ComplaintsforSutherland Contracting

• Initial Complaint

  06/19/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  ********************** roofing applied a metal roof coating on 10/28/21 to our mobile home where my elderly (83) mother lives. We were unaware of this, as we believe he approached her at her home. She is hearing impaired and on oxygen. She ended up in the hospital on December 5th 2021 and went to the nursing home from there. We were unaware that anything had been done to the roof until it we started to notice some leaking. When we went and looked at the roof we noticed it looked different it has white stuff on it, our roof was black to start. We didnt find any paperwork, all we could find was a check made out by mr ********************** and signed by my mother for $2,500.00. The metal roof coating he put on was either improperly applied or it was too cold and wet at the time for it to cure properly. The weather at that time was in the 40s and it rained for 2 days 2 days after it was put on. It cracked and peeled where it was too thick and washed off where it was too thin. The leaking is coming from the cracking and splitting. When Mr ********************** came to look at the roof, he never actually looked at the roof he kept saying the roof was old. He told his ins co. That he gave her a verbal estimate to remove and replace the roof and a verbal estimate for the roof coating. He also implied their was no warranty for the work done. That was also verbal. He also has not disclosed what he actually used on our roof for materials. We need to know what materials he used so we can have it fixed! His ins denied our claim but the ins adjuster never saw the roof because it was tarped. We had a meeting time of 11:00 so i could remove the tarp and he could see the damage. But he showed up at 10:00 and took his pictures without me there and with the tarp on. I have asked for pictures and paperwork from the adjuster, but none have been relinquished.Mr ********************** is not familiar with flat metal roofs. He should have walked away but instead he took her money then walked away.Attached are pictures of our roof.

  Business response

  07/05/2023

  
      I, ****************** Sutherland, with the assistance of counsel have composed a reply to a complaint received from the Better Business Bureau dated June 19, 2023 and received by me on June 27th,2023 assigned ID ********.
      I am a licensed and insured roofer by trade and have experience repairing and installing roofs of all sorts including but not limited to pitch shingle roofs, flat rubber roofs, and metal both flat and metal roofs. While doing roof work on a mobile home in a local park I was approached by another resident of the park asking if I could look at her roof and potentially repair it. That resident was the elderly woman identified in the complaint.
  Later that day I went to her unit and had occasion to inspect her roof. I am familiar with this park in terms of its age and the age of many off the units within the park. I am not certain of the age of her particular mobile home but I suspect that it was manufactured during the ****s making approximately ************************************************************************************** need of significant repair if not a complete resurfacing or replacement. I discussed the options with the owner however the cost to do the required repairs were unrealistic for her. We discussed a less expensive option which might have helped in the short term but would probably just extend the life of the current roof by a few years and push off the need of the more costly repairs. The owner opted to have me apply an aluminum roof coating to the entire roof.
  At no time did I have any communication with, or see any one at this property other than my customer. She paid the agreed upon price of $2,500.00 which is a fair and reasonable price for the materials and labor associated with this repair. In my opinion I applied the coating properly on to the roof to prevent the existing leaks and to postpone the need for more costly repairs. My recollection of the weather around the repair was that I chose a day when there was no rain forecasted so that the material would have time to properly cure. This work was performed in October of ******************************************************************** the days surrounding this job I do as a matter of practice return to check on projects after I have installed them if something environmental occurs that I think might compromise the integrity of my work and I have no such recollection with this job.
                I am sorry that the my customers daughter is dissatisfied with the work performed on her mothers mobile home roof however it has been nearly 2 years since I coated a 50 year old flat aluminum roof, and am not entirely surprised that the unit has begun to leak again given the condition of the roof when I was last there.I would be glad to meet with the customer or her daughter and inspect their roof again and share with them pictures of the areas of concern that exist now and discuss possible ways to repair the roof more completely.

  Customer response

  07/12/2023

   
  Complaint: 20206297
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  
  

  Good afternoon,

   

  I am writing in response to Mr. ********************** statement regarding his work on our property at Wagon Wheel Park. In terms of my mother in law approaching Mr.********************** at his job site, I find that very hard to believe. Due to her being on oxygen with a tube restricting her to her property. It would be impossible for her to walk any distance without her oxygen. She had been declining in her cognitive function and her mobility. Mr. ********************** did the work on October 28, 2021, and she was hospitalized by December 5, 2021 with pneumonia and went to the nursing home from there. I am concerned about the unknown chemicals used on the roof by Mr. ********************** while she was in the home. he still to this date has not disclosed what he actually used on the roof. She has an 02 concentrator on in the home at all times.This brings up safety issues. Apparently Mr.********************** was not concerned about this.  Since Mr. ********************** has yet to provide a detailed description of work done. The application of an unknown chemical product prompts concerns regarding safety compliance of the occupant as well as her neighbors. Sadly the only documentation we have is the check that was written out by Mr. ********************** and signed by *********************. ***** has no recollection of Mr. ********************** applying a roof coating or signing any check. Please let me clarify that the mobile home that she resided at is owned by **** and *********************. Mr. ********************** never contacted us to do any work on our roof. We realize the age of the mobile home, and we have maintained the roof for 25 years with no leaks! It only started leaking after Mr. ********************** applied the roof coating. as we all know in 2022 a statewide drought of historical record occurred which prompted a statewide water ban due to lack of rain. This is why we did not notice leaking until actual precipitation happened later in 2022 and early 2023. We have had roof coatings put on in the past and none have ever looked like this.

  When I initially called Mr. ********************** I asked him to come and look at the roof. When he showed up the first thing he said to me was I just want you to know Im not giving you a new roof for free. Thats not what I was asking for. I asked him to look at the roof and tell me what happened. He never looked at the roof, just kept saying the roof was old. if he was so concerned about the roof being old and in such bad shape maybe he should have walked away. Instead he decided to put on a roof coating and never checked to see if it cured properly. There was never a written estimate, which by Mass Law is required for anything over $1000.  Mr. ********************** should be aware of this since he has a contractors license. Also I did go thru his insurance co. But unfortunately Mr. ********************** insurance only covers himself, it does not cover his work. he would need a performance bond. That in itself is very misleading. He calls himself licensed and insured but that does not cover his work. I am in the timely process of getting estimates for the roof. I am not interested in sitting down with Mr. ********************** to discuss work on our roof. If what he has already done is any indication of his work, then I would rather not have him on our property. His unwillingness to take responsibility for what hes done, leads me to believe he has no interest in making this right. Therefore I am continuing with Elder Abuse concerns with the Attorney General as well as filing paperwork with the ******************************. I have attached a copy of the check Mr. ********************** wrote in its entirety lack her signature for your review. the fact that she was physically unable to do this herself prompts questions in character, integrity and legality regarding Mr. ********************** actions, not only to myself but others as well.

   

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

  Business response

  07/31/2023

  Mr. ********************** confirms the contents of his initial response but should clarify based on the customers rejection that the phrase approached by was used generally. He does not recall if the initial contact was in person or by phone, just that he was asked to look at the roof. He does not make a habit of knocking on doors to solicit work and on this occasion did not approach the homeowner in any way to encourage her to use his company to make repairs. As stated he was in the park working on another unit and could have been referred or the homeowner could have seen the name and number on his work truck.

  To address the issue of materials, Mr. ********************** has reviewed his records and does not have the specific manufacturers name for the product used in 2021 but can confirm that it was a metal fibered roof coating that is specifically designed to resurface metal roofs. Mr. ********************** believes that at the time he was purchasing these types of materials from ********** on an as needed basis.

  ************************** remains willing to return to the property and look at the roof to see what condition it is now in and to determine what if any repair it needs and if he can help the customer to make the repairs.

  Customer response

  08/06/2023

   
  Complaint: 20206297
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  
  

       I have checked Patsys phone records and no calls were made to either phone number belonging to Mr. *********************** Mr. ********************** had his opportunity to look at our roof and he chose not to. He should have done his due diligence and checked with the office to see who owned the trailer before applying anything to the roof. Since the roof coating he applied did not cure properly, there is no repair for our current roof. We now have to put on an entire new roof. I have received 2 estimates for a rubber roof. We are looking at ****** to fix Mr.**********************s roof repair.

       The only acceptable outcome Is for him to return the $2500 he charged *********************. If Mr.********************** decides to return the money to ********************* within 15 business days, it ends here. If Mr.********************** chooses not to return the money to ********************* then I am moving forward with the Attorney General. I am done going back and forth with Mr.********************** on this matter.

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

  Business response

  08/09/2023

  In the interest of reaching a resolution and not having a dissatisfied customer Mr. ********************** is willing to refund the customer as she has insisted. Mr. ********************** is willing to do this in order to put an end to the dispute on the condition that they each sign a mutual release of claims related to this roof repair. This offer is not an admission of wrongdoing, or an acknowledgement of the allegations in the complaint but rather an offer to resolve a dispute in line with the complainants request.

  Customer response

  08/10/2023

   
  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,
  
  *********************

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