ComplaintsforVicArt Masonry

• Initial Complaint

  03/21/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  In July 2023, I contracted with VicArt Masonry for exterior chimney work and interior work on my stone fireplace and firebox. Because of water damage, the interior work involved removing loose mortar and repointing the mortar joint. The firebox was also rusted and needed work. I sent the owner, James C**, photographs and we discussed the work at length. I had VicArt complete the work but, because I had tenants in the house and could not gain access, I simply paid the bill. A few month later, I inspected the work in person and complained because it appeared the loose mortar on the fireplace had been removed but the mortar joints had not been repointed. As shown in the photos, there are deep grooves between some stones while the mortar is flush or almost flush between other stones. Also, the firebox is still rusted and does not appear to have been touched. Mr. Cox inspected and his response was that his workers "could have done better" but he has offered no resolution. For $6,000, his company could have done a lot better. I've received a new estimate of $2400 from another company to repoint the fireplace and repair the firebox. I want a refund of $2400 form Vicart Masonry to cover the expense of completing the work it failed to do.

  Business response

  03/31/2023

   Dear complaint department,

   I performed the work as I described it in the proposal. I cam identify many many defects in peoples original work all the time. The fire place and hearth is a one of a kind creation built by a mason more than likely long gone. The fireplace front was covered with a random stone web wall style. It had been repaired multiple times with multiple mortars. We confined our work to the loose deteriorating mortar.

   The scope of work as described for the interior chimney work was as follows,

   A. Create dust barrier in room.

   B. remove all loose mortar between all stone mortar joints and repoint with new mortar, buff or light tan in color, mortar not to cover the vertical face of the stone.

    C. Install a new rope gasket on the inside of the fireplace door to improve seal between door and fire box.

   D. Remove all work related debris.

    No work inside the firebox was indicated in my proposal. No work to original mortar joints that wasn't deteriorated was included in my proposal. We try to best guess clients needs and balance that with keeping work affordable and then clients taste preferences. I take great care in defining scope of work and my masons are careful to do the work as described in the quotes.

  Customer response

  04/01/2023

  I am rejecting this response because:   the business concedes the contract iincluded repointing not to cover the face of the stone.- i.e.  repointing where the water damage required removal of the damaged mortar. The photos show reber still  visible where water damaged  mortar  was removed  and deep gouges between stones which were not there before VicArt began working..it's difficult to tell if VicArt created  a seal because of the rust in the firebox. 
  
  Regards,
  ****** ******

• Initial Complaint

  08/31/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  We hired Vic Art Masonry to demolish and replace the front cement porch on our home. There were a number of challenges through the project, but they finished in September of 2020. They told us that discoloration was normal and that it would be better by spring. However, some of the color never normalized, a small area of the cement is already pitted, and some has flaked off. We contacted Vic Art Masonry several times since May, but the owner (Jim) stopped responding and didn’t came to inspect the issue. In early August my husband posted on the Vic Art Masonry FB page. The owner responded by saying that we complained the whole time (we didn’t) that he should have up-charged us (he did) and that we probably did the damage ourselves because he (Jim) hates ***** (we had a political sign in our yard). It was suggested to us by a concrete company that the sealer that was applied the day after the concrete pour is the issue and that shouldn’t have been applied until the concrete had cured.

  Customer response

  01/11/2022

  Drew was correct that we didn’t  request coating on the block foundation- it is concealed by landscaping in warm weather. 
  
  On the question of the surface condition and appearance, in addition to the items you cite there is an overall streaking and discoloration of the cement anytime it is wet (see attached photos). The area rep for ********** came and inspected in the fall and opined that their sealer was misapplied. Is there a remedy for that?
  
  And because you cite industry standards, I want raise two additional questions. 
  
  The rebar used for the porch was not tied into the house foundation so the porch is actually not secured to the house foundation. There is no rebar in the steps so they are not secured to the porch. Compounding that, no gravel was laid in the form for the steps- concrete was simply poured on soil. We have been told that this is not up to industry standard and is likely to lead to pre-mature failure of both (especially with the steps). 
  
  I’ve attached 2 photos related to these issues and would appreciate your thoughts.  
  
  I look forward to continuing to work towards agreeable resolution. 
  ******* 

  Business response

  01/11/2022

  I had a look at the porch again yesterday and my judgement is again that the work  is up to industry standards. That said however I do see some color variation at the vertical edge of the concrete slab. We can surface grind the concrete around the entire edge of the slab and reapply a coating of cement and sand or epoxy.  This will give it a more consistent appearance. 
   There are to two small pits on the horizontal surface of the slab along the edge approximately 3/8 and 1/4” wide and 1/16” deep that can be patched.
   The block work was left untooled because as I was informed by our project manager Drew that the porch would be hidden by a landscape wall. It only  but the block wasn’t completely concealed so we would like to apply a sand finish stucco to the face of the block to match the vertical edge of the concrete slab of the concrete above.
   I am making these concessions to keep peace and not as an admission that our work is sub par or that client in any way would deserve a full refund. 
   The work described above will need to be performed in the spring when the temperatures are consistently above freezing.
   Respectfully,
  
  Jim C**
  Owner
  VicArt Masonry
  
  

  Business response

  04/04/2022

   All of the things they bring up are really non issues or very small issues.
   3. There is an area the diameter of a dime and about as thick that the yum or surface of thee concrete is missing. I can patch it but im sure they will say it doesn’t match.
   There is another area the size of a hand that has a slightly different color of cement that we used to rub up the edges of the concrete after were removed forms. I can grind off all the conscrete edges of the slab and put a new thin layer of cement and sand one but it won’t be a strong and there is a high probability the client will take exception because it will not look exactly like the older cured concrete.
    4.and 5.  Regarding slab spidering and slight  discoloration when wet, they really need to ghostwrited look air concrete jobs for a couple weeks, both new and old, wet and dry. 
   We can try removing the original sealer with chemicals b ut that isn’t guaranteed to not look a little wet here and not so much there.
    ** ***** **** ** ** ** *** **** ****** *** * **** **** **** ***** ****** *** *** *** ***** *** **** **** **** *** **** *** ** ****** **** ** ***** ****** ** *** 
  

  
  

• Initial Complaint

  05/09/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  We had $1100 worth of work completed in late May of 2020. One of those items was installing a new chimney cap. That chimney cap came off of the house in late March of 2021, 10 months later, and it appears it was only secured to the house with glue. We have the chimney cap in our possession. It’s a tall two story house, so there was no way for us to examine the work completed (in 2020) after they left, we just had to trust it was done correctly. We’ve left multiple voicemails and I’ve sent 2 emails, and the company wont contact us back about the issue. We just want them to put the chimney cap back on and install it securely/appropriately, which should have been done the first time.

  Business response

  05/12/2021

   Hi *********,

   my apologies for not getting that cap reinstalled, I will have it replaced this week.

   Thanks for letting us know.

   

  Customer response

  05/20/2021

  The consumer indicated by phone that the company resolved the complaint.
  
  

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