ComplaintsforJoseph Scott Homes, LLC

• Initial Complaint

  07/20/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Unresolved

  More info

  I built a house with Joseph Scott last year and have been having trouble getting them to complete several items that are still unfinished. We have lived here for nearly 14 months and still have uncompleted items. They are impossible to deal with. They are completely unresponsive when trying to reach them via phone, text, or email. They just simply don't respond. If they do respond, the reply is "working on it". This is unacceptable. They have been paid the full contract price which is well over $500,000 since June 4, 2021 and we want our house FINISHED. I have been asking for 2 months to have by bathroom fans looked at because they are making an unusual amount of noise. It took ****, the owner, over 5 weeks just to come look at it. On June 30, he said he would have someone come over the following week. No one has been here yet. It's been nearly a month. I've been waiting for a new door for my den for about a year and a half because they keep s******* it up. We are now waiting for a FOURTH door. He has had it since June 10, but can't seem to manage to get it stained in over a month and a half! I've been waiting for some new shelves for my pantry for well over 6 months, but they are "out-of-stock". How is he finishing the other houses he builds if they are not in stock? He's just blowing is off. I want these things finished NOW!!! I'm sick and tired of getting dicked around by him. My full complaint is attached below. Worst builder in the history of builders. As far as a resolution below, I think we deserve at least $100,000 refund because that's how much we are over budget due to their cheap c*** inclusions. Their inclusions should have been noted upfront. Then we would have known to never use them. And also, the pain and suffering they have caused us, we are due at LEAST that much. I've never experienced so many headaches and aggravation in my entire life as I have with these people.

  Business response

  07/26/2022

  Please see my attached response.

  ******* Lawrence 
  Joseph Scott Homes

  Customer response

  07/28/2022

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
  
  In reply to Mikes response, first of all, we find it hard to believe that he would have let us out of the contract if we had asked. He says that now in hindsight after all the problems, but Ill bet if we asked at the onset, theres no way he would have let us out. Its unfortunate we didnt ask.
  Relative to the down payment, **** and I had a meeting with ***** at one of Joseph Scotts models to discuss our plan on or around Sept. 11, 2020. On that date, ***** asked us for the $5,000 down payment. I immediately went home and wrote a check on Sept. 11 for $5,000 and put it in the mail. I can get you the check number if you want it. There was no delay in sending a down payment. There was NEVER any discussion in any detail about what was involved in getting to the point of digging the hole as described by **** in his response. ***** PROMISED us that they would dig the hole the day after closing with the bank. He said these exact words to us SEVERAL times. If this is not the case, his father needs to train him better as a salesperson. Either that or he is a bald faced liar and just tries to get customers to sign on the dotted line any way he can. He held us up for 2 months. ***** also convinced us to use ******* Bank, who was incredibly slow. The bank we have used for years for our mortgage would have been at least a month faster, so that held us up for 2 months. ***** also convinced us to sell our house with Joseph Scott and we hurried to sell thinking we could close sooner, thus dig sooner. They also made additional money off us by selling our house. We just ended up moving sooner and renting another month sooner than we would have had to. Another $3,000 out the window.

  
  **** brings up our exterior stone being on backorder, which was another major screw-up on their part. I did NOT get the stone I wanted. **** failed to order my stone on time and therefore it was back ordered. It was back ordered for so long that I ended up picking an entirely different color stone and I am not happy with it AT ALL.It doesnt even match my siding. Every day I drive into my driveway and it ****** ME OFF!!!!!! I had that color picked out in November 2020, but in June 2021 when I moved in, I had to select an entirely different color because **** didnt order it soon enough! I absolutely hate it and frankly Id like to make them do it over with the CORRECT COLOR. I do not appreciate that I had to settle for another color, but my insurance company told us we had to get something on because the Tyvex was expiring. Just another thing they screwed up on my house that ticks me off every single day.

  
  Also, their excavator cut the roots on a very large, beautiful 30 year old oak tree. They got way too close and he didnt even need to dig that far. It cost me $1,500 to get that beautiful tree removed. It cost me another $1,000 to put in 3 trees to replace it which dont even compare to that big beautiful tree.
  Relative to the electrician, **** says he didnt see any reference to the switched outletsthats because the guy DIDNT TAKE ANY NOTES!!! He didnt even have our blueprint with him that day! I dont know if he thought he was just going to remember everything or what, but clearly he did not. Totally incompetent and he screwed up my house and I am ticked off.

  
  Regarding the bath fans, first of all, its 2 bathrooms, not 3. The powder room has always been loud. I dont know why it is sudden, but as I explained, they were whisper quiet before, and in May they suddenly got loud. **** climbed up to see if they were dirty and they are not. In our old house, at times he would need to clean them, and even had to replace one, but this is not the case. **** texted me on July ****************************************** to take a look. As of July 28, I have not heard from anyone.

  
  Also on July 22, **** asked for pictures of my pantry shelves which I sent, and said someone would be staining the den door this week. I have not heard anything further.

  
  As you can clearly see, we have had nothing but problem after problem. I know these last few things are very minor, but after 14 months, we feel these few things should just be completed. Its beyond frustrating to continue to be put off and ignored month after month. We just want it done. We dont even enjoy our house.Ive actually considered selling it. I am having 60 people over for a party on August 13 and Id like this all done. Id like to also put an end date on this to ensure it actually gets completed because there is always an excuse why it doesnt get done. Id like everything done by August 11.
  
  Regards,
  
  *********************************

  Business response

  08/01/2022

  See attached documents

  BBB This my follow up to customer response.Just to clarify, the contract I have on file was signed by buyer on 8/18/20. Prior to that we had done preliminary plans starting 7/6/20 and plans from 8/12/20 final on 12/3/20.Deposit was paid 9/11 and mailed like you said. Bank required plans and signed contract to process. The first full set of plans we drafted on 8/12/20 and bank closed the loan, looks like 9/21/20. I dont know how they could close a month earlier. That would be almost the day the contract was signed and a week after first set of plans. ***** stating that we can dig a day after closing means also if everything is ready. We need plans that we are using for construction,selections for ordering. Lot is staked and ready to get permit. The lot was wooded and we recommended a contractor to do the clearing work which was negotiated paid direct by homeowner. I believe, they discussed what trees to cut or not. Generally, any trees within 25 ft of excavation site are affected. That work was done in October. I know they disagree on the timing of start, but there are things that need to be completed to move forward. I believe the tree mentioned was within the 25ft and was an issue. Oak tree roots are spread out and fragile if disturbed.The extras and revisions from the electrician were emailed over on 1/27/21 for approval. Revisions we sent back by homeowner same day and also on 1/31/21 to remove a ceiling light in one of the bedrooms and switch the outlets. See attached email from 2/2/21 to clarify which bedroom and are all others good. I think may be why the others were left alone?As to the remaining items, that have been slow to resolve.The pantry, the only way to replace the shelves that has stains is to replace all the shelving. The rounded edge shelving is no longer available that I can find. Only the square edge.In looking at care of ******** wood shelving. They are not waterproof, just water resistant. If moisture, wet cloth, or anything that can soak in is left on the shelf for a length of time it can stain. Recommendations are to wipe spills right away. So, I cannot guarantee that there will not be stains from any products spilled or leaking on shelves. I will replace them this one time.The door is with the painter to be stained this week and polyurethane. Will set up a day next week to bring over and install.Energy link said they did make contact to come out next week to test and look at the fans to see if there is an issue. 

  Customer response

  08/01/2022

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
  
  What I am trying to tell you is that ***** never once described any of the detail about anything that was required prior to digging the hole. He simply said that it would be dug the day after we closed on our loan. Had he provided more of an explanation, we wouldnt be so upset about the delays and would have known what to expect. We felt like we were simply lied to.

  
  Relative to the electrician, that email has absolutely nothing to do with my issue. During the walk-through, we were VERY SPECIFIC that we wanted ALL bedrooms and the den switched so that we could turn on the switch and lamps would turn on throughout the room. This was number 1 on our list. He did NOT take ANY notes. He DID NOT even have our blueprint with him!!!! Isnt that the primary thing he should have done?! Make notes on the blueprint?! Duh! That email simply states that I didnt want a hard-wired fixture in our daughters bedroom. That is the only room he ended up switching properly. It did NOT mean that he should not switch the other rooms. He royally screwed up our house because we always use torchiere lamps and table lamps in those rooms and it ticks me off because I have to turn each one on individually.This is my forever home and it is screwed up forever unless I decide to rip out the walls.

  
  As far as the pantry shelves go, I did wipe up the spills immediately and it didnt come out.I also used **** dish soap with water, bleach with water, and Clorox kitchen cleaner. None of these products worked.

  
  I will **** this complaint satisfied when all items are completed.

   

  Hi! I wanted to add one more thing to my response from tonight back to Joseph Scott if possible, as follows:

   

  Regarding the electrician, we would also like to know why our lights flicker every time our air conditioner kicks in. Is this normal or did they short circuit something? Ive never seem this happen before in any home I have owned or any place I have ever lived. This should probably be checked out. This is a big concern.

   

  
  
  Regards,
  
  *********************************

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