DHS Home Services

My wife and I signed a contract with DHS Home Services (DHS) on May 7, 2018 for defined services related to the remodeling of our home for a fixed amount ($15,170.00). On September 6, 2018 DHS submitted a final invoice in the amount of $20,977.00. The dispute is as follows:
1. The final invoice includes work not included the contract
2. Services identified in the contract were not completed
3. Installation of the porcelain tile floor was done improperly
4. Property not included in the remodel had been damaged

Work not included in the contract – Language in the contract specified that: ‘Any changes to labor costs will require a “change order” to be written that amends the contract estimate and that both the customer and DHS Home Services have to approve before any additional labor is done and costs increases are charged.’ The contract was signed by both parties. When the contract was signed, DHS was informed that there would be no increase in the budget over the life of the project. This was repeated a couple of times as the project progressed. However, DHS offered to provide additional services for free, like the new light in the pantry. When my wife asked it would be possible to install cabinet pulls and faucets, DHS (Drew R) stated, “Don’t worry about it. I will take care of it”. Our understanding was that the additional work was incidental and would be included at no additional charge. Based on the change order language in the contract, my wife and I expected that if additional cost was involved, DHS would issue a change order defining both the work and the cost for our approval prior to starting the work. Since no change orders were issued, despite my wife asking about change orders multiple times, we felt that we were in control of the project budget until DHS presented their final invoice. DHS failed to abide by the terms of the contract. By misrepresenting the cost of the additional work offered, DHS unfairly attempted to inflate the project budget.

Incomplete Services
The final invoice was premature because the work identified in the contract was not complete.
• Seal the grout on the porcelain tile floors – cost unknown.
• Remove construction trash – this subsequently cost my wife and I $189.51.
• Install baseboard on inside wall of old pantry
• Install molding on the bottom of the pantry shelves
• Fill in gaps on bottom of door trim in old pantry, bathroom and laundry room
• Remove nail that is poking out of pantry door transition strip
• Adjust door to laundry room (its sticks – door was removed from frame to replace floor)
• Install baseboard next to arch doorway
• Re-caulk and clean area next to the transition strip between the kitchen and hallway
• Caulk the joints on all baseboards
• Remove pimples on new laminate flooring
o by French door
o formal dining by the arch door way
o by the fireplace mantel

Services Done Poorly
The main concern here is DHS’ installation of approximately 520 square feet of porcelain tile flooring. My wife and I provided high quality large format porcelain tile ordered from a local flooring specialty store. We had originally planned to have a flooring specialist install the floor. However, DHS assured us that they were competent and experienced in installing the flooring, so it was added to DHS’ contract. Unfortunately, DHS oversold their competency and under-delivered on the installation.

• The tile was installed on a ½ offset pattern which effectively exaggerated the irregularities normally found in porcelain tile. It should have been installed in a 1/3 offset pattern. The tile specialists we have spoken to said that a 1/3 offset is common practice and that DHS should have known this but did not advise us.
• The joints of the tiles are uneven. The joints are inconsistent - some joints are larger than others. Some tiles are not level.
• The grout was installed improperly. In places there are gaps in the grout lines (i.e., grout is absent). Overall, the grout is depressed significantly below the level of the tiles, apparently from using a grout mix that was too wet or wiping the grout with a sponge too soon after the grout was applied. Before the flooring was installed, we told DHS that making the grout level with the tiles was a priority so that the grout lines would not collect dirt. DHS assured us that the finished grout would not be depressed. The flooring specialists have informed us that additional grout cannot be added in top of the grout that is there because the new grout will just flake away.
• Many tiles were installed with obvious chips and cracks.
• The grout was not sealed to keep it clean and protect its color. This should have been done soon after the grout was dry, or the floor should have been covered until sealing could be accomplished. Instead, DHS left the floor unprotected and continued to walk on it for a couple of weeks as they worked on other parts of the home remodel.

We have consulted with multiple flooring contractors to come up with a strategy for repairing what has been done. Although we would prefer to entirely replace all the porcelain floor installed by DHS ($6,090 in labor alone), a more affordable approach would be to remove and replace the grout and the chipped and cracked tiles in the entry and hallway and replace the tile in the bath and laundry rooms. This will cost about $3,000 for labor and $600 for materials.

Damaged Property
1. Deck – DHS spattered white paint over large portions of our back deck while they were painting new base boards and doors. Earlier this summer prior to DHS starting work, my grandson and I resurfaced the deck with new pressure treated lumber and stained it. Why DHS didn’t protect the deck or do their painting elsewhere is difficult to understand. Having another contractor remove the paint and restain the deck cost my wife and I $521.00.
2. Window screens – DHS spattered paint and texture on two window screens and split the screening on a third. The cost to my wife and I of replacing the screens was $140.00.
3. Scratches and backsplash grout on counter tops – As they installed the backsplash tiles, DHS got grout on our newly installed quartz countertop. Apparently, they tried to remove the grout because there are also scratch ***s on the countertop around the grout. This will need to be buffed out by the contractor who provided the countertop. Cost currently unknown.
4. Refrigerator – Removal of the old refrigerator from the kitchen was included in the original contract. We told DHS we intended to sell our old refrigerator and to just leave it in our garage. While moving the fridge, DHS damaged the refrigerator door and the trim of the door leading to the garage. Cost of repairing the refrigerator door and the door trim is currently unknown.
5. Scratches on the new island cabinetry in kitchen – As they did other work in the kitchen, DHS scratched the new cabinetry forming the prep island in the kitchen.

The services we received from this company for a bannister installment were sub-par. The new railings we received were left so loose that the contractors had to return to repair them. We were on the road during a military move during the completion of their work, and were constantly called by our property manager regarding work that still needed to be done, the mess that was claimed to have been cleaned but was not, and actually property from the house that had been stolen. They left their personal trash all over our house and in our garage. We constantly called the lead contractor to have these things amended. When we finally thought it was all over and the wrote the lead contractor a check for his work (although he was never actually present for the work that was done by his men), we received phone calls from the men who HAD worked on the job claiming that their boss had not paid them. We are now having to explain to these men that the check was cashed already, while they say their boss claims we paid with a faulty credit card and so he cannot pay them.