ComplaintsforUnited Services by Permaco, Inc.

• Initial Complaint

  10/16/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  During project planning, we specifically expressed to have the subfloor fixed if it was discovered to be necessary. While we understand that the condition of the subfloor was preexisting and not the fault of United Services, however, the Project Manager seemed to have been notified via texts and photographs by the flooring subcontractors that the subfloor in the kitchen/dining room transition was extremely poor. He showed us these texts and photos after we began complaining. The photographs showed that the subfloor was basically gravel. It was obvious that no flooring should be installed on top of it without repairing it, yet, without our knowledge, the flooring subcontractors said they were told to install the brand-new hardwood over the gravel during work in March/April 2021. We should have been notified and presented with the option to add the repair of the subfloor to the scope of work at an additional cost to us. We would have agreed to this had we had the opportunity. We were never notified of the condition of our subfloor until after we started complaining that our brand-new floor was having issues. In May 2021, we provided United Services with several photos and videos via ****** Drive of the poor condition of this section of the brand-new flooring. Since then, this section of the flooring has continued to deteriorate. Additionally, possibly because the floor is unstable and shifts, bends, and creaks every time we step on it, the toe kick on that part of the cabinets has now come completely off. The Project Manager mentioned that the flooring company could repair this part of the floor, which was the site of the original issue. They apparently can do this without having to remove the kitchen cabinets and appliances or resanding and staining the entire house. If this one section of flooring was able to be repaired without taking up the kitchen cabinets or refinishing the entire rest of our home, why wasnt this done in the first place?

  

  Business response

  10/21/2022

  Our company representatives have responded to these concerns through multiple communications and meetings for over 1 year. We disagree with some of the statements being presented as facts, and the subsequent conclusions based on that misinformation.

  We will review the facts again and respond to the specifics, internal communications are in process, and another meeting with the customers at their home will be offered so that concerns can be addressed in person. Our summary response to this complaint is that as the customer has said, there are existing conditions in their home that they are responsible for.

  Customer response

  10/25/2022

   
  Complaint: 18231630
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  I would like the meeting offered by the company to take place in our home between Monday, October 31, 2022 and Wednesday, November 3, 2022. I would like anything offered by the company to be indicated in writing on this complaint. If the company is unwilling to offer repairs or payment, I would also like that documented in writing on this complaint.

  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***********************

  

  Business response

  11/07/2022

  A meeting has been set for this week

  Customer response

  11/15/2022

   
  Complaint: 18231630
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  While the meeting was held, as promised, we are still waiting for the project manager to get back to us regarding follow on meetings between himself, his manager, and the flooring company. He reached out to us today to let us know that discussions are ongoing and that he should have a collective response very soon. We would like this respoinse to be in writing in conjucntion with thhis complaint.

  The main take-aways from the meeting held on November 9, 2022 in our home with United Services, the flooring company, and ourselves (as well as a friend who is a retired contractor with 30 years of experience) are:

  United Services: There was no malicious intent behind not alerting us about the poor condition of the subfloor. It was a judgement call made during installation due to insurance being involved and the confidence of the installer that the floor woiuld hold up. He also expresswed concerns that the subfloor may be bad in most of the house. (We do not shre this concern, as we are not having issues anywhere else.)

  Flooring Company: The owner admitted that it was a mistake on his part to not disclose the condition of the subfloor to us, which denied us the opportunity to pursue repairs prior to installation of the new flooring. Our floor was originally installed incorrectly, as it was glued to concrete rather than installed over a wood substrate. The fact that the floor is only moving in the one area of concern is surprising. Their scope of work was to return the floor to its pre-loss condition - nothing more.

  Retired Contractor: Clients should always be communicted with right away regarding all issues that arise, regaradless of whether or not insurance is involved.

  Home Owners: We reitierated that our main concern is that professionals knew about the poor condition of the subfloor but elected not to tell us until we started complaining about issues within days of living with the new floor. We do not feel that we should have been treated differently just because our insurance company was involved, as we could have elected to have non-covered work done with our own finances. We had never heard the term "pre-loss" with regard to this project prior to this meeting on November 9, 2022 and were disappointed that it had been decided (unbeknownst to us) that work would end there, despite further and significant issues being discovered. We suggessted that both companies be more forthcoming with future clients about any different treatment between clients paying for work themselves verses going through an insurance company and about whether or not work would meet maximum repair/structural integrity standards or merely pre-loss conditions.

  We would like to pursue taking up the two forward kitchen cabinets, pulling up the flooring over the known damamged area as well as additional flooring necessary, saw cutting the damaged concrete out (including the exposed, capped pipe), having new concrete poured, and the floor reinstalled over a new subfloor with structural integrity. The floor would then need to be stained to match the rest of the house and the cabinets and countertops reinstalled.We feel that we should only be responsible for the concrete work, as we could have had this done when the flooring was already up the first time. We do not want to just pour leveler over the crack.

  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***********************

*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. ↩