Complaints

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• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/10/2025

  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.

  I recently hired ********* ******* ********* to inspect my roof and determine the cause of flooding in a home I purchased. This property is the subject of a lawsuit I am pursuing against the seller for fraudulent misrepresentation and latent defects. Part of the engineering work I contracted for was the design of a repair to my roof, as the structural components had been removed by the previous owner to create a vaulted ceiling.
  
  Before work began, I made it explicitly clear to the engineer—both in person, by showing photos, and in multiple follow-up emails—that my goal was to design a repair that would maintain the cathedral ceiling, not simply return the roof to its original flat configuration. I paid a retainer with the understanding that I would receive this design within a few days.
  
  The first design they sent me ignored my stated objective and simply proposed reinstalling the supports and drywall—something so obvious it required no professional engineering input. When I objected, they attempted to shift the blame to me, claiming there was a miscommunication, despite my documented instructions.
  
  It is now nearly a month since I paid my retainer. The company has since demanded triple the original quoted cost, stating that it would require an additional four hours of work (another $920). Strangely, after I paid the extra fee, the design was delivered within one hour—raising serious doubts about whether the additional four hours they billed for were ever actually performed.
  
  I believe ********* ******* ********* misrepresented their capabilities, failed to deliver on their initial promise in a timely manner, and engaged in questionable and fraudulent billing practices. I am seeking a resolution that includes a refund of the additional charges, as well as an acknowledgment of their failure to meet the agreed-upon scope of work.

  Business Response

  Date: 08/12/2025

  Hello,

  We provided the following response to ***** today 8/12 at 2:05pm in an email:

  "I want to provide clarity here on what we have billed and why:
  
  $1,000 - Expert witness retainer fee which included up to 4 hours.  *** ******* completed a 6/3 site inspection and provided a 6/9 report for this portion of the work. *** ******* completed a site inspection on 7/1 to observe the exposed roof framing.
  $460 (2 hours) - *** prepared a ceiling joist repair design dated 7/16.
  $920 (6 hours but discounted by 2 hours to refund for ***'s 7/16 design).  ***** ****** prepared a ridge beam design dated 8/8.
  
  We believe we have provided what you have requested, and for the correct fees."

  We had a call scheduled with ***** for 3pm today 8/12 to discuss further, but she did not answer.

  It is our position that we have been in constant communication with ***** and her contractor, much of the time having to communicate through her contractor in order to get answers needed in order to proceed with work.  We have completed all the work requested of *****, and have billed correctly and as agreed.  ***** has paid all charges, so we consider this work to be satisfactorily completed.  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 08/12/2025

  I want to clarify that my payment to this company does not indicate that I was satisfied with their work or their billing practices. I believe I was overcharged and taken advantage of. Over the course of several weeks, I called the office multiple times trying to speak directly with *****, the person actually doing the work. I was repeatedly promised that he would call me back, but to this day I have never spoken to him directly. I also requested multiple times to speak with his supervisor, ****, but was never given that opportunity.
  
  The company told me that in order to complete my project, they would need to bill me for an additional four hours of work. However, I received the design within an hour of making my payment, which clearly calls into question whether the additional four hours they charged for were actually necessary.
  
  
  At the same time, I was under intense pressure because I needed the design documents by Friday in order to keep my home repairs on schedule. With my deadline approaching and no returned calls, I felt I had no choice but to pay the bill so the work would be completed and the design sent to me. Given their repeated refusal to cooperate and communicate in a timely manner, I did not answer their phone call on 8/12 because I now prefer all communications be in writing for documentation purposes.
  
  
  My payment was made purely out of necessity to meet an urgent deadline, not because I accepted their fees or was happy with the service. My intention was to request a refund today after receiving the design, but their claim that my payment equals satisfaction is inaccurate and misleading.
  
  
  
  Regards,
  
  
  
  ***** ********

  Business Response

  Date: 08/21/2025

  Hi *****,

  1) The design services that we provided you were relatively complex for a home, required a good bit of coordination and design/sketching time, and the fees charged are very much in-line with what we charge for such a design.  You will find that our fee is very much in-line with the local structural engineering firms that provide similar services.  The timing of your payment and our delivery had nothing to do with how long the work we did for you took.  If you ask your contractor you will find that we had many back and forth items in order to complete the work.

  2) As you stated, we set up a time for you to have a call with the supervisor, but you turned that down.  You claim that you called many times, but in fact we found that we could never get you on the phone, and you made us work many of the details through your contractor.  This lack of phone calls slowed down the work and made it more difficult.

  3) A refund of any of our services would require you to destroy the design plans that we have provided and naturally not use them.  Would you like to delete our design plans?  If you do decide to do this, we would contact the local municipality and let them know that we are no longer the engineer of record for your project and that none of our plans should be accepted for your permit applications.

  We cannot tell you how difficult it is for us to come to terms with the fact that we may have let you down. Our clients are typically very pleased with our services.  Please know that we do have your best interest at heart.  Thank you so much for your time and feedback.