ComplaintsforBright Builders

• Initial Complaint

  01/26/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  ********* ******* ********** *** *********** On Oct 12, 2022 Bright Builders (******* & Crew) was contracted to complete a bathroom remodel. They were to provide all materials, pull permits, and utilize floor coverings/protection during the project. The job consisted of replacing the exhaust fan, gutting current tub, replacing tub with pan, install floor to ceiling tile, grout & seal, refinish vanity to black with paint, remove and install new vanity hardware, install shower door with towel racks, remove wallpaper and paint walls, and lastly install Pergo flooring. Bright Builders was scheduled to complete the job on Nov 4, 2022. They indicated they were complete on Nov 5, 2022. Upon inspection it was found that they left previous hardware holes exposed, did not touch up paint, left debris, stained carpeting, left water stains on living room flooring from cutting tile, glue towel bars, installed unsquared framing, failed to grout tiles leaving bathroom unsealed/not waterproofed, damaged toilet shut-off valve, left toilet unleveled therefore breaking seal, never delivered nozzle holder, painted over or exhaust fan thus limiting/damaging light (wrong paint used) and a host of other issues. When contacted on Nov 8, 2022 after an owner’s inspection, *******, was contacted with a list of concerns. He agreed that the work was poor and offered to fix the list of issues. He returned and said he completed the works per our conversation and request on Nov 10, 2022. However, many of the same issues remained. We attempted to contact ******* again but our calls and messages went unanswered. ******* not only failed to perform and/or correct the contacted work, he also failed to communicate. This has caused other issues which will have costly corrective consequences. Lastly, ******* over charged us for the work by $294.24 and never issued us our refund $55.76 for the exhaust fan. ***ADDITIONAL SUPPORTING PICTURES/VIDEO ARE AVAILABLE - TOO MANY TO UPLOAD - PLEASE ASK TO REVIEW***

  

  Business response

  01/26/2023

  I am so sorry that you feel this Way! We hear your concerns! This is completely untrue you guys had a budget you weren’t willing to pay the full amount and knew that they quality wouldn’t be the same finish as it was if you payed the entire amount everything was agree we upon and everything was approved we have text messages to prove. This. You weren’t over charged and no we will not continue to come out for free labor that you guys weren’t willing to pay for in the first place you guys paid for this type of finish fast and decent not slow and perfect the bathroom is absolutely usable you guys have used it. I’m sorry that you guys feel this way! But everything was brought to agreed upon standards 

  Customer response

  02/01/2023

  
  We do not agree with your response. I am disheartened that the services paid for were not rendered initially and after asking for repairs to be made. The amount of money should have no bearing on the quality and professionalism your business/profession offers. In this situation, service was not commensurate with the minimum standard of quality your profession provides. Bright Builders was not asked to work for “free”. They were paid. They agree to the contracted amount and worked with our budget after we initially expressed concerns with the original quoted amount. They were asked to complete, fix and render services for the contracted job.  There were many issues brought to *******’s attention after he stated the job was complete. The owner failed to meet in person, take our calls and further engage with us to better understand what action items still needed to take place/fixed. The timeline for the job was dictated and provided by the owner of Bright Builders Corp. He informed us of the only dates he had available and we agreed to that date with the expectation and understanding that the job would be complete. The date chosen was, according to the owner, the only 1-2-week period he had available, which was actually between other jobs he was currently contracted to. He informed us that the break he had to “fit us in” was due to him having to wait on materials, specifically specially ordered tile, to arrive for one of the other jobs. Again, ******* set the timeline and actually promised to be finished before we were due to leave for vacation on Nov 4th. Bright Builders failed to deliver on their own timeline. The job was started on Oct 18th and then reported that they “were finished” on Nov 8th. However, text messages show he pushed the completion date back to complete further installations. The owner of Bright Builders responded that we wanted and paid for a “fast and decent” bathroom, instead of a ”slow and perfect” bathroom. I challenge that line of thinking. Who operates a business where you offer sub-par work for hire? Additionally, what business agrees to take a job they know could jeopardize quality, leave their reputation on the line, and not be of good quality (*see pic). By taking the job knowing these factors and never informing us, the customer, of the limitations of the job you intentionally set forth to take our money and deliver a defective product/service. The lack of quality and basic craftsmanship expected from those in this profession has left us with additional expenses (*see quotes) and a lack of use. We did not use the bathroom because the job was not completed according to *******. There were still items to be ordered and installed and repairs to be made (*see texts). Failure to communicate and take our meeting left us in limbo in regard to the use of the bathroom. I will address the items/issues Bright Builders was to fix and still has not; and the additional costs/inspections we had to incur to determine the usability of the bathroom because Bright Builders failed to complete the job.

  
   The below list of issues initially brought to Bright Builders were as follows: (these initial items were to be remediated but were not – this led to us asking for an in-person meeting that ******* agreed to then canceled - *see text message thread)

  
  Shower door is not the promised 70" height – not what we asked for (*see text thread)
  Drawers have previous hardware holes exposed (not filled and sanded and painted over) – not fixed – the doors were not painted they were spray painted to cover mistakes this is evidenced by the overspray on the newly installed floor. (*see pic # 003, 004, 005, 006)
  Drawers have drill debris inside from new pull installation – not completed, we eventually cleaned after no response
  Paint needs to be touched up everywhere (attic door not all one color) – not completed - not fixed
  Didn't clean up after job (dust in the closet, floor not vacuumed) – not completed - not fixed
  Glue all over the operating nozzle -fixed
  New framing in back of shower angled (not front area - as discussed) – not completed - not fixed (*see pic)
  Uneven grouting – not completed - not fixed (*see pic)
  Cut tile in the living room (*see pic) – we had professional flooring installed and installers had to dry before installing flooring – add’l expense incurred
  Niche has an unpolished look and grout over the inside (*see pics)
  No promised hooks on outside of bath - fixed
  Glued towel bars – not fixed (*see pics)
  Spray nozzle detached from the wall (falling off) – correct replacement not sent/ not fixed – incompatible hook sent via AMAZON but Bright Builders never followed up for install (*see pic)
  Towel bars not secured – (still not fixed – broken) (*see pics)
  Flooring unfinished under the sink and in attic access closet – not fixed (*see pic and text thread with a promise to fix or take to the wall )
  Can't close bathroom door from the bedroom - fixed
  No transition Flooring from the bathroom to the closet – fixed but improperly installed - not fixed
  Caulking job is inconsistent and has debris embedded – not fixed
  Painted trim mistakes not corrected – not fixed

  
  
  The list of issues/concerns later discovered from Bright Builders’ shoddy work:

  Consulting with New General Contractor to assess needed repairs (called out on Jan 12th) his assessment is below:
  *Contractor suggested redoing the whole bath/shower area – he was appalled at the workmanship of the job
  *Noted that the shower was not sealed as evidenced by large holes in grout and missing grout and/or caulking – thus advising us that there will be *water penetration issues behind the walls. (* see pics)
  *Noted that walls were not square on newly installed walls (* see pics)
  *Noted that the standard shower access panel was not installed (needed for code)
  *Noted possible leakage due to no seal on tile (advice was to use the shower as that will be the only way to access the shower leakage)
  *Noted poor craftsmanship overall – not up to industry standards and this work would not be generally acceptable in the profession
  *Noted water control (nozzle) was installed incorrectly – the way it was installed did allow for proper water shut off and left the neck of the (*see pic)
  *Noted Niche exposed
  *Noted improper shower door closure potential due to improper squaring increased likelihood of leak at shower door wall junction (advised to lay towels, install a new door and/or install an extended shower door retaining edge (*see pic for example)
  *Noted that permits should have been provided (never received and/or filed)
  

  Carpet was never cleaned as promised due to the contractor not properly draping the floors. We had the floors professionally cleaned prior to contracting Bright Builders (*see work order)
  

  Toilet Shut-Off Valve needed to be replaced because the installation of flooring made valve in accessible (*see pic# - quote)
  

  Transitions plates incorrectly installed

  
  

  

  Business response

  02/15/2023

  They called me and told me a budget.  They said that they did not expect this to be exactly the work that you do.  We just need it done.  We need it done fast because we're moving.  We need to move in.  We live in Warrensville Heights.  We need it done fast and we need it affordable.
  Their initial quote was roughly between $9,000 and $12,000.  I think we completed the job for $5,000 or $6,000.
  They wanted the tile out.  They wanted their Jacuzzi tub out.  We took the Jacuzzi tub out.  We installed a brand new shower pan, new tile system, a new shower door.  They wanted wanted their vanity refinished.  We refinished it. ********* called me and said there some holes that needed patched up and and asked if they could respray it.  We did that.  
  What they wanted us to continue to come back until the job was up to the par of a $12,000 job.  We kept going back and forth.  I said that we had been there twice.  We have done everything that you asked us to do.  We installed new flooring.  We installed new baseboard.  We installed new quarter round.   We went back and they said they wanted it this way after we took the forms up and I bought brand new flooring.  I told them that they did not pay for that, but I can do that since we are a little but behind schedule.  I have no problem meeting you guys in the middle.  So, we did that.
  They said that our doors didn't close.  I said that I told you that this would probably happen.  You guys said that you would take care of it.  We took the doors off.  We cut them to length.  We reinstalled them.  
  So, what they want us to do is to continue to go back.  This is a better example, there are five levels of drywall.  Nobody really wants to pay for the fifth level unless you live in like Pepper Pike or something like that.  Instead of us doing drywall in three days, it will take us a week and a half.  So, that was the same thing for this job.  They did not want to pay for a boujee, boujee bathroom.  They wanted something that would be inexpensive, done fast so that they could move in.
  So now, what ********* is doing is continuing to blow me up.  I received threats from her husband.  I don't operate my business like that.
  So, who would take a job like this?  I took a job against my own intuition and this is what happens.  Ultimately, what is going on is that they have called me and said that I can do this, this, this.  I told them twice, if you want me to come back I'm going to have to charge you.  Well, they said that you aren't done with the job.  The job is completed.

*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. ↩