ComplaintsforProjects By Squirrels, LLC

• Initial Complaint

  03/21/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  1. Estimate stated 3-5 crew Did work Friday March 8 --- 4 showed up and 1 left for several hours ((which came back with McDonalds)) 2. Photo of brush with lamp post – ELECTRIC???? Yes, I wanted it cut down … neighbor texted me telling me that the lamp post was falling down, and they did not think to stop cutting it with ELECTRIC – neighbor told them to stop cutting it! I texted ******* to have them stop cutting it all the way down. I had to put a rope around brush and lamp post to hold it upright. 3. Found multiple cigarette butts all around yard 4. Multiple breaks – not in vehicles 5. Found water bottles around the front door (next to the trash can) & found McDonalds bag by front door 6. Work from 8:30-4:30 from invoice from owner – A neighbor he told me they showed up after 9:00AM and I get home at 4:00PM and they were gone by then (neighbor said he seen them standing around at 3:00PM and when he came back out around 3:30PM they were already gone) 7. I also feel I should report this company to the National Elder Hotline since I feel I was taken – paid owner ******* Saturday March 9 8. After multiple text (Saturday March 16 & Thursday March 21) to owner ******* ###-###-#### – PBS never came back to burn what they cut down & never called me back 9. NEVER USE THIS COMPANY!

  Business response

  03/21/2024

  We contacted customer already to address and fix. 

• Initial Complaint

  02/05/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  This company's workmanship has presented 4 months after completion the ceiling that was put up is falling down, the paint is blistering on the wood columns that were built and painted. They finished the project around June. In October I set pictures of the ceiling falling down and the paint blistering and requested that they return and fix what was coming apart. No response to my emails. So I am requesting that you assist in having them correct what is falling apart and needs to be corrected. I just want them to stand behind their work like they said they would but they have just ignored my complaints. The project was completed at **** ***** **** *********** **** *****

  Business response

  02/13/2024

  I will reach out to customer within a week to discuss these issues and any warranted steps to address. I have not received any emails prior to this and will check my spam/junk folder. I will send an email to the address she listed in this memo. 

  Customer response

  02/29/2024

  
  Hello, 
  
   The message that I received from the company indicated that they would reach out to me. I haven't heard from the company.  I do not know what the next step is that needs to be done at this point. 
  My name is ********* ******* my home phone number and landline is ###-###-#### the project was completed at **** ***** **** ********** **** *****. 
  
  Please reach out to the company again on my behalf and request again that they come and fix the problems. 
  Thank you
   ********* ******* 

  Business response

  03/07/2024

  Lyndsey B****. I spoke with her and we are meeting next week to

  resolve. 

  Customer response

  03/21/2024

  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.  As long as the work is actually completed as no time frame was provided by the company's representative 
  
  Regards,
  
  ********* *******
  

• Initial Complaint

  07/13/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  The date of the transaction was October 31, 2022. Price was $6,405. Promised Quality Work at a "Fraction of the Price". Not quality what so ever and was the largest bid we received INCLUDING a discount. Contractor threatened a response form their legal team/advisors indicating they were told not to speak with me further on May 26, 2023 and I would receive an email. I have received no communication or resolution as of July 13, 2023. Work is poor and incomplete. Several delays in communication on possible resolution. Terrible customer service. Walls not prepped or sanded fully, previous paint color showing through the new paint when we were told three coats of paint went on those specific walls. Poor trim work, brush lines, and roller drips throughout the home. Curtain rods left hanging out of the walls, in holes that were not patched, sanded and repainted. Paint on toilet and ceilings in the colors they painted. A "courtesy repair" to rehang the toilet paper dispenser that is poorly sanded and hung in a way that it is falling off the wall with normal use. Customer has made several attempts for resolution for refund. Email with dates, photos, emails, text messages emailed to contractor on June 28th. Paper copy sent via certified mail. Additional paper copies will be sent to additional addresses found online.

  Business response

  07/21/2023

  We were contracted to do a project and the terms clearly stated that final payment would be made upon completion of the project.  Once payment is made, it is considered and understood to be complete by all parties.  We also did multiple walkthroughs with the homeowners prior to completion (both of them) otherwise we never would have left.  While we are a company that takes great pride in our work and our reputation also speaks to this, these items were brought up 6 months after the fact and nothing had been mentioned until then.  It is unreasonable to assume that these “issues” were related to our work as they could have been the result of anything that took place since we were there.  For example, the house was completely empty when we did the work.  The homeowners then moved into the home immediately afterward and moved in all their furniture and belongings.  This is very likely the cause for a lot of the issues they are now trying to claim had to do with the paint job we did.  We are also aware (from the homeowner as well as their neighbors) that they experienced flooding, etc. in the 6 months that lapsed between the time we finished and the time they contacted us to complain.  Several contractors/workers were there doing work throughout those 6 months that also could have contributed to the issues.
  We were clearly led to believe that the customers were satisfied with our work upon completion.  We have saved text messages to this effect stating, among other things, that they would leave us a good review and that they were so excited with everything.  They also referred us to the person who purchased their previous home who we did work for and they were so happy they brought us back a second time to do more work.  Unsatisfied customers typically do not refer contractors they aren’t happy with. The homeowner also kept our business sign up in their yard for months after we left which is something we fully appreciated but is something we’ve only experienced from satisfied customers.  Again, we heard not a single negative word until 6 months had passed.  Most of our interactions were with the female homeowner, *********, and she was very nice and pleasant throughout the process and kept telling us that she loved everything (verbally and via text message) but that her fiancé would be the one who was “hard to please, tough to deal with, and would pick everything apart” so we made sure we gave both of them an opportunity to do a walk through before we completed the job.  Our Quality Control Specialist, was involved in this whole process as well and has this documented.  We addressed the homeowner’s concerns and made sure we resolved them before we left and before they paid.  As a side note, the initial check “bounced” and there was time that passed before it was resolved with (customer eventually gave us a different check) during which any “issues” could’ve still been brought to our attention.   Nothing was said except that they were happy with everything and they were sorry about the inconvenience of the check bouncing.  We have all this in text from the customer as well as testimony from multiple employees involved- all of which were shocked when they were told about these complaints, especially after so much time had passed.  We had several employees there for the final work, walkthroughs, touchups, etc. that can and will attest to the fact that we fixed and addressed the concerns they raised before we finished and were paid.  They will also attest that not only was none of these “new” concerns  brought up when we were there, the customers were clearly satisfied when we left and were willing to refer us to other people.  They will also confirm that most, if not all, of the issues that were raised when our QCS went back 6 months later were not like that when we left.  Again, after 6 months of living in the home, moving in, and having other contractors in and out of the home, the claims are unreasonable at best.   
  When the homeowner did reach out after six months, we responded and tried to coordinate a day for **** (Quality Control Specialist) to look at and discuss their concerns.  He arrived to find pieces of tape everywhere.  He noted that ********* apologized to him and admitted that her (now) husband had went “crazy and overboard with the tape” and that she had to stop him at one point because he was putting tape in rooms we hadn’t even been contracted to paint and, therefore, had nothing to do with us.  She also took some tape off and said she couldn’t tell what some of the tape was there for or why her husband had it there.  The homeowners said, among other things, that a toilet paper dispenser fell off the wall because we didn’t do something right when painting.  This is a “stretch” to put it mildly as this was now six months later and it was clear by the damage around it that it had been bumped or ripped from the wall with some sort of force, not from being installed improperly.  This is just one example of many of things that were “taped” that could have been caused by anything (jostling and jolting from moving in furniture, other contractors, kids, normal wear and tear of everyday living in the home, etc.).    QCS also stated that these issues absolutely were not there when we completed the job and were not noticed or brought to our attention during any of the many walkthroughs that were done.  Again, this was 6 months later during which time they moved in and had other contractors doing extensive work in the home.  
  The day after QCS was there to address their complaints, I had emergency surgery but discussed this situation with him immediately upon returning.  He told me how everything went and that he told ********* that we would discuss it and get back with her.  By this point, I had already received an email from her stating that we had such horrible customer service and that our quality of work was so bad she did not want us back and, instead, wanted a full refund.  I reached out to her and offered, once again, to come back and “fix” the issues (even though I knew I had no obligation to do so under the circumstances as they were) but she adamantly declined and demanded nothing less than a full refund.  Under no circumstances is this reasonable and it makes it clear that this is nothing more than an attempt to intimidate/extort money under false pretenses.   After consulting with our legal team, it has been reaffirmed that this is not only unreasonable, it is on the verge of defamatory.   Our reputation is immaculate and our customer service is something we hang our hat on so the customer is attempting to hold that against us in attempt to get money out of us for something that is inaccurate if not completely fabricated.   Again, our reputation is immaculate and we are well known for not only our quality of work, but our communication and customer service.  This claim against us is inaccurate and defamatory in nature and an attempt to get money.  If not, we would have been notified well before 6 months had passed and would have been given an actual attempt to fix it.  Making it clear upon completion that you're satisfied, waiting 6 months to complain, and then expecting us to have it completely resolved within days (and making it clear that they have no intention of getting their actual "issues' resolved but just want money) is not reasonable and now they are trying to tarnish our reputation which has been immaculate.  We have never received a single complaint much less one like this.   We attempted to resolve this is a professional manner but that was not what this customer wanted. 

  Business response

  09/19/2023

  Please find attached response from the business.

  Customer response

  09/19/2023

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ** ********* and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, reasons for rejection are included below.
  

  At this time, this has consumed far too much of my energy for a subpar company to do the right thing. Which is exactly what a subpar company does- nothing. I know how my home was painted and I know how it is handled day in and day out. I also know what work was done by Project By Squirrels.  My honesty and transparency is being twisted and used against me even though I've provided plenty of documentation otherwise. I also know we don't lie. We were lied to about quality. We were lied to about legal action.  We were lied to about lawyers indicating for them not to speak with us.  We were lied to in the last BBB response from the company indicating that we would have a prompt response, which we never received.  I also couldn't take the call because I was in a meeting.  I find it interesting that I miss one call and still respond the same day when the owner goes silent for weeks at a time.  

  The text clearly states "IF you are happy with the work".  As natural light came through and showed all the deficits that were clearly made by poor patchwork and paint brushes, not moving items into the home such as dents and dings it became clear to me, in good conscience, to let the company owner know why I never made a review.  Which is exactly what I did. I was very clear about why I waited and my intentions.  The was no request for repair or refund at the time.  Until, the poor customer service continued.  The "lead project manager" agreed with me, to my face, in my own home and is now telling a different story.  Which again, is another lie. 

  Two homeowners in the neighborhood have also shared with me they had a subpar experience and feel like Projects By Squirrels hires anyone off the streets.  Their reputation is not nearly as glowing as they believe it to be.  If more people shared their experiences, both good and bad, I'm can assure you their reputation would look much different.

  As promised, I owe the Projects By Squirrels nothing but to share my experience, which I have full right to do. A good, strong company, with good, strong customer service would never accuse a customer of fabricating poor work in their own home. They would never twist honesty and transparency in their favor. They would do all they could to make things right.  Since this is coming to a close, I will be certain that everyone I know, and every review site will have our incredibly negative review of this company. 

  Please be sure my review and complaint is posted on the BBB site for future customers to see. 

  Regards
  
  ********* ****
  

*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. ↩