ComplaintsforIrish Construction Co

• Initial Complaint

  12/02/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Irish Construction did a plaster ceiling repair around the mid September. But the surface of the repair was not smooth and did not blend well with the existing. He said to let it dry for a week before painting. I gave it that time to see how it would finally dry. It started to develop some cracks. I called the office several times before **** finally called me back. And I texted pictures on October 12. On or around November 3 two workers came by. They had to borrow my ladder. They then put on what appeared to be joint compound to smooth it out. When they finished, they asked me if it was okay. I might have pointed out a couple things and they tried to accommodate me. Then they did some clean up and left. It still wasn’t a very good job, but I was tired of dealing with it and would just finish it myself. **** called November 8. I told him it was still rough. He said he’d come by. He was very busy. Some guys had covid. I sent more pictures as requested with no response. I texted again November 14. He said he was in a meeting and would get back to me later. No response. I texted on November 15 with no response. I texted again on November 16. I did not receive a date. He called me on November 30 and said he would come by within an hour or else it would be a couple weeks before he could get by. The same two workers came by. We moved the table and rug. One got water to mix material and they both went outside. 20 minutes later I saw they left without letting me know. They came back in a couple hours. Again, they borrowed a ladder. I went upstairs as they worked. After 30 minutes they said they were done and left. They were gone before I got downstairs. I was not asked to look at the repair. They dumped joint compound in the toilet. I’m not sure what it was or how much they flushed. Aside from any plumbing issues, it is unprofessional. **** has not called me as of today. Flushing the joint compound is when I decided to file this complaint. The repair is still rough.

  

  Business response

  04/28/2023

  This has been resolved with the customer.

  Customer response

  04/28/2023

  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  They have not contacted me since I filed this complaint. It has not been resolved with me. 
  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *** *****

  

  Business response

  05/10/2023

  I have gone back three times to fix the job to resolve it.  There was nothing wrong with the job to begin with.  The consumer threaten my employees and told them to leave when they came back.  We do not feel safe going back to the consumer's home.  I am not worried about the final balance on the job. 

  Customer response

  05/12/2023

  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  
  So if this is their response now, why did their first response say it’s been resolved with the customer? And why wait months to respond to the original complaint only to say it’s been resolved? 

  As I said in my original complaint, the final time they came to make corrections, they left without even talking to me. They yelled to me upstairs that they were done and leaving and were gone when I got downstairs. There was not even a conversation and no threats made. When they showed up, we went over my assessment of what I would like done. They said okay, I went upstairs, and they did some work and left. There were no conversations after the work was finished.
  
  I have paid in full. I owe them nothing. I have no idea why he would say he isn’t worried about the balance. He quoted me $900 cash and he would do it the next day. I paid $400 cash and $500 in check because the bank wasn’t open the next morning by the time he was finished for me to get the remainder of the cash. He didn’t want to wait. 
  
  I would still like the job to be finished. But I doubt if they will do anything more. I expect a partial refund for an unsatisfactory job that has taken too long and is still unresolved. 
  Sincerely,
  
  *** *****

• Initial Complaint

  07/08/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  We paid $16,000; the water problem still exists (and is now worse); it has been a year since Irish Construction first came out to work on the job and we kept getting pushed off. We have a cinder block foundation on our 90+ year old house and moisture was getting through and mildewing our interior plaster walls, so we called Irish Construction to come out to provide a bid. We had also gotten a few other bids (that were provided to us in writing) and then found Irish Construction via a ****** search. **** came out July 5, 2021 to give us a bid. He asked if I had anyone else come out and give a bid, and I told him yes, that another well known company came out and said they would remove all existing plaster in the basement, tuckpoint the cinder block, and re-plaster. (again, we have a cinder block foundation and moisture had continued making its way through the existing tuckpointing and was deteriorating the existing plaster). **** said he would do the job that the other company quoted but would do it for $2k less and pour concrete around the exterior if I committed that day. He said he had a cancellation and could fit us in, so if I did not commit that day the price would go up if he had to come back out. Because he said he would do everything the other company quoted for $3k less and could start the next day and had great reviews on ******, we moved forward. We paid $5K the first day he arrived. Then another $5K in the middle of the job the next day. Then another $6K a few days after that job was finished. We paid $16K to have the basement tuckpointed and stop moisture from coming in. **** did not tuckpoint anything; only replastered deteriorated spots, painted the basement with Killz, sprayed concrete on the walls of the coal room and put concrete around the exterior of the house. Water continued coming in the main part of the basement, as well as the coal room. I have more to share about the experience, but I hit the character limit.

  

  Business response

  07/12/2022

  I did this job professionally and did all the work 100% - interior plastering repair, interior tuck pointing, and waterproofing. The homeowner was very happy with everything we did and was willing to pay for it. (I gave him half the price of the bids he has gotten from other contractors.) I did this job two years ago; this is a 90-year-old house. When I discussed the bid with him, I told him that there was additional work that should be done (installation of channels to divert water) to ensure that there wouldn't be any more leaking in the near future, but he didn't want to invest any more money in the property. He said that he was selling it. I wonder why he's still there and didn't contact me again sooner. This seems to be the strategy of having your cake and eating it, too. I explained to ***** very clearly that if he didn't have me fix the job all the way that I couldn't guarantee a permanent solution. I regret trying to help this individual because he's trying to manipulate the situation.

  Customer response

  07/13/2022

  Complaint: 17539791
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  
  1. No tuck pointing was done. It was part of the verbal bid and was expected, but not done.
  2. We were not happy at all with the work. We asked him to come back out several more times. We have pictures of the work and documentation of our attempts to contact him. 
  3. He bid the job at $16,000. Our other written bid was for $19,000, which Im happy to provide for reference. He said he could do it at that price ($16,000) if we committed that night, to start the next day because he had a cancellation and an opening in the schedule.
  4. This job was initiated on 7/5/2021. Not two years ago. We can provide documentation. We waited a year out to file our complaint, because he continued to say he would follow up with us.
  5. We attempted to contact him 12 times (all texts documented) between August 26th (after he came out the second time and the problem still existed) and February 17th. He never came back out after August 25th (the second time he came out because the job was not done adequately the first time water coming in the coal room, and moisture through the walls of the main basement area) and never fixed the problem, as promised.
  6. He did not mention any additional work needed (channels in yard) to ensure the job. The additional work he did suggest during the bid (beyond what we requested) was digging around the exterior and pouring cement between the yard and the foundation. This work was completed, although again, did not fix the issue.
  7. We never mentioned or intended selling our property. For context, we added an addition in April 2019, we took out a second mortgage to repair our basement (waterproof) and zoned our HVAC system July 2021. The basement work requested was intended to create additional functional space for our family, not to move or sell.  
  8. We have several texts and a voice recording of **** saying the work is 100% and that he guarantees his work.
  9. The work that he and his crew performed (1.5 days in July) and (1/2 day in August to fix unresolved issues) does not warrant the $16,000 we paid, and the problem still exists. Additionally, it is now worse in the front coal room because **** and his crew covered the French drain, which had previously directed any water toward the sump pump.

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

  

  Business response

  07/13/2022

  Going back to the situation, two years ago, there was water running straight through your house before we did any work. While we solved the vast majority of your issues, you rejected my proposal for a more long-term solution. This is like taking your car to a shop after three years of driving without any oil and demanding a refund for labor done three years prior. Now, you're trying to use the BBB as leverage to get more than you were willing to pay for. Our reputation is outstanding, 5 stars, and I refuse to jeopardize that. Therefore, I am willing to install the aforementioned (previously bid) channels for free. As I repeatedly explained years ago, this is the only permanent solution for your leakage. However, I anticipate only further demands for money. Thank you.

  Customer response

  07/14/2022

  Complaint: 17539791
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  
  Were concerned that *************** have us confused with another client.
  
  The inaccuracies with regard to date, scope of work, and other details is concerning.
  
  1.The work was initiated July 5, 2021. We have text records and checks for payment documenting this. The work was done one year ago, not two. We gave Irish Construction several opportunities and a year to fix their work before leaving a review and reporting them to BBB. 
  
  2.No additional work was recommended or bid. i.e., Channels in the yard. Like the dates of service inaccuracy, and his previous report that we mentioned selling-this is just false. We have phone recordings of **** saying hes very pleased with the work, and that theyll make it 100%. With no mention of the channels.
  
  3. Another inaccuracy of note, **** has mentioned multiple times in his response to our complaint that there were buckets of water pouring in before he began the work again,this is false. We had moisture, not pouring water, sitting in the cinderblock joints and mildewing and deteriorating spots in existing plaster in the basement.
  
  In the coal room, there were gaps in the brick which we asked to be tuckpointed solid,not related to water issues (because the French drain and sump pump were collecting any water that *** have come in before it could reach the coal room floor),but to seal the house from exterior elements. The tuckpointing solid of the coal room walls was not completed, instead Irish Construction sprayed a concrete mixture on the walls and covered our French drain. The covering of the French drain now allows water to come through that had previously been directed to the sump pump, creating a water issue where there wasnt one previously. Additionally,there remains gaps on the walls from the concrete mixture they sprayed, still allowing exterior elements in. (see pictures of coal room after August 25, 2021)
  
  4.We gave **** an opportunity to fix his work (when he came back August 25, 2021).This was ~6 weeks after the initial work because **** wanted to let it settle.We immediately contacted **** again (August 26, 2021, and dozens of more times until February 17, 2022) and provided opportunities to fix the work. He continued to push us off and is only responding now that BBB is involved, and his reputation is at stake. 
  
  Bottom line, no issues were resolved, and new issues were created. Moisture is returning through the plaster because it was not tuckpointed as agreed to, and we have sitting water in our coal room which was not an issue previously. This is only happening because Irish Construction covered our French drain, as stated in previous notes.
  
  We have since made additional improvements to our property and do not trust Irish Construction to return. 
  
  Our original concerns still exist, and other areas are now worse off because of the work Irish Construction performed. Our experience in working with Irish Construction can be summarized as unprofessional, and their work is not satisfactory. We will need to have the work corrected and recompleted correctly by another company that we can trust. 
  
  $16,000 is a large amount of money to be left with a worse situation.
  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *********************

  Customer response

  07/15/2022

  07/15/2022: Mediator left a detailed voicemail for the consumer.

  07/15/2022: We paid this company $16000.00 to stop the moisture seeping into our basement, the poor workmanship we received did not resolve any of our issues, they actually made them worse. We contacted this company many times trying to get this resolved,  Nothing in their response relates to the work done on our home. $16000.00 is a lot of money to spend , not to mention we will now have to pay another company to come out to do the job right. We no longer want this company at our home. Nothing in their response relates to the work done on our home. I will send a video of text messages we have.

  07/19/2022: Were still out of town thru tomorrow, so well send you over a few artifacts in the next day or two. Thank you so much for your help with the mediation.

  07/20/2022: Following up to our conversation, attached is: - the video of my text thread with ****, from first contact to last  - the Mirelli contract with the scope of work that **** agreed to complete - a threatening voicemail he left me (on 7/12/2022) a few days after I filed my complaint with BBB          In addition to these, we also have two voice recordings. One is a recording of a phone call between **** and I ahead of **** coming back (on 8/25/21) to fix the original job. The other recording is of **** and crew on the job site (8/25/2021) attempting to correct the original work. Both recordings reference the scope of work expected vs. the work received and next steps. Were choosing not to share those voice recordings at this time.

  07/26/2022: ************ never suggested any other systems, they assured us the $16000.00 we paid to them for services would stop all moisture in our home. The foundation is seeping in areas that we paid this company to fix, and they covered up our french drain now causing our home to take on more water issues than before. We just had record rain fall and the french drain is no longer there to help with that. I will send in a receipt, and have contacted another contractor to come out and look at the problems, I will send their report and estimate of what they will want to correct the issue.
  

  08/09/2022: Consumer sent estimate from 3rd party contractor, mediator will forward to the business.

  08/15/2022: I hope you had a nice weekend. We had ******* come back out two Fridays ago, so I wanted to get the latest bid over to you. Attached is the bid to patch up the work Irish Construction didn't complete and where we still have problem areas($10K). Please let me know if anything else is need from me at the moment.
  

  11/28/2022:  Thanks for your response. We do not feel comfortable with Irish Construction performing any further work at our property. Prior to filing a complaint with BBB, we had Irish Construction back out to our property to address and repair the concerns mentioned in our complaint. They failed to repair the concerns when they came back out on 8/25/2021. Additionally, in attempting to perform the bidded job, Irish Construction sealed our french drain making it ineffective and creating new concerns. We have audio recording of ****, with Irish Construction, saying that he covered and sealed our french drain intentionally, was pleased with it, and did not want to correct it. Finally, after attempting to contact Irish Construction 12 times between 8/26/2021-2/17/2022 to come back a third time, we moved forward and made updates to our basement and property. For these reasons we do not feel comfortable with Irish Construction performing any further work at our property. Thank you again for your response, and please let us know if there are any other options. 

  

  Business response

  07/29/2022

  07/29/2022: Mediator left a detailed voicemail for the business.

  08/03/2022: Mediator sent an email to the business requesting an update.

  08/23/2022: Mediator called the business, mailbox is full, will follow up with an email requesting an update.
  

  08/26/2022: Mediator called the business, mailbox is full, will follow up with an email requesting an update.

  08/26/2022: Mediator copied **** to review for non response from business.

  11/18/2022: I would like this complaint to go back to mediation. I am willing to go back to the property and try to resolve the issue with the homeowner. I can be reached at ************
  

  

  Business response

  11/16/2022

  I would like this complaint to go back to mediation. I am willing to go back to the property and try to resolve the issue with the homeowner. 

*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. ↩