ComplaintsforAffordable Kitchens & Baths

• Initial Complaint

  07/11/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I don't want to pay for everything up front! They did not start until Oct.-Nov. and they want the money now. If I have to pay 100% on this job, then I want to cancel it. I want my money back on my credit cards.

  

  Business response

  07/27/2023

  ****** came into our store several times before making her purchase on July 7th, 2023.  The payment terms were explained in detail at that time. We require 100% down for materials because all items are custom order and not available for return, exchange or credit.  It states this clearly on the sales order that she signed on July 7th, 2023 (see the attachment).  ****** made two payments with two different credit cards but still had a remaining balance due.  She told us that she was getting a cashiers check from her bank to cover the balance and she would be back.  She came back a day or two later to say she was still working with her bank.  We haven't heard from her since then.  Her Designer followed up with her just last week and we still have not heard back from her.  I believe ****** is referring to the installation when she says "They did not start until Oct.-Nov".  She is correct, that is when we told her we could install her materials.  We told her that we would need 20% down of the installation amount but certainly not 100%.   

• Initial Complaint

  02/27/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On 4/28 we finalized a kitchen remodel and wrote a check to AKB in the amount of $20,196.57 totaling $18,031.57 in materials and $2,165.00 (20% of installation) required as stated in contract. Another 60% would be due ($6,780.00) at start of installation. Their subcontractor **** ******* and a guy named ***** showed up to start the job on 10/17/22. **** left after about an hour and ***** was left to demo the kitchen, replace drywall and install cabinetry. Project manager ****** ****** called to ask for the $6780.00 check and sent someone over to pick it up from us. ***** told us on day 3 that he is not a licensed contractor and doesn’t work for **** or AKB. He said that **** was an acquaintance who’d contacted him a few days prior, to ask if he wanted to take the job on for $3,000. Clearly, he was inexperienced. He damaged our hardwood flooring by not protecting it during demo. He left the drywall 5 inches from floor on two walls. He didn’t take door casings off to remove old drywall instead cut next to them leaving gaps. Some of the cabinetry needed to replaced because of damage, wrong size etc. On 10/26/22 we were told by ****** ****** that he would put a rush on replacement pieces and they’d have it in about a week, but lower cabinets were in so that the quartz could be installed. On 11/14/22 ******* *******, the owners son, whose in charge of operations, told us that someone would be back on 11/28 to resume. No one came and our calls were not returned after that conversation. We were left with no plumbing or electric, no backsplash, drywall wasn’t finished, no recessed lighting … all things we paid for. In total 8 days of work had been done. We paid them 80% of installation roughly $9,000. Subsequently, we were tasked with ordering replacement cabinets from another vendor and hiring a contractor to complete our project. We have spent an additional $9,999. We have pictures, contracts, emails, to substantiate this but there’s much more to this story.

  

  Business response

  03/16/2023

  The ******* received all the materials they paid for. While installing the materials, it was discovered two of the items had slight defects.  Replacements were ordered, but when we notified the *******, the items were available, they said they no longer wanted them.  The ******* have engaged private council. Therefore, I feel this is no longer the appropriate place to discuss this matter.

  Customer response

  03/20/2023

  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because Mr. ******* did not offer us the cabinets when they came in.  He told me over the phone that they were in his warehouse on Nov. 14, 2022 on a recorded conversation and said his contractor would be back on 11/28 to resume the work.  They never showed up and he never spoke to us again that day, after leaving several messages for him.  We asked a lawyer friend to intervene on our behalf and I will submit the correspondence between he and Mr. ******* regarding the cabinets and the unfinished work that we paid Mr. ******* for in advance for.  He refused to release the cabinetry unless we would settle for a $285 refund on almost $9,000 that we paid him for 80% of installation.  We had to move forward in January to complete our kitchen, so new cabinets were purchased and the following day was when he contacted our lawyer to say we could pick them up.  Our lawyer had already told him that we were ordering new cabinets.  
  
  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *** *******

• Initial Complaint

  11/01/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Affordable Kitchen and Bath advertises a $10500 complete bathroom remodel, labor and materials included. I called the last week of September 2022 for my 81 year old mother who lives in a 975 sq ft home, to make an appointment, asking in advance if AKB serviced Illinois before starting the remodel project and was told yes, AKB works in Illinois all the time. After spending 2 hours at our October 5th appointment, we left thinking the remodel of her 40 sq ft bathroom would move forward as advertised. On October 29th, I received a call stating that an unforeseen additional cost of labor fees around $16500 and Illinois fees of $1500 would be added to her bill. I feel as if they are trying to take advantage of an elderly woman with either false advertising or just hoping she would pay the extra $20000 with no questions asked. When I contacted AFB the owner of the company told me he would look into it, but did not call me back. I then called a second time asking to speak with ****** the owner, and was shocked when the receptionist, *****, told me he was busy and to "not make this hard on myself".

  

  Business response

  11/15/2022

  We always strive to meet our customers’ needs while staying within a specific budget.  No two bathroom jobs are ever the same.  They all require different amounts of demolition, rebuilding, repairing, electrical, plumbing, and materials.  The ad the customer mentions was a starting price.  When the customer notified us, the initial quote was outside her mother’s budget, I asked our team to try and re-work the quote by changing custom sizes to standard sizes along with a few other things.  We submitted a revised quote on 11/01/2022 in the amount of $15,674.32 and never heard back from the customer.   At one point during the process, the customer did call in and was informed that I wasn’t available. She refused to leave her number.  It’s unfortunate we were not able to make this customer happy, but at no point did I or any of my employees to try take advantage of anyone.  We never actually performed any business with the customer, we simply provided her with a quote.

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