Complaints

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:12/20/2024

  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.

  - TOTAL PAID: $2,646.26 - Contractual agreed upon amount: $1,500 - Fraudulent Misrepresentation - Damaged property. - They tore up my yard with their van. - They left trash everywhere near my garage, in my backyard, and in my driveway - Things that were not damaged went missing Things that were high up on shelves that were not touched by water - Multiple Charges for things they either didnt do, or repeat charges worded slightly differently. Spoke with multiple people at the company and none of them could explain the difference. - Water extraction from hard surface floor ($400) - Apply anti-microbial agent to the surface area ($200) - Clean floor ($ - DO NOT LET THEM PUT EQUIPMENT IN YOUR BASEMENT. - They will leave it there for as long as they want, even after the water is completely dried up and there isnt anything you can do about it. Water was dried by day 2, they left their equipment there for 7 days and it cost $1,200 - Charged for 5 hours of equipment setup/ tear down They werent here for that long, their equipment included a few fans and a dehumidifier that took 15 minutes to setup and then I packed up before they got there (as the basement was dry) and took them 5 minutes to carry it to their truck KEEP DETAILED RECORD OF TIME IT TAKES TO SETUP AND TEAR DOWN. VIDEO TAPE EVERYTHING.- I tried to contact the company regarding this fraud and property damage and they ghosted me as my insurance company moved forward with paying them despite my concerns. WARNING: DO NOT TRUST INSURANCE COMPANIES RECOMMENDATIONS, DO YOUR DUE DILIGENCE. - SIGN NOTHING FROM THIS COMPANY. I requested the documents signed and they refused to give them to me.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 12/23/2024

  Thank you for sharing your feedback. We take all customer concerns seriously and regret that your experience with our company did not meet the high standards we strive to uphold. We sincerely apologize for the issues you encountered, including the property damage, confusion regarding charges, and difficulties with equipment setup and tear-down.
  In total you paid $2646.26, The contract amount of $1,500 was a ballpark estimate provided to you, Mr. ****** It was fully explained that this price was not a guarantee, as the extent of the damage could not be accurately determined before our initial visit. We understand that the situation became frustrating, but we would like to clarify a few points.
  Regarding the damage to your yard, the missing items, and trash left in your driveway, we were never made aware of these issues during the course of the project. Our company takes progress photos of each job, and none of these photos show the concerns you've mentioned. If these issues had been communicated to us during the project, we would have addressed them immediately. Additionally, any items removed by our team were those that you specifically requested for disposal.
  Concerning the drying timeline, while the concrete floor may have dried within two days, the wood studs in the walls were still affected by the water. We understand that you turned off the equipment, which extended the drying process. In total, five hours of equipment time was necessary, which included multiple visits from our team, setup, breakdown, and necessary drive time. Its important to note that our work also involved power washing the floors and walls to clean mud from the water damage. We then used specialized equipment to disinfect and clean the affected areas thoroughly.
  As for the equipment, we want to clarify that we did everything necessary to ensure a thorough drying process. At no point did we leave equipment in your basement beyond the necessary drying period. Our team worked diligently, and we are confident that the charges reflect the actual work performed.
  We were also surprised by the shift in communication from your side after receiving an HVAC companys quote for replacing your unit affected by the water damage. Prior to this, you seemed satisfied with the progress and the work being done. However, after this quote, we noticed a change in your communication, and we were unable to address your concerns directly. When your insurance company contacted us regarding the complaints, we were informed that you felt we did not complete the proposed work. We want to assure you that we have thorough photographic documentation of every step we took to remediate the water damage. This is part of the reason why the full bill was paid.
  Regarding your request for signed documentation, we were never notified of this. Had we been made aware, we would have promptly provided it, as we do with all our customers. Additionally, a Certificate of Satisfaction and Completion was signed at the end of the project, confirming that the work was completed to your satisfaction. If there were any issues, they should have been addressed at that time.
  We have been in business for over 30 years, and we take every job seriously, with the utmost care and professionalism. Had we been made aware of your concerns during the project, we would have worked swiftly to resolve them. We value all feedback and remain committed to providing the best service possible.
  Thank you again for your comments, and we hope this helps clarify the situation. If you have any further questions or would like to discuss this matter further, please feel free to contact us directly.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 12/24/2024

  Complaint: 22714355
  
  I have reviewed the business' response and am rejecting it because:

  Before I signed any agreement, I explicitly told the representative, "I can't do this if it will be over $1,500." He replied, "It won't be over that." ************** was the sole reason I proceeded with the work. I also made it clear that I could not afford anything beyond $1,500 because I had other expenses to manage and was already dealing with the immense stress of my wife and newborn child being in intensive care at the hospital that same day. The final charges of $2,646.26 far exceeded this verbal guarantee, and at no point during the project was I informed that the costs would exceed the estimate. This lack of communication is unacceptable, and I feel misled.

  I communicated my concerns about property damage before signing the completion of work and was assured by the representative that signing the document would not hinder resolving these issues. He even told me he would take pictures of the damage before leaving. However, watching him walk away, he never took any photos. This led me to believe there was never any intention of addressing the damage, and I was only told what I wanted to hear so that he could secure my signature. The damage to my yard, the missing items, and the trash left behind remain unresolved and have greatly contributed to my dissatisfaction.

  The claim that I was not notified about documentation is also inaccurate. I requested to review the documents multiple times before signing anything and specifically asked the employee to go over them with me. Despite my repeated efforts to gain clarity on the terms, I was verbally assured that the costs would not exceed $1,500. I was also told by the employee that he was not allowed to show me any documentation, which further prevented me from understanding the full scope of the agreement. This lack of transparency is unacceptable.

  The statement, "Our team worked diligently, and we are confident that the charges reflect the actual work performed," overlooks the core of my dissatisfaction. While you may have confidence in your charges, this does not address the key issuethat I was explicitly assured the total cost would not exceed $1,500, which was the sole reason I agreed to proceed. My dissatisfaction stems from this verbal guarantee being disregarded, coupled with the lack of communication during the project about any additional costs.

  The claim that my dissatisfaction began after receiving the **** quote is simply not true. I reached out immediately after seeing the invoice for the first time, which included charges I believe to be excessive and unsupported. These chargesnot the **** quotewere the catalyst for my concerns. Suggesting otherwise misrepresents the timeline of events and my motivations.

  Finally, the company stated that the $1,500 was a ballpark estimate and not a guarantee. This contradicts the conversation I had with the representative before signing, where I explicitly said, "I cant do this if it will be over $1,500," and was assured it wouldnt be. At no point during the project was I informed that the costs would exceed this amount. It was only when I received the invoice that I realized the total charges far exceeded what I was led to expect.

  I am requesting acknowledgment of these points, a thorough review of the discrepancies in communication and charges, and a fair resolution to this matter. Thank you for taking the time to review my concerns.

   Sincerely, and Merry Christmas,

  **** *****

  

  Business Response

  Date: 12/27/2024

  Thank you for your feedback. We have reviewed the situation thoroughly and spoken with all parties involved in this job. To clarify, the "representative" you refer to is one of our technicians who was responsible for performing the scope of work. This individual was not involved in the estimating or pricing of the job.
  Initially, you had intended to pay out of pocket for the cost of the work,but ultimately, your insurance company covered the entire cost of the repairs.Our technician, whom you spoke with, confirmed that at no point did you indicate that you could not pay anything over $1,500. Additionally, he never stated that the cost would not exceed that amount. The final total reflects the full scope of time and labor required for the job, including any unforeseen complications that arose during the course of the repairs.
  In the nature of reconstruction, it's important to note that damage can extend beyond what is initially visible. As such, providing a precise estimate without seeing the full extent of the damage is not feasible. This is a common practice in the industry, and verbal estimates are not given by our company.Moreover, you signed a satisfaction agreement upon completion of the job, but unfortunately, after the fact, you chose to leave a negative review without reaching out to our office to address any concerns you may have had.
  Additionally, its worth noting that throughout the process, you did turn off our equipment, which contributed to delays in completing the job. As for the items that were removed from the home, you personally placed them in the driveway and requested that we remove them. Any items beyond that were not removed, as no additional request was made.
  Regarding documentation, our technicians rarely do they have hard copies available on site. However, our office is always available to provide documentation upon request, and we would have gladly supplied any necessary information had we been contacted.
  Lastly, concerning the damage to the yard, our office was never notified of any issues during or after the job. We are always ready to address any concerns brought to our attention, and unfortunately, we were not given the opportunity to resolve this matter.
  We value our customers and strive to provide the best service possible. We encourage you to contact our office directly if you have any further concerns or would like to discuss this matter in more detail.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 12/30/2024

  Complaint: 22714355
  
  I have reviewed the business' response and am rejecting it because:

  Thank you for your response. While I appreciate your time, I must address several inaccuracies in your claims, which misrepresent the facts and further erode trust in your handling of this matter.

  First, regarding your denial of the verbal agreement, the technicians statement that I did not indicate my financial limit of $1,500 or that he assured me the cost would not exceed that amount is untrue. I have witnesses who can corroborate this conversation. This dishonesty reflects poorly on your company and its credibility. Given that **** currently lists you as a preferred vendor, this will be reflected in my case with them, as they should be aware of these misleading practices. This verbal assurance was the sole reason I agreed to proceed, and its dismissal is deeply concerning.

  As for the signed satisfaction agreement, this is also inaccurate. I stated my concerns about yard damage and other issues before signing, and your representative explicitly assured me that the document was only pertaining to the quality of the work, not a waiver of unresolved concerns. Additionally, no invoices or documentation outlining the work performed or its cost were provided before or at the time of signing, despite my repeated requests. This lack of transparency and misleading representation influenced my decision to sign under false pretenses. Furthermore, your claim that I did not reach out to your office to address concerns before leaving a negative review is untrue. I attempted to contact your office multiple times and received no response, which left me no choice but to escalate through a review. 

  Regarding the equipment delays, your claim that turning off the equipment contributed to these delays is also untrue. The equipment was turned off because the drying process was complete. If your team had visited the site to inspect the progress in a timely manner, they would have known this. This, again, reflects a misrepresentation of the facts and an attempt to shift blame.

  Your statement that your office was "never notified of any issues during or after the job" is also incorrect. I notified your technician of yard damage and other unresolved concern before signing the satisfaction agreement. He assured me that these issues would still be addressed and even stated he would take photos of the damage before leaving. However, as I witnessed, no pictures were taken, and the assurances made to me were not upheld. Additionally, I made multiple attempts to contact your office after the job and received no response, which further invalidates your claim.

  Your companys repeated dishonesty, coupled with a failure to take accountability for these issues, is not acceptable and will be noted in my communication with USAA as part of my case. I hope you reconsider your approach and take this matter seriously moving forward.

  I am requesting acknowledgment of these points and a fair resolution. Thank you for reviewing my concerns.

  Sincerely,
  **** *****
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 12/31/2024

  The companys response did not address my concerns in good faith; instead, it relied on dishonest statements to shift blame.

  
  

   

  Denial of Verbal Agreement:

  The company falsely claimed that I never communicated my financial limit of $1,500 or received an assurance that the cost would not exceed that amount. This is demonstrably falseI have witnesses who can corroborate that I explicitly made this statement and was assured by their technician that the cost would remain within that limit both prior to signing the contract to allow him to begin work and prior to signing the "satisfaction" agreement. 

  Misrepresentation of Satisfaction Agreement:

  The company claimed I did not raise issues before signing the satisfaction agreement. This is also untrue. I explicitly communicated concerns about yard damage and unresolved issues, and their technician assured me that signing the document would not impact resolving those matters. These assurances were a deciding factor in my signing the document. As you can see from the metadata of the photo of the yard damage, it was taken prior to signing the agreement.

  Failure to Provide Documentation:

  The company stated that I had not requested documentation and that I had avenues to obtain it. This is misleading. I requested documentation multiple times before and during the project, and no clear invoices or descriptions of the work were ever provided.

  Dishonesty About Equipment Delays:

  They claimed delays occurred because I turned off their equipment. This is not accurate. The equipment was turned off because it had completed its job, and had the company inspected the site, they would have known this. I have timestamped photos of the basement being dry days before they picked up their equipment.

  Ignoring Yard Damage and Refusal to Communicate:

  The company claimed they were never informed of yard damage or contacted after the project. Again, this is false. I notified their technician before signing the satisfaction agreement, and I made multiple attempts to contact their office after the project with no response. As you can see from the photos of the outgoing calls, I attempted to reach St Louis Cleaning and Restoration multiple times. You can see from the pictures of the basement, it has been thoroughly dried, timestamped days before they picked up their equipment.

  
  

   

  These points highlight not only the companys failure to address my concerns but also their repeated dishonesty. Their response does not constitute a good faith effort to resolve this issue, and I respectfully request the BBB reconsider the classification of this complaint.

  
  

   

  I am also happy to provide more supporting evidence, including witness statements, additional timestamped pictures, additional phone calls, and emails to substantiate my claims.

  
  

   

  Thank you for your time and for revisiting this matter.

  
  

  

  Business Response

  Date: 01/13/2025

  This matter has been handled externally with the customer, a discount has been provided to customer.