Complaints

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. 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.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:01/09/2023

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I hired *********************, to apply a Tadelakt (rhymes with Cadillac) finish on my new shower walls in my new master bathroom. It is an ancient process that originated in ******* and is slowly gaining popularity in the US. Finding someone in this country who can apply this process to shower walls, is an art and it is hard to find someone with this skill. We found this individuals name on line.He asked for payment of 50% without providing the written proposal I asked for 5 times. I sent him a check for $5,000. He came on November 18, and returned November 29. He asked for the balance as he rushed out the door, and I told him I needed some time to go over it and I would mail it to him. We did go over it the next day in the bright light of day and were very concerned with what we saw as his final product. I told him what was wrong and he argued that he did the walls the way they should be. I am not experienced in doing this but have seen a great deal of it in person.The walls in my shower are now like chicken scratch in many areas, almost like a brush with stiff metal bristles was used. In a few areas there was a little bit of the silky finish he promised me in a text message. In many others, it was rough, and air bubbles were visible. He said he used a clear liquid wax, although there was obviously no wax in any of the corners, from the floor to the ceiling. Nor around the window returns. When he was leaving that day he said he was finished, he handed me a quart can that the label and outside of the can were completely painted over with solid white. It felt like it might have had a half inch of something in it. He told me to apply it to the bottom 6 of the walls all the way around the shower. I dont know why he did not do this. He scheduled a date to return so we could show him what we were unhappy with. He didnt show up. He asked for the balance again and said his work was perfect and that he would come back and show me why it was perfect. I know if I paid him the full amount, I would never see him again. I contacted a company in ***** that made Tadelakt and related products. This woman asked me to send her photos; when I did, she responded that the walls in my shower were not properly done. Im sorry. I dont think it is possible to fix it, you should have the installation done again from zero. She also referred me to her New York supplier to see if he had a skilled artisan in my area that he could recommend. Every single company (4) that I spoke with asked if he didnt prepare sample boards for me. He never did. He finally returned December 14. He looked at it and he insisted he had done it perfectly. Insisted there was wax where there was none. I offered an additional $2,000 to return to fix it besides the $2,000 i still owed. There were a couple return dates scheduled and missed, to lightly sand the walls, add a layer of Tadelakt and two layers of hard wax. I knew ** never see him again. I bought him and picked up a hot lunch both of the days that he worked here; $20+ each, he even asked me to bring them up to him in my master bathroom in my barn so he wouldnt have to come downstairs; he never offered to pay me back; he never even said thank you. He called me sweetie and ******* repeatedly even though I asked him to stop. Im considering a sexual harassment suit too. He said it to my face and in text and emails. On his website, he calls himself a master venetian plasterer. I would caution those looking for these types of wall finishes to keep looking. I am looking for him to refund $2,500 as I am facing much more than that to bring someone in to correct his work.

  Business Response

  Date: 01/09/2023

  I was hired by ********************************* of ******, **. to apply a custom plaster finish to her bathroom shower walls using Tadelakt application. Before work began, the products and process to apply was reviewed and approved by **********************. Shortly after beginning the work, ********************** made it very clear she has a number of lawsuits pending with a number of other home improvement contractors hired prior to me in addition to a lawsuit with PayPal.
  I continued with the custom, hand plaster job and was respectful and professional with **********************, her spouse and property. At the time the job was complete, ********************** proceeded to email me that she suddenly felt I was not qualified to use Tadelakt products. She expressed her dissatisfaction and made it clear she would be moving forward with a complaint to the BBB. I acknowledged her message and replied I understood she has the right to file a complaint. I also included in my last email reply to her that I was waiving the balance of $2.000 owed to me as a measure of good faith and wished her all the best.
  I see included in the complaint issued, ********************** is requesting a refund of $2,500 which I will be refunding within 10 business days.  If ********************** had requested a refund at the time of her last email message to me, I would have refunded the money at that time. Again, I wish ********************** all the best.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 01/19/2023

  Better Business Bureau:I have reviewed the response submitted by the business and have determined that the response does not satisfy or resolve my issues and/or concerns in reference to complaint # ********. Please add your rejection comments below; if you do not provide any details, your complaint will be closed as Answered. 

  [You must provide details of why you are not satisfied with this resolution.  If you do not enter a reason for your rejection, your complaint will be closed as Answered.]
  
  Businesses and Customers should be civil, courteous and polite in their responses to complaints. It is important to remain professional and productive when participating in the BBB complaint process.
  
  FAQ
  
  Regards,

  *****

   

   

  Customer Answer

  Date: 01/23/2023

  Better Business Bureau:I have reviewed the response submitted by the business and have determined that the response does not satisfy or resolve my issues and/or concerns in reference to complaint # ********. Please add your rejection comments below; if you do not provide any details, your complaint will be closed as Answered. 

  It appears that the owner of LF Venetian Plaster is a pathological liar.  He had even lied about his business name, telling me that it was just his personal name which tells me that hes avoiding taxes to the *** as well. To address each of his comments: the extent of his review with me was verbal, and very brief. He never named or showed the products he planned to use. In fact, he painted over the gallon containers so that the contents were unknown. He never provided sample boards as he said he would. His comment that I was involved in multiple lawsuits is totally false; I have no pending lawsuits with anyone. He was paid 50% when he arrived; when he said he was done and was about to bolt out the door he asked for the balance; I did not feel comfortable  paying him until I could take my time with my husband and look at his work. I told him I would mail the check. When we looked at the work (and we are very familiar with what this work should look like) the final application was supposed to be a wax finish. There was no wax whatsoever in any of the four corners from floor to ceiling.  There were serious imperfections throughout all the walls in the finish; it ranged very greatly from satiny in some small areas to completely rough in others. I emailed a company in ***** that I was familiar with that produced the same plaster with lime, and and other similar products and they asked me to send some photos. They responded that it was done all wrong and should be sanded down and redone. I even emailed his own supplier and they said the same thing; they asked me if he had done a sample board. I told them he didnt; that I asked for several weeks for a written description of work. He had one excuse after another. MI sent him half the balance when he promised to return and make it right. He never made it right and now we are struggling to find someone else who bhas knowledge of this process called Tadelakt. In the Better Business Bureau response, he said he would return to make it right. Several dates were scheduled; none were met. In his BBB response he also said he would return $2,500 to me within 10 days, with that 10 days corresponding to my deadline to respond to his response. Isnt that curious. Did he think that I would send in my response and praise him for what an honest person he was? I knew I would never see that $2,500 either. But my biggest concern is  to warn others about the quality of his work; it just doesnt exist. 

  Business Response

  Date: 02/06/2023

  Because I received notification from the BBB that  my response to the complaint submitted by *********************, was in her opinion, not acceptable, I have now reconsidered that response. Based on the legal advice I have received,  I am considering taking legal action against ********************* for intentionally making false claims about my business in addition to her withholding the balance owed for the contracted work she agreed upon and that I completed.