ComplaintsforCustom Smart Homes

• Initial Complaint

  04/08/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I contracted Custom Smart Homes to do every phase of building my new house, which was completed on 11/29/2020. I had a long list of warranty issues with them. The company still owes me a replacement for a warped kitchen cabinet door and a window screen for a window on the main floor. The concrete apron in front of the overhead and main garage doors was installed incorrectly and the concrete is discolored. It has a negative grade towards the house so water does not drain away from the house, but instead pools on the concrete and drains toward the foundation during rainy weather and when using the hose bib. Water sometimes enters the garage around the framework of the doors during heavy rains. They installed floor strips to remedy their mistake, until I realized the apron was pitched incorrectly. Custom Smart Homes has refused to re do the concrete work. Their suggestion was to make several cuts in the concrete to facilitate drainage, but I did not allow them to do it after I spoke with other builders who shook their head in disbelief of their suggestion. When I discussed this with Custom Smart Homes' own employees, they laughed at the suggestion, and another employee said he would not recommend cutting the concrete. I agree wholeheartedly! By definition, a garage apron is a section of asphalt or concrete that extends 2-4 feet outside of your garage door. Garage aprons act as a transition between your garage and your driveway and help to direct water away from your home. Ideally, the driveway should grade away from the garage at a 2 to 5 percent pitch. I am expecting Custom Smart Homes to correct their mistakes and replace the concrete apron with one that functions properly by diverting water away from the foundation of my house as it should. I also have issues with standing water in my front yard because the land was not pitched to allow rain water to drain from the yard. I now must work with a grading company to correct this issue.

  

  Business response

  04/20/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 7, 2022/04/20) */ CustomSmart has an extensive warranty on the homes we build covering workmanship and material defects for one year and structural components for 10 years. After completing our client's home, we made several exhaustive punch list reviews and addressed every issue that was requested. Sometime later during the warranty period, a claim was made that the concrete apron outside the garage was discolored and was collecting water. A site visit was scheduled to review the issue. To simulate a hard rain, we spent a good amount of time spraying water on the entire area, past the point of total saturation. We were unable to find any water entering inside the garage. We did find one area in the exterior apron that held a very small amount of water. It was measured to be less than 1/8". We proposed a solution to resolve the minor puddling and the client refused. The client demanded that the entire concrete apron be ripped out and replaced. In evaluating problems and suggesting solutions we use the National Association of Homebuilders Residential Construction Performance Guidelines. It is a part of our building contract, and a copy was furnished to our client. We find it helpful in refereeing situations like this. Requesting that the entire concrete apron be replaced as a first solution to a minor issue is an unreasonable request. It is also unreasonable to make claim that the apron is discolored a good time after the home is released from our possession. CustomSmart would be willing to return to address the minor water puddling issue with other alternative solutions. A warranty claim was never submitted to our management team about standing water in the front yard. The slope of the yard was inspected by the local building department during the final building inspection and the inspection was successfully passed. After our management team just recently heard of this claim, we consulted with our employees. We found that the client mentioned the issue to an employee while they were on-site during a service visit. The employee investigated the issue at that time and found that water was collecting in ruts that were created by vehicle traffic in the yard. It appeared that the client or their guests had been repeatedly driving across the front yard, which altered the grade sometime after the completion of the home. The warped cabinet door and damaged window screen were replaced on 4/18/2022. Consumer Response /* (3000, 9, 2022/04/21) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) The inspector I hired has made references in his report to improve the grading of the yard for proper drainage. Grading issues will be corrected by the paving company I hired. Everyone I know who has a garage with overhead doors has a concrete apron installed in front of the doors that is correctly pitched away from the house foundation and diverts all water away without any puddling. My inspector also documented this issue in his report. I put my complete trust in Custom Smart Homes to construct everything correctly. In this case they did not. They also did not make any reasonable suggestions to correct the problem except to make cuts in the concrete. The National Association of Homebuilders Residential Construction Performance Guidelines references 'Stoops and Steps'. There are no guidelines in reference to aprons. An apron has a specific function, to channel water away from the house foundation. If the apron is not doing what it is designed to do, my request to have the apron removed and installed correctly is very reasonable. I hired them to do professional workmanship in every phase of the build. I am open to discussing with them new and viable alternatives that will correct the problem. An alternate solution would be for me to hire another contractor to install the new apron. Custom Smart Homes can then reimburse me for all costs incurred. Custom Smart Homes needs to own up to their mistakes and correct them if they are being fair and honest with their customers. Consumer Response /* (3000, 12, 2022/04/21) */ The window screen and kitchen cabinet door were delivered to me and installed on April 18, 2022. Good job. Thank you. Business Response /* (4000, 14, 2022/04/28) */ As we stated in our earlier response to the consumer's complaint; CustomSmart would be willing to return to the consumer's home to address the minor water puddling issue on the concrete apron and suggest other alternative solutions. Consumer Response /* (4200, 16, 2022/04/29) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) I agree to discuss with Custom Smart Homes solutions to resolve the apron issue. In addition I'd like to add that all garage doors are located under an eight foot wide deck on the north side of the house. There is considerable wetness that remains long after using the hose bib, rain, snow melting and ice freezing and thawing. Under these conditions I have a legitimate concern for the integrity of the foundation in the long term. I don't think I should need to explain this however. The fact is, the job was done incorrectly. I accept the builder's offer to discuss solutions. At this time I would like to keep the case open until Custom Smart Homes begins and performs the work to correctly. When the job is completed, and the work they do resolves the issue, I will agree to close this case. Consumer Response /* (3000, 24, 2022/06/29) */ On May 19th I met with. to discuss this matter. He said he would speak with someone he knew in the concrete business about some solutions to correct the faulty installation. It was suggested that the concrete could easily be ground down to create the pitch needed for water to drain away from the foundation and doors. that Custom Smart Homes would be willing to do this work. I am currently waiting to hear back from. with a date for the work to begin. Business Response /* (1000, 33, 2022/07/11) */ We are working with the customer to resolve both issues that she is not happy with. We have a date for a service call to address improving the drainage on the concrete apron and have a technician lined up to make corrections to the Miratec Trim on the porch. Consumer Response /* (3000, 35, 2022/07/12) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) I have scheduled an appointment with Custom Smart Homes on October 4th, 2022 to start the work to correct the concrete apron. They have agreed to grind down the concrete to achieve the pitch needed so that water will drain away from the foundation as it should. They will apply a leveler on afterwards as a finishing coat. In regard to the deck railing issues I am having, Custom Smart Homes has reviewed a proposal from Hale Home Services and has agreed to pay for the work outlined in the proposal, to replace any damaged material and repair all joints that have separated,etc. Custom Smart Homes will reimburse me directly for the amount of $3,150.00 when the work is complete. Consumer Response /* (3000, 24, 2022/06/29) */ On May 19th I met with to discuss this matter. He said he would speak with someone he knew in the concrete business about some solutions to correct the faulty installation. It was suggested that the concrete could easily be ground down to create the pitch needed for water to drain away from the foundation and doors. Bill Sr. said that Custom Smart Homes would be willing to do this work. I am currently waiting to hear back from Bill Sr. with a date for the work to begin. Business Response /* (1000, 33, 2022/07/11) */ We are working with the customer to resolve both issues that she is not happy with. We have a date for a service call to address improving the drainage on the concrete apron and have a technician lined up to make corrections to the Miratec Trim on the porch. Consumer Response /* (3000, 35, 2022/07/12) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) I have scheduled an appointment with Custom Smart Homes on October 4th, 2022 to start the work to correct the concrete apron. They have agreed to grind down the concrete to achieve the pitch needed so that water will drain away from the foundation as it should. They will apply a leveler on afterwards as a finishing coat. In regard to the deck railing issues I am having, Custom Smart Homes has reviewed a proposal from Hale Home Services and has agreed to pay for the work outlined in the proposal, to replace any damaged material and repair all joints that have separated,etc. Custom Smart Homes will reimburse me directly for the amount of $3,150.00 when the work is complete. Consumer Response /* (2000, 51, 2022/10/03) */ In regard to the deck railing issue, I was reimbursed by Custom Smart Homes for the repair work done by Hale Homes Services. Thank you. I have an appointment scheduled for October 4th with CSH to have the pitch of the concrete apron corrected. Consumer Response /* (3000, 56, 2022/10/10) */ ***Document Attached*** Custom Smart Homes started work on the concrete apron on October 6th. However, they rented the wrong equipment to grind the concrete down enough. The pitch needs to have a 1/4" drop for every one foot. There is much more grinding to do to achieve the correct result. However, they have been telling me for two weeks that they are busy and short handed. I have contacted another contractor to take over the job. I am waiting for a response from CSH regarding this proposal. Time is critical. The work needs to be completed while the weather is still favorable. Business Response /* (4000, 59, 2022/10/17) */ Awaiting a proposal from consumer to have a service technician of her choice complete the concrete resurfacing or we will return to complete the work. Consumer Response /* (4200, 61, 2022/10/24) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) A proposal has been submitted to custom Smart Homes by Hale Home Services and we are waiting for to respond. We are ready to move forward with the concrete work. (Hale Home Services) was ill all last week, the reason why it took a while for him to submit the proposal. Since it is getting late in the season and the weather is unpredictable, would like to begin the work as soon as possible. Consumer Response /* (2000, 69, 2022/11/16) */ The proposal made by Hale Home Services was accepted and the work was completed on November 10th. I notified Custom Smart Homes and I am waiting to meet with to view the completed work. Consumer Response /* (3000, 24, 2022/06/29) */ On May 19th I met with to discuss this matter. He said he would speak with someone he knew in the concrete business about some solutions to correct the faulty installation. It was suggested that the concrete could easily be ground down to create the pitch needed for water to drain away from the foundation and doors. said that Custom Smart Homes would be willing to do this work. I am currently waiting to hear back from with a date for the work to begin. Business Response /* (1000, 33, 2022/07/11) */ We are working with the customer to resolve both issues that she is not happy with. We have a date for a service call to address improving the drainage on the concrete apron and have a technician lined up to make corrections to the Miratec Trim on the porch. Consumer Response /* (3000, 35, 2022/07/12) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) I have scheduled an appointment with Custom Smart Homes on October 4th, 2022 to start the work to correct the concrete apron. They have agreed to grind down the concrete to achieve the pitch needed so that water will drain away from the foundation as it should. They will apply a leveler on afterwards as a finishing coat. In regard to the deck railing issues I am having, Custom Smart Homes has reviewed a proposal from Hale Home Services and has agreed to pay for the work outlined in the proposal, to replace any damaged material and repair all joints that have separated,etc. Custom Smart Homes will reimburse me directly for the amount of $3,150.00 when the work is complete. Consumer Response /* (2000, 51, 2022/10/03) */ In regard to the deck railing issue, I was reimbursed by Custom Smart Homes for the repair work done by Hale Homes Services. Thank you. I have an appointment scheduled for October 4th with CSH to have the pitch of the concrete apron corrected. Consumer Response /* (3000, 56, 2022/10/10) */ ***Document Attached*** Custom Smart Homes started work on the concrete apron on October 6th. However, they rented the wrong equipment to grind the concrete down enough. The pitch needs to have a 1/4" drop for every one foot. There is much more grinding to do to achieve the correct result. However, they have been telling me for two weeks that they are busy and short handed. I have contacted another contractor to take over the job. I am waiting for a response from CSH regarding this proposal. Time is critical. The work needs to be completed while the weather is still favorable. Business Response /* (4000, 59, 2022/10/17) */ Awaiting a proposal from consumer to have a service technician of her choice complete the concrete resurfacing or we will return to complete the work. Consumer Response /* (4200, 61, 2022/10/24) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) A proposal has been submitted to custom Smart Homes by Hale Home Services and we are waiting for Bill Lizzio Sr. to respond. We are ready to move forward with the concrete work. (Hale Home Services) was ill all last week, the reason why it took a while for him to submit the proposal. Since it is getting late in the season and the weather is unpredictable, Seth would like to begin the work as soon as possible. Consumer Response /* (2000, 69, 2022/11/16) */ The proposal made by Hale Home Services was accepted and the work was completed on November 10th. I notified Custom Smart Homes and I am waiting to meet with . to view the completed work. Consumer Response /* (3000, 75, 2022/12/12) */ On December 1st via email, . of Custom Smart Homes said he would be mailing a check to me for reimbursement for the concrete work done by Hale Home Services. I still have not received a check, nor have I heard from him after following up with him via text and email on December 9th. Business Response /* (4000, 77, 2022/12/12) */ Reimbursement has been processed and a check sent out my U.S. Mail. Consumer Response /* (2000, 84, 2023/01/02) */ Check was received for reimbursement of concrete work. Thank you.

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