Family Home Health Care Products, Inc.

To Whom It May Concern:
In response to the complaint you have received that is identified by I.D. #[redacted],...

I will try to respond to each issue in the order they were received.
Permits: This job started out much simpler in its scope, compared to its final form. In hindsight, permits should have been obtained prior to performing any of the work, so that everyone concerned would be protected. As the work was being performed the job scopes escalated to adding fixtures, electrical, and much more complexity where re-plumbing was concerned.
The first component of the job was a stair-lifter installed in a basement stairway that does not need a permit application. The next component is easiest to call a landscaping job, where re-configuring a driveway and creating a front yard was involved, again not requiring a permit.
Next was a bathroom remodel, which, at the time we estimated it, was simply replacing a tub with a shower that again did not require a permit. The scope of that job quickly evolved into relocating all the drains, feeds, and electrical. New fixtures were added to the scope as well. These change-orders were added as the bathroom job was being done. The customer’s request that this be completed by Christmas was also a contributing factor in our failure to begin a permit application.
There is currently a completed, approved permit from the township that will result in all required inspections. It is my hope that these inspections get done quickly.The next complaint is that FHM will not provide itemized billing. We had provided a total of 6 separate invoices that were very specific regarding the charges with itemizations. I had provided the customer with a detailed breakdown of our direct expenses to support the invoices that were created. I have never provided a customer with the direct expenses, or “cost of goods sold” before. I do acknowledge that with the daily changes to the scope of the job, that estimates, and ongoing invoicing was impossible to keep up with in “real time”, so our Modifications Division Director scheduled weekly meetings to keep the customer “posted” as to the progress, both from a functional perspective and a financial one. I can forward copies of the final invoices, and the progress sheets that were reviewed with and provided to the customer if requested.
There were errors made in this job that required correction, listed below:
1. In the process of relocating the bathroom we missed capping off a discharge line from a water softener that was buried in a finished wall that resulted in flooding a basement bedroom. A restoration company was contracted to perform moisture and mold abatement. Floors, drywall repair, trim, and painting was done at no cost to the customer to fix the issue.
2. We had a licensed plumber come in to inspect the work that we had done. He installed a vent line through the roof.
3. The customer had a “codes” inspector from the township in to look at electrical and plumbing throughout the house. This created a list of items needing correction. We approved to pay for local plumbers and electricians to perform these corrections.
4. After opening up the kitchen area, plywood was installed as a sub floor, that tile was installed on. After a few days the customer complained about the grout cracking between the tiles. We had a tile specialist come in, who diagnosed the problem to be not enough screws securing the plywood sub floor. We tore up all the tile, and contracted a tile specialist to re-do the install. To my knowledge the new tile is holding up well. The customer was inconvenienced where this job had to be done twice until it was right. We paid for two nights at a hotel room while this was going on. The reinstallation was not invoiced in any way to the customer.
In the end, I do understand this customers complaints with our company. While we made many errors throughout the scope of this job, we did insure that all of the issues were fixed, and that the customer now has a quality finished product. We had issued a refund of $1,800.00 as a result of adjusting out some of the labor hours in lieu of hours spent painting that was re-done.
The customer states that she would like a billing adjustment to be done. We have done that, and continue to provide finished details to try to end up with a satisfied customer. Again I understand the frustration that my company has caused this customer, but we have been very diligent in working with the customer to insure that the final product is right.
This customer now has:
1. A reworked driveway and font yard.
2. A new concrete and [redacted] wheelchair accessible ramp to the front door.
3. Remodeled Kitchen with ADA customizations, tile floors and a relocated bathroom wall.
A remodeled bathroom, with a new shower, and tub. Stair Lift in the basement steps. New [redacted] ramp from the rear patio to the back door. All new interior doors throughout the house. New paint on all remodeled areas.
Please feel free to contact me if additional information is required.Steve B