Cipala Decorative Concrete, Inc.

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2015/06/29) */
I was asked to install a driveway for Mr***
When meeting with him we talk about the driveway layoutThe driveway was to be install as 12'x 50'.5"
From the back door to the existing driveway near the alley that Mr*** installed him
selfI do want to note that his install slops the wrong way, which has cause the new install to have little to no slopeHe didn't want to remove itSo we had to find a way to have proper slope /drainage on the new installAfter we laid out what he wanted he wanted us to change itHe was will aware of the changesIt was explain to him in person and he gave his approval.With any install of a large plain of concrete you have to have some kind of slope away from a buildingThe only way to accomplish this is to slope the concrete to one side, away from the houseThere was no other way to install the driveway with proper drainage.We showed him what it would look like with are forms in place and he approved itThe day of the concrete install he shows up 30mins before concrete and went to a rage about how it is all wrongI stated that we can change it again but I will not install any concrete with out proper slope and he would have to pay for the cancel concrete orderAfter mins of us showing him that the slope was the way it needed to be, he gave the go ahead to install the concrete
Rules of installing a concrete driveways: 1" every 10' you never want to install a driveway flatWe have less than that on Mr.*** driveway, do to the doorway and the incorrect driveway apron of the alley that Mr*** installed
We installed the concrete and he was happy with the installPaid me the same day and said we were rightI even installed black dirt at no costTo help with the elevation change
I was never notified by him or anyone else about the the install until a week agoInstall took place on or after 4-02-
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 7, 2015/07/10) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
First of all, the small concrete slab that sits at the alley end is of no concern to meI installed that and there is no problem with drainageCipala cites this as an excuse to do whatever he wants with the new install, which IS his responsibility
His install runs feet long and it slopes to the side for runoffSo the drainage issue is irrelevantBut even then, the pitch is so severe it looks like an earthquake heaved it upAlso, the elevation of the slab is inches higher than the ground, a huge tripping hazardIt is so high that the concrete comes up to the door thresholdWhen it rains, water splashes up on the threshold and doorFrom the door, it is relatively flat for feet until it approaches the small pad at the alley, then it sharply descends inches to meet that slabSo for feet, on each side, there is danger of tripping
Mr Cipala says I was "in a rage" and then I was happyWhich is it? Yes I was in a rage because he ignored everything I asked forI wanted a flat slab like my neighbor'sI pointed it out to him as it's clearly visible from the property lineMy neighbor has no drainage issues and neither did ISo Cipala suggested sloping it an inch to the sideI said that was acceptable as that would only make the slab an inch higher than the grassI wouldn't need any fill dirt at all if he'd listened to meInstead, it was I who had to add dirt along both edges to make the ground meet the slabAnd it was a LOT of dirt, taking me a week of spare timeAnd there was no cost to him for fill because he only used what little sod he skimmed off the lawnI had to supply the rest from what I had from previous projects
He had a bobcat and took the minimum layer off the top of the lawnHis forms were virtually on top of the lawn which is why the slab is so high and is a tripping hazard
To add to my complaint, he did not put in sufficient baseMy neighbor is in the construction business and installed his own drivewayHe saw that there was almost no class base put inAnd to clarify, I told Cipala that his concrete forms were unacceptable and I could see it would result in a slab that would sit inches higher than the lawnHe said he'd change it but I had to "sign off"I told him yes, I'd sign offBut then he and his team did nothingThey just stood around waiting for the concrete truckWhen I objected, his attitude was too bad because "there's three yards of concrete on the way"I basically didn't have any recourse at that point
To sum up, Cipala did an unprofessional and rather ridiculous slab installationTo skimp on costs, he did not dig out the ground so that the driveway would sit relatively even with the lawn preventing tripping hazardsHe did not put in adequate baseFinally, the driveway is unsightly and is detrimental to my property valueThe drainage that he seems so concerned with is wrong as he brought the slab up to the back door and water now splashes up onto itHe did not listen to me and I felt deceived when the pour date arrived and saw that his concrete forms were different than what we agreed onI never would have paid him but his contract states he will put a lien on property if owners don't pay
Whatever Cipala asserts, I will say the proof is hardened right into the concreteDimensions, elevation, pitch isn't going to hide and they don't lieI will offer my property as proof of Cipala's quality of work and I offer the Revdex.com and all it's constituents the chance to see the project if it saves them the aggravation of doing business with this contractor
Final Business Response /* (4000, 11, 2015/07/14) */