Custom Electric & Plumbing, Inc.

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 9, 2016/09/13) */
Contact Name and Title: Chris S[redacted]
Contact Phone: [redacted]
Contact Email: [redacted]@gmail.com
The information supplied by the owner regarding the first project we did for this owner is completely false. We did not have to...

replace any cable due to it being below standard. This is totally false and clearly embellishment for the sake of casting a bad light on workmanship and ethics. If this were true, would you invite the contractor back to do more work on your home? I wouldn't!
This client called to inquire about having outlets added to his home to allow connection of security cameras. We discussed basic information about what he wanted and gave him a BALLPARK price of NOT 700, but 900 plus 150 permit fee for a total BALLPARK price of $1050, this was not a firm quote. The fact that this was a ballpark was discussed as well as our labor rate so he may keep track of costs as the day progressed. This is to ensure the client knows that this is a ballpark...not an exact cost. How could he be given an exact cost from over the phone? We take every effort to communicate this to all of our clients when we use this type of compensation for work performed to avoid misunderstandings.
We applied for a county permit for the described work. We scheduled the service and arrived onsite at the agreed upon date and time to begin work. The owner gave instruction of where the outlets were to be placed and we began installation. After several hours of work I called to check progress and asked the technicians to discuss the budget and current tally of costs with the client. The client knew our labor rate and could quickly have an idea of what the labor costs would be at any given time really easily. The number of hours onsite times the labor rate. At that point the estimated bill was approx $1700 with 4 outlets mounted and complete in the outside under side of the roof of the home and the 5th outlet in progress. The client called me to discuss and I assured him we would do the best we could to cut him a break on the total cost since the cost was over the original ballpark given over the phone. So, in good faith we agreed to stop or labor at that time and complete the current outlet in progress off the clock, at no additional cost to him.
The total bill came to $2246 for all the work completed and we only asked the client to pay $1560. The client agreed that this was an acceptable resolution since he received $686 of FREE electrical work due to the circumstances and our efforts to make him happy.
We scheduled the electrical inspection. The inspector came out was different from the one we spoke to in advance in regard to the style of cover to be used for these outlets, as a result he did not know the information we were given and turned down the inspection as a result. After discussion with the head inspector the covers we used are acceptable. Since then we have called the owner more than 6 times and even text him to schedule this inspection. He has never answered the phone, returned a call for the many voice mails we left, or replied to text messages as he did previously. It seemed clear he decided to move on. After discussing this open permit with the head electrical inspector, he advised me that since he could not come out to inspect but that he would send a letter of violation to the owner requesting final inspection. The owner has not allowed the inspections department into his home (a third party, non-biased party) to inspect the completed work.
3 months later the this guy calls to say his sewage pump has failed and its our fault, what are we going to do about it? I ask for more information about what he was experiencing and offered to come take a look. He declined my offer, so I asked why he never returned a call when we called so many times, he gave no response. We informed him of the need for a final electrical inspection and he replied " I don't want anyone back on my property." The electrical inspector is a non-biased third party, why not have an independent person evaluate the work we performed? We consulted 2 different professionals with respect to how long such a pump could be without power before a backup would occur. Both responded with less than 3 DAYS. Something doesn't seem right. How come the owner doesn't want a third party to inspect and how could it take 3 months to notice something that would give you an alarm in 3 days.
We will be happy to investigate the issue the owner has and if we did something wrong then we will make it right. That is how we handle all things in our business and personal lives.
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 11, 2016/09/16) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
First of all everything that I have provided is accurate and correct. If I need to go to the Guilford County inspectors office to obtain their records to prove what I have to support what I have said I will. For the first job they had to come to my property three times. Once for the initial cable that was install from the main breaker box to the transfer box that was installed. I had a conversation with both the inspector and the employee/sub-contractor that came out to replace the cable and we discussed why it had to be replaced. The reason was it was the incorrect and below standard cable. The second time the inspector came out was because there was not safety devises install that would prevent the main switch and generator switch form being able to be switch on at the same time. The third time he came out was when he finally passed the job. I am sure the inspectors have a record of how many times they came out and why so I will obtain this information from them for my records.
The fact that this was a ballpark was discussed as well as our labor rate so he may keep track of costs as the day progressed. This is to ensure the client knows that this is a ballpark...not an exact cost. How could he be given an exact cost from over the phone? We take every effort to communicate this to all of our clients when we use this type of compensation for work performed to avoid misunderstandings.
The labor rate was never discussed in our conversation it was not until the worker/sub-contractor told me the bill was approaching 1700.00 that I got concerned because it was nowhere in the ballpark of $700.00 - $900.00. The amount of $2246.00 didn't ever come into the conversation so I don't know where he pulled that figure from. I ask for a detail bill and was told that I would receive a bill for the work was done and as of today I have not received that. I wanted to see what I was actually charged and the rate that I was charged.
As for the inspector I have no problem allowing them to come on my property. I have never said that they would not be allowed on my property. What I to Chis was that I did not want him or anyone affiliated with his company back on my property. I will call the inspectors office to straighten this out because they were given the incorrect information.
I called after three months because this is how long it took to discover for my septic tank to fill up because the power that was going to my pump was cut by the worker/sub-contractor that was sent to my house to do the work. That is what I called to discussed with Chris and he didn't want acknowledge that they were at fault. I took pictures to what they did under my house to prove they disconnected the pump, which froze up from not running for three months. He wanted to claim they have been trying to get in contact with me but I went back to look at my phone records of calls and his number did not show up once. As far as the workers he that was sent to my property the came unequipped to do the job. I had to even loan them a ladder in order for them to get as much done as they did. One of the workers left for an hour to go get additional materials, which that did not have.
If I need to pursue other avenues so the public is informed about the quality of work by this company I will. My avenue will include the following complaints being sent to 1. State Board of Examiners of Electrical Contractors, 2. 2-Guilford County Inspectors, 3. 2-Want's to Know.
Final Business Response /* (4000, 15, 2016/10/10) */
In response, we have contacted the inspections department again. The consumer did not contact them to straighten this out as he said he would. We are still trying to schedule the 3rd party electrical inspection. We are unaware of any unfinished work regarding this project, as it was performed on a time and materials basis. We are willing to offer to resolve this matter without admission of any wrong doing in effort to make this consumer happy. Resolution:
The consumer agrees not to take any actions that may damage the reputation of the company or its employees.
The consumer agrees not to file any complaints and agrees to drop any current complaints.
We will pay in good faith a settlement requested in the amount of $269.70.
This matter is settled completely.