ComplaintsforCustom Outdoor Trends, Inc.

• Initial Complaint

  01/09/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  The original pool design was faulty, with no piers drilled, resulting in the pool deck and pool wall already sliding down the hill, with potentially catastrophic effects.* The original pool design was faulty due to a lack of a wall on the south side of the deck (we had to point out), the wall that was put in place is already failing.* The original pool design did not account for stairs to get to the pool equipment, and now the stairs that were constructed after the pool was completed are failing, and need to be replaced or repaired.* The retaining wall near the north end of the decking is already cracking and needs to be repaired.* For over a year I asked for the sprinkler contractor to come and fix the sprinkler system that was reinstalled by the subcontractor, that has not happened, causing damage to the lawn due to lack of correct irrigation.* They have refused to respond to me until a ****** "review" of the work that they did for me is removed, which is unprofessional and potentially illegal as well.Please note these are not cosmetic issues, these are design flaws and construction issues that have created a potentially drastic situation for the me that needs to be addressed by COT immediately.

  

  Business response

  01/12/2023

  Hi *******,
  I would have to ask what evidence there is that the pool is sliding down the hill. I have serious doubts about that description being correct. If your evidence is that the decking and stonework has cracks, I will explain that most solid concrete pool decks have cracks. This is not evidence of structural failure or of a structure sliding down a hill, nor is there even much of a hill for it to slide down. Your yard slopes no more than many yards do and pools rarely need piers to prevent movement. Part of our paperwork that you signed specifies that if you have any questions about the structural components or if you would like an engineer involved, we will help facilitate that up front. You declined that offer. Having said that, I'd like to point out that we provide all our clients with a lifetime warranty on the structure of the pool. If the highly unlikely scenario happens in which there is a structural problem, you are covered. Regarding the walls and steps you mentioned, for clarity, these are not A) needed for structural integrity; the wall is a decorative border wall not a retaining wall, and B) there is no code or other requirement that they are part of the project. Whether or not these items were built with your pool is a matter of preference and design, not the result of a "faulty design" if they were not included. I personally made you aware of the fact that in construction if a stone wall is built between two separate foundations, the wall will crack. I offered you the option of installing mastic (rubber) instead of mortar at this point of separation and you chose mortar because it looks best. I explained that it will crack again in order to set your expectations correctly. We also sent the sprinkler company out soon after the project was complete to check the system, and I believe, if memory serves, we replaced sod that you claimed died as a result of a sprinkler problem. Lastly, regarding your claim that our suggested agreement is unprofessional or illegal; we offered to touch up the crack in your stonework (again) in exchange for you removing a negative online review. This offer was not unethical or unprofessional and certainly wasn't illegal. I believe you may benefit from reading the warranties again. A crack in concrete decking or in mortar or stone is not a warranty item, though we do typically replace mortar in the first year if it cracks, as we did at your pool. Your pool was built in 2020 through the beginning of 2021. Even if it was a warranty item, your pool is long out of warranty for general workmanship. Even though your deck and stone wall is not part of the warranty, and the pool is out of warranty except for the lifetime structural and the manufacturer's equipment warranty, we generously offered to send the masonry crew for your requested touch-*** in exchange for you removing the post. This would be a win/win but you refused. I have to believe you prefer trying to damage the reputation of this business more than you want touch-*** done. The offer still stands, though now we would require that you remove both the online review and the BBB complaint.
  

• Initial Complaint

  03/16/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  We signed our contract with the Custom Outdoor Trends in 11/20. That dig did not take place until 3/19/21. The plumbing stub and rebar was completed in 4/21. The pool then sat until it caved in at the end of April. The pool remained caved in until June. We got gunite at the beginning of July. 4 months from dig to gunite. The pool then sat again until 8/12/21 when stonework started. (6 weeks) Stonework lasted from 8/21 to 12/21. Up next should be the decking. We were asked to confirm decking so it could be ordered (what we were told) in 11/21. To date, 3/22, we still haven't laid eyes on said decking. The delay problems, the lack of communication, the constant responses of "I don't have that information for you", the lack of defined project timeline came to a pinnacle on 12/7/21. I wrote a demand letter asking for: 1. Someone to be onsite, working on our project daily. 2. If that wasn't going to take place, a communication as to why 3. A date when our fencing contractor could install our fence 12/20/21 Response: I am sorry but I cannot offer any significant changes from what you have experienced to what you should expect going forward...I don't know the paver installer's schedule but we will try to get their start date estimated soon and we will relay that information to you. Still waiting on that information. On 12/24/21, the base for the pavers was installed. To date, other than moving some dirt and doing a basic grade so our fence could be installed, NO additional work has been done. We have repeatedly reached out to the PM who has remained completely silent, other than saying that he can't provide us with any information. I have sent an additional email (3/13/22) asking for the same information again: a timeline for the remainder of the items to complete the pool project. Still no response. This company has 90% of what the cost of the project is and we have an unfinished project a year later. We want our project finished in the next 30 day

*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. ↩