ComplaintsforFreeman Contracting Co Inc

• Initial Complaint

  12/16/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I contracted Freemen contracting for foundation repair. Everything was fine till it came to cleanup in the basement and putting my retaining wall back as it was. The main blocks make a sharp turn, (originally a sweeping curve) to straight. Second was the caps. Those were done incorrectly as well, pieced in with irregular pieces. I made attempts via email and pictures identifying what the deficiencies were. They said they would correct the ones on the wall. Approximately 2 months plus went by and heard nothing from them. Reading the other complaints time is no big deal to him. So I made the cuts myself and completed the caps. He did however drop caps off when I made the complaint to him, weeks after. I could not correct the main blocks. I would have to pull all of that portion of wall out to correct it. Too much for me. This week they contacted me via phone. Then email for receipt of $1800 per contract. I told them I had completed that portion. I wanted $500 off for having to wait so long and for doing the work myself. They replied witn$250 off at first, then $300. My $500 was “unacceptable”. AlsoI spent hours in the basement cleaning the residual dirt from the piering portion of the job. I also at that time told them of my displeasure of the clean up. They took a video and said it was clean, “what would you like us to do?” I’m still working on that clean up. This portion of the contracted work was not completed. Why should I pay for something that was not done correctly? One photo is of the caps I did. Also one is after cleaning the floor in the basement.

  

  Business response

  12/20/2021

  BBB,
  Thank you very much for forwarding to our company the complaint our client filed with our organization.  We take our membership with the BBB seriously as evidenced by our company being an Accredited Member of the BBB since 1957.  As the BBB indicated within the e-mail afforded to us, there are two sides to every dispute.  Although disputes with a client, of any kind, are undesirable, we find it appropriate to respond – and do so honestly.  Learning from mistakes we may have made, even after 81 years of operations, inclusive of 4 generations, is just good business.  To protect our client’s privacy we will refer to our client as Mr. Client.  
  Mr. Client’s final invoice due is $1,800.00.  On 12-15-2021 and 12-16-2021 Mr. Client and I exchanged numerous e-mails.  Although I am not of the opinion that our company owes him a deduction off the final invoice I was willing to do so in an attempt to preserve our working relationship.  I initially offered him a $250.00 deduction and he responded “I’m thinking more like $500”.  I subsequently offered him a $300.00 deduction and he responded “Ok….I’ll pay you.  I’ll also file a complaint with the BBB as well”.   So, here we are responding to this complaint.  Please recognize that even after responding to this complaint we will work with Mr. Client to resolve the issue.       
  The above being detailed, please consider the following, from our company’s perspective, relative to Mr. Client’s complaint:     
  RE: Basement Cleaning –  
  A) On 8-30-2021 Mr. Client sent me an e-mail stating in part, “Further cleaning needs to be done in the basement. Still dirt on the concrete slab inside from peering portion of the job”.  While the project was still on-going, on 9-20-2021 I sent an e-mail to Mr. Client stating, among other things, “I owed you a response to the e-mail below… If we missed some mess in the basement we will be happy to better clean up.  Josh forwarded a little video to me on 8-31-2021 when he visited your basement because, even though what we do for a living is dirty-dirty-dirty we pride ourselves on cleaning up very well.  I asked Josh to video the basement area (video attached to this e-mail) so I could see what mess my personnel left such that we learn from our mistakes – maybe we missed what you were referring to.   Josh did say there was some dirt on the bathroom floor that he did pick-up while there.  If we need to better address an area within the basement ….. Please just let Josh or I know what we missed”.  A response relative to the further basement cleaning was never received.  It was never again brought up by Mr. Client until just last week when final payment was due.  Please recognize that after the piering phase of the project was completed in the basement area, or personnel broom cleaned and subsequently shop-vacuumed the entire work area.  Doing so is normal and the basement was left in a workmanlike manner.  (Please see MP4 video of the basement area taken on 8-31-2021 attached to this response).        
  
  RE: Garden Wall Caps
  1) Due to structural augmentation hardware and replanting of two 7’ (+/-) tall evergreen bushes (replanting same was specifically excluded from the contracted scope of work, yet performed as a curtesy) the small section of the modular block garden wall Mr. Client references was displaced from its exact original position.  On the day our personnel commenced resetting the section of the modular garden wall they installed and compacted a granular base and set the first course of blocks.  Mr. Client was present and approved the positions and locations of the first course of blocks.
  2) A company can generally look back in a project file and see where a mistake precipitated ill feelings.  On Friday evening, 9-24-2021, Mr. Client sent an e-mail to me stating in part, “Mr ******* The yard overall looks good and I’m very happy with my experience with this company and its employees.  I do however have few things that need to be addressed…”.  On the morning of 10-05-2021, Mr. Client sent an e-mail stating, “*** My opinion has now changed! You are absolutely pitiful at communication. It has been over a week since I sent my last email, with no response thus far.  Also over a week since you have been to this job. Just tell me whether I’m doing this on my own or not?”.   Not getting back to Mr. Client timely, I presume, is where ill will was precipitated, although our personnel were on the project on 10-05-2021 to finish up the project except for the installation of an aluminum lid (which was on back order) and the replacement of two or three garden wall caps.
  3) I responded to Mr. Client’s e-mail of 10-05-2021 on the morning of 10-06-2021 stating, “Mr. Client, Yesterday the pile of dirt at the NW corner of the porch was better blended to the surrounding surface grades, the sanitary riser at the front yard was trimmed down and a 6” SCH 40 PVC cap was installed atop of same, and the decorative columns at the front porch were installed.  I looked at the cap sections at the garden wall, I see what Josh was trying to accomplish, but I have to agree it does not look great.  I will be looking into finding a few caps from a supplier that carries that brand and color.”
  4) On 10-13-2021 I sent an e-mail to Mr. Client stating, “Mr. Client, This morning I received an e-mail indicating that the permanent aluminum lid for the top of your sump basin riser is supposed to be delivered to our offices this afternoon.  We anticipate re-mobilizing to your home to install the new riser lid and address the sections of the garden wall caps in the next couple of days”.
  5) On Sunday, 10-17-2021, Mr. Client sent me an e-mail that stated in part, “That email you sent me oct 6 stated you would get the blocks needed to make right the garden wall. You have given me another email stating the aluminum cap was to be delivered to your office since. Nothing has changed thus far. …. What is your time frame this week? Maybe November? Certainly within 2021”.   
  6) On 10-18-2021 Mr. Client sent me an e-mail stating, “The top looks good, thank you. Just need to fix the cap issue”.   On the same day I sent an e-mail stating, “Working on it, Sir.  ***”.
  7) On 10-26-2021 I sent an e-mail to Mr. Client stating, “We were able to locate the brand and color of caps that match your existing ones and Midwest Block & Brick in Bridgeton.  We have them in stock in our warehouse.  .  Coming up I would like to meet with you after you get off work and so we can agree on which ones we are to replace and where the cuts are to be.  If memory serves you generally arrive home from work around 1:30-2:00PM.  Is that correct?  Is there a day to catch up at your house with you that is better than others?.”  Mr. Client responded by e-mail stating, “Lately I’ve been getting home about 4:30”.  (Please see picture of the garden wall caps sent to Mr. Client attached to this response) 
  8) The week of November 1st, two of our men mobilized to Mr. Client’s home with the five garden wall caps we purchased at 4:30.  They waited until 5:30.  The offloaded the garden wall caps onto Mr. Client’s yard so he would be aware that personnel were on site. 
  9) Subsequently, our company’s President of Operations spent several weeks calling landscaping companies trying to get one to mobilize to Mr. Client’s home and cut and set the two or three garden wall caps.  Like our company and many others, all of the companies contacted were understaffed due to Covid, and other variables, and could not accommodate the work in short order.
  10) On 12-14-2021 our company’s President of Operations called Mr. Client and informed him that a landscaping company had visited his home the week prior to set the caps, yet could not locate them on his property.  Of course, Mr. Client was reminded that, subsequent to getting the caps installed, the final invoice payment was due.  His response to our President of Operations was (verbatim), “It’s been a fuc**g month, that’s water under the bridge”.        
  
  The above afforded information details this company’s “side of the dispute”, however as hereinabove mentioned, we will continue to work with Mr. Client to resolve the issue. 
  ***** *. ******* - President

  Customer response

  12/21/2021

  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  As far as cleaning the basement of dirt, that simply was not done. I have put hours of work into making it clean as it was before the work was performed. A video of the work area does not show the details that were present. 

  
  

  I did ask that the wall be a radius turn as it was before. The exact location of the blocks I understood would not be able to happen. Though it being a radius curve is completely feasible. This is how it was before. Further, when the caps were applied they were irregular shapes and cuts to piece it together. That product is simply unacceptable and the Mr ******* agreed with my displeasure. Months went by before the new caps showed up. I understand they were difficult to find but no communication. They did however deliver the blocks one day. Plenty more time went by without communication. I finally sourced the equipment needed to perform the work myself and let it be. They made contact to retreats their final payment and that’s where this went down hill. 

  
  

  The bushes I guess I owe them for? I do however feel with it that convenient with an excavator to place the bushes, why not? They needed to backfill anyway. Much appreciated!  That was a highlight of our relationship. 

  
  

  I’m conclusion. The cleaning of the basement simply was not adequate. The retaining wall is not in the condition it was before the work. The amount of time that it has taken for them  to address the wall issue is unacceptable. 

  
  

  I do feel -$500 is a completely reasonable request due the amount of time I have put into finishing their work and lack of responsiveness. If the full$1800 is demanded I am requesting the wall be a radius turn as it was before.

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

  

  Business response

  12/26/2021

  BBB, 

  thank you for forwarding Mr. Clients rebuttal to my response to his complaint.

   

  The response to his complaint that I filed prior represents this company's position.  Recapitulating will serve no purpose.   

   

  Mr. Client threatened to soil our company's reputation via the abuse of the BBB if he did not receive a $500.00 deduction from his final invoice...and he has done just that.

   

  Prior to Mr. Client filing his complaint I offered Mr. Client $300.00 off of his final invoice to rectify his displeasure.  That offer still stands.

   

  *** ******* - President.   

  Customer response

  01/03/2022

  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  
  The wall is not how it was when you took it up to perform the contracted work. The removal started before the last radius and ended in a straight line. The string line you mentioned earlier was simply to determine that the wall would finish parallel to the front porc as it did originally.  I did confirm the string line, I helped set it. At this point I would prefer that the wall be corrected and radius restored for FULL  payment. You have made it clear my work is insignificant. I mention this as a solution before. Can we come to terms with that? I should not have accept a less than product. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ******* *******

• Initial Complaint

  09/19/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Contractor installed 5 piers under our garage wall in July of 2009. This work had a "lifetime guarantee" I have been trying to contact Mr. *** Freeman to have him examine a defect in this work for several weeks and he has never returned my calls ***** *******, President of Operations for Freeman Contracting Co has visited our site twice and told me I must deal with *** Freeman on this issue. Roots from a nearby tree were supposed to be the cause of the cracking in out garage wall, but when I dug down to confirm this, no roots were found in the crack Mr. Freeman's lack of response is as good as no guarantee at all. I want to resolve this issue in a timely manner.

  

  Business response

  10/05/2021

  BBB,

  thank you for bringing Mr. **********'s concerns to my attention. 

  I don't agree with Mr. **********'s characterization of of his most recent commerce with our company as I have corresponded with him (please see e-mails attached).  I surmise we just have not addressed his concerns as expeditiously as he would like.   

  I will contact Mr. ********* within the next 2 business days and coordinate an on-site meeting with him.      

   

  *** Freeman - President

   

   

*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. ↩