ComplaintsforCreative Concrete Solutions, LLC.

• Initial Complaint

  09/12/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Project: Concrete resurfacing and crack repair, parking area by garage and pool deck. Date completed: December, 2021. Cost of project: Approximately $40,000. Issues: Company wouldn't fix flaking/delamination of the overlay around cracks that started developing <1 year after completion of the project unless I first paid for a very expensive sealing (approx. $7,000). This basically amounted to extortion. The flaking/delamination was blamed on cracks which they supposedly had repaired at the time of the project. Their guarantee is essentially worthless since it doesn't cover anything crack related (even though they advertise that they can repair cracks) and almost all future problems with any project they do is going be blamed on cracks. I tried to resolve the issue with the company but they were pushy, almost bullying, and resorted to gaslighting as well as insulting my intelligence when I complained and didn't agree with their assessment and expensive bid.

  

  Business response

  09/15/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2022/09/13) */ We contracted and completed the project in question in December 2020. We were contracted to install a concrete overlay over his existing damaged concrete. Prior to us starting, the customer had to have his concrete raised because it was sinking. During the estimate, my salesman pointed out the existing cracks that were present and discussed possibility of those returning (if the homeowner chose to repair with a 2 part urethane). The decision was to carve a stone pattern in the concrete using those cracks. That is exactly what we did. Our discussion and our contract (see the customer's exact contract with highlight areas of interest) states that we do not warrant failures at those cracked areas. Also see attached an email exchange between my sales manager and the customer about a patched area in the driveway (for which he is complaining). After we ground off the existing coating, we determined that the patch/concrete in that area was much worse than previously thought and we contacted the customer to let him know. We let him know that we could still patch it, but there was a likelihood that it could fail (for which it did). During that email exchange, we told the customer of this concern and he acknowledged receive of this information and told us to proceed anyway (please see attached document with highlighted areas of interest). We scheduled a site visit, 18 months later, at the request of the customer so that we could evaluate his concrete. During this site visit (which was an hour or greater), we tried explaining to the customer that the coating is absolutely not failing and that his areas of concern are the existing cracks and the patched area (both areas that we have documentation that we do not warrant and could be an issue in the future). During this site visit, the customer had no interest in trying to understand that the underlying issue was with his existing concrete (that was not poured by us and that we have no control over), rather, he was trying to go through my contract to find any little pitfall that he could try to use against me in order to sue me. At one point, I even asked him if he was interested in understanding what the issue was or if he just wanted to continue looking at his phone and going through my website and contract to find some sort of technicality that would make it my fault. The customer fails to understand that there is zero issue with the product that we installed and that the issues are the existing cracks (which we didn't fix, rather we tried to work them into a carved stone pattern) and the patched area which we have documentation that we would not warrant (with his acceptance). 99% of the project is perfectly solid, is performing exactly as it should and looks great. Also during the site visit, we discussed what could be done to help the situation. We told the customer that the best course of action would be for us to come in and re-carve out the pattern and do any touch-ups to those areas and then clean and re-seal the entire pool deck. This would have slow any future failures due to the cracks (which we do not warrant) and also help blend any repaired areas together. He asked for an estimate and within the week, we presented the customer with an estimate. To try to help, we told the customer that if we did the re-seal (which would be about 4 months early of a typical re-seal window for the product), we would do the crack touch-ups at no charge. We presented an estimate to him (see attached) and he complained that the estimate was too high. We simply charged him a re-seal fee and no fee to re-trace and touch up cracks, which is as fair as I can be on a project such as this. We have made every attempt to explain the issues that the customer is having and why he is having them, but he just simply does not want to listen. He had a problem with his existing concrete long before we showed up to install a concrete overlay (which is cosmetic in nature) and he wants me to be held accountable for something that we did not have anything to do with from years before. My solution and offer is more than fair but he simply doesn't want to take it. Consumer Response /* (3000, 7, 2022/09/14) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) The owner is trying to confuse the issue by ascribing the issues with the garage parking area to the pool. The document referenced in the owner's reply referred to the garage parking area, not the pool, according to what the sales rep indicated to me. The cracks at the pool were not repaired in accordance with the description of crack repair techniques described on the company's website but were simply covered over with grooved overlay and this has resulted in flaking of the overlay adjacent to the cracks. The owner once again is insulting my intelligence by saying I don't understand but I do understand. I know that cracks recur but I'm more concerned about the flaking of the overlay adjacent to the cracks which is NOT the same thing. I was told that they would ONLY fix the flaking around the cracks at the pool if I agreed to pay to re-seal both previous work areas in their entirety which would cost approximately $7000. Also, I never once discussed or mentioned suing the company during their site visit or even hinted at it. The owner's reply is misleading and twisting the facts. Business Response /* (4000, 9, 2022/09/14) */ I'm well aware of the process that was used and what we installed. As it clearly states in our contract, we do NOT warrant cracks or the material failure as a result of the crack. We carved the existing cracks into a stone pattern and there is no warranty on flaking of the product at the crack because it is a result of the crack. I'm speaking of the pool deck and not the parking pad. We offered to touch up the areas where it flaked and also re-cut the pattern to help prolong the product in those areas (at no charge at that) and then we would re-seal everything (including the parking pad - which we can exclude). The customer has the option to proceed with that touch up and re-seal if he so chooses and we can re-price with taking the parking pad out. The customer has already left a 1* Google review that is absolutely not warranted for all of the reasons that I have in my contract and documentation that I have from emails with his acceptance of risk with defect potential. I have met this customer one time during the site visit and have, at NO time, tried to insult his intelligence. What was offensive was that we took our time to visit with him and try to explain the reasons for the flaking at the cracks and he had not interest in listening, rather he was trying to find loopholes in the contract by reviewing the contract and my website to compare product thickness. We have given the homeowner the option to touch up the areas at no charge with a re-seal and that is the best option that can be provided. Whether he chooses that option is up to him. Leaving an unwarranted Google review is another matter.

*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. ↩