ComplaintsforCustom Craftsman Builders

• Initial Complaint

  01/02/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  My husband and I hired this company to put down flooring, paint walls, and install cabinets and countertops in a kitchen. The last payment was on Aug 4th, 2022. After the last payment, the items that were to be completed were not finished. I have been in contact with the owner ***************************** until March 2023. My husband had contact with him while he was working until my husband passed away. The last time I spoke to him in March 2023, he said he would come back and finish the job that was supposed to be done. From Aug-Mar he kept giving me dates that he would be back and when the day came he would not show. I would reach out and he had an excuse why he didn't show. The last time in March he said he would be here to finish in April and has not responded since. I paid him ***** for labor only no materials. I purchased all materials separately. I would like for him to come back and finish the job he started or he can return half of my payment to him for labor so that I can hire someone else to finish the job. I have texts back and forth and he kept saying he would come back. My daughters even have text on their phones where they asked him to come back and he kept saying he would but has yet to show back up and has now stopped responding.

  Business response

  01/24/2024

  To whom it may concern, 
  This is my written account of the complaint. 
  I was contacted by the plaintiff's husband to provide an estimate on May 17, 2022 for a kitchen and kitchen floor installation only.  The husband said he would remove the old kitchen and flooring and dispose of the debris. The customers provided all specs and measurements to the cabinet company and ordered the cabinets, counters and floor around June 23, 2022. No down payment was requested. We began working on Monday July 25, 2022. We picked up the cabinets and flooring from the cabinet company and delivered them to the customers house. Upon arrival, the old kitchen and flooring was not removed. The husband explained that he had not had time to remove the old kitchen and flooring due to having recent health issues.  We removed and disposed of the old kitchen and flooring. We installed the new cabinets and flooring. Before installing the counter tops (measurements for counters to customer specifications), I explained to the husband the space between the counter and the wall could cause a handle clearance issue with a large refrigerator. The husband requested us to install the counters anyway. We painted the requested areas in the kitchen and dining room. At the time of kitchen completion, the customer did not notify us of having the new kitchen appliances. We received the first payment of $4,400.00 (check #****)  on July 29th,2022 for that weeks labor and consumable materials. While we were there, the husband requested additional work to be performed. 
  -Remove the old floor in the living room and the hallway
  -Replace with new flooring and quarter round 
  -Foe beams on the ceiling were to be removed and the ceiling paint touched up. 
  -Remove the wallpaper in the dining room and mud the walls smooth
  -Bell jacks under the house to fix what a previous contractor did not do (Bell Jacks purchased by me.)
  -Transition strips for each room in the hallway
  We completed all of the additional requested work the following week Aug 1- Aug 5th. After the walk through with the husband, he told us that he was pleased with all the work done. We received the final check of $4,400.00 (check #****) on Aug 5th, 2022. 
    On Aug 18, 2022, the husband of the plaintiff contacted me and said his refrigerator handle was hitting. He asked if we could take his countertop off and back to the original company to have it cut down 1/2" or flush because the refrigerator he purchased was too big for the original counter. At this point, the husband had been very nice and respectful and I agreed to do this out of good faith to a good customer. Soon after the call, the husband was admitted into the hospital. Aug 22, 2022, I was contacted by the husband letting me know he was out of the hospital. We were currently at other jobs at this point. I let him know we would do it when we were in the area next because this location was far away from any of our other jobs. The husband and I tried working out several times when we could come back but we could not come up with an available time that would work for both due to multiple doctors appointments and jobs in different cities. I did not hear from him for some time after that. The next correspondence I received was from his daughter informing me of his passing. At this time, I honored the agreement with the husband and offered to cut the counter top next time I was in the area.  A time could not be agreed upon still. That was the last correspondence I received until getting this letter. I am still willing to honor the good faith gesture, if an agreed upon time can be found.
  
  

  Customer response

  02/05/2024

  I didnt know that I had a email response from the BBB. I just saw the email on February 3, 2023. 

  Customer response

  02/05/2024

  I saw the response from custom craftsman builders on February 3 in response to his written account on June 14 of 22. An estimate was sent to my husband for additional work of taking out cabinets disposal of cabinets taking down wallpaper floor installation transition strip installation pulling out carpet dishwasher installation, which was not done, countertop installation putting trim back on painting the whole area and clean up. I still have the estimate in a text. The employees of custom craftsman builders measured for the countertops after they installed the cabinets. My husband and I just picked out the countertop. The employee stated the cabinet had to be installed before they can measure for the countertops to be cut. because of the countertop and the trim on the cabinet The refrigerator cant be moved over towards the cabinet between the stove and refrigerator for the door to open fully on the refrigerator. in regards to mudding and smoothing the dining room wall. There is still a spot that was needing to be redone. **** the ******* with custom craftsman builders said he would come back the following week because he would be back in ********. I have the text and picture that was sent to him also. on August 18 22 My husband text custom craftsman builders again about the countertop. The response was he was coming to get the countertop on Monday or Tuesday. again on September 26,22 my husband text and the response was let me see they were working outside Huntington two hours away. Let him see when he could get someone to you. on October 24 22 my daughter text to see if he had a date to come and take care of the items that are left on the kitchen. His response was he did not. He would try to fit it into his schedule as soon as he can. He has never tried to set a date and time Just keep saying he is going to come to finish the work. I told him any day he wanted to come was good except April 6. My husband was in the hospital a couple of times and as a courtesy we let him know so he wouldnt try to come at those times. as for pulling up the carpet, my daughter pulled all the carpet up the tack strips and baseboards to have the flooring ready to be installed. I also painted the dining room ceiling. Also, we purchased the bell jacks. My husband had to go to a different town to get them. He has never offered a ************* that he was available to come if he would send me a date and time he could come and finish this. Im 70 years old I dont work and ** at home most of the time so I was trying to let him pick a ************* that was good for him. 

  Customer response

  02/05/2024

   
  

  From the CONSUMER:

  Sent 2/5/2024 3:16:28 PM

  Read by ************************ on 2/5/2024 3:17:16 PM

  I didnt know that I had a email response from the BBB. I just saw the email on February 3, 2023. 

  From the CONSUMER:

  Sent 2/5/2024 3:28:44 PM

  I saw the response from custom craftsman builders on February 3 in response to his written account on June 14 of 22. An estimate was sent to my husband for additional work of taking out cabinets disposal of cabinets taking down wallpaper floor installation transition strip installation pulling out carpet dishwasher installation, which was not done, countertop installation putting trim back on painting the whole area and clean up. I still have the estimate in a text. The employees of custom craftsman builders measured for the countertops after they installed the cabinets. My husband and I just picked out the countertop. The employee stated the cabinet had to be installed before they can measure for the countertops to be cut. because of the countertop and the trim on the cabinet The refrigerator cant be moved over towards the cabinet between the stove and refrigerator for the door to open fully on the refrigerator. in regards to mudding and smoothing the dining room wall. There is still a spot that was needing to be redone. **** the ******* with custom craftsman builders said he would come back the following week because he would be back in ********. I have the text and picture that was sent to him also. on August 18 22 My husband text custom craftsman builders again about the countertop. The response was he was coming to get the countertop on Monday or Tuesday. again on September 26,22 my husband text and the response was let me see they were working outside Huntington two hours away. Let him see when he could get someone to you. on October 24 22 my daughter text to see if he had a date to come and take care of the items that are left on the kitchen. His response was he did not. He would try to fit it into his schedule as soon as he can. He has never tried to set a date and time Just keep saying he is going to come to finish the work. I told him any day he wanted to come was good except April 6. My husband was in the hospital a couple of times and as a courtesy we let him know so he wouldnt try to come at those times. as for pulling up the carpet, my daughter pulled all the carpet up the tack strips and baseboards to have the flooring ready to be installed. I also painted the dining room ceiling. Also, we purchased the bell jacks. My husband had to go to a different town to get them. He has never offered a ************* that he was available to come if he would send me a date and time he could come and finish this. Im 70 years old I dont work and ** at home most of the time so I was trying to let him pick a ************* that was good for him. 

  Business response

  02/20/2024

  To whom it may concern, 
  In response to get this issue settled, we are willing to be there March 20th. We can be on site at 10:00a.m. The counter top must be cut by the company the counters were purchased through. We will remove the countertop on Wednesday. The countertop will be cut thursday. We will reinstall the counter top Friday March 22nd and we will take a look and see what we can do about the spot on the wall. If this time frame works for the other party, we would be glad to get this done. 
  
  

  Customer response

  02/22/2024

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and I accept their proposed resolution.

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

  ******************** E

  *******, ** 42079

  
  

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