Dakota Diversified

I would first like to say that I have known Ms[redacted] for to years and have done several real estate transactions which she acted as my realtor and up to this point,have considered her a longtime friendWhat is not mentioned in this complaint is in the years proceeding this project,I was called by Ms.Marsh,at the spur of the moment,to look at several properties she was looking to purchase and modify to her and her mother's needs and I was to advise, determine ability and costs to modify these propertiesNone of these projects ever materializedI never received a fee for these property inspections and evaluationsThen the attention was directed to her existing homeIwould also like to say that from the outset of this project,this was not a for profit job for me but an attempt to help a friendAlso from the outset,there was a minimalbudget to work with and I went forward based on these minimal standards and budget.Ms [redacted] also knew from our many years of association that I am not and never implied that I was a licensed contractor in the state of ArizonaI have been licensed in three other states and have never had a complaintI have over years of construction experience.I am a construction superintendent here in Arizona and was "assisting a friend with her remodeling project."Ms [redacted] in general was in a very run down conditionThe kitchen cabinets had missing drawer fronts,cabinet doors not attached and the finish was so worn and beyond refinishingThe formica countertops had burn marks and the finish worn off as wellThe flooring was filthy with pet stains and pet fur with the carpets worn out.My laborers had to wear gloves and masks to remove the urine stained and filthy carpetsThe house reeked of cigarette smoke and the walls were yellow and dingy.The house was overflowing with furniture and (too much) "stuff''.The plan was to get the house updated but with "in stock'' cabinetry and materials to keep the costs downThat is how the pricing was arrived fromThere was a line item budget prepared and agreed uponFrom this point on,Ms[redacted] totally disregarded the budgetThe following extras occurred:First of all,she explained to me that she wanted things to be new,not taking walls down, moving rooms so initially,drywall,electrical, HVAC, raising floors,etc and the expansion of the kitchen was not in the planUpon another consultation and including my wife, we determined that she wanted to change the floor plan of her house and expand the scope of the remodeling project This lead to more in depth planning,budget changes,drawings and researchNone of which we charged anything forI informed Ms[redacted] that she could make these changes but she would have to pay the additional costsGranite countertops -at the time of pricing she asked about granite countertops and I agreed but based pricing on x granite tiles (which I have used in several· remodeling jobs} Had a $2,budget, there was never any mention of slab graniteSo she not only went out and selected granite slabs but on a scale of 1to 4,being the most expensive, she selected a level grade granite Then she could not go with a standard finished edge,but selected a chiseled edge, another costly upgrade, taking the $2,budget to $6,This granite is not yet purchased but has increased the budget by $4,The [redacted] bath was not originally included in the remodeling plan but Ms [redacted] came back wanting to include a new granite countertop over the existing vanity [redacted] -the appliance budget was $4,which included all refrigerator, all freezer, range, dishwasher and microwave/vent hood combination, in the stainless steel packageThen she wanted to upgrade the range to the Galaxy Series, a $extra cost,then she wanted all refrigerator and all freezer "kit", which was an additional cost of $(not yet purchased)This decision was made after the cabinet installation,creating extra labor and costs to modify the cabinetry to accommodate the appliance kit.The extra labor to modify the cabinets came to an additional $Cabinets- budget set at $6,000.00,Ms[redacted] found the cabinet shop and placed the order, I did notShe upgraded specifications to include custom slow close drawer guides,slow close door hinges with an additional $1,upgrade,per the cabinet company representativeHardly,in stock and off the shelf per the original planThen there was a set of cabinets left out of the order for another extra cost of $1,All cabinets have been paid for Extra installation labor had to be paid because of the different way to install the European style cabinetry,raising the installation overrun by an additional$The cabinets in this European style did not allow for the typical clearance in the original master bathroom vanity replacement and we had to modify the wall this time to make the cabinet fit- another $in labor paidThe extra cabinetry ordered for the master bathroom were not in the original plan eitherSupplied labor and material to replace pieces of roof facia - work done and at no chargeRemoved floor tiles to salvage and save so we didn't have to replace the entire flooringWas able to remove enough to re-use in the areas needed but at an additional $in labor to clean the backs of the original floor tilesExtra labor and material to seal concrete under VCT tile flooring - $Supplied labor and material to build kitchen cabinet book shelf toe kick that was not included in the cabinetry order-paid an additional$Had to exchange miss-measured cabinechargeProvided new HVAC filters -no charge11.Ran new wiring to existing ceiling fan -no charge12.Installed extra can lights in kitchen - an extra $paidInstall new power for new ceiling fan in family room- an additional$paidProvided receptacle for phone - paid an additional$50.0015.Provided dimmer switches -paid an additional$Ran new power for walk in closet ceiling light- paid an additional$Provided and installed new 32" ceiling fan in Ms[redacted] vanity room- another $paidRelocation of original master bathroom vanity receptacle - another $25.0019.Loaned Ms[redacted] my pressure washer for her own use - no chargeAfter installing a new sliding glass door and installing new rough sawn wood trim,Ms [redacted] was there during and watching this installation and upon completion,then requested that the trim be removed and replaced with left over floor tile- an additional$paid21.The budget for floor tile material was $per square footOnce again,I was not consulted at all,but Ms[redacted] selected a 6" x 24" and 6" x 36" tile planking which cost $per square foot at a 119% increase over budget, totaling extra material cost to $which was paidThis plank style layout increased the labor installation costs to increase by cents per foot for an additional$labor paid.22.The one and only extra that Ms[redacted] has paid for is the demo of master bedroom carpet and the installation of 6" x 24" and 6" x 36" plank tilesThis was not included in the original budget at all.These extra prices were for costs only,as you can see by the amounts,at a very fair charges and still Ms[redacted] balks and refused to pay these additional charges she rung upShe continually took advantage of my friendship and had my workers doing things for her and used them as her own free laborShe had them take her on errands when she didn't have a car, she had them watch her mother while she was gone on errands, shopping, etc., she had them doing jobs around her house for her,she used my tools and equipment and took advantage of the tradesmen there working to make the changes without consulting with meI was disheartened to see the animals were allowed to continue the same practices that lead to the condition of the house to begin with.As I have said from the start of this response,this was not a for profit job- I went into this as a friend helping a friendI am willing to do what it takes to complete this job so it is over-but I do not feel that I have to come out of pocket to upgrade her homeI have repeatedly told Ms [redacted] that she needs to pay extra for these upgrades and extras but cannot get through to her that she is responsible for these extra costsI have asked several times to speak with her brother who seems to be the one who writes the check from her mother's account but she will not allow this contactIdo not know what she is telling her family but Ican see from this complaint,her story is severely one sided,incomplete and incorrect,so am assuming she is repeating this tall tale to her family as wellAlii have been asking for is compensation for the extra costs (that have only been charged on a "at cost'' basis) and the sufficient monies per the cost breakdown to finish the jobShe refuses to pay for the extra costs or to pay to finish the jobWhat does one expect me to do? Pay for it myself??? I don't think so...as I stated,who expects me to pay for her remodeling and upgrading her home? We were already helping her remodelher house for costShe was demanding,unreasonable and totally taking advantage of our friendship.This project would not have lasted this long if we stuck with the original planI have been meeting deadlines for years,even if I have to overcome a few obstacles, but when you continually change things time and time again and then on top of it all,refuse to pay for the changes and extra costs or even refuse to finish paying for the job,the job will always come to a standstillThe reason for the standstill was money.I am also including a statement from my wife who was present during the original planning of the projectI am including copies of receipts of paid items and written estimates of items to be completed.I am willing to cooperate in any way to resolve this matterI am preparing a complete job accounting along with copies of all paid receipts

Revdex.com:I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ***, and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear belowI am writing in response to the recent correspondence sent to you by my contractor, *** ***, and his wife, ***First, let me clarify the nature of our relationship prior to my decision to hire *** to remodel my homeI have known him as my real estate client for over yearsWe did successfully complete several transactions together, and through the years, I have come to regard him as my friendDuring this same time, I became acquainted with his wife, ***, and also came to regard her as a friend*** helped me with small repairs from time to time prior to undertaking my remodeling job.It is true that I asked them to give me opinions on homes that I considered to be better living alternatives once my elderly mother came to live with meThe reality was that we needed extra space to incorporate her furniture and personal belongingsUnfortunately, we were unable to find the right *** in the right price range and decided instead, to rehab my current residenceThough it seems that Mrs*** was making a case that I took advantage of their expertise (and our friendship) during this time, I vigorously disagreeAs for ***'s statement that she did not bill for her consulting services, I can only say that I did not expect that she would, as she is not a designer, and at this point, it was just one friend asking another foran opinion.Both of them have expressed that I changed the scope and design of the project after it started, when in fact, they knew from the outset that walls would be moved, a sunken floor would need to be raised, lighting would have to be moved and added, ductwork changed, etcWhen the initial budget was set, they absolutely knew the scope of this projectIn my defense, the changes that they said I made "on the fly" were most often the result of shoddy workmanshipHad *** sent his "A-Teamu, we wo ldn't have had to make so many correctionsI estimate that they spent as much time re-doing errors as they did in initial construction efforts.The project languished for over fifteen (15) months, during which my very elderly mother tripped and fell into an open construction site where a planter had been removed (without a railing being constructed) Every day it was a challenge for her to navigate floors strewn with tools and extension cords, and it was not the outcome that I had envisioned when I spent $23,(to-date) for this project.Their portrayal of my *** as a "pig sty" is disappointing and quite hurtfulI will admit that the male mixed-breed dog that I adopted from a shelter has been a challenge to housebreak, and to-date, still has not mastered the skill, however, I did not witness anyone wearing masks and glove to remove urine-soaked carpet and other flooringfrom my home.Having said this, I will attempt to respond to their correspondence as appropriate, addressing paragraphs from their respective letters.Thank you in advance for your consideration in this matter.Paragraph #of Mr***'s cover letter: Mr*** incorrectly states that my Formica had burn holes on it, and it did notIt was original to the house and was years old, and in some places, had come looseMy cabinets were literally falling apart, having been constructed of the cheapest particle board materials, years agoI find this information to be immaterial to his performance of the duties we contractually agreed uponHis statement that the house "smelled" is an attempt to paint me as "slovenly, unkempt, and not trustworthy" in my portrayal of the actions that did and did not take placeAdditionally, I did not witness anyone wearing gloves and masks while working at my home, and as for the air quality, I perpetually run a swamp cooler to keep the air circulating and sometimes open windows for cross ventilation, so I totally disagree with his accusationThe walls did need a new coat of paint, but the state of my home's walls had nothing to do with the work environment that his crew had to work within.I find his portrayal of my *** as "overflowing with furniture" and "stuff' to be irrelevant tooAs stated in my cover letter, I had consolidated two households into one when my mother moved from Sun City, so of course, it would be crowdedAgain, what did this have to do with his completion of the contracted tasks? These items were not an impediment to the work being completedI made sure to have things moved out of affected areas on the day the extra space was requiredMr*** also informed me verbally "that he knew my furniture situation and not to worry, he had plenty of manpower to move the furniture".Regarding the "stock" cabinetry, I received an email from Mrs*** stating the cabinets would run between $10,- $15,from *** *** In the end, I found cabinets for$8,that included safety features I needed for my mother (ex: self-closing drawers)In so doing, I came in under the budgeted amount as relayed by Mrs***While it is higher than theamount on the agreed upon bid sheet, the amount paid was still less than Mrs***'s originalestimate.Item #1): Upon our initial walk-thru, Mr*** knew that walls would need to be taken down to incorporate the former sunken living room into the expanded kitchen space, and of course drywall would need to be put up and/or repaired once the separating wall was demolishedReorganizing the placement of the *** would necessitate installation of new electrical outlets, plumbing, wiring, etcRaising the sunken living room floor was obvious if that space was to be incorporated into the new kitchen, and concrete would be needed to accomplish this goalAs you can see in the signed bid, #states: "Supply all labor and equipment to demo existing kitchen completely, kitchen to be relocated in existing living room area".His accusation that I changed the floor plan is incorrect(I have included Mr***'s original floor plan drawing)We talked about this same layout from the very beginningHis insinuation that I somehow took advantage of his expertise without payment is interestingHe never disclosed to me that he wanted to be paid for his in-depth planning, budgeting, drawings, and researchThere was no line item on the bid for architectural design, blueprints, etcIf he offered this expertise to me as a gesture of friendship, I appreciate thatHowever, if he expected to be paid, it should have been delineated on the bid sheet He is otherwise trying to portray me as an opportunist.As for the cost of the title, yes, $was more than previously agreed upon, however I verbally agreed to pay the differenceMr*** did not return to finish the work, so we never settled up on that differenceAt this point, I assume that we are square because I paid him $23,in advance and he failed to show up and provide full value for that amount Item #2): Regarding the granite; Mr*** instructed me to go to Stone Expo to look at granite samplesWhile there, I placed a call to Mr*** (with my mother and the sales associate as my witnesses), to verify that the price of the slabsI had selected were within budget and o.kwith himHe told me that the price was fine and to reserve it(For the record, there are four (4) levels of granite and my slabs were from the least expensive pricing group.) As for the edging, my fabricator assured me that there would be no additional charge for the rough-style edge that I wanted for my granite, and re-iterated it again in January of this year.As far as the accusation that I added a granite requirement for my *** bath, this is also inaccurateMr*** and I discussed that I would be keeping the existing cabinet in this room to keep costs down, but that Iwanted to incorporate granite in that room to tie everything togetherHe agreed with me, during that conversation, that it would accomplish that, and there was no mention of an upcharge.Item #3: Regarding appliances, to my knowledge, Mr*** did not have pre-selected *** in mind when he measured for cabinets In fact, we looked at *** together at *** for the first time AFTER he had already hung the cabinetsMr*** knew I had specified I wanted the full sized all refrigerator and full sized all freezerMr*** called *** *** himself for pricing, yet Mr*** never once bothered to go physically look at them and measure them, so it naturally necessitated modifications to the already hung cabinetsThe old adage, 11Measure twice, cut once" comes to mind.Item #4): Again, regarding cabinets, I operated on the veracity of Mrs***'s budget estimate ($10,- $15,000.00), which did not include self-closing drawers and other extras that I was able to secure in the ones that I purchased elsewhereTheir cabinets (from *** ***) would have been more expensive than the ones I secured for $8,200.00.I concede that the total I spent was $more than the line item on the bid ($7,300.00), but that amount did not include the self-closing drawers that were a must-have to protect my elderly mother from harming herself, and was not in line with what Mrs*** and I had discussedHad we added the self-closing mechanism to the ones from *** ***, the cost would have also eclipsed the line item on the bid, but by an even greater amount.Item #5): Regarding labor and materials; the fascia board he referred to was nothing more than two (2) small boards on the edge of the roof that his worker volunteered to put up for meHad I known that this was going to be considered a billable item by Mr***, Iwould have put them up myselfI accepted a kind offer from his worker without knowing it would be considered billableAgain, this is an attempt to paint me as a greedy opportunist.Item #6): Regarding removal and salvaging of floor tiles; Mr*** and I initially discussed my desire to reuse the tiles if at all possibleAt that time, Mr*** did not give me the impression that it would require an additional $of labor to remove and prepare the tiles for reuseIf it was a viable expense, it should have been included in a modified bid for my consideration.Item #7): Regarding extra labor and material to install VCT tile; the need to seal concrete before laying tile should be a known labor element by the contractor, and as such, if it was required, should have been included in the original bid for my considerationItem #8): Regarding the toe kick in the kitchen, I spoke with *** *** at *** *** *** ***, ***., and he informed me that Mr*** was not charged $for a toe kick, such as would have come with the cabinetsI was interested to learn that Mr*** apparently ordered additional items that were never picked up, and for which *** was never compensated.Item #9): Regarding Mr***'s accusation that cabinets were mis-measured; this would have been his mistakeWhen I ordered the cabinets, I took the diagram supplied by Mr*** with measurements that he specifiedAny size discrepancies would be related back to that original document(If the mis-measurement relates back to the appliances, please refer to my response to Item #3.)Item #0): Regarding the furnace filter supplied by Mr***; one would expect that after a contractor has run saws to cut tile, lumber, etcthere would be excessive dust in a furnace filterA good contractor would see it as his responsibility to change that filter upon completion of his project(This is what my father, a General Contractor, always did.) I find it petty that he included this as "an issue" based on the magnitude of everything else that has been botched on this job.Item #11): Regarding new wiring to existing ceiling fan; I'm a little at a loss here, but I believe he is referring to the de-installation and re-installation of an existing ceiling fan from my master bedroom to a new location in the living room, which of course, would require some materials to accomplishThe original fan worked in my family room, but after the relocation of the second fan it did not workIf it required re-wiring, it was because of something that happened during their work putting the second fan upIf there was a charge for doing this, it should have been presented for our consideration on a modified bid sheet.Item #12}: Regarding can lights in the kitchen; we initially discussed that three {3) can lights would need to be installed above the kitchen islandI'm not sure what he is referring to here as the "surprise"Again, if there was an additional charge, it should have been presented for our consideration on a modified bid sheet.Item #13): Regarding power for the new ceiling fan in the living room; the installation of this new fan was discussed, and therefore, any associated additional costs should have been presented for our consideration on a modified bid sheet.Item #14): Regarding the phone receptacle; I do not believe that there was $paid by Mr*** because my neighbor actually ran the wire and provided the receptacle for the phoneMr*** was not involved with relocation of the phone equipment to my knowledge.Item #15): Regarding dimmer switches; from the beginning, Mr*** new that I wanted them for the kitchen can lights as well as the lights over the islandIf they were not included in the bid, again, this is the omission of the contractor.Item #16): Regarding the ceiling light in the closet; because this closet was lighted by a lamp plugged into a wall socketI believe that it would be common knowledge to expect a light to be installed in thereAgain, this appears to be a budget omission on the part of the contractor.Item #17): Regarding installation of a new ceiling fan in the bathroom area; this is another item that we had discussedIf the wet area of a bathroom is not near a window; isn't a fan required by code? If there was an additional charge to install it, again, it should have been submitted for our consideration in a modified bid.Item #18): Regarding installation of a bathroom receptacle; this was totally caused by an error made by his workerLike much of the work performed by his inexperienced and unqualified workers, this too had to be re-doneThis is a cost of doing business for Mr***.Item #19): Regarding the loan of Mr***'s pressure washer: I cannot believe that this was includedAgain, it goes to his attempt to paint my character as deficient in some wayTruthfully, I did derive benefit from being able to wash away years of oil and grease accumulated on the driveway, but the impetus for borrowing the power washer was to remove months of construction material and debris from my drive that was left by his crews.Item #20): Regarding the sliding glass door; the new trim he referred towas nothing more than three (3) unfinished x 4's, nothing as special as even traditional 2" pine moldingIt added nothing to the outside of my house, so I asked if we could use leftover tile to give it a more finished lookHe did the work himself, so I'm not sure what he's referring to when he s id that the cost was $ It must have been for his labor? Item #21): Regarding tile for the master bedroom; I found a tile I liked, I ran it by Mr***, and it was approvedI then paid for the tile and installation myselfIt did not come out of the advance paid to Mr***, and he is not due compensation for any part of thisAs for the installation costing more, Mr*** helped me lay it out and never said anything about added cost to install it in this configuration.Item #22): See item #21.Iwould like to further address Mr***'s accusation that I refused to pay him the balance of the bid amountHere is the truth about thatFor over fifteen (15) months, my mother and I have lived among the rubble, with meals being cooked on a Coleman stove (placed on the unfinished kitchen island), in a microwave, or on the grill outsideWe did without running water in the kitchen for most of that time, until I hired someone to temporarily install a sink not long ago(Dishes were washed in the guest bath sink or tub until this was accomplished.) Our refrigerated items were either crammed into a dorm refrigerator in the kitchen, or inconveniently located in an old refrigerator on my back patioOver time, we gave Mr*** deposits and advances amounting to $23,and still did not have a finished productYes, in his mind, there is $4,owed to him, per thecontract, but we knew that he would never deliver the granite or *** if we gave him the remainder, as this amount did not compensate for his gross under-bidding of the project.Perhaps the bid would have not been so out-of-line had Mr*** hired qualified sub-contractorsThankfully, I grew up in a family with a dad who was a General ContractorI have worked with him during the summers, and he taught me a good deal about constructionSo, when I discovered that Mr***'s workers had made a mistake on the kitchen island, as well as the construction of a half-wall that had to be shimmed to correct the problem, Mr*** actually told me I'd made a good call" Part of the problem in our project was that Mr*** was rarely there to oversee the workThe crew boss was a retired electrician who knew nothing about construction techniquesThe people hired to do the sheetrock had to re-work my old kitchen ceiling area five (5) times, and eventually a different guy was brought in to fix it correctlyMr*** subsequently came back to install can lights over the island, and to-date, the lights still are not correctly installed flush with the ceilingMr*** also used the wrong paint around the new canned lights, so once again the ceiling needs to be re-painted again.Mr*** inaccurately reports that his workers were "required" to act as my taxi and elder-care providersI admit that during this time, my old car was frequently in the shop and I was challenged in getting out, for example, to choose carpetIn that instance, I did take him up on his offer to have a worker drive me to complete that taskOn at least one occasion, his worker, Patrick, stayed over to keep my mother company while I ran an errand, but he was not required to do soAs far as I can tell, he did it because he wanted to.In conclusion, Mr*** has tried repeatedly to assassinate my character and paint me as an opportunist, and this is untrueI believe that we all went into this transaction with mutually agreed upon goals and expectations, but that they became divergent over time His view is that I changed the bid to take advantage of our friendship and get more than I originally agreed to pay for, but my vantage point is grossly differentMany of the items he says were not discussed up-front, in fact, wereHis inability to adequately bid the job to cover them should not have precluded him from finishing the job, or caused my mother and I to live without a workable kitchen for over fifteen (15) months.We do not feel that we have $23,worth of additional value in this houseIf Mr*** spent that amount to get to the point at which he walked out and left us hanging, a large part of that amount was surely paid to his workers for re-doing tasks that had been botchedToday, here is where it all standsI did not pay the remainder of the $28,originally bid because I knew that it was not going to be enough to finish the project, and that ultimately, I would just be out that much more, and still not have a working kitchenWhen Mr*** quit coming by, I quit writing checks.After months of misery, we still don't have the new Master bedroom door and trim, doors and trim painted, old kitchen ceiling area re-painted, mirrors in the two (2) Master bathroom areasRe-paint the *** bathroom, since they left the old light fixture up when they painted it the first time and then put up the new light fixture there is a three (3) foot by three (3) inch place on the wall that is without new paintPaint by the new kitchen where they painted with the wrong colorThe new kitchen cabinets needs to be adjustedCracked wood trim by the new freezerNow we have to hire people to do this for us at more expense to us.This had been a tremendous strain on my 87-year-old mother, due to the excessive worry that it has caused her, not to mention the falls she has taken in an unsafe living environmentHer health has diminished greatly during the duration of this projectHer Cardiologist gives her about a month to liveRecently, my cousin came to visit and could not stand the thought of my mother not seeing her investment come to fruition, so she paid out-of-pocket, in excess of $13,000, to finish the granite and appliances(Incidentally, these items had been reserved for over a year, and original pricing was honored.) Had Mr*** correctly bid the job in the first place, and performed the contractually agreed upon items, my mother and I would have been spared much worry and anguish, and I would not owe an additional $13,to a family member

I would first like to say that I have known Ms.[redacted] for 15 to 16 years and have done several real estate transactions which she acted as my realtor and up to this point,have considered her a longtime friend. What is not mentioned in this complaint is in the years proceeding this project,I was...

called by Ms.Marsh,at the spur of the moment,to look at several properties she was looking to purchase and modify to her and her mother's needs and I was to advise, determine ability and costs to modify these properties. None of these projects ever materialized. I never received a fee for these property inspections and evaluations. Then the attention was directed to her existing home. Iwould also like to say that from the outset of this project,this was not a for profit job for me but an attempt to help a friend. Also from the outset,there was a minimalbudget to work with and I went forward based on these minimal standards and budget.Ms. [redacted] also knew from our many years of association that I am not and never implied that I was a licensed contractor in the state of Arizona. I have been licensed in three other states and have never had a complaint. I have over 43 years of construction experience.I am a construction superintendent here in Arizona and was "assisting a friend with her remodeling project."Ms. [redacted] in general was in a very run down condition. The kitchen cabinets had missing drawer fronts,cabinet doors not attached and the finish was so worn and beyond refinishing. The formica countertops had burn marks and the finish worn off as well. The flooring was filthy with pet stains and pet fur with the carpets worn out.My laborers had to wear gloves and masks to remove the urine stained and filthy carpets. The house reeked of cigarette smoke and the walls were yellow and dingy.The house was overflowing with furniture and (too much) "stuff''.The plan was to get the house updated but with "in stock'' cabinetry and materials to keep the costs down. That is how the pricing was arrived from. There was a line item budget prepared and agreed upon. From this point on,Ms.[redacted] totally disregarded the budget. The following extras occurred:1. First of all,she explained to me that she wanted things to be new,not taking walls down, moving rooms so initially,drywall,electrical, HVAC, raising floors,etc and the expansion of the kitchen was not in the plan. Upon another consultation and including my wife, we determined that she wanted to change the floor plan of her house and expand the scope of the remodeling project.  This lead to more in depth planning,budget changes,drawings and research. None of which we charged anything for. I informed Ms.[redacted] that she could make these changes but she would have to pay the additional costs.2. Granite countertops -at the time of pricing she asked about granite countertops and I agreed but based pricing on 12 x 12 granite tiles (which I have used in several· remodeling jobs} Had a $2,000.00 budget, there was never any mention of slab granite. So she not only went out and selected granite slabs but on a scale of 1to 4,4 being the most expensive, she selected a level 3 grade granite.  Then she could not go with a standard finished edge,but selected a chiseled edge, another costly upgrade, taking the $2,000.00 budget to $6,247.00. This granite is not yet purchased but has increased the budget by $4,247.00. The [redacted] bath was not originally included in the remodeling plan but Ms. [redacted] came back wanting to include a new granite countertop over the existing vanity.3. [redacted] -the appliance budget was $4,000.00 which included all refrigerator, all freezer, range, dishwasher and microwave/vent hood combination, in the stainless steel package. Then she wanted to upgrade the range to the Galaxy Series, a $759.50 extra cost,then she wanted all refrigerator and all freezer "kit", which was an additional cost of $434.00 (not yet purchased). This decision was made after the cabinet installation,creating extra labor and costs to modify the cabinetry to accommodate the appliance kit.The extra labor to modify the cabinets came to an additional $380.00.4. Cabinets- budget set at $6,000.00,Ms.[redacted] found the cabinet shop and placed the order, I did not. She upgraded specifications to include custom slow close drawer guides,slow close door hinges with an additional $1,000.00 upgrade,per the cabinet company representative. Hardly,in stock and off the shelf per the original plan. Then there was a set of cabinets left out of the order for another extra cost of $1,200.00. All cabinets have been paid for.  Extra installation labor had to be paid because of the different way to install the European style cabinetry,raising the installation overrun by an additional$600.00. The cabinets in this European style did not allow for the typical clearance in the original master bathroom vanity replacement  and we had to modify the wall this time to make the cabinet fit- another $325.00 in labor paid. The extra cabinetry ordered for the master bathroom were not in the original plan either.5. Supplied labor and material to replace 2 pieces of roof facia - work done and at no charge.6. Removed floor tiles to salvage and save so we didn't have to replace the entire flooring. Was able to remove enough to re-use in the areas needed but at an additional $150.00 in labor to clean the backs of the original floor tiles.7. Extra labor and material to seal concrete under VCT tile flooring - $100.00 8. Supplied labor and material to build kitchen cabinet book shelf toe kick that was not included in the cabinetry order-paid an additional$85.009. Had to exchange miss-measured cabinets-no charge.10. Provided new HVAC filters -no charge11.Ran new wiring to existing ceiling fan -no charge12.Installed 3 extra can lights in kitchen - an extra $180.00 paid13. Install new power for new ceiling fan in family room- an additional$75.00 paid14. Provided receptacle for phone - paid an additional$50.0015.Provided 2 dimmer switches -paid an additional$30.0016. Ran new power for walk in closet ceiling light- paid an additional$115.0017. Provided and installed new 32" ceiling fan in Ms.[redacted] vanity room- another $95.00 paid18. Relocation of original master bathroom vanity receptacle - another $25.0019.Loaned Ms.[redacted] my pressure washer for her own use - no charge20. After installing a new sliding glass door and installing new rough sawn wood trim,Ms. [redacted] was there during and watching this installation and upon completion,then requested that the trim be removed and replaced with left over floor tile- an additional$225.00 paid21.The budget for floor tile material was $1.00 per square foot. Once again,I was not consulted at all,but Ms.[redacted] selected a 6" x 24" and 6" x 36" tile planking which cost $2.19 per square foot at a 119% increase over budget, totaling extra material cost to $416.50 which was paid. This plank style layout increased the labor installation costs to increase by 50 cents per foot for an additional$175.00 labor paid.22.The one and only extra that Ms.[redacted] has paid for is the demo of master bedroom carpet and the installation of 6" x 24" and 6" x 36" plank tiles. This was not included in the original budget at all.These extra prices were for costs only,as you can see by the amounts,at a very fair charges and still Ms.[redacted] balks and refused to pay these additional charges she rung up. She continually took advantage of my friendship and had my workers doing things for her and used them as her own free labor. She had them take her on errands when she didn't have a car, she had them watch her mother while she was gone on errands, shopping, etc.,  she had them doing jobs around her house for her,she used my tools and equipment and took advantage of the tradesmen there working to make the changes without consulting with me. I was disheartened to see the animals were allowed to continue the same practices that lead to the condition of the house to begin with.As I have said from the start of this response,this was not a for profit job- I went into this as a friend helping a friend. I am willing to do what it takes to complete this job so it is over-but I do not feel that I have to come out of pocket to upgrade her home. I have repeatedly told Ms. [redacted] that she needs to pay extra for these upgrades and extras but cannot get through to her that she is responsible for these extra costs. I have asked several times to speak with her brother who seems to be the one who writes the check from her mother's account but she will not allow this contact. Ido not know what she is telling her family but Ican see from this complaint,her story is severely one sided,incomplete and incorrect,so am assuming she is repeating this tall tale to her family as well. Alii have been asking for is compensation for the extra costs (that have only been charged on a "at cost'' basis) and the sufficient monies per the cost breakdown to finish the job. She refuses to pay for the extra costs or to pay to finish the job. What does one expect me to do? Pay for it myself??? I don't think so...as I stated,who expects me to pay for her remodeling and upgrading her home? We were already helping her remodelher house for cost. She was demanding,unreasonable and totally taking advantage of our friendship.This project would not have lasted this long if we stuck with the original plan. I have been meeting deadlines for years,even if I have to overcome a few obstacles, but when you continually change things time and time again and then on top of it all,refuse to pay for the changes and extra costs or even refuse to finish paying for the job,the job will always come to a standstill. The reason for the standstill was money.I am also including a statement from my wife who was present during the original planning of the project. I am including copies of receipts of paid items and written estimates of items to be completed.I am willing to cooperate in any way to resolve this matter. I am preparing a complete job accounting along with copies of all paid receipts.

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear belowI am writing in response to the recent correspondence sent to you by my contractor, [redacted], and his wife, [redacted]. First, let me clarify the nature of our relationship prior to my decision to hire [redacted] to remodel my home. I have known him as my real estate client for over 15 years. We did successfully complete several transactions together, and through the years, I have come to regard him as my friend. During this same time, I became acquainted with his wife, [redacted], and also came to regard her as a friend. [redacted] helped me with small repairs from time to time prior to undertaking my remodeling job.It is true that I asked them to give me opinions on homes that I considered to be better living alternatives once my elderly mother came to live with me. The reality was that we needed extra space to incorporate her furniture and personal belongings. Unfortunately, we were unable to find the right [redacted] in the right  price  range and decided instead, to rehab my current residence. Though it seems that Mrs. [redacted] was making a case that I took advantage of their expertise (and our friendship) during this time, I vigorously disagree. As for [redacted]'s statement that she did not bill for her consulting services, I can only say that I did not expect that she would, as she is not a designer, and at this point, it was just one friend asking another for. an opinion.Both of them have expressed that I changed the scope and design of the project after it started, when in fact, they knew from the outset that walls would be moved, a sunken floor would need to be raised, lighting would have to be moved and added, ductwork changed, etc. When the initial budget was set, they absolutely knew the scope of this project. In my defense, the changes that they said I made "on the fly" were most often the result of shoddy workmanship. Had [redacted] sent his "A-Teamu, we wo ldn't have had to make so many corrections. I estimate that they spent as much time re-doing errors as they did in initial construction efforts.The project languished for over fifteen (15) months, during which my very elderly mother tripped and fell into an open construction site where a planter had been  removed (without a railing being constructed).   Every day it was a challenge for her to navigate floors strewn with tools and extension cords, and it was not the outcome that I had envisioned when I spent $23,375.00 (to-date) for this project.Their portrayal of my [redacted] as a "pig sty" is disappointing and quite hurtful. I will admit that the male mixed-breed dog that I adopted from a shelter has been a challenge to housebreak, and to-date, still has not mastered the skill, however, I did not witness anyone wearing masks and glove to remove urine-soaked carpet and other flooringfrom my home.Having said this,  I will attempt to  respond to their  correspondence  as appropriate, addressing paragraphs from their respective letters.Thank you in advance for your consideration in this matter.Paragraph #3 of Mr. [redacted]'s cover letter: Mr. [redacted] incorrectly states that my Formica had burn holes on it, and it did not. It was original  to the house and was 34 years old, and in some places, had come loose. My cabinets were literally falling apart, having been constructed of the cheapest particle board materials, 34 years  ago. I find this information to be immaterial to his performance of the duties we contractually agreed upon. His statement that  the  house "smelled"  is an attempt to paint me as "slovenly, unkempt, and not trustworthy"  in my portrayal of the actions that did and did not take place. Additionally, I did not witness anyone wearing gloves and masks while working at my home,  and as for the air quality, I perpetually run a swamp cooler to keep the air circulating and sometimes open windows for cross ventilation, so I totally disagree with his accusation. The walls did need a new coat of paint, but the state of my home's walls had nothing to do with the work environment that his crew had to work within.I find his portrayal of my [redacted] as "overflowing with furniture" and "stuff' to be irrelevant too. As stated in my cover letter, I had consolidated two households into one when my mother moved from Sun City, so of course, it would be crowded. Again, what did this have to do with his completion of the contracted tasks? These items were not an impediment to the work being completed. I made sure to have things moved out of affected areas on the day the extra space was required. Mr. [redacted] also informed me verbally "that he knew my furniture situation and not to worry, he had plenty of manpower to move the furniture".Regarding the "stock" cabinetry, I received an email from Mrs. [redacted] stating the cabinets would run between $10,000.00 - $15,000.00 from [redacted].   In the end, I found cabinets for$8,200.00 that included safety features I needed for my mother (ex: self-closing drawers). In so doing, I came in under the budgeted amount as relayed by Mrs. [redacted]. While it is higher than theamount on the agreed upon bid sheet, the amount paid was still less than Mrs. [redacted]'s originalestimate.Item #1): Upon our initial walk-thru, Mr. [redacted] knew that walls would need to be taken down to incorporate the former sunken living room into the expanded kitchen space, and of course drywall would need to be put up and/or repaired once the separating wall was demolished. Reorganizing the placement of the [redacted] would necessitate installation of new electrical outlets, plumbing, wiring, etc. Raising the sunken living room floor was obvious if that space was to be incorporated into the new kitchen, and concrete would be needed to accomplish this goal. As you can see in the signed bid, #1 states: "Supply all labor and equipment to demo existing kitchen completely, kitchen to be relocated in existing living room area".His accusation that I changed the floor plan is incorrect. (I have included Mr. [redacted]'s original floor plan drawing). We talked about this same layout from the very beginning. His insinuation that I somehow took advantage of his expertise without payment is interesting. He never disclosed to me that he wanted to be paid for his in-depth planning, budgeting,  drawings,  and research. There was no line item on the bid for architectural design, blueprints, etc. If he offered this expertise to me as a gesture of friendship, I appreciate that. However, if he expected to be paid, it should have been delineated on the bid sheet.  He is otherwise trying to portray me as an opportunist.As for the cost of the title, yes, $1.19 was more than previously agreed upon, however I verbally agreed to pay the difference. Mr. [redacted] did not return to finish the work, so we never settled up on that difference. At this point, I assume that we are square because I paid him $23,375.00 in advance and he failed to show up and provide full value for that amount.  Item #2): Regarding the granite; Mr. [redacted] instructed me to go to Stone Expo to look at granite samples. While there, I placed a call to Mr. [redacted] (with my mother and the sales associate as my witnesses), to verify that the price of the slabs. I had selected were within budget and o.k. with him. He told me that the price was fine and to reserve it. (For the record, there are four (4) levels of granite and my slabs were from the least expensive pricing group.) As for the edging, my fabricator assured me that there would be no additional charge for the rough-style edge that I wanted for my granite, and re-iterated it again in January of this year.As far as the accusation that I added a granite requirement for my [redacted] bath, this is also inaccurate. Mr. [redacted] and I discussed that I would be keeping the existing cabinet in this room to keep costs down, but that Iwanted to incorporate granite in that room to tie everything together. He agreed with me, during that conversation, that it would accomplish that, and there was no mention of an upcharge.Item #3:   Regarding appliances, to my knowledge, Mr. [redacted] did not have pre-selected [redacted] in mind when he measured for cabinets.  In fact, we looked at [redacted] together at [redacted] for the first time AFTER he had already hung the cabinets. Mr. [redacted] knew I had specified I wanted the full sized all refrigerator and full sized all freezer. Mr. [redacted]  called  [redacted] himself for pricing, yet Mr. [redacted] never once bothered to go physically look at them and measure them, so it naturally necessitated modifications to the already hung cabinets. The old adage, 11Measure twice, cut once" comes to mind.Item #4): Again, regarding cabinets, I operated on the veracity of Mrs. [redacted]'s budget estimate ($10,000.00 - $15,000.00), which did not include self-closing drawers and other extras that I was able to secure in the ones that I purchased elsewhere. Their cabinets (from [redacted]) would have been more expensive than the ones I secured for $8,200.00.I concede that the total I spent was $900.00 more than the line item on the bid ($7,300.00), but that amount did not include the self-closing drawers that were a must-have to protect my elderly mother from harming herself, and was not in line with what Mrs. [redacted] and I had discussed. Had we added the self-closing mechanism to the ones from [redacted], the cost would have also eclipsed the line item on the bid, but by an even greater amount.Item #5): Regarding labor and materials; the fascia board he referred to was nothing more than two (2) small boards on the edge of the roof that his worker volunteered to put up for me. Had I known that this was going to be considered a billable item by Mr. [redacted], Iwould have put them up myself. I accepted a kind offer from his worker without knowing it would be considered billable. Again, this is an attempt to paint me as a greedy opportunist.Item #6): Regarding removal and salvaging of floor tiles; Mr. [redacted] and I initially discussed my desire to reuse the tiles if at all possible. At that time, Mr. [redacted] did not give me the impression that it would require an additional $150.00 of labor to remove and prepare the tiles for reuse. If it was a viable expense, it should have been included in a modified bid for my consideration.Item #7): Regarding extra labor and material to install VCT tile; the need to seal concrete before laying tile should be a known labor element by the contractor, and as such, if it was required, should have been included in the original bid for my consideration.
Item #8): Regarding the toe kick in the kitchen, I spoke with [redacted] at [redacted]., and he informed me that Mr. [redacted] was not charged $85.00 for a toe kick, such as would have come with the cabinets. I was interested to learn that Mr. [redacted] apparently ordered  additional  items  that  were  never  picked  up,  and  for  which  [redacted]  was  never compensated.Item #9): Regarding Mr. [redacted]'s accusation that cabinets were mis-measured; this would have been his mistake. When I ordered the cabinets, I took the diagram supplied by Mr. [redacted] with measurements that he specified. Any size discrepancies would be related back to that original document. (If the mis-measurement relates back to the appliances, please refer to my response to Item #3.)Item #1 0): Regarding the furnace filter supplied by Mr. [redacted]; one would expect that after a contractor has run saws to cut tile, lumber, etc. there would be excessive dust in a furnace filter. A good contractor would see it as his responsibility to change that filter upon completion of his project. (This is what my father, a General Contractor, always did.)  I find  it petty that  he included this as "an issue" based on the magnitude of everything else that has been botched on this job.Item #11): Regarding new wiring to existing ceiling fan; I'm a little at a loss here, but I believe he is referring to the de-installation and re-installation of an existing ceiling fan from my master bedroom to a new location in the living room, which of course, would require some materials to accomplish. The original fan worked in my family room, but after the relocation of the second fan it did not work. If it required re-wiring, it was because of something that happened during their work putting the second fan up. If there was a charge for doing this, it should have been presented for our consideration on a modified bid sheet.Item #12}: Regarding can lights in the kitchen; we  initially discussed that three {3) can lights would need to be installed above the kitchen island. I'm not sure what he is referring to here as the "surprise". Again, if there was an additional charge, it should have been presented for our consideration  on a modified bid sheet.Item #13): Regarding power for the new ceiling fan in the living room; the installation of this new fan was discussed, and therefore, any associated additional costs should have been presented for our consideration on a modified bid sheet.Item #14): Regarding the phone receptacle; I do not believe that there was $75.00 paid by Mr. [redacted] because my neighbor actually ran the wire and provided the receptacle for the phone. Mr. [redacted] was not involved with relocation of the phone equipment to my knowledge.Item #15): Regarding dimmer switches; from the beginning, Mr. [redacted] new that I wanted them for the kitchen can lights as well as the lights over the island. If they were not included in the bid, again, this is the omission of the contractor.Item #16): Regarding the ceiling light in the closet; because this closet was lighted by a lamp plugged into a wall socket. I believe that it would be common knowledge to expect a light to be installed in there. Again, this appears to be a budget omission on the part of the contractor.Item #17): Regarding installation of a new ceiling fan in the bathroom area; this is another item that we had discussed. If the wet area of a bathroom is not near a window; isn't a fan required by code? If there was an additional charge to install it, again, it should have been submitted for our consideration in a modified bid.Item #18): Regarding installation of a bathroom receptacle; this was totally caused by an error made by his worker. Like much of the work performed by his inexperienced and unqualified workers, this too had to be re-done. This is a cost of doing business for Mr. [redacted].Item #19): Regarding the loan of Mr. [redacted]'s pressure washer: I cannot believe that this was included. Again, it goes to his attempt to paint my character as deficient in some way. Truthfully, I did derive benefit from being able to wash away years of oil and grease accumulated on the driveway, but the impetus for borrowing the power washer was to remove months of construction material and debris from my drive that was left by his crews.Item #20): Regarding the sliding glass door; the new trim he referred to. was nothing more than three (3) unfinished 2 x 4's, nothing as special as even traditional 2" pine molding. It added nothing to the outside of my house, so I asked if we could use leftover tile to give it a more finished look. He did the work himself, so I'm not sure what he's referring to when he s id that the cost was $225.00.  It must have been for his labor?                       Item #21): Regarding tile for the master bedroom; I found a tile I liked, I ran it by Mr. [redacted], and it was approved. I then paid for the tile and installation myself. It did not come out of the advance paid to Mr. [redacted], and he is not due compensation for any part of this. As for the installation costing more, Mr. [redacted] helped me lay it out and never said anything about added cost to install it in this configuration.Item #22): See item #21.Iwould like to further address Mr. [redacted]'s accusation that I refused to pay him the balance of the bid amount. Here is the truth about that. For over fifteen (15) months, my mother and I have lived among the rubble, with meals being cooked on a Coleman stove (placed on the unfinished kitchen island), in a microwave, or on the grill outside. We did without running water in the kitchen for most of that time, until I hired someone to temporarily install a sink not long ago. (Dishes were washed in the guest bath sink or tub until this was accomplished.)  Our refrigerated items were either crammed into a dorm refrigerator in the kitchen, or inconveniently located in an old refrigerator on my back patio. Over time,  we gave Mr. [redacted] deposits and advances amounting to $23,375.00 and still did not have a finished product. Yes, in his mind, there is $4,955.00 owed to him, per the. contract, but we knew that he would never deliver the granite or [redacted] if we gave him the remainder, as this amount did not compensate for his gross under-bidding  of the project.Perhaps the bid would have not been so out-of-line had Mr. [redacted] hired qualified sub-contractors. Thankfully, I grew up in a family with a dad who was a General Contractor. I have worked with him during the summers, and he taught me a good deal about construction. So, when  I discovered that Mr. [redacted]'s workers had made a mistake on the kitchen island, as well as the construction of a half-wall that had to be shimmed to correct the problem, Mr. [redacted] actually told me I'd made a  good call".   Part of the problem in our project was that Mr. [redacted] was rarely there to oversee the work. The crew boss was a retired electrician who knew nothing about construction techniques. The people hired to do the sheetrock had to re-work my old kitchen ceiling area five (5) times, and eventually a different guy was brought in to fix it correctly. Mr. [redacted] subsequently  came back to install can lights over the island, and to-date, the lights still are not correctly installed flush with the ceiling. Mr. [redacted] also used the wrong paint around the new canned lights, so once again the ceiling needs to be re-painted again.Mr. [redacted] inaccurately reports that his workers were "required" to act as my taxi and elder-care providers. I admit that during this time, my old car was frequently in the shop and I was challenged in getting out, for example, to choose carpet. In that instance, I did take him up on his offer to have a worker drive me to complete that task. On at least one occasion, his worker, Patrick, stayed over to keep my mother company while I ran an errand, but he was not required to do so. As far as I can tell, he did it because he wanted to.In conclusion, Mr. [redacted] has tried repeatedly to assassinate my character and paint me as an opportunist, and this is untrue. I believe that we all went  into this  transaction  with  mutually agreed upon goals and expectations,  but that they became divergent over time.   His view is that I changed the bid to take advantage of our friendship and get more than I originally  agreed to pay for, but my vantage point is grossly different. Many of the items he says were not discussed up-front, in fact, were. His inability to adequately bid the job to cover them should not have precluded him from finishing the job, or caused my mother and I to live without  a workable kitchen for over fifteen (15) months.We do not feel that we have $23,375.00 worth of additional value in this house. If Mr. [redacted] spent that amount to get to the point at which he walked out and left us hanging, a large part of that amount was surely paid to his workers for re-doing tasks that had been botched. Today, here is where it all stands. I did not pay the remainder of the $28,330.00 originally bid because I knew that it was not going to be enough to finish the project, and that ultimately, I would just be out that much more, and still not have a working kitchen. When Mr. [redacted] quit coming by, I quit writing checks.After 15 months of misery, we still don't have the new Master bedroom door and trim, doors and trim painted, old kitchen ceiling area re-painted, mirrors in the two (2) Master bathroom areas. Re-paint the [redacted] bathroom, since they left the old light fixture up when they painted it the first time and then put up the new light fixture there is a three (3) foot by three (3) inch place on the wall that is without new paint. Paint by the new kitchen where they painted with the wrong color. The new kitchen cabinets needs to be adjusted. Cracked wood trim by the new freezer. Now we have to hire people to do this for us at more expense to us.This had been a tremendous strain on my 87-year-old mother, due to the excessive worry that it has caused her, not to mention the falls she has taken in an unsafe living environment. Her health has diminished greatly during the duration of this project. Her Cardiologist gives her about a month to live. Recently, my cousin came to visit and could not stand the thought of my mother not seeing her investment come to fruition, so she paid out-of-pocket,  in excess of $13,000, to finish the granite and appliances. (Incidentally, these items had been reserved for over a year, and original pricing was honored.) Had Mr. [redacted] correctly bid the job in the first place, and performed the contractually agreed upon items, my mother and I would have been spared much worry and anguish, and I would not  owe an additional $13,000 to a family member.

I would first like to say that I have known Ms.[redacted] for 15 to 16 years and have done several real estate transactions which she acted as my realtor and up to this point,have considered her a longtime friend. What is not mentioned in this complaint is in the years proceeding this project,I was...

called by Ms.Marsh,at the spur of the moment,to look at several properties she was looking to purchase and modify to her and her mother's needs and I was to advise, determine ability and costs to modify these properties. None of these projects ever materialized. I never received a fee for these property inspections and evaluations. Then the attention was directed to her existing home. Iwould also like to say that from the outset of this project,this was not a for profit job for me but an attempt to help a friend. Also from the outset,there was a minimalbudget to work with and I went forward based on these minimal standards and budget.Ms. [redacted] also knew from our many years of association that I am not and never implied that I was a licensed contractor in the state of Arizona. I have been licensed in three other states and have never had a complaint. I have over 43 years of construction experience.I am a construction superintendent here in Arizona and was "assisting a friend with her remodeling project."Ms. [redacted] in general was in a very run down condition. The kitchen cabinets had missing drawer fronts,cabinet doors not attached and the finish was so worn and beyond refinishing. The formica countertops had burn marks and the finish worn off as well. The flooring was filthy with pet stains and pet fur with the carpets worn out.My laborers had to wear gloves and masks to remove the urine stained and filthy carpets. The house reeked of cigarette smoke and the walls were yellow and dingy.The house was overflowing with furniture and (too much) "stuff''.The plan was to get the house updated but with "in stock'' cabinetry and materials to keep the costs down. That is how the pricing was arrived from. There was a line item budget prepared and agreed upon. From this point on,Ms.[redacted] totally disregarded the budget. The following extras occurred:1. First of all,she explained to me that she wanted things to be new,not taking walls down, moving rooms so initially,drywall,electrical, HVAC, raising floors,etc and the expansion of the kitchen was not in the plan. Upon another consultation and including my wife, we determined that she wanted to change the floor plan of her house and expand the scope of the remodeling project.  This lead to more in depth planning,budget changes,drawings and research. None of which we charged anything for. I informed Ms.[redacted] that she could make these changes but she would have to pay the additional costs.2. Granite countertops -at the time of pricing she asked about granite countertops and I agreed but based pricing on 12 x 12 granite tiles (which I have used in several· remodeling jobs} Had a $2,000.00 budget, there was never any mention of slab granite. So she not only went out and selected granite slabs but on a scale of 1to 4,4 being the most expensive, she selected a level 3 grade granite.  Then she could not go with a standard finished edge,but selected a chiseled edge, another costly upgrade, taking the $2,000.00 budget to $6,247.00. This granite is not yet purchased but has increased the budget by $4,247.00. The [redacted] bath was not originally included in the remodeling plan but Ms. [redacted] came back wanting to include a new granite countertop over the existing vanity.3. [redacted] -the appliance budget was $4,000.00 which included all refrigerator, all freezer, range, dishwasher and microwave/vent hood combination, in the stainless steel package. Then she wanted to upgrade the range to the Galaxy Series, a $759.50 extra cost,then she wanted all refrigerator and all freezer "kit", which was an additional cost of $434.00 (not yet purchased). This decision was made after the cabinet installation,creating extra labor and costs to modify the cabinetry to accommodate the appliance kit.The extra labor to modify the cabinets came to an additional $380.00.4. Cabinets- budget set at $6,000.00,Ms.[redacted] found the cabinet shop and placed the order, I did not. She upgraded specifications to include custom slow close drawer guides,slow close door hinges with an additional $1,000.00 upgrade,per the cabinet company representative. Hardly,in stock and off the shelf per the original plan. Then there was a set of cabinets left out of the order for another extra cost of $1,200.00. All cabinets have been paid for.  Extra installation labor had to be paid because of the different way to install the European style cabinetry,raising the installation overrun by an additional$600.00. The cabinets in this European style did not allow for the typical clearance in the original master bathroom vanity replacement  and we had to modify the wall this time to make the cabinet fit- another $325.00 in labor paid. The extra cabinetry ordered for the master bathroom were not in the original plan either.5. Supplied labor and material to replace 2 pieces of roof facia - work done and at no charge.6. Removed floor tiles to salvage and save so we didn't have to replace the entire flooring. Was able to remove enough to re-use in the areas needed but at an additional $150.00 in labor to clean the backs of the original floor tiles.7. Extra labor and material to seal concrete under VCT tile flooring - $100.00 8. Supplied labor and material to build kitchen cabinet book shelf toe kick that was not included in the cabinetry order-paid an additional$85.009. Had to exchange miss-measured cabinets-no charge.10. Provided new HVAC filters -no charge11.Ran new wiring to existing ceiling fan -no charge12.Installed 3 extra can lights in kitchen - an extra $180.00 paid13. Install new power for new ceiling fan in family room- an additional$75.00 paid14. Provided receptacle for phone - paid an additional$50.0015.Provided 2 dimmer switches -paid an additional$30.0016. Ran new power for walk in closet ceiling light- paid an additional$115.0017. Provided and installed new 32" ceiling fan in Ms.[redacted] vanity room- another $95.00 paid18. Relocation of original master bathroom vanity receptacle - another $25.0019.Loaned Ms.[redacted] my pressure washer for her own use - no charge20. After installing a new sliding glass door and installing new rough sawn wood trim,Ms. [redacted] was there during and watching this installation and upon completion,then requested that the trim be removed and replaced with left over floor tile- an additional$225.00 paid21.The budget for floor tile material was $1.00 per square foot. Once again,I was not consulted at all,but Ms.[redacted] selected a 6" x 24" and 6" x 36" tile planking which cost $2.19 per square foot at a 119% increase over budget, totaling extra material cost to $416.50 which was paid. This plank style layout increased the labor installation costs to increase by 50 cents per foot for an additional$175.00 labor paid.22.The one and only extra that Ms.[redacted] has paid for is the demo of master bedroom carpet and the installation of 6" x 24" and 6" x 36" plank tiles. This was not included in the original budget at all.These extra prices were for costs only,as you can see by the amounts,at a very fair charges and still Ms.[redacted] balks and refused to pay these additional charges she rung up. She continually took advantage of my friendship and had my workers doing things for her and used them as her own free labor. She had them take her on errands when she didn't have a car, she had them watch her mother while she was gone on errands, shopping, etc.,  she had them doing jobs around her house for her,she used my tools and equipment and took advantage of the tradesmen there working to make the changes without consulting with me. I was disheartened to see the animals were allowed to continue the same practices that lead to the condition of the house to begin with.As I have said from the start of this response,this was not a for profit job- I went into this as a friend helping a friend. I am willing to do what it takes to complete this job so it is over-but I do not feel that I have to come out of pocket to upgrade her home. I have repeatedly told Ms. [redacted] that she needs to pay extra for these upgrades and extras but cannot get through to her that she is responsible for these extra costs. I have asked several times to speak with her brother who seems to be the one who writes the check from her mother's account but she will not allow this contact. Ido not know what she is telling her family but Ican see from this complaint,her story is severely one sided,incomplete and incorrect,so am assuming she is repeating this tall tale to her family as well. Alii have been asking for is compensation for the extra costs (that have only been charged on a "at cost'' basis) and the sufficient monies per the cost breakdown to finish the job. She refuses to pay for the extra costs or to pay to finish the job. What does one expect me to do? Pay for it myself??? I don't think so...as I stated,who expects me to pay for her remodeling and upgrading her home? We were already helping her remodelher house for cost. She was demanding,unreasonable and totally taking advantage of our friendship.This project would not have lasted this long if we stuck with the original plan. I have been meeting deadlines for years,even if I have to overcome a few obstacles, but when you continually change things time and time again and then on top of it all,refuse to pay for the changes and extra costs or even refuse to finish paying for the job,the job will always come to a standstill. The reason for the standstill was money.I am also including a statement from my wife who was present during the original planning of the project. I am including copies of receipts of paid items and written estimates of items to be completed.I am willing to cooperate in any way to resolve this matter. I am preparing a complete job accounting along with copies of all paid receipts.