ComplaintsforSchock Construction, Inc.

• Initial Complaint

  09/08/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I am writing to formally complain about Schock Construction regarding a recent home remodeling project. I have encountered issues related to payments and services, and I am seeking your assistance in resolving them. I paid them two deposits during initial phase of the project feasiblity and estimates. As the final estimates were way above the quotes, we received from other vendors, we decided to not continue with the project and asked for the refund from the deposits. The credit statement shows that we are double charged for the same work and the company owns more refund to us.Key Complaint Points:1. Initial Deposit: I paid a non-refundable $5,000 deposit for project preparation, but I was charged separately for services that should have been included.2. Architecture Deposit: I paid $12,500 for architectural services, but this deposit was used for project preparation activities beyond its scope.3.Partial Refund: I received a partial refund of $2,512.56 out of 17500, but the breakdown lacks transparency and suggests double billing.4.Lack of Transparency: Schock Construction used the architecture deposit for unrelated work without clear communication.5.Estimate Discrepancy: Schock's estimates were significantly higher than others, raising concerns about accuracy and potential double charging.Requested Actions: 1. A refund of $5,625 + Tax, representing potential double charges.Despite my attempts to communicate with Schock Construction, I have not received a satisfactory response. Your assistance in achieving a fair resolution is greatly appreciated. Please let me know if additional documentation is needed.

  Business response

  09/29/2023

  I regret that you are unhappy with our service. We did our best and provided you with several estimates based on different configurations, five to be exact. You agreed to work with us and paid an initial, non-refundable deposit, and an estimated fee for architectural services based on the scope of work at that time. We contracted with the architect and paid his initial fee. We proceeded to coordinate with subcontractors and build an actual budget. After spending weeks doing this, you made a significant change to the scope of work, which negated all the previous work we had done. We started over on the scope of work. After receiving the budget for the new scope of work, you were not happy with the price and decided to not continue your project with us. At that time, we sent you a check for the remaining money you paid minus costs for the additional work we did after drastically changing the scope of work. You cashed this check and then requested we refund you more money. As a gesture of goodwill, we agreed to split the difference that you requested. We work hard to provide a fair and honest estimate of our costs and pride ourselves on the accuracy of our budgets. While you may receive several lower estimates, others have found that in the end,what they paid was much closer to what we estimated than the contractor they chose.
  We believe that we have acted professionally and ethically in handling your project. We have not overcharged you or misled you in any way.Therefore, we respectfully decline your request for a refund of $5,625 + Tax.We consider this matter closed.

  Customer response

  09/30/2023

  Dear *******,
  

  I hope this message finds you in good health. I am writing to express my profound concern regarding the recent response from the business. Despite their reply, it is disheartening to see that none of my concerns have been adequately addressed.
  

  To summarize the situation:

  1. The initial non-refundable deposit, clearly outlined in our signed agreement, was designated for the "creation and revision of the actual scope of work and high-level bid."
  2. Despite my persistent efforts, I have not received any clarification from the business regarding the specific use of this initial non-refundable deposit.
  3. I made a payment of $12,500 as an architectural deposit, explicitly intended for as-built drawings and permits, as agreed upon with the business.
  4. According to the invoices provided by the business, the company used $3,466.25 (plus tax) for architectural fees.
  5. Strangely, I have only been refunded $2,512.56 out of the $12,500 architectural deposit, despite the business's own invoice indicating that only $3,466.25 was used for architectural services.
  6. I request the remaining balance of the architectural deposit to be refunded to me.
  7. Furthermore, I am deeply concerned that the company is not acknowledging that the initial non-deposit funds were designated for estimate generation. The additional charge for estimates/bid generation, on top of the initial $5,000 deposit, was never communicated.
  8. The company billed a total of $10,681.25 for estimates. Contrary to the business's claims, the project scope was reduced to fit the budget. I fail to understand how reducing the scope negates "all the previous work" (which involved estimate generation).
  9. As we never agreed on the cost/expense, and the bids exceeded those from three other highly-rated and qualified companies in the area, the project never proceeded beyond the estimates/bids stage.
  10. As it stands, the business has charged me a total of $14,071.25 + tax. I am willing to accept $3,446.25 for architectural services and $5,000 for estimates, as initially agreed upon. I kindly request the refund of $5,625 + tax, as the business is double charging for estimates and not acknowledging that the initial non-refundable deposit was meant for estimate generation.
  

  I sincerely hope for your urgent assistance in resolving this matter.
  Warm regards,
  ******

  Customer response

  10/04/2023

  Complaint: 20577737
  
  Subject: Rejection of Schock Construction's Response to BBB Complaint
  
  Dear BBB,
  
  I am writing to reject with Schock Construction's response to my complaint. Unfortunately, the company's reply does not adequately address the concerns I have raised. I am uncertain whether this oversight is intentional or stems from a misunderstanding of the issues at hand. To provide clarity, I am reiterating the key points of contention:
  
  1. Double Charging: 
  The original agreement clearly stipulated that the non-refundable deposit would be utilized to "create and revise the actual scope of work and high-level bid." It is unreasonable and unjustified for me to be billed separately for the same work covered by the deposit, especially without any prior communication from the company.
  
  2. Lack of Transparency:
  Despite my repeated inquiries, Schock Construction has failed to provide a breakdown of how the initial deposit was utilized. While I acknowledge the non-refundable nature of the deposit, transparency is crucial. I insist that the company acknowledges and explains how the deposit funds were spent.
  
  3.Misuse of Architecture Deposit:
  I provided a separate deposit in good faith specifically for architecture work. This deposit was meant exclusively for that purpose, as confirmed by Schock Construction. Regrettably, the company utilized this deposit for non-architecture work without my consent or prior notification, which is unacceptable.
  
  4. Excessive Pricing:
  Schock Construction charged $10,500 + tax for providing four estimates, a fee significantly higher than the market average. While there was a reduction in the project scope after the initial estimates, the drastic increase in costs, especially when activities were supposed to be covered by the initial deposit as indicated in the signed contract, is deeply concerning.
  
  I kindly urge BBB's intervention to address these issues and facilitate a fair resolution. I sincerely hope that with your assistance, a satisfactory resolution can be achieved. I am hopeful that further legal action will not be necessary, but I am prepared to explore such avenues if a resolution is not reached promptly.
  
  Thank you for your attention to this matter.
  ***********************

  Business response

  12/01/2023

  I sincerely apologize for any inconvenience. It seems there's a misunderstanding about the time and effort put into your project. The credit shows the extra charges for the extended work, and the deposit agreement clarifies its purpose in covering planning costs, signifying a good-faith contribution to our teamwork. In our face-to-face discussion, you expressed a commitment to compensating for the time invested in your project due to your belief in Karma. Despite my offer to share the costs, it was not accepted. To resolve this, I will be mailing you $5625.00 plus tax.

  Customer response

  12/08/2023

  Dear Better Business Bureau,
  
  I appreciate your attention to my concerns regarding complaint ID ********. I wanted to let you know that once the business processes the refund, I will consider the matter resolved.
  
  Even after the refund, it's worth noting that the services provided by the business amounted to approximately $8500 (**** non refundable + **** in architectural fees). While I acknowledge that business believes they invested the time and effort , its worth noting the final deliverables were four ballpark estimates for two different scope of work and an architect drawing unsuitable for permit purposes. 

  Thank you for your assistance in addressing this matter.
  
  Sincerely,
  ***********************
  
  
  

*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. ↩