Complaints

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• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/27/2024

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  UnresolvedMore 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.

  ***-***** ********** third party Inspector for ****** Borough: My home was purchased 2019, right after *** inspected the house and approved it for market. Last year my upstairs started sinking (I have pictures and all documentation upon request). Structural engineer was brought in a load bearing wall is presumed to have been removed. If no wall was removed then why is my upstairs sinking into my living room, why was the house approved with nothing supporting the upstairs. LITERALLY HIS JOB to make sure all houses are up to code. My steps going upstairs started turning in, I had a temporary support beam put in but the damage is already done, the house already shifted off its foundation from the lack of internal support within the house for 4 years. I paid 85K for my home and now I either take *****K to fix it or sue them. When I did everything that I was supposed to do during the buying process. I filled out the right to know act form and submitted it to *** and they did not follow the proper protocol on why they denied the form so I can appeal it. I had to have the Attorney General have him hand them over and when ***** Huminanski finally emailed them to me there were two additional reports that were not for my house but coincidently one pertained to a load bearing joist for a living room. When I called *** about this situation, his secretary laughed and stated didn't I get the house inspected before I bought it? This is a company that serves 15 counties in **, just within ************** alone he is at least 10 boroughs, cities and/or municipalities amongst the other 14 counties. Every seam has cracked in my house, my sons room floor is now sinking as well. I am assuming what was an attic was opened during the renovation, I have in writing where *** stated collar ties should be tripled at load bearing ***** wall and no collar ties are located across the completely opened ceiling.

  Business Response

  Date: 10/09/2024

  Complainant initially filed a right to know request but did not indicate that they had a financial interest in the property.  The right to know request was denied on the basis that under Pennsylvania Act 45 of 1999, known as the PA Uniform Construction Code (PA UCC), right to know requests for information regarding PA UCC activity is not required to be released to the public.  Once it was indicated that they had purchased the property the information was released to the owner.  Please take in to consideration that complainant filed a complaint with the **************************** regarding the right to know request and the PA ************************* reached out to me personally regarding this matter.  Once I explained that the request was denied because we had no idea who this person was, the PA ************************* found that there was no wrong doing, and they found no reason to pursue the matter further.

  As far as the construction of the home, the home is rather old.  The renovations that were completed were selective, and the inspections that were completed were pertinent only to the scope of work.  The current owner of this home must understand that they did not purchase a brand new home.  If the complainant had done their own due diligence, they were free to hire a home inspector prior to the purchase of the home.  We do not provide home inspection services for the purpose of purchasing a home.  *** strictly evaluates construction as it is completed in order to determine if the construction that was completed was done in accordance with the building code.  The accusations that they are levying are false.  Although they claim that a structural engineer evaluated the home, the owner has not provided any evidence from a licensed structural engineer, licensed in the state of ************, that indicates the accusations that they are filing.  Furthermore, the photos that have been provided show no differences in the ceiling from May to August.  These accusations are false and unsubstantiated.  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/23/2024

  [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: 22327319
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  .  -- In response to First part of BHW Response: When a RTK form is submitted one of two responses should be received: RTK is accepted then reports are received or RTK is denied then a letter of denial needs to be done. This was not the case in this instance. I have attached link below (pg 15) on the correct process of RTK form. Hence why I needed to go to the ********* to retrieve the forms. *** chose to ignore my request. If the written denial was sent, then I would have the opportunity to appeal it. *** did not give me that opportunity.
  (*************************************************************************************************)
  

  ----- In response to above: 50K renovation permit was pulled on this house that was built in 1900 that sat vacant for over 15 years and had hole in the roof. Structural integrity should have been the number one priority. The part of the ceiling that separates the living room and dining room that started to buckle as seen in pictures that were provided (I am not sure how BHW is stating the ceiling looks the same in picture) is adjacent to the wall that separates the bedrooms upstairs. Which is where there should have been a support beam put in place to support the upstairs. I added a few more pictures of buckling for clarity as BHW states there is no difference, please see picture of a beam that I call a floating beam (front room) as it buckles out of the ceiling (my son's room right above it) and then recedes back, picture showing it at its buckling stage. For 4 years of living here and having no internal support the house started to buckle on itself, the stairwell started to turn in at the top of the stairs and there was a dip in the floor of my bedroom. I did have a PA licensed Structural Engineer inspect my home.(Inspection report attached) Every seam has cracked in my home. To add insult to injury the back part of house is being supported with 2x4 on cinderblocks and metal posts with no permanent structure underneath on a dirt basement where the foundation pours water in and has washed the dirt out from under the cinder blocks and posts Pictures attached). I had ripped a cabinet out because I was getting infested with ants to find the flooring wasnt even to the wall and there was a decent size opening right to the dirt basement all under the cabinet. There is a wedged piece of wood under the back door that is supporting the bottom of the door frame.  Just to name a few of many issues that were over seen and allowed to be passed. How is this code? How can this type of construction be passed?
  As a home buyer, hiring a qualified home inspector is a requirement in most instances. That is because they are trained in the industry well enough to notice deficiencies and point them out to the buyer.The buyer would use their report to either buy, negotiate, or walk away from a purchase. Two inspectors, one being the building inspector and the home inspector failed miserably. Leaving me with a home that I may not be able to continue to live in. 

  
  Regards,
  
  ***** **********