Complaints

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• Initial Complaint

  Date:05/16/2024

  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.

  [To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed as Answered]
  
   Complaint: 21721149
  
  I am rejecting this response because of 4 reasons. 

  1) The accusation that we are attempting to bash ABS or extort money from them is false from every perspective. Here are just a few things we have done to protect their business and it's reputation.  a) After they repeatedly asked us to post a review for them, e could have easily posted a bad review online, but we did not. Instead, we called and explained why we couldn't in good conscious submit an online recommendation. We explained that, although the patio work was great, the professionalism would keep us from publicly recommending them.  We explained that we would, however, be willing to verbally recommend them, so that we could qualify our recommendation with the professionalism concerns. We also made suggestions to ways they could improve in that area. b) We opted not to have this complaint published, so as not to smear their reputation.  c) We have responded positively to two potential customers that were given our names after this situation surfaced.  This includes a lady who called me just two days ago, saying that ABS gave her my name and number so that I could recommend them. I, of course, told her about the good work and good price. I told her to schedule lawn care after the work, to be sure to call to remind ABS of pending appointments,  to take notes on every conversation and to send ABS those notes afterward so that they stayed on the same page throughout the process.  I also told her that **** really wants customers to be pleased with his work, but sometimes overpromises to keep customers happy.

  If ABS truly believes we are trying to "bash" them, why would ABS continue to risk giving potential customers our name and number so they can speak to us about our opinion of ABS and its work? That does not match their accusation of our intent to bash them or disregard for their hardscaping work. It is clear that they do trust us will be honest and positive about the work and that I won't tell a potential customer anything that is a lie about the professionalism.  The fact that their own recent actions do not match what they are saying in their response to this complaint shows they are not being completely honest. 

  2) ABS is not being truthful about phone conversations. This is disappointing. The wife of the company after looking at the video of the supposed topsoil job, said that she recognized that it was not topsoil. She said that she had enough experience with her own lawn to the know the difference. She was concerned that ABS had spent money on topsoil and it didn't seem that is what was put down. I wish she would at least be honest about all conversations.  If ABS was not able to do what they said they would do, they should have never agreed to do it.  We would not have been upset. This is especially evident when we inquired about their post-installation lawn care practices in advance and they didn't answer.  We also offered to purchase and put down the topsoil ourselves, before the reseeding.  How does this demonstrate an intent to extort money from them?  Our intent has always been clarity and teamwork. They should have simply said, "We don't handle anything in regard to lawn recovery or repair.  Please be prepared to hire a professional landscaper to tend to your lawn after we complete the patio job." 

  3) If ABS did not realize some fault in this situation, why would ***** have asked by phone for an amount for which she could write a check that would satisfy everyone?

  4) ABS has not yet answered the question about the cost of the re-sanding due in July.  The emails clearly show that this was to have been done when they came to seal the first time.  This was either an oversight or miscommunication.  I do not want any misunderstanding about whether or not they will bill us for this re-sanding.  

  We are disappointed that ABS is exercising selective memory and misrepresenting our character and intentions.  We are also disappointed that they have chosen not to offer any apology, admission of over-promising, or any counter monetary compensation. We hope that this can be resolved.
  
  Regards,
  
  **************************************
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  pair or protection of the lawn, before the work started, as the other contractors had addressed their policies in their proposals. *** never answered the question in writing. We had volunteered to buy the topsoil and even lay it down ourselves, to make sure it would produce good grass. However over text he promised to grade the area, provide and lay topsoil, and reseed. He did not mention a cost for this before or after. However, about 80% of what was laid was sand, not topsoil. It includes a ton of pea gravel that prevents good growth now and will kill the little new grass next season. It will cost $1800 to repair. In addition when we contracted *** seal the patio, a few weeks after completion, they agreed to do a light re-sanding to make sure the seal locked in the sand. The worker failed to do so. *** promised (by email to come back in July to do a full re-sanding. I doubt they will honor that,.at least not for free. I have much more to explain. Please call.

  Business Response

  Date: 06/06/2024

  The client threatened to bash Advanced Building Services,if we did not agree to the extortion of $1800 to pay a landscaper to perform work outside of the agreed upon scope of work in the clients contractso this BBB complaint comes as no surprise. 

  We stand behind the e-mail sent to the client on May 15, 2024 in regards to the top-soil and seed:
  
  Please find attached a copy of your signed contract which reflects no payment or scope of work for landscaping.  As I understand it,you reviewed our website carefully which again does not list landscaping services.   **** never portrayed us as a landscaping company.
  
  I reviewed the communications you provided--there was no contract or any form of payment to perform landscaping.  ****, out of the goodness of his heart, simply over-delivered by providing top-soil, grading,and seed and the labor to perform the work necessary to load/unload top-soil,grade, and seed. This cost ABS labor and materials that were not paid for by you.
  
  It is disappointing that you are not focusing on the contracted work which turned out beautifully.  I find that your request is not reasonable based on the written and executed contract.
  
  Best of luck.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  
  
  *******************
  Advanced Building Services
  Director-Administration
  ************
  
  As for the re-sweeping in late July, this client is on our schedule for a re-sweep.
  

  As for other comments:
  
  Yes, the owner does occasionally need to reschedule appointments.  As indicative of the home improvement industry, the duration of client meetings varies which leads to rescheduling on occasion. He missed the first meeting and attempted to reschedule.  The client simply stated that they were unavailable due to work.  Naturally, our ABS owner established his schedule according to the communication provided by the client.
  
  The initial contract provided totaled $23,323 excluded the sitting wall and other components of the final contract.  As I understood it, our contract was significantly lower than others received of course, our contract did not list landscaping services.
  
  Unfortunately, there is no way to install a large paver project without disruption to the surrounding footprint of the patio during excavation. 
  
  Sand is necessary to make mortar required to install the project.  So, it is not unexpected that sand was in the yard. 
  
  To ensure the clients satisfaction, ABS also installed two (instead of one) gutter systems for the false roof system, pavers under the upper section of stairs, and left 10 pallets which were eligible for a vendor credit of $250none of these item(s) were listed in the contract. *** did not charge for the labor or material for these scopes of work.

  
  To ensure ABS professionalism, we shall not dignify a response to character assassination of the company or personnel or to non-factual gossip.

  
  The fact is ABS over-delivered on the contract.  The client was very happy with the contracted services. Please see attached pictures of the final product.

  Business Response

  Date: 06/13/2024

  First, the client did threaten to bash our company.  I'm thankful they are handling this with grace--I thought this complaint was public.  They were removed from our reference sheet a while ago.  We have signed several clients based on pictures of their work.

  Second, I simply took information during phone call and explained we paid for top soil.  I could not identify what soil was placed down but, **** did visit.  He found top soil.  We delivered beyond the contract.

   

  Third, I asked for an amount  to settle thinking if it was $200 it would be worth not being hassled or or bashed per threat.  It was not an acknowledgment of guilt.  I asked for all correspondence.  Correspondence provided did not constitute a contract.

   

  Fourth. Again ABS was not contracted to.perform landscaping

   

  We are quite pleased with the paver project and feel we delivered more than the contract requirements. 

  Business Response

  Date: 06/14/2024

  I forgot to address the cost of the sweeping scheduled for July 2024 is for no charge.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 06/21/2024

  I have a question.  I don't really accept or reject the 2nd response.  I accept that we will not see eye-to-eye on ABS's categorization of over-delivering vs. our complain of over-promising.  I really wish there was an acknowledgement that they should not have promised something they could not do well.  However, I do not wish to go "tit for tat".  I accept that they will complete the resweeping/sanding at no charge. I would appreciate the offer of $200, just as an token acknowledgement of the over-promising or misunderstanding (whichever way ABS would like to categorize it). However, the emotion of the responses and accusations of threats and extortion, make that seem highly unlikely.  

  How do you suggest I proceed? Accept or reject?