ComplaintsforDrew Thatcher Construction LLC

• Initial Complaint

  03/07/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  On Jan 12, I received a quote from **** ********************** for a beam replacement for my house with a total amount of $5299 after tax. On Jan 18th his company was scheduled to begin work but, on that morning, they determined that a portion of the work was no longer necessary and they decided to leave and come back on the 19th to do the beam replacement. On Jan. 19th they replaced the beam and completed the job before 2pm. Nearly a month later I received a **** for the work and to my surprise it was much more than I had expected and there were items that were not in the original quote. The biggest problem was the number of hours worked, **** listed that 70hrs were worked at my house. I emailed **** and told him that there was no way 70hrs was possible because I was there right after they left on the 18th and no work was done that day and I stopped by around noon on the 19th when they were finishing up. I told him that I took pictures and there would be no way for him to prove otherwise. When **** responded to me he claimed that the number of hours and the rate of pay were somehow accidentally juxtaposed. However, the rate of pay that he is claiming now is in complete conflict with his labor quote.In the original quote the amount listed for the wall $2,710 with 720 being for materials and it says that the labor 3guys for 1.5 days. This would be the equivalent of 36hours. If you take 2,710-720= **** divided by 36hours it comes to about 55 an hour. This amount doesnt match either **** that hes sent me so it appears hes just trying to make up different ways to charge me the amount for the original quote except there was a large portion of the work that wasnt completed. Additionally, he is trying to **** me for equipment rented but not used and for renting a truck that he has no receipt for. To sum things up the primary issue is being overcharged.

  

  Business response

  03/07/2022

  Please see the attached letter

  Customer response

  03/11/2022

   
  Complaint: 16845090
  
  I am rejecting this response because: the business's response is not truthful and I have attached full documentation that shows the inconsistencies and bad business practices that were used.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *************************

  

  Business response

  03/15/2022

  Please see the attached document

  Customer response

  03/23/2022

   
  Complaint: 16845090
  
  I am rejecting this response because: it is not factual. I have already provided proof that shows this. **** has not provided any new proof to satisfy my complaint. Additionally he states that he has put a lien on my home which is in conflict with the contract that I signed when we agreed for him to move forward on the project and is a bully tactic. His contract outlines the dispute resolution process which states hat we would attempt to solve in a reasonable manner by mediation which I am attempting to do with the Better Business Bureau's help to achieve that process. Clearly **** likes to underbid jobs and then perform a bait and switch to charge his customers more than the bid with nonsense explanations and then threaten them with putting a lien on their homes. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *************************

  Customer response

  03/29/2022

  here is the page that you requested. 

  

  Business response

  04/08/2022

  **************** has brought up a large number of complaints and I have responded and refuted every statement.  I provided an estimate of the cost of performing the work based on the engineer's report.  However, **************** failed to inform the engineer that there was floor heating in the basement that would affect installing footings.  **************** only informed me of the heating in the floor on the 17th when he asked me to bring an IR gun.  So we spent time trying to figure out where the heat is and determined that the risk of cutting into the floor was too great.  I called the engineer and we devised a work around by using a longer beam and adding another post for support.  The floor joists had a large beam installed to help distribute the load anyway - negating the need for the floor concrete pads.  **************** strongly believes that by not installing the footings his invoice should only be the amount that I estimated for installing the beam.  However, we spent time figuring this out the day before the evolution and then spent more time (people) and expenses installing the beam, beautifully I might add.  At the end of the day my invoice was about $100 more than my estimate.  So the final invoice does not match the line items of the estimate but we had to do a complete workaround and at the end of the day we were within about 2% of the estimate.  **************** has failed to understand any of the issues supporting installing the beam which is perhaps why we've had discussions of the use of 7 screws, sawsall blades, etc.  I greatly resent the time I've had to spend on this issue for a very small job.

  Since the BBB has failed to provide any manner of mediation in this issue I do not consider this avenue for dispute resolution to have any value.  I have sent a note to the BBB asking for clarification on their role in this and failed to receive any response.

  If the BBB ends up considering this issue as unresolved then they are not reading my replies to ******************** statements on an item by item basis.

  Customer response

  04/17/2022

   
  Complaint: 16845090
  
  I am rejecting this response because:please see attached
  Sincerely,
  
  *************************

  

  Business response

  04/27/2022

  What is going on here.  **************** responds with a copy of an estimate provided with no knowledge of the floor heat in the basement that would make cutting into the floor not possible.  The estimate therefore has nothing to do with the work we ended up performing.

  Customer response

  04/27/2022

  The consumer was willing to pay $4K when we first finished the project and he received the ****.  I would reject that offer as that means I did the project without making any money on the project.  I can sum this issue up pretty easily:

  • The work that the structural engineer put together was done without knowledge of the floor heat.  My estimate was based on the engineer's work.  Consumer texted me the day before the project started and informed me about the floor heat issue.  On day one we arrived and using IR sensors were not able to determine where the floor heat was.  Working with the engineer we chose not to have the beam cut at NW Steel and added another post for support and chose not to cut into the floor.
  • The beam was installed perfectly.  All supports were done professionally.  The final invoice was within about $100 of my estimate.  Consumer believes it should be less because I did not spend time opening up the floor and pouring footings.  We wasted time on day one figuring out we ultimately could not do the footings safely.  On day two we spent more time and manpower for the slightly larger beam.  I have audited the daylights out of this job - the hours are actual.
  • The consumer has brought up a bunch of points of where I was lying or overcharged or something and I have answered every one of those and in most instances have shown that he has no idea how we did this project.  The consumer won't change his stance regardless of the points he brings up and I refute and instead keeps going back to the estimate.
  • Sorry - the estimate became not relevant the minute he failed to inform us about a key part of the job - the heat piping in the basement floor. 

   

  Regards,

  Drew

  Customer response

  04/28/2022

   
  Complaint: 16845090
  
  I am rejecting this response because: Mr. ********************** continues to make up lies, he cannot support these with facts or proof. When I have submitted something that shows him to be dishonest he just ignores it or pretends it doesn't exist. I think the only way this will be resolved is through mediation. I look forward to the opportunity to show someone through mediation or arbitration all of the photos, text messages and emails that definitely show what happened with my job. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *************************

  Customer response

  05/02/2022

  The consumer was willing to pay $4K when we first finished the project and he received the ****.  I would reject that offer as that means I did the project without making any money on the project.  I can sum this issue up pretty easily:

  • The work that the structural engineer put together was done without knowledge of the floor heat.  My estimate was based on the engineer's work.  Consumer texted me the day before the project started and informed me about the floor heat issue.  On day one we arrived and using IR sensors were not able to determine where the floor heat was.  Working with the engineer we chose not to have the beam cut at NW Steel and added another post for support and chose not to cut into the floor.
  • The beam was installed perfectly.  All supports were done professionally.  The final invoice was within about $100 of my estimate.  Consumer believes it should be less because I did not spend time opening up the floor and pouring footings.  We wasted time on day one figuring out we ultimately could not do the footings safely.  On day two we spent more time and manpower for the slightly larger beam.  I have audited the daylights out of this job - the hours are actual.
  • The consumer has brought up a bunch of points of where I was lying or overcharged or something and I have answered every one of those and in most instances have shown that he has no idea how we did this project.  The consumer won't change his stance regardless of the points he brings up and I refute and instead keeps going back to the estimate.
  • Sorry - the estimate became not relevant the minute he failed to inform us about a key part of the job - the heat piping in the basement floor.

  

  Business response

  05/02/2022

  The consumer was willing to pay $4K when we first finished the project and he received the ****.  I would reject that offer as that means I did the project without making any money on the project.  I can sum this issue up pretty easily:

  • The work that the structural engineer put together was done without knowledge of the floor heat.  My estimate was based on the engineer's work.  Consumer texted me the day before the project started and informed me about the floor heat issue.  On day one we arrived and using IR sensors were not able to determine where the floor heat was.  Working with the engineer we chose not to have the beam cut at NW Steel and added another post for support and chose not to cut into the floor.
  • The beam was installed perfectly.  All supports were done professionally.  The final invoice was within about $100 of my estimate.  Consumer believes it should be less because I did not spend time opening up the floor and pouring footings.  We wasted time on day one figuring out we ultimately could not do the footings safely.  On day two we spent more time and manpower for the slightly larger beam.  I have audited the daylights out of this job - the hours are actual.
  • The consumer has brought up a bunch of points of where I was lying or overcharged or something and I have answered every one of those and in most instances have shown that he has no idea how we did this project.  The consumer won't change his stance regardless of the points he brings up and I refute and instead keeps going back to the estimate.
  • Sorry - the estimate became not relevant the minute he failed to inform us about a key part of the job - the heat piping in the basement floor.

  Customer response

  05/02/2022

  Complaint: 16845090
  
  I am rejecting this response because: Mr. ********************** continues to make up lies, he cannot support these with facts or proof. When I have submitted something that shows him to be dishonest he just ignores it or pretends it doesn't exist. I think the only way this will be resolved is through mediation. I look forward to the opportunity to show someone through mediation or arbitration all of the photos, text messages and emails that definitely show what happened with my job. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *************************

  Customer response

  05/12/2022

  [A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of Mediation. If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]

  Better Business Bureau:

  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID .********, , and find that Mediation is necessary.
  
  Below is the details on our availability for a Mediation Hearing:
  
  Please Place list any dates you are specifically NOT available in the next 6 weeks: 
  
  I should be able to work with most dates. I do have a couple of meetings on Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon that I can move if necessary.  
  
  
  Please Place an "X" next to the Day of the Week you are Available and work best for you: 
  
  ____Mon. ____Tue. ____Wed ____ Thurs. ____ Fri.
  
   
   Please Place an "X" next to the Time  you are Available and work best for you: 
  
  ____ Morning ____Afternoon 
  
  I understand that BBB will do its best to accommodation the information I have selected.  I understand that mediations are scheduled to start between the hours of 8 am and 3 pm, and must conclude by 5 pm.
  
  Thank You.

  Regards,

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

*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. ↩