Guardian Basement Waterproofing Inc

This contractor gave us a reasonable price for a reasonable performance. The contractor started on time and the job took a couple days more than anticipated, however, we preferred taking adequate time to do a good job rather than rushing to finish by a certain date. Owner/Estimator is polite and efficient; foreman was on-site most of the time; workers performed well. So far, I like the Nu-Air unit and feel better knowing the basement walls are reinforced with new pilasters and drainage is better routed to the sump pump.

Review: The total cost for the job was quoted at $17,376. This price was for basement inside system with perimeter drains, sump pumps x2, nu air dehumidifier, mold remediation and more. I called 5 past references which were all positive. I was told the job would take approx. 4 days and be entirely supervised by an experienced contractor ( over 6 years with the company). The day I signed the contract I paid $2741 so [redacted] could order the nu air product. The day the work started I paid $7317 per the contract. I have since learned that HIPCA does not allow more than a 1/3 deposit.The work started 2 weeks ago. There were 3 to 4 very young and admittedly inexperienced boys on the job who worked unsupervised 90 percent of the job. If the supervisor appeared he would stay for less than 30 minutes a day and often pulled the boys to another job. The owner [redacted] appeared only once in the 2 weeks and stayed for 10 minutes.The quality of the work was extremely poor. They did not do all they were contracted to do. They used a cement morter mix to cover the trench instead of the concrete promised and advertised on the website. A very very thin plastic (not 6 mil as advertised on the site) was used to cover where the Mira drain should have been installed but was not. Incidentally, that was the last area dug but the first area cemented. They attempted to conceal where they shortchanged me in product. The cement was rough and uneven. My partner had to show the boys how to work the cement to achieve smoother results. When asked to leave the job site for the above stated reasons they took the nu air I had already paid for and uninstalled the sump crocks and other items. I was asked why it took me so long to complain. 1) it took 11 days for them to get to the point where I could see progress. 2) the more they did the poorer the results. 3) when I saw the cement and how thin it was I grew more concerned about structural integrity of the basement walls. I feel that I have been lied to and stolen from.Desired Settlement: Corners were intentionally cut and efforts were taken to conceal them. Almost half of what I requested was not done and apparently was never going to be done. The work was substandard, took way too long and is still not done. What I paid for was removed from my home in retaliation. I was patronized purposefully deceived. I have to hire someone else to do the job properly.I want a full refund.

Business

Response:

Review: Our home was purchased in 5/2013. which included paper work from a "[redacted], Inc." with a signed warranty from [redacted] , stating a lifetime warranty on his waterproofing, regardless of the homeowner. I came to our attention last week that we have a major water/mold/water damage issue in most of our finished basement. I contacted [redacted] from the "[redacted]" company because of the warranty we have for work that was done on the home in 1999. [redacted] came to our home and informed us that he bankrupted the old company ([redacted]due to too many warranty issues and reopened the same business under the name "Guardian Basement and Waterproofing". He came to our home to quote us for repairs and a new drainage system that would be upwards of $8300.00. He informed us that he is the same person and that he remembers doing the job in 1999. And that he will not stand by the work or the warranty that HIS signature is on. He actually had the audacity to quote us on the exact same paperwork as in 1999, drawing the same images and proposing the same technique for waterproofing that he used in 1999. But again offering no discount or covered options from the previous work that was done. His paper work clearly stated that he is a member of the Revdex.com and even has a logo for the Revdex.com on his paperwork. And he smugly offered a revised warranty for the proposed work. Which is a joke. Here are my points of frustration in this matter... which I have contacted an attorney about also...1) He offered a warranty, then charged people money for incorrect work, filed bankruptcy, restarted the company while not honoring his warranties, and is trying to make more money off of people . 2)How am I, as a consumer, supposed to trust his warranty? 2)How am I, as a consumer supposed to trust his quote? 3)How am I, as a consumer, supposed to trust his work? I HAVE ALL PAPERWORK FROM 1999 AND 2014 THAT PROVES THAT THIS IS THE SAME MAN, USING THE SAME PAPERWORK.Desired Settlement: I will not allow this man to work on my home again, but he should have to pay for damages, repairs , and construction to make our basement usable as a finished basement again. We have 3 children that spent all winter playing in our basement family room with mold filled walls, and rotten wood. with water flowing underneath our finished walls causing black mold.

Business

Response:

I will go over my experience with this couple and then answer Mrs. [redacted]’s misleading statements in detail.

I received a call from Mrs. [redacted] on Friday 3-7-14 at 1:58pm. She stated that they bought the house in May and wanted to remodel the garage and refinish the basement.

She told me that [redacted]’s [redacted] Company inc. had waterproofed the basement. I told Mrs. [redacted] that [redacted] Company had gone bankrupt many years ago, but if she would like I can look at the basement to see what is going on and give her an estimate.

She wanted her husband there and told me he would be available on Thursday 3-13-14.

I arrived at 11:00am on that Thursday. [redacted] and I inspected the basement. Mrs. [redacted] did not want to go in the basement to hear the estimate and wasn’t’ interested to hear what I had found or had to say after Mr. [redacted] and I finished the inspection and estimate.

When I seen the type of system the former home owner chose to installed. It was no surprise that they had mold and one small area water. Because it was a starter type system, mostly used by home owners that want to sell their home and therefore only care about water on the floor, not mold or stress on the foundation.

The former home owners chose not to remove their old rotted paneling covering the basement walls. Also they had a wooden wall that was built extended out from the [redacted] so no waterproofing system was or could be installed there, until said wall was removed. They also chose to have no waterproofing of any kind from [redacted]’s [redacted] Co Inc.) on their basement walls. In short the former homeowners did not have their basement fully waterproofed to begin with, by their design. Again They were simply cheap people and tried to do as little as possible on the waterproofing repair.

The only place I found water or that Mr. [redacted] had pointed out to me was the said area where the wooden extended wall was built out from the foundation. Mr. [redacted] had removed the wall. I pointed out to Mr. [redacted] that no waterproofing system was installed in this area again because the home owner didn’t want to remove the wall. This was the only leaking area. I told Mr. [redacted] about the former owner wanting and buying an incomplete waterproofing system to try to save money. And he agreed that’s what happened, (it is plain to see). I told Mr. [redacted] what type of system should have been installed and what type of system I recommend for now. Mr. [redacted] seemed to completely understand what was installed and why by the past owners. And what would the best type of system to install now. I made it clear again that [redacted]’s [redacted] Company Inc. was bankrupt and the reason why. He seemed to fully understand and accept that also. I pointed out if [redacted]’s [redacted] Company inc. would still be in business, this leaking area and the mold on the walls would not have been covered anyway by the guarantee. Those areas simply were not waterproofing because the home owner didn’t want to deal with those areas of their home. As I was leaving Mr. [redacted] said he completely understands why this all happened and rightfully so put the blame on the former owners being cheap.

This is a perfect example of this home owner (Mrs. [redacted]) trying to get something for nothing. They fit like a glove explaining why [redacted]’s [redacted] Company inc. went bankrupt in the first place.

Why Bankrupt?

Because of a miss used, miss interpreted guarantee.

The guarantee was intended to cover any leaking areas that were waterproofed if [redacted]’s [redacted] Company inc. was unable to repair that area.

What happened was a few people bought houses with waterproofing systems installed by [redacted]’s [redacted] Company Inc. and tried to claim property replacement like paneling etc. They tried to use the guarantee like flood insurance, even for their sewage drain back up. The reason they could do this is because of the wording on that Guarantee stating,” We unconditionally Guarantee this basement against water” etc.

There was more to the guarantee but the word unconditionally was taken out of context, twisted the intent and wrongfully used as to mean flood insurance by a few tricky attorneys.

The attorneys of [redacted]’s [redacted] Company inc. recommended to bankrupt the Inc. and start over because of that miss used wording.

Guardian Basement Waterproofing has the same phone numbers as before, same workers. Example; one foreman has been with me for 20 years. I have been doing basement waterproofing for well over 30 years.

False statements by Mrs. [redacted]:

a signed warranty from [redacted]

Answer:

It’s [redacted] not [redacted]

False statements by Mrs. [redacted]:

[redacted] came to our home and informed us that he bankrupted the old company

Answer false:

I informed Mrs. [redacted] of the bankrupted company when she called on the phone for the estimate, not just when I came to the house for the estimate.

False statements by Mrs. [redacted]:

he bankrupted the old company ([redacted]'s [redacted])due to too many warranty issues

Answer false:

As stated above they were told the reason was the wording unconditionally and because the wording was twisted by a few people that bought a house.

Not for to many warranty issues.

False statements by Mrs. [redacted]:

and reopened the same business under the name "Guardian Basement and Waterproofing".

Answer: false

I opened a new business. Guardian Basement Waterproofing Inc. not the same business,

False statements by Mrs. [redacted]:

And that he will not stand by the work or the warranty that HIS signature is on

Answer:

Again as stated above what I told Mr. [redacted] was this: “I pointed out if [redacted]’s [redacted] Company inc. would still be doing business, this leaking area and the mold on the walls would not have been covered anyway by the guarantee. Those areas simply were not waterproofing because the home owner didn’t want to deal with those areas of their home.”

Yes I do not stand behind a dead bankrupt company also.

False statements by Mrs. [redacted]:

He actually had the audacity to quote us on the exact same paperwork as in 1999, drawing the same images and proposing the same technique for waterproofing that he used in 1999.

Answer: False

Mrs. [redacted] is misleading here. The estimate and recommendations I gave Mr. [redacted] was nothing like the starter incomplete system the former homeowner chose. To the contrary the estimate given Mr. [redacted] was for relieving stress off of the [redacted] from hydrostatic pressure by directly tapping into the outside system. Therefore relieving pressure on the [redacted] and helping to protect against mold and stress. There was an [redacted] recommended to help protect against mold and radon gas. The Estimate was what the former owner should have installed but was too cheap.

It was not identical paper work. It has the company name on it, Guardian Basement Waterproofing not [redacted]’s [redacted] Company and just in general the forms have changed. Also Guardian Basement Waterproofing has many more systems that I showed

Mr. [redacted] (from the sales book) in the basement that should be used.

Note: Mrs. [redacted] wouldn’t have seen any of these different drawings because she didn’t want to hear or see any of this estimate. She stayed up stairs. Mrs. [redacted] said hello to me when I came in and goodbye as I left. That’s it. As for the art work, it is my property, I designed all the systems artwork.

False statements by Mrs. [redacted]

But again offering no discount

Answer: False

I (it seems now foolishly) offered a 30% discount, (that is huge) however the discount and the offer to waterproof their basement in any shape or form is canceled.

I have a copy of the estimate to prove this discount offered. Not that I needed to offer a discount in the first place but I felt sorry for Mr. [redacted] having bought a house from someone that didn’t install the right systems for the house in the first place.

False statements by Mrs. [redacted]

His paper work clearly stated that he is a member of the Revdex.com and even has a logo for the Revdex.com on his paperwork.

Answer:

Yes I am a member of the Revdex.com in good standing. Mrs. [redacted] seems to be implying here that Guardian Basement Waterproofing is not a member.

False statements by Mrs. [redacted]

And he smugly offered a revised warranty for the proposed work. Which is a joke

Answer: False

I did not offer anything revised. What I offered was Guardian’s Warranty. And furthermore

I did not smugly say, do or offer anything on that estimate. Again Mrs. [redacted] is telling a lie here. She wasn’t in the basement. A side thought, I don’t know of any salesman that is in his right mind that would smugly talk to a possible customer. I can’t help it if Mrs. [redacted] thinks that my Estimate was a joke.

False statements by Mrs. [redacted]

I HAVE ALL PAPERWORK FROM 1999 AND 2014 THAT PROVES THAT THIS IS THE SAME MAN, USING THE SAME PAPERWORK.

Answer: False

The estimate paper work is not all the same, the warranty, contract. Sales book diagrams are mostly different (there would be no crime if they all were the same as [redacted]’s but changes have been made. This is a new company, with some old and many new systems. All artwork from before and now was designed and created by myself and is therefore my property to do with as I see fit.

Bottom line is this:

It seems that Mrs. [redacted] doesn’t understand or care about the laws of bankruptcy or truth or facts. She seems to only want to twist the facts into favoring her to get something from Guardian that she or no person ever paid for.

Mrs. [redacted] mentioned here about talking to an attorney. All I can say is Mrs. [redacted], knock yourself out trying to get something for nothing.

Review: When the owner came in August, he said that the work would take a week and that they would be available to do our basement in November 2013. We had to pay $2053 at that time. They came Christmas week, 12/19/13 and required another check for $4220. They did not start before 10 am any day and were gone by 4. Except on 12/27 when they were still working at 6:30 and had to stop because of a foundation issue. The cement was broken around the walls and a hole was dug for the sump pump and the owner came and demanded full and final payment. I refused saying that I would not pay until the work was completed. I foolishly paid him another $2500 because he said he needed to pay his employees. (Just this week he stated over the phone that he has no employees, they are all independent contractors.)The foundation issue was resolved and I called him to reschedule the completion of the work and he set 2/10/14. I had to call him when no workers came. He set it for the 19th. Again no workers came and none again on the 28th or March 3. Workers finally came on March 4 starting at mid morning and quitting before 4. So a job that was to be done in November and only take a week has taken over two weeks actual labor time with two months time delay between the two weeks. The workers left personal garbage job refuse in our basement and garage each time they came. They blamed a local church job on why we were put off. The church had been promised a January work date. And they didn't want workers until 3:30 in the afternoon. So there was no reason the crew couldn't have come and finished our basement. I believe that Guardian is avoiding paying worker benefits by contracting out the work and not fulfilling sales promises because it isn't willing to pay workers their due. Our basement is still not done! We are tied to the house never knowing if or when they will come to do the work.Desired Settlement: With The delay in time, Nov. till the end of Dec.and then the other broken dates Feb.10 until Mar.3, 2014 The work taking far more than a week's time(when it was actually being done)-The demand for payment when the job is not done -And the deceptive sales practice stating he and his workers have over twenty years of experience doing basement work, when the owner does none of the work or supervision of his laborers. WE should get some of our money back & they should lose their PA license.

Business

Response: