and spoke with the person that handles their calls. She informed me that their labor rate is $220 an hour but couldnt explain how the **** came up with almost $600 for a quoted $330 1.5 hour repair. They are dishonest in their practices and i just wanted them to fix what they installed without joining some membership!

  

  Business Response

  Date: 11/13/2024

  We reached out to a client following a quote we provided that included a membership option through Hoffmann Brothers, covering parts. The client was frustrated that we didnt simply offer an hourly rate plus parts, which is more common in their industry as they are a contractor. They also expressed that the membership seemed "pushed" on them and felt it implied criticism of their business practices. During my attempt to explain the reasoning behind our flat-rate pricing model, the memberships benefits (like simplified parts access), and our aim for transparent and fair pricing, the client repeatedly interrupted and eventually disconnected the call. Later, they called back, spoke with another member of our customer care team, and received a refund of the $95 service fee, which left them satisfied.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:11/06/2024

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore 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.

  Nov. 10, 2023 - Hired Hoffmann Brothers (HB) to repair leak around main water line in basement. Plumber chiseled concrete around main water line making leak worse then told me an exterior plumber would have to be brought in. HB told me exterior plumber not available for possibly two weeks. Water had to be shut off to house forcing my family to shower at local gym for several days. ** finally agreed to make project a priority then offered two options: 1) 10ft repair from house $4,000 or 2) Repair from house to main line near street $10,000. ** would not provide any guidance, so I literally took a chance that a 10ft repair would address the problem. Nov. 13, 2023 - HB began 10ft repair project. I trusted the project had been professionally completed given the expense to make the necessary repair. July 16, 2024 - ******* area around the main water line began leaking. Contacted HB and Plumbing Supervisor initials (NL) came to exam the leak. ** was present during the initial project. ** agreed the patch had not held and ** was responsible to make it right under the one year project warranty. ** gave me two options: 1) Hire a foundation expert company to make the necessary repair and HB would pay for it. or 2) ** would do the entire patch project over again. I selected option 2. August 16, 2024 - HB sent a junior plumber to make the repair using the same method and material as the initial repair project. HB did not follow-up after the repair. November 5, 2024 - Water leaking around main water line again. Called ** and spoke with **** who asked for pictures. **** asked, If I had a sump pump in my basement? I immediately knew ** was looking to transfer liability. **** then told me I needed to hire a foundation company to make the necessary repairs. When I mentioned the one warranty, she told me HB was "just doing me a favor" when they repaired it the first time". One year warranty expires on November 13, 2024. HB should honor the repair under the one year warranty.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 11/24/2024

  Our Department Manager has rectified this situation and will cover the cost of the epoxy injection around the water service entrance once they obtain those proposals Christian has request to send them to him and will handle getting that either paid to the vendor or reimbursed to the customer. ********* and customer has agreed to the agreement.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 11/25/2024

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the business' response regarding complaint ID ******** and am satisfied with this resolution. 

      A Hoffmann Brothers representative contacted me to discuss this compliant. We had a candid conversation and he agreed to hire a company that specialized in waterproofing solutions to correct the issue and resolve the problem. The Hoffmann Brothers representative even recommended three companies they have used in the past with successful results with similar issues. I contacted one of the three recommended companies and scheduled an appointment to have the area in question repaired last week.

      I was pleased Hoffmann Brothers honored the original warranty and agreed to pay for the repair. I want to note the plumbers who did the main line repair did a professional job and there were no issues with their plumbing tradecraft, they were also very friendly, professional and respectful throughout the project. The issue was the foundation concrete around the main water line which Hoffmann Brothers does not specialize in. I have used Hoffmann Brothers for other home appliance issues and will continue to use them in the future given their professionalism and customer service. 

  Thank you, 

  ******

• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/22/2024

  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 an HVAC installed July 2019 and was told it would be more than enough for my unit. In November, the vents were blowing **** warm air. They sent a tech out and blamed it on heat loss through skylights. The issue continued for 4 years and I assumed it the skylights and not the unit. I called them in March 2020 to look again. They had found that a 40 amp fuse had blown and was the improper size per the manufacturer. It never got better and in January 2024 they came out and found a blown temperature limit. They charged me $430 under warranty to replace and said I needed to purchase a larger heat kit to satisfy the home. In June my air conditioner had gone out and was shutting off and coming back on. It was blowing air that was warm. I called and told them and asked for their advice as it was shutting off and coming back on. They recommended that I wait and see what it does because sometimes they act up. In August, my A/C stopped working completely and they came out 2 days later and found the motor had blown and quoted me $1498.64 to fix it. My warranty had just expired the month before and the tech said I could have a lemon as it was uncommon for motors to blow after 5 years. I complained and had a really bad experience with their field manager speaking down to me. I expressed my frustrations and, decided to move forward, as it had been 85+ degrees in my house for a week. I signed the work order, called them to schedule an appointment and waited. 2 hours later I called and they said they had ordered the part and were just waiting for scheduling. I called again hours later, they said we decided to not do business with you. This put me back to square one having to find a new company. Im so frustrated. I even begged them to help relieve me and my dog from the excessive heat and they said no due to their morals as a company. Im now days away from a solution since they refused service. *** encountered so many problems and am seeking refund or replacement.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 08/26/2024

  The customer called regarding an issue with the ** unit we installed a little over 5 years agothe blower is not working. Our field professional inspected the system and provided options for repair. However, the customer was not happy because the warranty had just expired. Both the field professional and the field manager, ****, explained why the system was no longer under warranty, but the customer was dissatisfied with the explanation.
  The customer claimed that the system had never worked properly since installation, but **** noted that the customer had never contacted us about any issues since the installation and had not performed any maintenance on the system. This was also explained to him by our field professional. We've only been to the customer's house three times this year for unrelated issues.
  During the conversation, the customer became unreasonable with our field professional, customer service staff, and field manager. He was belligerent, resorting to name-calling,raising his voice, and being condescending. **** offered the customer $500 off *********************** and waived the service fee, but the customer refused and demanded that the *********************** be done at no charge.
  **** also suggested that the electrical system in the building could be causing the HV** unit's problems,but the customer dismissed this possibility. The customer then stated he no longer wanted to do business with us and would contact another company. **** informed him that this was his choice, reiterating that the warranty had expired.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 08/26/2024

  Complaint: 22184021
  
  I reject this response. my A/C Unit is under warranty and ******* refused to honor the warranty of the unit they installed.

  **** was condescending and spoke down to me and raised his voice to which I responded. I never called him a name nor was belligerent. I stated to **** that I might explore other options but decided against that. After the convo with ****, I talked with customer care after and they said they would do business with me and to sign the contract. I called 2 hours later and they said they were ordering the part and would call to schedule me. After my third follow up they stated they didnt want to do business with me. This put me out an entire day of having the ability to find someone else to come out. This put me out of a/c during a heat advisory with indexes up to 109. It put me and my puppy in danger and I feel is extremely poor business practice and extremely unethical.

  I installed the system in 2019 and had them out 4 months later because the heat wasnt working. A second opinion stated that they undersold my unit but ******* claimed it was due to heat loss due to skylights. So, I accepted their word, even though they acknowledged underselling my unit and encouraged me to upgrade my heating package to a higher level. Also, there is record of me calling in to complain about the blower. I called in June 2024 and the agent at ******* told me units just act up sometimes and that I could just wait to see if it happens again and call them back. There should be a recorded call at *******. Well, it fully went out in August, just 2 months later. The tech came by and said motors shouldnt go out that soon and it could be a lemon.
  
  I contacted the manufacturer over the weekend and they told me I was still under warranty. It is a 10 year warranty. They said they have no record of ******* calling in to check the status of the warranty. I feel like *******, who installed the unit, was being fraudulent and trying to take advantage of me by telling me that I was not under warranty and initially quoting me $2,000 to fix it. Im confused as to why they were refusing to honor the warranty and were charging me which would have potentially prevented all of the claims above.

  I am requesting reimbursement for service fees ($99) for having to have a new company out since they refused to honor the warranty, the cost for a portable A/C unit I had to purchase while waiting for another company ($450), past costs they charged under warranty due to incorrect sizing and incorrect part installation outside of manufacturer recommendations ($430).

• Initial Complaint

  Date:07/15/2024

  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.

  Hoffmann brothers came out today to fix our ** which was not working. **** came out and said it was the capacitor on the blower. He said it was fixed and left. He said it was blowing cool air. When I got home the house was very hot. It was evident the ** was NOT working. I called them and they said they could not get someone out to try and fix it. I asked for a refund and she only said she would "file a concern." I said it was not acceptable that they would not have someone come to our house. We are 76 years old & have three dogs. She said well your husband said it worked. He is a senior & does not have his wits about him. He didn't even realize it wasn't working. It popped on once for about 1 minute & then popped off again. It was not blowing cold ******* believe it was just the fan coming on. I want them to not only refund my $403 but pay for the portable ac units I had to buy in the amount of $568.10 because they would not call someone out to actually fix the ac and had they fixed it like they said they did, I would not have had to buy them. Then I feel since they WOULD NOT send someone out right away, they should also pay for the repairman I had to call in to do the job they failed to provide. So I am seeking funds for that also. What happened when the ** repairman came out that he said Hoffmann Brothers put in the wrong size of capacitor. He said it was supposed to be a 7.5 and he put in a 10.0 and it burned up our motor. He had to replace that and the capacitor for a cost of $550.00. so I feel since Hoffmann's repairman put in the wrong size unit and caused the motor to burn up, they are responsible and since the capacitor they put in was incorrect, I should not have to pay anything. They didn't fix the ** and caused more damage. To leave customers, especially 76 seniors, stranded like this is unacceptable. Then they advertise that they help Stray Rescue, a dog rescue, and my dogs are here panting and overheating.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 07/15/2024

  Hoffmann Brothers apologized for any inconvenience this has caused the customer and are working to make it right. Hoffmann Brothers has refunded the customer $403.70 for our ********************** services completed. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 07/15/2024

  Complaint: 21983530
  
  I am rejecting this response because:  I feel that due to their failure to repair our ac unit and then refused to come back out, it was necessary for us to purchase two portable AC units at a significant cost.  We are seniors and this was an extreme hit to our budge.  Had they repaired it properly or come back out and fixed it, we would not have had to purchase them.   I know they have offered to refund their repair bill and offered an apology which is appreciated, but I still feel they should cover the expense of the portable ac units.  The manager said to return them, but ***** is not going to take them back.
  
  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***********************

  

  Business Response

  Date: 07/15/2024

  Hoffmann Brothers did look up and check with the manufacturer that the start component we installed did not burn up the motor and was the correct part. We explained to the customer over the phone that motors can run run for a while, then the bearings can seize up and stop. The technician may see that the capacitor is weak at that point. Once the capacitor is replaced, the motor will start again and run for an hour ad seize up. Since the part replacement didn't work, we offered to refund the total repair, which was $403.70. We are sorry we were not able to get back out to the customer's home that evening, but we did have the customer scheduled for the next day for us to come back out to diagnose, which the customer cancelled. The customer did not purchase the portable ACs from Hoffmann Brothers, and will need to go back to the store to see if they are able to return their purchase. Hoffmann Brothers has refunded the full amount the customer paid to us and does not owe the customer additional refunds. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 07/16/2024

  Complaint: 21983530
  
  I am rejecting this response because:I was told by the repairman that came to the house that the wrong size capacitor was installed and it burned up the motor.  Now Hoffmann said they did not.  So it's their word against the repairman who actually fixed the unit.  If the correct size was installed then why did the unit never work and when I came home the temperature was very high.  I tend to think that the repairman's reason on why the motor burned up is correct.  If Hoffmann doesn't want to honor their mistake, I feel the motor issue was directly caused by Hoffmann's mistake.  I don't think a motor would be ok and 2-3 hours later completely be burned up.  I understand, but I do not accept their response and will not use them going forward.  I have to go to who came out at a moment's notice and fixed the unit.   Not the repair company who came out and did not fix the unit and refused to come back out.  Also, they said they would put me on the list...no given time was given to me as to when they would actually be out.   Again, we had to purchase the units because Hoffmann said they would not come back out that day and we didn't know if we could get anyone else to show up.   We are 76 and my husband has had a heart attack and extreme heat could be detrimental for his health.  We also had three dogs and they were getting overheated.  
  
  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***********************

• Initial Complaint

  Date:07/11/2024

  Type:Billing 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.

  When I moved to my new house, you get a free annual furnace check and a free annual air conditioner check because it kept running and running and I wanted to make sure it was ok. The tech said it needs Freon. I got a home protection plan, called them and asked if ***** was covered and they said yes. He put the Freon in and was instructed to call them back and put him on my speaker phone. The guy at my home protection plan asked why did I need Freon and the tech said lack of maintenance. I had to pay Hoffmann $300 for their service. I was upset with them about this. When I called their office they said they don&#**;t work with home protection plan companies. I told them their tech never told me this. The reason an air conditioner would need Freon is because there is a leak. There was never a leak. No one told me that they don&#**;t deal with home protection companies. I asked how much longer do I have on my contract with them and they said they only expect me to be on it for 6 months. I told them I am cancelling them for not being upfront with me. I called my bank and they still took the $34 out of my account. I had to call them again about this. The rep from H35**36363232353636H said it will take 3-5 business days to get a refund. They are very shady and very expensive. I want a refund of $146.00 for the freeon.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 07/15/2024

  Hoffmann Brothers has spoke with the customer and explained our Home Protection Plan maintenance program as well as not working with insurance companies. We apologize for any miscommunication and have refunded the customer $146 for any misunderstanding. 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:05/12/2024

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore 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.

  We are members of Hoffmann Brothers membership maintenance program (monthly fee for preventative and scheduled maintenance of our HVAC systems).Since we first signed up we have informed Hoffmann brothers that a 40ft ladder is required to reach our rooftop unit. They have serviced this unit in the past.They repeatedly miss appointments, call repeatedly to schedule appointments, then call back for details already provided. We have been incredibly patient and try to work with customer service.We were expecting and depending on Hoffmann Brothers to come out to service our HVAC as summer approaches and we are at a loss. We call back, schedule, tell them they need a 40ft ladder for the rooftop unit, they agree, claim to "document the account going forward" then they call back asking if there are special considerations or barriers to service. It's confusing, frustrating and we continue to pay $60 every month for service we are not receiving.Unfortunately these days it appears that the only responses a business pays attention to are formal complaints through the better business bureau. Therefore, we are unfortunately here trying to simply get the service we pay for because calling the business directly is not effective.We are open to continuing to work with Hoffmann Brothers but need an alternate route to engaging with the maintenance plan, or, a number for customer service that will actually handle our account properly.Thank you,*****

  

  Business Response

  Date: 05/28/2024

  Hoffmann Brothers has addressed the customers concerns regarding the ladder fee. Since the air conditioning unit at this customer's home is in an unsafe area for one professional to work on alone, we explained to the customer that we need to have two field professionals out to service the unit. We have not charged the customer a ladder fee in the past, but explained to the customer that this is the fee we usually charge for two field professionals with the ladder and noticed that the account needed updated to charge the account correctly moving forward. The customer has agreed to the ladder fee and accepted Hoffmann Brothers resolution. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 05/28/2024

  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. They were very helpful, professional and I will absolutely continue working with them as long as all terms of agreement are upheld.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *************************************

• Initial Complaint

  Date:03/07/2024

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore 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.

  Replaced a water heater on 2/8/2024, technician removed the washing machine drain hose from the drain to facilitate draining the hot water heater prior to replacement. Technician did not replace the washing machine drain line when finished. Upon doing laundry on 2/12/2024 the basement flooded due to the drain hose not being replaced.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 03/08/2024

  Hoffmann Brothers is sorry for any delay in response and will make it right with the customer. We have scheduled a revisit with the customer to inspect the damages. We are sorry for the inconvenience and are working to make it right. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 03/14/2024

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

• Initial Complaint

  Date:12/14/2023

  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.

  Requires both repair or replacement of a thermostat that has NEVER worked as well as forgiveness of a duct cleaning service they NEVER performed. Salesperson waived a made up "inspection" charge on the latter that I was never told about, never agreed to and never signed for yet I get pestered by their AR department after 4 HOURS.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 12/27/2023

  Hoffmann Brothers did not charge the customer for the duct cleaning inspection fee and the customer does not have an outstanding balance for this. Hoffmann Brothers has been working with the manufacturer on the thermostat issues. The Bryan/Evolution thermostat is not connecting to the customer's internet and the manufacturer is working to resolve the router connectivity issue. The thermostat is working, just not from the customer's phone. Our Quality Control Manager is working to resolve all thermostat issues with the manufacturer, since this was not the fault of the Hoffmann Brothers HVAC installation team.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 12/28/2023

  Complaint: 21007691
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  
  Hoffman Brothers DID charge me for the duct cleaning inspection fee.  The same day both via email and paper invoice.  That has been resolved subsequently but it DID happen.

  The thermostat issue has NOT been resolved and it is demonstrably FALSE that it is not connecting to "my internet".  It has connected fine to "my internet" on THREE separate physical routers, one mobile hot-spot (entirely unrelated to my home ISP or any router) and 5 SSIDs.  

  The thermostat works "fine" for a 1995 $20 off the shelf progrmmable thermostat but this is 2023 and I made abundantly clear that app connectivity was paramount with what I had working just fine (ecobee) several hours before.

  Bryant factory rep, as intermediary with whoever it is they have googling the same things I googled weeks before, is responsive but there has been zero progress and zero potential for resolution.   People even had me go buy another $20 20 year old tech router based on some random YouTube video.  For a $23k purchase.  And guess what, that didn't work either!  (And yeah I found the same nonsense video weeks before but figured I'd give it a try just so I could all exhaust all possible options.)

  Product is not as advertised or promised.

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

• Initial Complaint

  Date:11/30/2023

  Type:Product 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.

  We noticed our ice-cream seemed a little soft, and throughout the next week it got worse, then our ** fridge completely failed (not cooling at all). Everything else was working and no error code on panel. I also have ** gas stove problems, so I called ******* Brothers. I first asked to get estimate to replace compressor in ** refrigerator. I explained it had the same symptoms as 5 years ago when the compressor went bad. I stated I just want to get an idea of cost to compare to new refrigerators. ******* Brothers would not provide an estimate, said they had to run diagnostics and there was a $100 service charge that would be applied if I had it repair. I asked if when the come out to service it, if theyll have a compressor on the truck, she said no. They will make a 2nd appointment with no extra charge. I was also told the compressor was under ** warranty, but ******* Brothers wouldnt work with ** for part warranty replacement. I would have to get the compressor refund from **. (Im thinking, so much for being a full service Business). Then I mentioned I had oven problems and told there would be another $50 service charge that would be applied to repair. I explained there were two problems with the gas oven. It wouldnt lite, but if I lite the broiler first and let it heat up, then try the stove I could get it oven to lite. Then when oven reaches temperature, say 350, the stove wouldnt maintain 350, meaning the oven wouldnt kick back on. Wanting to get my appliances fixed or replaced, I set up and appointment. 11/15/23 The technician arrived, first looked at the fridge, took a picture of the model number, told me ** are know for this, he looked up compressor part and quoted me a price that was the price of a new fridge. So I declined the repair. For the $100 dollars no diagnostics was done and he didnt even plug it in.Then he moved to the oven and I explained the 2 issues mentioned above. He determined it was the oven heating element. I asked will replacing the heating element fix the problem of the oven not maintaining temperature and he said yes. He gave me a quote of $361 to repair, and Im thinking that would be minus $150 and agreed to repair. That was not the case and I paid anyway. The tech was on site for a total of 30 minutes and later I got to thinking I paid $361 for 30 minutes of labor and a 50 dollar part. That evening I went to cook a pizza and oven wouldnt maintain temperature. 11/29 the tech returned and heated the oven to 350, and then hed hold the door open to cool oven down. He did that 3 times and it re-ignited each time. I told him that I dont **** that way leaving the door open. Im thinking this isnt a good test. Why doesnt he have a thermometer? Isnt there some designated temperature oven drops before it kicks back in to maintain desired temperature that he should be checking for? He also mentioned he couldnt spend hours trying to get it to fail. After his third test I told him to leave the stove on and Ill test with oven door closed. Here are my results.12:25 dropped to 275 without kicking on 12:50 dropped to 230 2:20 dropped to 220 without kicking on In summary I was charged $100 to diagnose fridge when no diagnoses was done or needed as the tech knew it was the compressor. Yet no estimate could be given over the phone with the same model information I provided. The tech Quote was $1579 to repair which of course I declined.Hoffmann **** wouldnt work with ** to get warrantied part, that was put on customer to get refund.Charged $50 for a misdiagnosis of stove problems Charged $361 in repair for 30 minutes of labor and a 50 dollar part that didnt resolve both problems. 2nd visit the tech failed to troubleshoot oven problem correctly. Tech said he couldnt spend hours trying to recreate problem, yet his total time on site was just 30 minutes. Didnt think I was asking much.Invoice vague, without any part or labor cost, nor tax listed.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 12/01/2023

  Hoffmann Brothers spoke with the customer this morning and have come to the resolution of refunding the whole amount back to the customer. The refund process has been initiated with our accounting team. We are so sorry for any miscommunication throughout the service process and are happy to make it right. Thank you.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 12/06/2023

  I have accepted a full refund, however I feel there are others out there that experience the same as me, but not as technical nor as diligent to pursue. I like for Hoffmann Bros. to provide me

  Their billing practices and how 30 minutes labor and a $50 part cost $410.61? I want a breakdown.

  What is their hourly fee and are how are estimates determined?

  Why their invoice are vague, part, labor and tax cost are not listed. see attached

  Why they can't give customers estimates over the phone on a simple compressor repair, to avoid the $100 fee.

   

• Initial Complaint

  Date:10/26/2023

  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 Hoffmann Brothers come out because a little piece of plaster had fallen in my living room and my sink was stopped up. I called the Agency on Aging and they said to call Hoffmann Brothers. I talked to Tony and he said I needed a plumber to fix the stopped up sink and the toilet that was leaking water. He gave me an estimate of $2,200 to fix the leak and the sink, the toilet was leaking. I paid for it. He came out and it was misdiagnosed. They said that it was not leaking from my toilet and more plaster had fallen in my living room. They said the sink was backed up to the sewer line. I had to pay them $2,220 and called them for a refund and had to pay for the other company that I had to hire to fix their mistakes - $529.00. In the meanwhile, they sent another guy for the leaking toilet. We heard a big bang and half the plaster in my living room fell down. They didn't fix anything, I have holes in my living room and half the plaster is down. I had to get someone else to fix it. They made matters worse than they were before they came to my home. I would like a refund the money I paid to them and the money I had to pay another company to fix their mistakes.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 11/10/2023

  Our plumber was out on 5/25/2021 and gave three options including the kitchen stack replacement, toilet replacement, toilet rebuild, or the stack on it's own. Customer chose stack and new toilet. Our plumbers returned on 6/4/21 to complete the sold work. Over a year later on 6/15/2022, the customer requested Hoffmann to come out for a leak in the ceiling. The plumber flushed the toilet multiple times before he got a leak to show. He pulled the toilet, reset it with a new wax ring, then tested for leaks. The plumber found lead piping and noted if the issue continues then some of the lead lines will need to be replaced, which invoice states. The customer called Hoffmann Brothers again on 9/9/2022 about a concern about the toilet leaking. Our plumber was not able to get the toilet to leak, but did leave an option for a stack replacement.  

  Please see photos included, where you can see that the piping is in rough shape. Since we could not find an issue with the toilet, the issue more than likely is in the drain piping, which is buried under a mud set floor in the bathroom with no way to visually see it. 

  For the ceiling damage, please see photos on the shape it's in. Our Plumbing manager does not believe that the toilet we replaced caused this amount of damage and staining to the ceiling in a short period of time, as this type of damage is caused by something bigger that has been happening for a long time. You can also see blistering in the plaster wall in the same photo. We have not charged additional costs to the customer and have provided options to replace the entire stack to prevent any future leaks.