Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ***, and find that this resolution to send someone to look at my basement satisfactoryI believe I have dealt with the water coming from the old dryer vent on my wall (using some sealing foam), but I would appreciate a professional coming to investigateI've attached one of Baker's photos to show that there is nothing blocking the only area where I originally found water in my basement; this area of the basement remains unencumbered by anything. I have gone back through the contract I signed and do see that there is reference to dust being "expected and the homeowner is responsible for protection as they deem necessary"(1)The sales representative who visited my home did not clearly explain that putting tarps or plastic over my belongings would be necessary, nor did he stress the importance of protecting my belongings from dustI accept that I should have read the contract more closely, but I do wish the rep had clearly laid out for me just how dusty the job would beI accept, also, that I did sign the contract and ask Baker's to install a $5,waterproofing systemI did experience a great deal of pressure from the sales representative to sign the contract quickly so I could get a 10% discount (if I made the decision within 24-hours)Since I was not sure of my finances, I needed a day to consider how much debt I could take onOriginally, the proposal contained a CleanSpace Wall System and high-end sump pump that the sales representative strongly recommendedAfter examining my finances and realizing I could not afford another $7,in debt, I made the decision to cut the wall system and go with a lower-end sump pump since I had only a tiny bit of water in my basement (and then only occasionally)This trimmed my debt to $5,500.00, still a sizable amountFearing that I might endure more leaks in the future, and basing my decision off of the expertise of the sales representative, I signed the contract in order to preemptively protect my house. I look forward to resolving this issue. Sincerely,*** ***
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Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ***, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below
Once again, PLAIN AND SIMPLE, THERE IS NOTHING STATING IN ANY OF THE PAPAERWORK THAT STATES THAT BUSINESS CAN KEEP ANY PERCENTAGE OF DEPOSITThere was no agreement for the remainder of the deposit to be held for future appointmentsBusiness is just delaying return of what is rightfully mine.
Regards,
*** ***
1/8/we gave a proposal for this homeowner. She agreed to the project, and we installed on 2/27/just like we discussed. 12/9/the owner called us because she noticed water on the floor and some mold. 12/11/our Service Tech diagnosed that water was running down behind her
finished wall and onto the floor. Whomever finished the basement did not install a vapor barrier between the concrete block wall and the framing for the wall. Since the wall leaked the water could not get into the sealed waterproofing system. No warranty from wall leaks getting on the floor is clearly stated on the contract. 12/19/we cut out the bottom half of the finished wall and installed a vapor barrier to exposed this section of the wall. Since this repair we were told there has not been water on the floor in the treated area. More than years have passed and we received a call (3/28/16) that there is mold on the paneled walls. This is not a warranty item but we went out to look at it for her on 3/30/16. The Service Tech gave her a couple options to help with the mold concern. 1) We recommend a high quality dehumidifier/ air filter to minimize the opportunity for mold growth (still can not guarantee against mold) 2) Extending the vapor barrier higher up on the wall which would require removing the paneling on the walls. Both of these options are not warranty items and have charges associated with them. The owner was frustrated and said she want to speak to a Manager. 3/31/the Service Manager explained that he is sorry but these are not warranty items that we can perform for free. The owner told us that we diagnosed the problem wrong. She had another contractor charge her $to repair a downspout line and do some mold remediation. She told us the other contractor intimated that our work was not needed. This statement is obviously seeing that she is still having some issues even after that work was completed. The Service Manager tried explaining that the drain system we installed was to keep water off her floor and it is working. She agreed that she is not getting water on the floor in the treated area. She found herself compelled to yell at our Service Manager who was trying to explain the situation. He asked her to please stop yelling at him. The conversation ended with her explaining she did not want us to do anything at her house and she will not recommend us. I feel bad that she is upset with us and that we are unable to communicate that the problem she has can not be solved with a drain system alone.We will not pay the $for her downspout repair/ mold issue since it was not part of our project or responsibility. If a problem would ever arise that is part of our project or warranty we would certainly repair free of charge. Please refer to attached proposal and warranty that explains no warranty from wall leaks, mold or repairs to finished walls
On 4/29/she contacted our web site and stated “I have had water leaking in my basement from the foundation every time there is rain”. A half hour later we contacted her and set up a free estimate for 5/13/at am. On 5/2/we sent her information about our company and the person
coming to her home. We included a book that in detail explains why basements leak and what all can be done to repair foundation leaks.Our Representative arrived on Saturday morning since that worked best for the Professors schedule. He interviewed the homeowner to find out background about the home and to see what she wanted us to accomplish for her. She told us she was in the house years. We were told she has only seen water come in on the left side of the foundation. She told us that she wanted to prevent future leaks and wanted the basement dry all the time (see attached waterproofing fact sheet). She told us that she may be interested in a vapor barrier for the basement walls (see attached customer accomplishment list). Our rep inspected the foundation the best he could but it was impossible to see all the foundation walls with all the stored items (see attached time stamped pictures).Our Rep designed a system based on the owners accomplishment list and the limited amount he was actually able to see. He in NO WAY tried to sell something that was unnecessary or unrequested. months later we are told water was coming in an old dryer vent pipe high up on the wall which was unknown to us. I wish we would have found that but it cannot be expected for our Rep, with limited access and only in the basement a short time to find this. The owners are in the house every day and they could not even see it. We were told the foundation leaks when it rains, we saw signs of water seepage and our Rep gave a bid to do what she said she wanted a price to accomplish. We have been doing this work for years and have learned to ask questions to the owners and get clear understanding of what they are asking us to do. We are very seldom in a house while it is leaking so we have to go off the information the owner relays to us. We gave her a quote for what she told us she wanted.As for the dust complaint---We verbally tell everyone that the work is dusty and they should protect from dust. In addition to this a protect from dust note it is stated on the proposal on page 1, again on page 3, and a third time on page (Please refer to the attached contract). The owner signed all three of these pages.We in fact did not respond to the insulting and inaccurate letter. Over the last 40+ years we have earned the reputation of being honest, transparent and fair with everyone. The idea that we went and tried to fool and pressure someone into installing something that they did not want is ridiculous. She called us, told us the foundation leaks after it rains and told us she wanted to prevent future leaks in the basement. She even had us include a waterproofing system to the areas that have not leaked so that she would not have to deal with this problem in the future. She was in 100% control as to what was included in the quote. The work performed was actually after she asked for changes from the first proposal. We adjusted to how she wanted it a few days after our initial visit. This was not trickery or pressure. I am very sorry that she feels differently.If she would like us to come out and see if we can remedy the old dryer vent issue our Production Manager volunteered to do so. She is welcome to contact us and set that up
On 6/22/the owner called us with the desire for an estimate to install a french drain in their yard. They told us there was standing water from an old pump. Our Representative gave an estimate to install some drainage in the yard for $2810. Drains installed in the yard can help
divert water that gets to them but can never guarantee a yard from getting swampy. The only water it can even collect is what reaches the drain. Our Representative designed to have the drain in the most strategic location. He laid it out as to how he would do it if it were his own house.The work was scheduled for 8/12/and during the beginning of the project the owner wanted a guarantee that his yard would stay dry. Our Foreman explained that there is no way we could guarantee a dry yard. The owner was also concerned if the drain was in the best location. It will help but not eliminate water. Since this was not meeting his expectation we had to stop working on the project. The original Representative went back out to the home on 9/4/and did not ignore the owner. We confirmed where the owner wanted the drain and per their request gave them a separate price for rerouting the downspout lines. The downspouts being rerun were not part of the original project so a separate price was given and agreed upon. The only reason of the price changed was because they requested something different. Their decision not ours.There was never a foot trench left in their yard. The section that we had to leave open was less than 20ft and we did go back and fill it in for them (but it was open for a long time). We planned on filling it in when we went to install the project that was scheduled in November. So now we made an extra trip in October to fill in the inch deep trench at no charge.We installed the drain as planned on 11/13/15. We sent two crews and finished it in one day. It was installed to the specs on the proposal.Seven months later we are contacted and told that the drain is not working. We went out and did not find anything wrong but put a little extension on the pipe. No charge for extension or the service call. We actually dumped water into these drains to show the water was flowing. The service man notated the husband watched him put in total barrels of water and it was flowing fine and the husband was happy. We told them there would be a charge for the service call if nothing was wrong. Nothing was wrong but we did not charge them.Now less than months later she called again. We explained we already checked it and their would be a $service call if everything was still ok. Everything was OK and refused to pay the service charge.They are requesting us to come out again which I can not understand why. Their yard may in deed be really swampy but that does not mean this drain is not working. It can not perform miracles but can just try to divert water that reaches it. We can not make all the water in the yard travel to the drain. One thing I know for sure is that their claim of this drain making the yard more saturated than ever is obviously not true. The drain is not making extra water. They are not being ignored--we made trips to this property so far
This is response to a previous complaint #[redacted] This is not a new complaint To review, I submitted a complaint on 10/7 Baker's response was submitted the following week. I am responding to that communication: Baker's position is basically that I was demanding a guarantee that my yard would be dry when finished and I am upset now that despite spending over 5000 dollars I am no better off. The yard is still saturated. I understand that Baker was never going to guarantee my yard would be totally dry after the drain. For me the issue is that Baker installed a defective drain in mid November and has no intention of correcting the situation despite great patience on my part. They did guarantee the drain. Recall the drain was installed in November. By this time winter was here and the ground froze. By Spring we could see the yard really was not drying out but my first thought wasthat additional drains might need placed. Surely, there were no issues with the newly placed drain. Sadly, this was not the case. During downpours no water came out of the end of the newly laid drain. I called Bakers and they sent a single person on a sunny day to investigate. This consisted of pouring water down the cistern and waiting for it to come out the other end after briefly shoving a small length of pvc in that end - in an attempt to unclog it. There was nothing to unclog. This accomplished nothing. This worker concluded that there should be no issues since water poured in one end came out the other. I said that was fine, but my concern was that water was never getting in through the holes in the side wall of the drain in the first place. He said just wait for another rain and if no water comes out the other end call me. That pretty much gets us to date. They expect me to incurr possible service charges for any further investigation. The drain is defective. I stood in the rain and got a couple competitors opinions just to see if I am not being unreasonable. They all agree it is not working Reasons offered: not deep enough , wrong type of rock and mesh likely clogged on outside of pipe. I do not know what is wrong but it does not work. Baker talks about 7 trips out to my residence? Let be clear, they placed the drain in Nov and did not hear from me till July when I had exhausted every other possibility. They have only been back to my property once since then That is the interaction with the one gentleman described above. Finally, Bakers states that there was never a 100 foot ditch ("less than 20 ft")in my yard although they do not deny the left it there from August to November when they initially said they would be back after the first rain. Sorry, I live here and that ditch ran from the front of my house to the edge of the backyard, approximately 100 feet. I have pictures and can submit. They only sent a single man out to fill in the ditch when, after mulitple unanswered calls I informed them that their services would no longer be required and they would be attached to any liability resulting from injuries during Halloween to any outside party.I have tried to give Bakers a chance to correct the situation. Winter is upon us again and my patience is exhausted. This began last summer. If they show up when it is raining they will understand that what I have said above is true. They would probably need to atleast dig down a several inches along the drain to see what is preventing water from getting inside. Ultimately, more digging. I do not know. If they have no intention of doing so in a timely way, then I should be reimbursed for the drain because this work will need done again ASAP
Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
Plain and simple, IT DOES NOT STATE ANYWHERE IN THEIR PAPERWORK THAT THEY ARE PERMITTED TO KEEP ANY PERCENTAGE OF ANYTHING.
Regards,
[redacted]
The original appointment was June 2011 and we supplied a proposal. We were requested to come back and review the project again in September of 2013. After the reevaluation, the project was scheduled for December of 2013 but ended up cancelling. March 10th of 2016 we were asked to...
come out and review project again which was not a problem. On March 21st the job was reviewed and scheduled for May 9, 2016 and we were given a $1435 deposit to hold that time in our schedule. April 12, 2016 customer decided to send in another partial payment (not required from us) of $1500. April 29, 2016 she mailed in another partial payment of $2000 (again not requested by us). When we called her on May 2nd to confirm we will be there the next week she explained that she was not ready and asked to be pushed back in the schedule. We shuffled the schedule and set a side a new start date of June 20th 2016. May 13,2016 she called back in and said now she does not want to do it at all and wants all her money back. Call center explained that deposits are not refundable after 3 business days but we would have her Representative call her which he did that same day and explained that the deposit is not refundable. She called back May 16, 2016 and wanted a Manager and the Sales Manager again explained rules of the deposit but said we will mail her a check for the $3500 since that was not required by us to hold the schedule date or dates in her case. We told her the $1435 would be a credit towards that project if she changes her mind again and does the work with us which she agreed too. After getting a check from us for $3500 she called back and said she wants the remaining deposit back or she is calling her lawyer. We said we were sorry but that deposit was not going to be refunded. We worked with the customer over the course of 5 years, multiple trips, multiple schedule dates, 3 different proposals that all stated the 3 Business Days right to cancel in two different spots on the contract page 1 and page 6. We felt the right thing to do was give the $3500 back which we did. I am sorry she does not understand the negative effect of reserving time for her project and cancelling has on our crew and company.
I do not know what to say that I have not already said.The homeowner is requesting we come out again. We are willing to go out to the home for the eighth time to try to find something wrong with this drainage. We will not charge for the visit.
On February 11, 2016 we were called by the homeowner and told that she was having a water issue and wanted to take care of it before spring. Our Representative went to her home on February 24th and explained the options of what we could do for her. The owner selected parts...
of the recommendations she felt were warranted. We installed the procedures she selected on March 22 and 23rd. At no time would we have claimed that all her dampness would go away. Since our homes are made of porous materials (such as block and concrete) we could never warrant against dampness. The water vapor in the soils under and around our homes draw thru the walls and floor and evaporate into the air. That is why our warranty even states no warranty against dampness and condensation. In May the owner scheduled a service appointment because she felt the drain system was not working properly. We told her that if is a problem with the system we will repair for free but if it is not warranty work there would be a $95 service charge. May 25th our Service Tech determined the system we installed was installed properly and in working order. He noted that dampness was coming up thru the floor and he thought that doing a drain across the middle of the floor may help and left an estimate for $2500 to install the lateral drain. I am glad the homeowner did not pay us to install this lateral drain because that is not the problem. The Tech who was first there did not realize exactly what was going on. Our Service Manager, who has over 20 years of experience, had another idea about the problem. At some point a paint type material was put over the floor that did not clog the pours of the cement but created a separate barrier above the concrete. The natural water vapors coming up thru the concrete were being now trapped under the paint. This trapping of the vapors changed the water vapors to a liquid under the paint (bubbles of water under the paint she is describing). The paint is preventing the natural evaporation that normally happens. Gary explained this to the owner but she did not believe him. She wanted the lateral drain the original tech and competitors talked about. Gary explained that he felt that would not help in any way. She wanted it so we did it for free. While doing the lateral drain we showed whomever was home that there was absolutely no water under the floor. We installed drain to show the owner that in fact what we were telling her was correct. The drain system we have installed is correct but can not stop dampness.We did not charge for the non warranty related service call, we gave our Professional opinion about the water condensing under her paint, we installed the lateral drain for free even though we knew it was not the problem and we are going back again trying to help her out. I wish she could see that we are trying to help and believe us about the paint being a problem. I believe she is a nice lady and I hope we can work things out.
It was clear that the $1435 deposit was needed to hold the schedule date. Once she takes that schedule date, it can not be offered to any other potential customers even if that means losing the new client. We absolutely lose customers because they can not wait for an opening in our schedule.Please refer to my previous response on 7/29/16 that best exemplifies the 5 year ordeal.
On 9/22/16 we gave an estimate for the homeowner $990. 10/20/16 the owner scheduled the concrete repair project and we gave an estimated install date of 11/25/16. The project was moved around in the schedule some and we ended up doing the install 12/1/16. I acknowledge this was 4...
business days later than the original estimated install date. There were notes on the job packet for our Foreman to call the owner when he was on his way. The Foreman should have called but did not. The Foremans' paperwork noted that his phone was dead and he did not have a charger. We apologize for not calling when we were on our way. The Foreman had no problem with the install and noted that the one side went all the way back to the original position and the right side of the pad got close (less than an inch from original pour). It is a fact that some concrete can be lifted and some can not. This fact is noted on the contract and you will see the homeowner initialed and dated under that part of the contract. (see attached contract) Every concrete leveling project contains this notation because we can never guarantee lift. After the project was complete the owner had some concerns about the project. The Service Manager and him were playing phone tag for quite some time which is what he told our office on 1/12/17. On 1/30/17 our Service Manager was able to speak to the owner. He heard the owners concern and we understand the concrete lifted but did not go all the way back to its original position. Our Manager reminded him that we can not guarantee the concrete will all go back to its original position just like it says on the contract. He still wanted us to come out and see what we could do. We explained that we will have to wait until spring to do this because this work should not be done when the ground is frozen. The owner said he understood and would wait til spring.We sent the crew out 4/19/17. The Foreman determined the slab did not sink any further and if he tried to level the slab more that it may crack the pad. After that service call our Manager spoke with the owner who did not want to hear that. Since he was still unhappy, the Manager offered to come out himself and try another technique on it that probably would not lift it but he would try if the owner wants us too. He discussed with the owner that we could try later in the year. The owner seemed ok with this plan. I have to admit we were frustrated because it could not be more clear that we can not guarantee lift but we were trying to be understanding. We mailed out an invoice for the work we completed more than 8 months ago for the $792. The owner sent in payment with a letter complaining about the job. The Service Manager called him again and asked if he remembered their conversation about us coming out later in the year. Our Service Manager thought he had things smoothed out. One thing that was not mentioned is that we did not charge for the service call to send our truck, equipment and crew to his house even though there was nothing wrong. We did not charge for the 8 months of interest owed for paying 8 months late. We sent back $792 because they accidentally sent us two checks. We have done everything as stated on his proposal and tried to be understanding. There is nothing wrong with the install and there is nothing else we can do.
Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ***, and find that this resolution to send someone to look at my basement satisfactoryI believe I have dealt with the water coming from the old dryer vent on my wall (using some sealing foam), but I would appreciate a professional coming to investigateI've attached one of Baker's photos to show that there is nothing blocking the only area where I originally found water in my basement; this area of the basement remains unencumbered by anything. I have gone back through the contract I signed and do see that there is reference to dust being "expected and the homeowner is responsible for protection as they deem necessary"(1)The sales representative who visited my home did not clearly explain that putting tarps or plastic over my belongings would be necessary, nor did he stress the importance of protecting my belongings from dustI accept that I should have read the contract more closely, but I do wish the rep had clearly laid out for me just how dusty the job would beI accept, also, that I did sign the contract and ask Baker's to install a $5,waterproofing systemI did experience a great deal of pressure from the sales representative to sign the contract quickly so I could get a 10% discount (if I made the decision within 24-hours)Since I was not sure of my finances, I needed a day to consider how much debt I could take onOriginally, the proposal contained a CleanSpace Wall System and high-end sump pump that the sales representative strongly recommendedAfter examining my finances and realizing I could not afford another $7,in debt, I made the decision to cut the wall system and go with a lower-end sump pump since I had only a tiny bit of water in my basement (and then only occasionally)This trimmed my debt to $5,500.00, still a sizable amountFearing that I might endure more leaks in the future, and basing my decision off of the expertise of the sales representative, I signed the contract in order to preemptively protect my house. I look forward to resolving this issue. Sincerely,*** ***
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Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ***, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below
Once again, PLAIN AND SIMPLE, THERE IS NOTHING STATING IN ANY OF THE PAPAERWORK THAT STATES THAT BUSINESS CAN KEEP ANY PERCENTAGE OF DEPOSITThere was no agreement for the remainder of the deposit to be held for future appointmentsBusiness is just delaying return of what is rightfully mine.
Regards,
*** ***
1/8/we gave a proposal for this homeowner. She agreed to the project, and we installed on 2/27/just like we discussed. 12/9/the owner called us because she noticed water on the floor and some mold. 12/11/our Service Tech diagnosed that water was running down behind her
finished wall and onto the floor. Whomever finished the basement did not install a vapor barrier between the concrete block wall and the framing for the wall. Since the wall leaked the water could not get into the sealed waterproofing system. No warranty from wall leaks getting on the floor is clearly stated on the contract. 12/19/we cut out the bottom half of the finished wall and installed a vapor barrier to exposed this section of the wall. Since this repair we were told there has not been water on the floor in the treated area. More than years have passed and we received a call (3/28/16) that there is mold on the paneled walls. This is not a warranty item but we went out to look at it for her on 3/30/16. The Service Tech gave her a couple options to help with the mold concern. 1) We recommend a high quality dehumidifier/ air filter to minimize the opportunity for mold growth (still can not guarantee against mold) 2) Extending the vapor barrier higher up on the wall which would require removing the paneling on the walls. Both of these options are not warranty items and have charges associated with them. The owner was frustrated and said she want to speak to a Manager. 3/31/the Service Manager explained that he is sorry but these are not warranty items that we can perform for free. The owner told us that we diagnosed the problem wrong. She had another contractor charge her $to repair a downspout line and do some mold remediation. She told us the other contractor intimated that our work was not needed. This statement is obviously seeing that she is still having some issues even after that work was completed. The Service Manager tried explaining that the drain system we installed was to keep water off her floor and it is working. She agreed that she is not getting water on the floor in the treated area. She found herself compelled to yell at our Service Manager who was trying to explain the situation. He asked her to please stop yelling at him. The conversation ended with her explaining she did not want us to do anything at her house and she will not recommend us. I feel bad that she is upset with us and that we are unable to communicate that the problem she has can not be solved with a drain system alone.We will not pay the $for her downspout repair/ mold issue since it was not part of our project or responsibility. If a problem would ever arise that is part of our project or warranty we would certainly repair free of charge. Please refer to attached proposal and warranty that explains no warranty from wall leaks, mold or repairs to finished walls
On 4/29/she contacted our web site and stated “I have had water leaking in my basement from the foundation every time there is rain”. A half hour later we contacted her and set up a free estimate for 5/13/at am. On 5/2/we sent her information about our company and the person
coming to her home. We included a book that in detail explains why basements leak and what all can be done to repair foundation leaks.Our Representative arrived on Saturday morning since that worked best for the Professors schedule. He interviewed the homeowner to find out background about the home and to see what she wanted us to accomplish for her. She told us she was in the house years. We were told she has only seen water come in on the left side of the foundation. She told us that she wanted to prevent future leaks and wanted the basement dry all the time (see attached waterproofing fact sheet). She told us that she may be interested in a vapor barrier for the basement walls (see attached customer accomplishment list). Our rep inspected the foundation the best he could but it was impossible to see all the foundation walls with all the stored items (see attached time stamped pictures).Our Rep designed a system based on the owners accomplishment list and the limited amount he was actually able to see. He in NO WAY tried to sell something that was unnecessary or unrequested. months later we are told water was coming in an old dryer vent pipe high up on the wall which was unknown to us. I wish we would have found that but it cannot be expected for our Rep, with limited access and only in the basement a short time to find this. The owners are in the house every day and they could not even see it. We were told the foundation leaks when it rains, we saw signs of water seepage and our Rep gave a bid to do what she said she wanted a price to accomplish. We have been doing this work for years and have learned to ask questions to the owners and get clear understanding of what they are asking us to do. We are very seldom in a house while it is leaking so we have to go off the information the owner relays to us. We gave her a quote for what she told us she wanted.As for the dust complaint---We verbally tell everyone that the work is dusty and they should protect from dust. In addition to this a protect from dust note it is stated on the proposal on page 1, again on page 3, and a third time on page (Please refer to the attached contract). The owner signed all three of these pages.We in fact did not respond to the insulting and inaccurate letter. Over the last 40+ years we have earned the reputation of being honest, transparent and fair with everyone. The idea that we went and tried to fool and pressure someone into installing something that they did not want is ridiculous. She called us, told us the foundation leaks after it rains and told us she wanted to prevent future leaks in the basement. She even had us include a waterproofing system to the areas that have not leaked so that she would not have to deal with this problem in the future. She was in 100% control as to what was included in the quote. The work performed was actually after she asked for changes from the first proposal. We adjusted to how she wanted it a few days after our initial visit. This was not trickery or pressure. I am very sorry that she feels differently.If she would like us to come out and see if we can remedy the old dryer vent issue our Production Manager volunteered to do so. She is welcome to contact us and set that up
On 6/22/the owner called us with the desire for an estimate to install a french drain in their yard. They told us there was standing water from an old pump. Our Representative gave an estimate to install some drainage in the yard for $2810. Drains installed in the yard can help
divert water that gets to them but can never guarantee a yard from getting swampy. The only water it can even collect is what reaches the drain. Our Representative designed to have the drain in the most strategic location. He laid it out as to how he would do it if it were his own house.The work was scheduled for 8/12/and during the beginning of the project the owner wanted a guarantee that his yard would stay dry. Our Foreman explained that there is no way we could guarantee a dry yard. The owner was also concerned if the drain was in the best location. It will help but not eliminate water. Since this was not meeting his expectation we had to stop working on the project. The original Representative went back out to the home on 9/4/and did not ignore the owner. We confirmed where the owner wanted the drain and per their request gave them a separate price for rerouting the downspout lines. The downspouts being rerun were not part of the original project so a separate price was given and agreed upon. The only reason of the price changed was because they requested something different. Their decision not ours.There was never a foot trench left in their yard. The section that we had to leave open was less than 20ft and we did go back and fill it in for them (but it was open for a long time). We planned on filling it in when we went to install the project that was scheduled in November. So now we made an extra trip in October to fill in the inch deep trench at no charge.We installed the drain as planned on 11/13/15. We sent two crews and finished it in one day. It was installed to the specs on the proposal.Seven months later we are contacted and told that the drain is not working. We went out and did not find anything wrong but put a little extension on the pipe. No charge for extension or the service call. We actually dumped water into these drains to show the water was flowing. The service man notated the husband watched him put in total barrels of water and it was flowing fine and the husband was happy. We told them there would be a charge for the service call if nothing was wrong. Nothing was wrong but we did not charge them.Now less than months later she called again. We explained we already checked it and their would be a $service call if everything was still ok. Everything was OK and refused to pay the service charge.They are requesting us to come out again which I can not understand why. Their yard may in deed be really swampy but that does not mean this drain is not working. It can not perform miracles but can just try to divert water that reaches it. We can not make all the water in the yard travel to the drain. One thing I know for sure is that their claim of this drain making the yard more saturated than ever is obviously not true. The drain is not making extra water. They are not being ignored--we made trips to this property so far
This is response to a previous complaint #[redacted] This is not a new complaint To review, I submitted a complaint on 10/7 Baker's response was submitted the following week. I am responding to that communication: Baker's position is basically that I was demanding a guarantee that my yard would be dry when finished and I am upset now that despite spending over 5000 dollars I am no better off. The yard is still saturated. I understand that Baker was never going to guarantee my yard would be totally dry after the drain. For me the issue is that Baker installed a defective drain in mid November and has no intention of correcting the situation despite great patience on my part. They did guarantee the drain. Recall the drain was installed in November. By this time winter was here and the ground froze. By Spring we could see the yard really was not drying out but my first thought wasthat additional drains might need placed. Surely, there were no issues with the newly placed drain. Sadly, this was not the case. During downpours no water came out of the end of the newly laid drain. I called Bakers and they sent a single person on a sunny day to investigate. This consisted of pouring water down the cistern and waiting for it to come out the other end after briefly shoving a small length of pvc in that end - in an attempt to unclog it. There was nothing to unclog. This accomplished nothing. This worker concluded that there should be no issues since water poured in one end came out the other. I said that was fine, but my concern was that water was never getting in through the holes in the side wall of the drain in the first place. He said just wait for another rain and if no water comes out the other end call me. That pretty much gets us to date. They expect me to incurr possible service charges for any further investigation. The drain is defective. I stood in the rain and got a couple competitors opinions just to see if I am not being unreasonable. They all agree it is not working Reasons offered: not deep enough , wrong type of rock and mesh likely clogged on outside of pipe. I do not know what is wrong but it does not work. Baker talks about 7 trips out to my residence? Let be clear, they placed the drain in Nov and did not hear from me till July when I had exhausted every other possibility. They have only been back to my property once since then That is the interaction with the one gentleman described above. Finally, Bakers states that there was never a 100 foot ditch ("less than 20 ft")in my yard although they do not deny the left it there from August to November when they initially said they would be back after the first rain. Sorry, I live here and that ditch ran from the front of my house to the edge of the backyard, approximately 100 feet. I have pictures and can submit. They only sent a single man out to fill in the ditch when, after mulitple unanswered calls I informed them that their services would no longer be required and they would be attached to any liability resulting from injuries during Halloween to any outside party.I have tried to give Bakers a chance to correct the situation. Winter is upon us again and my patience is exhausted. This began last summer. If they show up when it is raining they will understand that what I have said above is true. They would probably need to atleast dig down a several inches along the drain to see what is preventing water from getting inside. Ultimately, more digging. I do not know. If they have no intention of doing so in a timely way, then I should be reimbursed for the drain because this work will need done again ASAP
Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
Plain and simple, IT DOES NOT STATE ANYWHERE IN THEIR PAPERWORK THAT THEY ARE PERMITTED TO KEEP ANY PERCENTAGE OF ANYTHING.
Regards,
[redacted]
The original appointment was June 2011 and we supplied a proposal. We were requested to come back and review the project again in September of 2013. After the reevaluation, the project was scheduled for December of 2013 but ended up cancelling. March 10th of 2016 we were asked to...
come out and review project again which was not a problem. On March 21st the job was reviewed and scheduled for May 9, 2016 and we were given a $1435 deposit to hold that time in our schedule. April 12, 2016 customer decided to send in another partial payment (not required from us) of $1500. April 29, 2016 she mailed in another partial payment of $2000 (again not requested by us). When we called her on May 2nd to confirm we will be there the next week she explained that she was not ready and asked to be pushed back in the schedule. We shuffled the schedule and set a side a new start date of June 20th 2016. May 13,2016 she called back in and said now she does not want to do it at all and wants all her money back. Call center explained that deposits are not refundable after 3 business days but we would have her Representative call her which he did that same day and explained that the deposit is not refundable. She called back May 16, 2016 and wanted a Manager and the Sales Manager again explained rules of the deposit but said we will mail her a check for the $3500 since that was not required by us to hold the schedule date or dates in her case. We told her the $1435 would be a credit towards that project if she changes her mind again and does the work with us which she agreed too. After getting a check from us for $3500 she called back and said she wants the remaining deposit back or she is calling her lawyer. We said we were sorry but that deposit was not going to be refunded. We worked with the customer over the course of 5 years, multiple trips, multiple schedule dates, 3 different proposals that all stated the 3 Business Days right to cancel in two different spots on the contract page 1 and page 6. We felt the right thing to do was give the $3500 back which we did. I am sorry she does not understand the negative effect of reserving time for her project and cancelling has on our crew and company.
I do not know what to say that I have not already said.The homeowner is requesting we come out again. We are willing to go out to the home for the eighth time to try to find something wrong with this drainage. We will not charge for the visit.
On February 11, 2016 we were called by the homeowner and told that she was having a water issue and wanted to take care of it before spring. Our Representative went to her home on February 24th and explained the options of what we could do for her. The owner selected parts...
of the recommendations she felt were warranted. We installed the procedures she selected on March 22 and 23rd. At no time would we have claimed that all her dampness would go away. Since our homes are made of porous materials (such as block and concrete) we could never warrant against dampness. The water vapor in the soils under and around our homes draw thru the walls and floor and evaporate into the air. That is why our warranty even states no warranty against dampness and condensation. In May the owner scheduled a service appointment because she felt the drain system was not working properly. We told her that if is a problem with the system we will repair for free but if it is not warranty work there would be a $95 service charge. May 25th our Service Tech determined the system we installed was installed properly and in working order. He noted that dampness was coming up thru the floor and he thought that doing a drain across the middle of the floor may help and left an estimate for $2500 to install the lateral drain. I am glad the homeowner did not pay us to install this lateral drain because that is not the problem. The Tech who was first there did not realize exactly what was going on. Our Service Manager, who has over 20 years of experience, had another idea about the problem. At some point a paint type material was put over the floor that did not clog the pours of the cement but created a separate barrier above the concrete. The natural water vapors coming up thru the concrete were being now trapped under the paint. This trapping of the vapors changed the water vapors to a liquid under the paint (bubbles of water under the paint she is describing). The paint is preventing the natural evaporation that normally happens. Gary explained this to the owner but she did not believe him. She wanted the lateral drain the original tech and competitors talked about. Gary explained that he felt that would not help in any way. She wanted it so we did it for free. While doing the lateral drain we showed whomever was home that there was absolutely no water under the floor. We installed drain to show the owner that in fact what we were telling her was correct. The drain system we have installed is correct but can not stop dampness.We did not charge for the non warranty related service call, we gave our Professional opinion about the water condensing under her paint, we installed the lateral drain for free even though we knew it was not the problem and we are going back again trying to help her out. I wish she could see that we are trying to help and believe us about the paint being a problem. I believe she is a nice lady and I hope we can work things out.
It was clear that the $1435 deposit was needed to hold the schedule date. Once she takes that schedule date, it can not be offered to any other potential customers even if that means losing the new client. We absolutely lose customers because they can not wait for an opening in our schedule.Please refer to my previous response on 7/29/16 that best exemplifies the 5 year ordeal.
On 9/22/16 we gave an estimate for the homeowner $990. 10/20/16 the owner scheduled the concrete repair project and we gave an estimated install date of 11/25/16. The project was moved around in the schedule some and we ended up doing the install 12/1/16. I acknowledge this was 4...
business days later than the original estimated install date. There were notes on the job packet for our Foreman to call the owner when he was on his way. The Foreman should have called but did not. The Foremans' paperwork noted that his phone was dead and he did not have a charger. We apologize for not calling when we were on our way. The Foreman had no problem with the install and noted that the one side went all the way back to the original position and the right side of the pad got close (less than an inch from original pour). It is a fact that some concrete can be lifted and some can not. This fact is noted on the contract and you will see the homeowner initialed and dated under that part of the contract. (see attached contract) Every concrete leveling project contains this notation because we can never guarantee lift. After the project was complete the owner had some concerns about the project. The Service Manager and him were playing phone tag for quite some time which is what he told our office on 1/12/17. On 1/30/17 our Service Manager was able to speak to the owner. He heard the owners concern and we understand the concrete lifted but did not go all the way back to its original position. Our Manager reminded him that we can not guarantee the concrete will all go back to its original position just like it says on the contract. He still wanted us to come out and see what we could do. We explained that we will have to wait until spring to do this because this work should not be done when the ground is frozen. The owner said he understood and would wait til spring.We sent the crew out 4/19/17. The Foreman determined the slab did not sink any further and if he tried to level the slab more that it may crack the pad. After that service call our Manager spoke with the owner who did not want to hear that. Since he was still unhappy, the Manager offered to come out himself and try another technique on it that probably would not lift it but he would try if the owner wants us too. He discussed with the owner that we could try later in the year. The owner seemed ok with this plan. I have to admit we were frustrated because it could not be more clear that we can not guarantee lift but we were trying to be understanding. We mailed out an invoice for the work we completed more than 8 months ago for the $792. The owner sent in payment with a letter complaining about the job. The Service Manager called him again and asked if he remembered their conversation about us coming out later in the year. Our Service Manager thought he had things smoothed out. One thing that was not mentioned is that we did not charge for the service call to send our truck, equipment and crew to his house even though there was nothing wrong. We did not charge for the 8 months of interest owed for paying 8 months late. We sent back $792 because they accidentally sent us two checks. We have done everything as stated on his proposal and tried to be understanding. There is nothing wrong with the install and there is nothing else we can do.