The Hungry Carpenter LLC

As for as the boards that are installed backwards are a customer preference We have build lots of decks and we have installed those boards both ways and sometimes we installed the boards with the grove out and the smooth side out on the same job If the customer had a preference he should of let me know before we installed the boards on his stepsI check with the bender where I received the step boards and they said they can be installed either way As for as the bottom step where the boards are not the same gap that is from the treated boards underneath that the boards came out not straight We can’t do nothing about the warped treated boards The miter cut that is not tight now is from the weather being cold, when the weather gets warm again the miter cut will be tight again [redacted]

Complaint: [redacted] I am rejecting this response because: The builder has installed half of the perimeter boards with the rounded surface facing outward and half with the rounded surface facing inward The supplier of these boards says that the correct way to install the boards is with the rounded edges facing outward I could easily live with them all installed one way or the other, but installing half in one way and half in the other way is simply careless and unacceptable When I first brought this concern to the builder’s attention, he tried to blame the problem on the supplier, saying that the supplier had sent me two different types of perimeter boards The supplier, however, told me that there is only one type of perimeter board and that the builder had simply installed half of the boards backwards Confronted with the fact that he lied to me, the builder is now changing his story and saying that it was my responsibility to tell him that I wanted all the boards installed correctly But of course I wanted them all installed correctly! It never crossed my mind that I had to tell him that I wanted him to do the job correctly! Further, his insistence that he has built other decks incorrectly does not excuse him for building my deck incorrectly Accordingly, I still ask the builder to replace the incorrectly installed perimeter boards Concerning that bottom step, the builder has now admitted that the problem is the result of his use of a warped board in the framing of the deck Clearly, the builder needs to replace that warped board so that the finish boards can run straight and true The problem with the one miter cut was evident long before the weather turned cold Further, the problem is not that the cut is not tight; rather the problem is that the builder made the cut in the wrong place so that the joint does not align with the other miter joints in the adjoining steps Warmer weather is not going to fix that problem; the builder needs to fix that problem by doing the cut correctly Sincerely, [redacted]

Complaint: ***
I am rejecting this response because: He has stated repeatedly that he will be out for two weeks. If he finishes the job in a timely manner, I will contact the Revdex.com to let them know I am
satisfied with the resolution of the complaint. It has become a timely matter that the work is completed immediately
Sincerely,
*** ***

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2015/02/10) */
Contact Name and Title: *** *** (Owner)
Contact Phone: XXX-XXX-XXXX
Contact Email: ***@charter.net
Hello this is *** *** the owner of the Hungry Carpenter to summarize this jobMr*** hired my company to do a deck
repair project which we did and 90% of all deck repair jobs that we do never need to pull a permit because most of the time its just cosmetic things, like new decking and handrailsSo we performed the deck repair job and Mr*** was very happy with our work, the work that him and I agreed upon nothing more or nothing lessSo the contract he signed and agreed upon was done he paid me for the labor and my company moved on
So some time later he sent me a e-mail stated that I needed to pull a permit for that job because a inspector came by to inspect a different job and he saw the deck repair job that my company didSo he sent me $and I pulled the permit for that jobSo I called in for a inspection on the deck repair job and of course the job did not pass and there is a long list of projects that need to be done in order for the deck to pass inspection
So I let Mr*** aware of this and I told him we would be more than happy to take care of these projects but would have to charge him for material and labor
However he feels that I should do these repair's for free even though these repairs were not part of the original contract
Thank You
*** *** (Hungry Carpenter)
XXX-XXX-XXXX

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 12, 2015/07/28) */
I am working with my attorney to resolve this issue as we speak
Thank You
*** ***

I told her I would be out and I will it's a very little job

On each one of our jobs here with The Hungry Carpenter we send contract to the customer and they agree on the terms of the project.  Which means I get a permit from the city and I build the deck according to the plans.  The inspector comes out and inspect’s the deck and approves it.  This is what happens on this deck as well the customer then pay’s for the labor on the job and the Job is complete.  Again that’s what happend on this job as well.  When the customer pays me for the labor in the deck job that means he agree’s that the deck is done and we are finish with his project.  There was never anything on the contract as for as warranty, once he pays me for the labor the job is done.    Now if he wants me to come out and give him a quote on other work I will be happy to do so, but as for as the agreed and signed contract for the deck we here at Hungry Carpenter are finished. Thank You [redacted]

Complaint: [redacted]
I am rejecting this response because:
As I acknowledged in my initial complaint, the deck is generally well made.  Thus, it is no surprise to me that it passed muster with the building inspector.  However, the building inspector is not checking the deck for cosmetic issues such as perimeter boards installed in a random fashion or a warped framing board or a sloppy miter cut. When I brought those cosmetic issues to Mr. [redacted]’s attention, he insisted that he was not going to fix them, just as he continues to insist now that he is not going to fix them – unless I pay him to do so.  I can see that I very like am going to have to pay someone to fix Mr. [redacted]’s sloppy finishing work; however, it most certainly won’t be him! When I first contacted the Revdex.com about my concerns with the deck, I was told that if I held back payment, I risked having Mr. [redacted] place a lien on my house.  For that reason, I chose to pay what I owed and then work through the Revdex.com to alert the public to Mr. [redacted]’s way of doing business.  Mr. [redacted] is not concerned with producing a good-looking, nicely finished product.  He is simply concerned with satisfying the building inspector and then collecting his money.  His business card states, “Failure is not an option”; obviously he does not regard sloppy finishing work as failure.
Sincerely,
[redacted]

Complaint: [redacted]
I am rejecting this response because:
The builder has installed half of the perimeter boards with the rounded surface facing outward and half with the rounded surface facing inward.  The supplier of these boards says that the correct way to install the boards is with the rounded edges facing outward.  I could easily live with them all installed one way or the other, but installing half in one way and half in the other way is simply careless and unacceptable.  When I first brought this concern to the builder’s attention, he tried to blame the problem on the supplier, saying that the supplier had sent me two different types of perimeter boards.  The supplier, however, told me that there is only one type of perimeter board and that the builder had simply installed half of the boards backwards.  Confronted with the fact that he lied to me, the builder is now changing his story and saying that it was my responsibility to tell him that I wanted all the boards installed correctly.  But of course I wanted them all installed correctly! It never crossed my mind that I had to tell him that I wanted him to do the job correctly!  Further, his insistence that he has built other decks incorrectly does not excuse him for building my deck incorrectly.  Accordingly, I still ask the builder to replace the incorrectly installed perimeter boards.  Concerning that bottom step, the builder has now admitted that the problem is the result of his use of a warped board in the framing of the deck.  Clearly, the builder needs to replace that warped board so that the finish boards can run straight and true.  The problem with the one miter cut was evident long before the weather turned cold.  Further, the problem is not that the cut is not tight; rather the problem is that the builder made the cut in the wrong place so that the joint does not align with the other miter joints in the adjoining steps.  Warmer weather is not going to fix that problem; the builder needs to fix that problem by doing the cut correctly.
Sincerely,
[redacted]

As for as the boards that are installed backwards are a customer preference.  We have build lots of decks and we have installed those boards both ways and sometimes we installed the boards with the grove out and the smooth side out on the same job.  If the customer had a preference he...

should of let me know before we installed the boards on his steps. I check with the bender where I received the step boards and they said they can be installed either way.  As for as the bottom step where the boards are not the same gap that is from the treated boards underneath that the boards came out not straight.  We can’t do nothing about the warped treated boards.  The miter cut that is not tight now is from the weather being cold, when the weather gets warm again the miter cut will be tight again. [redacted]