America's Best Construction & Remodeling Corp

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 8, 2014/07/10) */
Yesterday 7-8-14, we got $1,950 for 6 hours of Run time and 2 people.
Today 7-9-14 we got $2,800 for 7 hours of run time for our equipment (8 Heaters and 16 fans) and 2 people. FYI, so you know what the real cost is and what a great...

deal [redacted] got from us.


I got a call from [redacted] about drying out her house. She indicated she had no insurance coverage and was paying for this out of her pocket, I first quoted her $250 per hour or $2,400 to $3,000 for 24 hour equipment rental for a complete dry out of 24 hours and longer at no charge, if NEEDED.

[redacted] said that was too much money and I told her that 24 hours was need to dry out the wettest houses. She said what the Cheapest is, I told her our CHEAPEST Rental Fee is $1,500 for 6 hours of RUN TIME. She said ok, but that she was really worried about 3 small pieces of furniture would get damaged from the HEAT. I told her we do not MOVE Furniture NO WAY, we just rent the equipment. I told her I do this by myself and do not move any furniture.
She said, wait on starting the job because she will ask her neighbor about moving the 3 small pieces of furniture. I then told her let me make a call to my employee to see if he can work a few hours to help move 3 pieces of furniture.
30 minutes later I got a hold of my man and called [redacted]. I Told [redacted] we will only move these 3 small pieces of furniture for $35 she said, "OK bring the Heating equipment".
When I get there [redacted] is almost in Tears crying telling me she is having a Nervous Break Down, NOBODY was helping her, she had no INSURANCE COVERAG and on and on she went.

So we moved the equipment to the basement while [redacted] stood in the way, laid brooms on the steps and other things in the way constantly the whole time during set up. Many times she was told to move out of the way.
Now came the bulling and harassment by [redacted] to always get more, MORE and MORE than she paid for.
For $35, 2 people spent 3 hours moving rugs and other furniture for HER in (140 degrees) she got 4 extra hours of equipment rental of the Heaters and extra 24 hours use of our FANS and several extra hours of LABOR at no CHARGE.
[redacted]'s bill should be at LEAST $2,350.

[redacted] got $600 in extra Heating equipment Rental at NO CHARGE, $300 in Fan Rental and $200 in Labor
She kept asking for MORE, and MORE and MORE.

I told her we just rent the equipment and that she could rent the equipment for 24 hours, and we would leave all the equipment till she was happy.


[redacted] is in this situation because she treated her insurance coverage the same way. She had no INSURANCE COVERAGE for this situation, because she just switched Insurance Companies, because they had the CHEAPEST PRICE leaving her with NO COVERAGE.
[redacted] indicated to us she is suing her Insurance Company, and she is suing the City of ST Paul, because she was so miserable. Now she is going after us, after harassing and bulling us out of several hundred dollars.

[redacted] did not rent the equipment long enough (spend enough money) to get the job done right, like I kept telling her, over and over and over.

Thanks

[redacted]
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 13, 2014/07/14) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
The response is a false reporting of my encounter with Mr. [redacted]. At no time did I negotiate any pricing with him. He told me based on industry standards of $200 an hour my cost would be $1500. I was not looking for "CHEAPEST" and we never discussed negotiating the price. He did not refer to the figure as his "CHEAPEST" rental fee for 6 hours" Based on what I told him about the situation he quoted $1,500.
I had no idea how long it should take in terms of hours nor did he ever indicate, even when he came to my home, how long it should take. He was the "expert with over 15 yrs experience."
The furniture he refers to was three pieces of a leather sectional. I was initially concerned about possible damage from the excessive heat and was thinking they might have to be moved upstairs. I decided to leave them.
I was not "almost in tears crying telling him I was having a nervous breakdown. What he is exaggerating is an incident about the broom. I did not "lay brooms and other things in his way" during setup. There was a broom leaning against the bottom step when he arrived.
I was busy removing items to take upstairs and was out of his way when he started yelling in a
very loud and angry voice to move it. I thought he was yelling at me and I told him that I was already stressed trying to hold it together and his tone was not helping me and to not speak to me in such a tone.
He said he was not talking to me but to the young man who was helping him set up.
I was not in his way during set up. Quite the contrary with his tone and attitude I wanted to avoid him. In fact the young man helping him apologized to me prior to leaving, for how Mr [redacted] had behaved.
When the equipment was set up I stayed out of the basement as instructed.
I have no ideas what he is referrirng to with "bulling and harassing to get MORE and MORE than she paid for."
If it is regarding my questions about a suction vacuum for the rugs and whether the storage area, should be emptied, these where not demands and I accepted his reply that the heat would take care of it.
Any movement of furniture was initially to install the equipment. He moved the rugs as he saw they were not drying. HE NEVER indicated that the basement should be empty prior to coming nor when he arrived and saw what was there.
I did not request that any equipment be left at the end of the day. He told me, to my surprise, that he would be leaving fans to be picked up by noon the following day. This was his decision probably because it was clear the dry out was not completed. As indicated in the initial complaint I had to call to get them removed prior to leaving for an appointment. He never in my initial call or at any time indicated that I "could rent the equipment for 24hrs, and we would leave all the equipment till she was happy"
All reference to my insurance coverage is speculation on his part and totally irrelevant to my complaint. I did not switch companies for a "CHEAPER PRICE". I never indicated nor have any intention of suing the company. The previous carrier had a limited amount of coverage for sewer backup which I mistakenly assumed was standard for all companies and did not check the replacement policy.
As for suing the City of St. Paul the many neighbors impacted by the flooding have the intention to file a group action if the City Insurance does not cover the damages. I would join them
I can not stress strongly enough that at no point did he tell me "over and over and over" that I needed to spend "enough money" to rent the equipment "long enough".
I did not request "24 hrs of extra Fan time, 3 hours of extra Heater time, extra workers and several hours of Labor time, above agreed upon price."
Anything extra that was included was a decision of Mr. [redacted] when it was clear that his system was not doing the job. NONE of that was due to any request on my part.
His point that I have a "Band New Car and Huge (over 3,600 square feet Expensive house" is pure fiction
on his part.
I have neither.
But regardless that is irrelevant to the claim. The basis for his entire response is to suggest that he was dealing with a demanding, emotional female who had the means but was too CHEAP to pay what was required. I find that sexist and totally offensive.
The fact is that he did not perform as advertised on the brochure he left with me: HEAT--FASTEST AND BEST REMOVES WATER IN HOURS & KILLS MOLD, FAST.
I have learned that heat grows mold, does not kill it. Service Master came and basically gutted the basement, and removed the mold, because walls, floors etc were not dried out. They could not believe what I had been left with.

What others have paid for his services has no bearing on my experience. He had every opportunity to tell me or walk away once he saw the extent of the flooding if he believed the price was not sufficient.t to get the work done. Again I stress at NO TIME was there ever a mention of the number of hours required or any additional costs.