ComplaintsforThe Homestar Group

• Initial Complaint

  08/29/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  My home was flooded on July 9th from a water main pipe bursting. My walls had to be cut out, my ceiling had to be cut out, all my floors had to be taken out, half of my electrical aren't working, My *** insurance recommended a remediation service and I provided a quote for construction. It's not been six months and I've exhausted my relocation allowance and construction has been haulted because the *** refuses to send a check to cover the full amount. The explanation I'm given is that the packout and electrical weren't approved. And the restoration company (THAT THE *** TOLD US TO USE) Overcharged us and they aren't paying us back even though we were required to pay the restoration company for their work. Restoration cost $15,261.87 Construction cost $21,872.07 Pack out cost $6,339.98 Electrical cost $2,869.36 The total for these three is $46,343.28 I'm only being sent a check for $12,168.70

  

  Business response

  09/07/2023

  W are going to look into this and see where the ***************** is on this. We have an approval for the total amount being invoiced. I am not sure as to why they have not issued payment for the correct amount. I can assure you that as we explained in our documentation we do not overcharge for any items. We use a system called Xactimate and ALL of the prices are pre set and cannot be changed by our company for any reason. We don't have the ability to charge what we want. We can only go by what that software tells us to charge for each item completed. WE will get back with you on this. 

• Initial Complaint

  08/18/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I am contracted with them for a remodel on my home. The remodel is 1 year and 3 months overdue with covid delays. They have been paid and are taking extra long to complete the job. They have missed 2 completion dates given previously this year. I would like a new completion date and this project finished in a timely manner.

  

  Business response

  08/25/2022

  **************...Thank you for reaching out. I am sorry to hear that you are not satisfied with the service and very surprised as well because we send you an update email with progress 2x per week and you have not voiced any concerns to date but I am glad your voicing them now. I wanted to clarify the dates for you so you can have better context to where we are. In your comments you made 2 comments that need some clarity. 1. We have had the house for 1.5 years.  2. We have been paid in full. 

  1. We have not had the home for 1.5 years under construction. Your fire happened 1.5 yrs ago but because of the arson investigation your home was put on hold by the insurance company until December 1st 2021. When they released the home myself and the adjuster found that the home had grown mold so bad because it had sat for 6 months that we had to go in and gut the entire home essentially and removal all of the drywall and etc. Basically having to start the process over. We did not complete the mold remediation until mid December and had our Pre Construction meeting on December 23, 2021. During this Pre Con you explained that you wanted alot of changes. We also talked about making sure that all of the changes were in writing and signed off before we started construction so there was no misunderstandings or mistakes. We asked you for the list of changes at this Pre Construction meeting and you did not provide them to us in full until 1/21/22 in an email. I have attached the email to this complaint so you can review for yourself. Once we received all of this info we created a ** and you signed off on the ** on 2/10/22. We officially started pulling permits and starting work 10 working days later on 2/21/22. This project is a $195,000 which by our standards that were provided to you in out customer start pack that you received we complete work at a pace of about $1000 per work day. 175 Work Days from 2/14/22 is approx. 11/14/22. You can find this info in your customer start pack under the "Timeline" section. We have emailed that document on 2 different occasions. It also has the Warranty Portion in the back of the customer start pack as well.

   

  2. I just checked today and we have been paid about $72,000 of the $195,000 of the money owed. The rest of the money is being held by the ***************** (RCV) and the **** (Third Party Administrator) The *** is in charge of distributing money as the completion of the project unfolds. And because the ***************** is holding so much money they have even sent me an email in the last few weeks asking if they would like us to disperse more funds and my response was no. I have taken a screenshot of those emails from your adjuster and insurance company as well. Feel free to reach out to your adjuster ************* and ask if you would like. 

   

  I know that Insurance Claim is difficult to process and understand. There are tons of moving parts and unless you have been in the industry for a while OR you have had 3-4 claims before it is hard to process and stay on top of. Our job is to make that easier. Please reach out to us so we can do a conf call to talk about questions that you have. We are here and don't forget we send you an update email 2x per week every single week since we have started ands you always respond "Thanks for the update". Feel free to ask more questions in that email thread if you wish. 

  Customer response

  08/26/2022

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *******************

• Initial Complaint

  05/18/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I would like to know why we got an email from a collections lawyer, RSTONE firm, when our job was "completed" in SEPT 2020 . The invoice was paid for the 6 month awful job. They left an unfinished, uneven wall, the floor was laid incorrectly TWICE and the floor contractor and cabinet contractor fought over who's job it was to install the trim under the cabinets so we had to do that ourselves as well as hire another contractor to fix the wall. We have had no communications since Sept 2020. The invoice was paid in full. Now an invoice for under $300 pops up out of nowhere and a $250 charge to the collections agency? I don't think so! We are PAID. Now a law office is harassing us and emailing and calling. Every time we give the payments for invoices he disregards and just sends another invoice.

  

  Business response

  05/26/2022

  I think this may be a case of mistaken identity. We do not show a customer named *******************************. We also do not show that we have ever worked on a property at ************************************************************* **. 

  If we could get more or better info this may help us find out whether this is a mistaken identity or if this issue needs our attention. 

   

• Initial Complaint

  11/30/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I was referred to Homestar Group for repairs & restorations due to a leak in my upstairs bathroom in February 2021. The agreement for the repairs needed was signed May 21, 2021. Because of the pandemic, there was an understanding that their needed supplies may be delayed. Several weeks had gone by before any work work started. The work began on August 12, 2021. It is now the end of November 2021, and my kitchen has not been completed, and the work that has been done is substandard. I've received invoices for payment of $13,000 on incomplete work. The contractor has to go over work that was not done correctly. I've previously contacted the project manager asking him to come see the work that the contractor has done. He did not do so. When someone finally came out to see the work, it was 2 months later. He had stated that things were not done like they were supposed to be and that he would have the contractor come back out. He came out and did pretty much nothing. My shelves are missing from some of the cabinets, they still have not been adjusted as they should have been, the paint on some of them are chipped, and some other things were STILL not finished. In frustration of the back and forth, I contacted my insurance adjuster, after six months, and told him that I no longer wish to do work with them and also about the problems I've been having with them. I can only assume the insurance company contacted them because since my conversation with the adjuster, I'm receiving emails, invoices and text from the company. The project manager has tried to place the blame on me when it comes to the contractors coming to my house and being turned away, which is not true, and also is NOW wanting to find a new contractor to finish the job. I don't trust them or any of their contractors to come into my home to do sufficient work. I feel like this whole situation has affected my health. I am a disabled veteran and a woman who feels taken advantage of.

  

  Business response

  12/08/2021

  We are really sorry that the customer feels this way. We have had a national shortage on materials and the customer was aware at the Pre-Con meeting verbally and was made aware in the Email immediately following the Pre Construction meeting. I have attached a copy of the email for review. Since November 2020 our company has a internal process that we will not start a job until all materials are on site as a general rule because it is taking months and months to get them on site. The industry has also experienced such a shortage on materials from the manufacturers that materials are showing up on site and it is not what is being ordered. This challenge is Nationwide issue. Our company has since changed some of these processes since the start of ************** home to reflect so many more changes that we have made as well. I have attached a copy of that to review as well. With regards to the work being done and the quality of work. We have a final walk thru system and will be glad to address any punch out items that needs attention. 

  The comments regarding the invoicing are understandable. The last invoice for the $13.000 was sent because the work was completed minus the final walk and punch. We understand that the customer would question this but our contract with the customer states that we are paid for work completed the following week and that has not always been the case. Most of the time we are receiving monies within ***** days after the invoice is sent. So we sent the invoice over in anticipation that the invoice would be paid later than the contract states.

  The last item I would like to address is our Project Manager stating that the customer "not letting our crew in the door." Out PM did approach the issue and address the issue with the customer and I would consider the email sent over a very tactful email. (I have attached the email) He sent with an apology as well as a note that the crew was having to drive out to the site and wasted some of their trip. There was no angry tone or demands in our opinion. However when the customer clarified that the crew was not turned away at the door but was turned away 20 minutes before the crew arrived our PM immediately called the crew and ask for clarification and found out that the crew had obviously exaggerated the situation to our Project Manager and our Project Manager had to stand corrected. The most important point to make is that the Project Manager never brought this up again. 

  In closing, Anything that the customer needs attention with we will be glad to address. Although the time frame has not been premium for either party we are committed to making sure that every item that the customer has an issue with will be addressed and we will not stop till the customer is happy. . 

• Initial Complaint

  08/30/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Homestar Group was a preferred contractor with my insurance agency (Allstate). I was recommended to use them in order to expedite the process in getting my repairs done due to Allstate for a month dragging their feet in getting back to me to approve repairs. I met with Bryan King of Homestar on July 27th and discussed my frustration with the time it's taken to get the insurance company to move and told him I need something done asap because I have my child that was supposed to be here to get ready for school and couldn't come now because my house was inhospitable due to the damage along with where I was staying not able to accommodate another person. Bryan assured me things would be taken care of in a timely manner. Well here it is August 30th Homestar haven been paid by Allstate and the work is no where near being done meaning not even started. I requested a refund due to their poor business management and that didn't happen voicing my frustration to all parties involved.

  

  Business response

  09/27/2021

  Business Response /* (1000, 12, 2021/09/15) */ I am going to have to look into this particular job before giving an official statement. I am pretty sure that we just received this job from the insurance company. If that is the case then we have not met the timeline requirements that we provide all customers upfront. Every customer receives a magazine from us describing how work is done, timelines, and processes. It is very clear In this magazine that it takes between six and eight weeks on average to get insurance companies in the state of Georgia to pay out for the claim. It also states that we usually are able to start work within 30 days after that time process has occurred. It is in my opinion that this job has not come close to reaching That threshold. We will get back with you ASAP with a more thorough detailed update

*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. ↩