ComplaintsforOmni Pools & Scapes, LLC

• Initial Complaint

  07/14/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  We went into contract with Omni for a pool in August of 2022. We were told our pool installation would begin at the beginning of April. Our start date was pushed back 5 times with no explanation and several times we weren’t even notified. The 3rd “promised date” was June 21st, we called on the 20th to make sure someone was coming out to mark the power lines only to be told “oh, we are starting tomorrow”. We were pushed back 2 more times with no contact. We have done everything Omni asked us to do: $7000 for a fence and $3500 to have the power lines moved in order to be ready. We have reached out to the owner multiple times to share our frustration with the lack of communication and not knowing where we were in the process. No one will return our calls, texts or messages. We finally chose to cancel the pool with Omni as we are almost a year in and they haven’t even stepped foot in our yard or kept us informed. They have now sent us a bogus invoice that eats up every penny of our $20,000 deposit. We are asking for the return of our deposit as Omni has not started our project in a timely manner and stopped communicating with us early in the process. We have requested meetings with both our project manager (he canceled 5 minutes before he was supposed to be at our house) and the *****, Jason, and no one will respond.

  Business response

  07/14/2023

  In repsonse to Mrs ****** complaint the project was cancelled per her signed contract.  On April 19th the client was told there would be a June start, no firm day given.  June 15th the company received the pool at their offices and put the project into the rotation.  On June 20th client was told July would be their start, no firm day given.  June 24th client sent a message through companies software platform to cancel the project. June 29th the team met with client at **** ****** ** offices and told them a start date.  On June 30th client sent a message to cancel even though a discussion happeded on June 29th.   This second cancellation notice from the client came 5 days prior to the start date.  At that point Omni Pools and Scapes removed the client from the schedule and rescheule all teams.

  The contract is lined out with a tentative start date, that is tentative and they were informed prior to May that the date had moved.   A cancellation change order was sent for all the expenses incurred including the pool shell that was received June 15th.  

  While we understand they are frustrated, the project was cancelled per the contract page 7 of signed agreement. The ****** are covered on page 6, ****** outside our control. 

  I have attached the detailed change order for the project cancellation.   There will be no full refund per the change order (and contract).  Per the change order they had 14 days to pay and pick up the pool and that has yet to happen leaving Omni Pools and Scapes with a pool shell.    Please review the change order as it is all detailed. 

  Thank you for your time.

  Omni Pools and Scapes

   

   

• Initial Complaint

  02/03/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  Omni has exhibited predatory business practices that have negated the current contract and subjected our family and the immediate neighborhood to substantial liability and harm. To date we have paid Omni 74% of the total original contract ahead of what was to be delivered based on the contract milestones, only to have $15,000 held hostage and work not completed to get our pool autocover installed. Per the contract Omni is obligated to resolve any outstanding issues in a timely manner and coordinate all the work with us to assure safety and minimal disruption to the site. Our pre-paid pool cover was set to be installed in August and as of February has not. We have 4 children ages 9-2 in our home and in our cul-de-sac street, the size of a football field, 56 children under the age of 10 who roam the neighborhood and run through backyards causing serious safety concerns. The fence was never installed because of misaligned price changes. We have a laundry list of change orders that haven't been created or processed in a timely manner by the Omni team in Buildertrend since April of 2022 - more than 10 months ago. Since then, as we have been passed off to 6 Omni employees who don't seem to know anything about our account or what has been sent to us in writing in terms of pricing, we have subsequently received the same number of misaligned price quotes. In one instance, after revised HOA guidelines Omni increased a patio cost by more than 100%. In email, through various Omni team members we have received so many conflicting prices that we have asked in writing more than 20 times to please have a call with us over the past 10 months, and have spoken to people on the phone 2 times - the last time in July. We additionally created spreadsheets of the contract, the terms, pricing we had in writing, ect and asked for formal review for more than 7 months. We have descoped work and yet according to pricing and change orders the contract is still the same as it always was.

  Business response

  02/06/2023

  Tell us To speak to the facts of this project:

  
  Client signed the contract on Feb 2,2021
   First day on site- June 27, 2022.
  64 recorded daily logs from June 2, 2021, till August 2022.

  
  
  Our teams worked on getting this project done for the client, unfortunately when issues arrived, they did not want to pay for work.   There were phone calls, verbal agreements followed by messages in writing.   At that point the clients would change their position and want to tell us how to do our job and how much they would pay.  They also wanted to dictate credits for issues we were not responsible for. 
                  As far as safety, the client would not agree to the fence that was purchased in the contract (54 inch), they wanted to change it (48 inch).  We offered a solution and they  did not want to move forward.   Change order 0017 was created on August 25th, 2022, for the change of the fence that they would not approve. The fence is part of the contract and the permit, we wanted to get this completed but client was stopping this from happening.    We care deeply about safety; their statement is far from the truth.  We do not, nor have we ever exhibited predatory business practices.  Everything is clearly spelled out in the signed contract. 
                  Through the project there were 15 changes orders created, 10 approved, 3 declined and 2 that they left pending.  We have done our due diligence on this project and tried to work with the client.  There are 336 messages back and forth, we communicated everything regarding this project.
                  Were their delays, yes.  The cover was delayed for months, and we have it but unfortunately the client stopped the project from progressing.  Have we had staff turnover, yes.   Everywhere has staff turnover. In our process they have a sales rep, permitting coordinator, project manager, and supervisor.   The VP of Operations was also involved in the project.   Have they had 6 people to work with, yes, we provided clients with different staff contacts throughout the project.
                  In closing, we provided the clients a solution, clearly defined with committing to get it done in the upcoming week.  They came back with an unprofessional message attacking our values as a company. 

    I have attached the contract for viewing.

  Thank you for your time. 

  Customer response

  02/14/2023

  The original contract had several issues to begin with.   The fence was the wrong height and the wrong length.   The height was amended due to the HOA demanding the height be brought down.   Omni is lying as if we just made that change arbitrarily.   Omni was supposed to make sure the fence was within specs for the HOA.   The fence length we also corrected well in advance because it was written in the contract incorrectly at 250 linear feet surrounding the entire yard and not just the pool patio at 134 linear feet which is what we had asked for and which reduced the price quite a bit. Their failure to process that change request from April of 22 with pricing quoted and captured in Buildertrend, subsequent misaligned price quotes is what prompted us to ask for a formal account review so we could under stand charges. In fact almost 80% of the contract was pre-paid to Omni in cash before the actual project milestone it corresponded with so it is slanderous to state that we didn’t want to pay for the products or services which is categorically false and insulting. 
  
  Omni is also being deceptive about why they received the auto cover late.   This is the cover that we have paid $15,000 for yet still have not received and still do not have means to cover our pool. They received the cover late because they were several covers behind that they were supposed to pay for to the cover maker, coverstar.  This fact was confirmed with the coverstar vendor in that they would not provide Omni our cover until Omni would pay them- again something that Omni had our money for but did not use it to pay the vendor timely to get our cover. They have been sitting on that $15,000 since the Summer and it is now going on March. So the “delay” had nothing to do with us paying.   It had to do with Omni paying their bills to their suppliers. 
  
  Negligence cannot be ignored due to a contract.   Their driver was negligent and did not take proper care to avoid damage and/or injury.    He dropped a 400 lb bucket that he was carrying with the other bucket on the ground and it rolled about 10 ft into our neighbors yard after smashing my trees.   Besides the fact it could have killed someone, the negligence  was egregious and not covered in a contract. 
  
  Our attorney is dealing with this matter currently and we are sure the truth will come out.  We have screenshots and can get subpoenas and enter more information including recorded conversations in record if Omni insists on simply lying their way out of this.
  
  Regards,
  
  ****** **************

  Business response

  09/28/2023

  Hello *****, was this taken care of and marked completed? 
  
  
  Thank you,
  
  Amy C********

  Customer response

  10/02/2023

  *****-
  
  The matter has been resolved through legal assistance. 
  
  Thanks,
  
  ****** **************
  

  
  

• Initial Complaint

  09/26/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  7/2020 I worked with Jason C******** on my pool. He stated I needed a trench drain and no retaining wall. He stated if the drain design failed, “Omni will fix it. We will make it right.” 8-16-2021-Heavy down pour of rain; trench drain failed;mud got into my pool. Jason came to house, said “Omni will fix this. We will make it right.” 9-8-2021-I received a Change Order, Water Damage Repair, for unauthorized charge of $16,446.10 (Later discounted to $14,801.49) Not discussed nor submitted to me before 9-8-2021. I had not sign nor pre authorized any cost for water damage repair. Omni Roadmap Contract (Attach-signed 3-21-2021) states, "Omni will only perform work after a Change Order has been signed and approved in BuilderTrend ..All other verbal or written scopes of work will not be honored." Jason stated Omni was doing me a favor; that I was just trying to get out of paying for work on “legality” and not principle. He stated that if I did not pay 9-21-2021 Omni was starting collections.

  Business response

  10/14/2021

   To whom it may concern:

   This letter is response to complaint ID. 15902235 filed by ******** ****** on 9/26/2021.

  On September 24th, 2020, Omni Pools entered a formal contract with ******** ****** residing at *** ******* *** ********* ** *****. The contract is attached for reference.

  We have performed all scopes of work for services paid. Ms. ****** is refusing to approve additional payment for work requested by Ms. ****** completed by Omni due to a tropical storm moving through. Central Ohio received an unprecedented rain fall, see attached article from 10 TV, leaving Ms. ******'s yard flooded and resulting in her pool filling with dirty water. On August 17th, 2021, see attached message, Ms. ****** thanked Omni for the drains installed and started those saved her foundation.

  We have attached the timeline of the project from start to when Omni Pools and Scapes stopped working due to non-payment. Ms. ****** was incredibly happy with the project, as seen in the attached messages. When Omni teams began work on the storm damage, we did so to keep the crying-frazzled customer happy and offered to help her file the appropriate insurance claims. Never did we expect our kindness during the trying matter to go unpaid.

  Omni Pools and Scapes will not be returning to the property as we have, and Ms. ****** turned the team away. She will be legally responsible for the inspections and permitting, the permit is in Ms. ******'s name with City of Columbus permit #************. She also stated in a message on October 7th that she will not be using our services to winterize her pool.

  We have included documentation and messages, timeline, and invoice. As of October 13, 2021 we have been in contact Ms. ******, and she is refusing to pay for services provided.

   

  Thank you,

   

  Amy M C********
  
   

  Customer response

  10/21/2021

  To whom it may concern:

  This letter is in response to Omni Pool’s response on complaint #********.  I reject Omni’s response and listed below are the reasons:

  8-16-2021- Email sent to Omni about the failed trench drain.  The heavy rain Amy C******** referenced in Omni’s response was for the following day 8-17-2021.

  ·         8-17-2021- Email sent to Jason C********  referenced the 2 drains located in the patio; not the trench drain

  ·         8-16-2021 through 9-7-2021 –No Change Orders or Invoices submitted to me for approval or disapproval

  ·         9-8-2021- Change Order created and submitted to me for the unauthorized charges of $16,446.10

  ·         9-9-2021 through 9-16-2021 -Emails requesting Omni send a copy of the pre authorized signed Change Order for the $16,446.10. No copy of the document was ever received from Omni; does not exist.

  ·         10-5-2021 through 10-13-2021- Emails inquiring about prepaid Goods and Service; Omni’s response was that all Goods and Services would be withheld until full payment received.        

  ·         Omni employees or Omni team have never been turned away from the property.

  I was happy with Omni. I had paid Omni timely. My family and I were excited about the pool, but all that changed 8-16-2021 when their trench drain design failed and they billed me for unauthorized charges. For a beautiful project to get to this negative point has been extremely upsetting, stressful, disheartening and unfortunate.  I reject Omni’s response.

  Regards,

  
  ******** ******

  Business response

  10/28/2021

  
  To Whom it may concern:

  This is in response to Claim ID. ******** from ******** ******. This is our second response to this matter, a lien has been filed and in our legal teams hands now.

  The channel drain did not fail, she has dirt and mud covering the drain according to her pictures. That is not a flaw of Omni's.

  Change order was created when the issues arouse from the storm, not Omni's fault that it rained heavily. We sent out the change order when the work was completed. Again we did this out of good faith and kindness plus offered to help her in any filings.

  We did not get the change order pre-approved as we were acting on a verbal request of Ms. ******. The change order is attached, and you can see we even discounted it. I am not sure how Ms. ****** thought all of this work was being done free of charge, we do run a business and our employees appreciate pay checks.

  Ms. ****** is referencing us not coming to close the pool which is part of the contract and done once final payment is received. We still have an outstanding balance due to Omni and we will not be doing the closing. Ms. ****** also messaged that she will be handling that on her own.

  Omni employees were in fact turned away from the property. This will come down to "she said we said" but we did have an employee there late in September and was told to leave.

  We reject her response. The work was completed and she was grateful for the work that was done until she got the bill. Once she got the bill for the extra work performed, her attitude changed, and she refused to pay. Again, this is with our legal team at this point. I have attached the last communication with Ms. ****** as reference that we tried to get a resolution but she was unwilling to work with us.

  Thank you,

  Amy M C********

  Customer response

  11/05/2021

  
  To whom it may concern:

  This letter is in response to Omni Pool’s response on complaint #********.  I reject Omni’s response and listed below are the reasons:
  
  8-10-2021- A 5 feet section of the 55 foot trench drain was not installed by Felix, Omni employee. From 8-10-2021 thru 8-19-2021 a total of 9 days no 5 foot section of trench drain was across the back of pool. It rained on 8-16-2021 and 8-17-2021 and that missing “scope of work” 5 ft drain by Omni caused mud, dirt and sludge to run into the pool. This was Omni’s mistake.
  
  8-16-2021 -At no time did I give a verbal to request extra work.
  
  8-24-2021- Approximately 9:30 a.m, Mark W****, Omni employee, came to my house and advised me to send an email to Shannon M**** inquiring when the pool was going to be cleaned due to Omni stalling and not doing anything. The intent of that email was a follow up of the plan to clean the pool (per Omni employee’s advice); not an email to request extra work.
  
  Ms. C******** stated she didn’t know why I thought the clean up would be free. I thought that because 3 Omni employee told me directly that it would be free for me; Todd (excavation project manager), Felix, and Mark W****. Todd stated it on 7-23-2021. Felix and Mark stated it on 8-19-2021; 8-24-2021; 8-25-2021. and Mark W**** again stated it on 8-26-2021.
  
  
  Ms. C******** stated they did the Change Order afterward out of kindness, but it states in their contract language that no work would be done unless approved through the Change Order process. All other Change Orders followed this procedure, but how convenient for the company not to include this Change Order for $16K in that process. How convenient for the company that Jason would bring Scott to my house on 8-16-2021 and state that I gave a verbal for extra work. How convenient for the company that my liaison or Jason C******** or Amy C******** or anyone from Omni, to not send me anything from 8-16-2021 through 9-7-2021 that I was going to be charged. How convenient for the company to use that email of 8-24-2021 (advised by Mark W**** for me to send) as a request for extra work and run it as an extra work invoice under the contract; but yet run it through the Change Order System 9-8-2021.. I have since been advised that these unprofessional tactics have been used before by this company to acquire extra money out of their customers.
  
  Current situation:
  Omni walked away from project: No Final Walk Through and goods.
  Permits dropped and I had to schedule my own final inspection with the City of Columbus
  Professional drainage landscaping companies completed engineering calculations and each advised incorrect trench drain design used by Omni on project.
  Mechanic Lien put on my house in less than 30 day from date of invoice.

  
  Yet Ms.C******** stated I was happy up until the bill.  No, I was unhappy when the drain failed; when the 5 foot trench was missing “scope of work” not followed and when Omni did not take responsibility for their design flaw.  With everything I have described what customer would now be happy with these types of unprofessional business tactics.

  
  I filed this complaint so other customers do not fall into these traps with this company. I do not expect Omni to reply at this point.   
  
  Regards,
  
  ******** ******

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