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Initial Business Response /* (1000, 12, 2016/02/10) */
February 5, 2016
[redacted] Fremont, IN XXXXX
[redacted] Homes, LLC began the process of preparing a preliminary house plan and construction cost for a home for our prospective clients, [redacted] and [redacted]...

[redacted], back in April 2012. Up through August 2015, the [redacted] continued to work with our sales rep, [redacted], to further develop their plans. We began to incur expenses on this project as early as April 2013 (see attached).
The [redacted] increased the size of their proposed home to a point that we questioned if it would fit on their lot. They also wished to include a walk out basement that we advised against due to the elevation of the lake and street in relation to the home. [redacted] Homes, LLC contracted with the surveyor [redacted] J. [redacted] (see attached) to verify the lot size and determine if the home would fit on said lot. The surveyor determined that there were no definite lot corners to indentify the lot size. All property corners were assumed. We began to question the feasibility of continuing to design and build a house using an assumed lot size, which could result in potential encroachment issues with neighbors or future neighbors if they were to contest the lot corners.
At this point [redacted] Homes, LLC had incurred total costs of [redacted] for survey work and plans. We elected to not invest any additional time or money into the project until the [redacted] resolved the issues with their property. We invoiced the [redacted] for the cost of the survey work and plans totaling [redacted] If their payment of [redacted] is applied to the amount owing, the net balance due [redacted] Homes, LLC is [redacted]
We do not feel that we should be obligated to return the [redacted] to the [redacted] when [redacted] Homes, LLC has costs incurred exceeding that amount.
Sincerely,
[redacted] D. [redacted] Secretary/Treasurer

Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 14, 2016/02/16) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
To Delegrange Homes, LLC
Att: [redacted] Delegrange
February 15, 2016
We dispute any and all of your charges.
When we started this project back in November 2014, we ask [redacted] to explain to us the building process. He told us the builder will do things (like site work, plans, looking at the survey) to try and show the client that they can make happen what the clients wants. The builder might request some money up front before they do special or unusual projects (like you requested for the pier depths). When everyone is satisfied that the project can be done a contract will be signed.
He told us the builder could lose money if a contract isn't signed because the client did not agree to pay for the builders prep work while the builder is trying to get the job.
Emails from March 22 & 23, 2015 asking about our survey. We said that [redacted] and [redacted] have a copy of our survey and that it is a recent one.
It had been around four months and as far as we knew very little had been done on our project. We started investigating other builders. On April 16, 2015 we drove to our property to meet a builder. Survey markers were on the property. We wondered who had ordered it. While we were there [redacted] called. I ask him if he had ordered the survey. He stated that he had. I told him that we had thought that [redacted] had backed out of our project again. After our emails of March 22 & 23 telling Delegrange to use our survey, we were surprised to see that it had been resurveyed.
If we had ordered and agreed to pay for a new survey, we would have been given a new survey map and letter from the the surveyor stating what had been done. We received nothing.
[redacted] told us that he would write up as many prices on as many plans as we wanted. The plans that I chose all had pictures and dimensions online for free. They only charge if we want in depth plans. [redacted] never once stated that there was a cost in it. He just wanted us to find a plan that we could be happy with. I would question each time if the plan would fit our property. He did two cost estimates for us.
June 6, 2015 we received a price quote. We ask for a meeting to explain about some changes. On June 10, 2015 we meant at your office.. [redacted] wrote down all of the changes including connecting the gazebo to the house, moving the gazebo over and opening it up to be a part of the kitchen, installing windows in the gazebo, having a family room downstairs with sliding doors that opened up to the lake.
While we were at the office [redacted] talked to us. He stated that because we were on a different part of the lake, he would not have to deal wth the BZA. We told him that anywhere on the lake he would have to work with the BZA. We told him if we get the plans drawn correctly his involvement with them would be minimal. He did not like having to deal with them. Not wanting to deal with the BZA was the reason given to us why he turned us down in December 2014.
August 11, 2015 [redacted] said [redacted] requested [redacted] to have the depth of piers determined. We sent the check to have this done.
The email also said that they needed another survey. We questioned why, but we never received an answer.
August 26, 2015 after many emails and almost nine weeks since we had requested the changes we received the new drawings. They were totally wrong. The gazebo was not connected or moved enough, family room wrong, sliders wrong.
The email also states that he will see if the plan fits our property. So not only is the drawing completely wrong but we found out later that it would not have fit our property. I ask many times if a plan would fit on our property. First you make a plan work on the property and then you get the drawings. It makes no sense to do it backwards.
October 3, 2015 almost two months had passed [redacted] the money for piers had been requested and received. Nothing had been done. We said not to have the pier depth checked. To send our money back & we would find a builder that wanted to do our project.
November 2015 talked to [redacted]. He thought our money had been returned. Said he would check on it and get back to us. He never got back with us.
In your reply to the Revdex.com you stated that after you got the survey,that you decide not to invest any more time or money in our project. You had the survey back in April. You ask for the check for piers August 11. So was that just a way to get money out of us? Did you ever even plan to get the depths checked? You strung us along for almost a year.
You told the Revdex.com that you had billed us. You forgot to mention that the bill you sent was after the complaint to the Revdex.com.
You stated that we never got back with you years ago. We have an email from our attorney to you stating that nothing should be done until our case was done. I also called and explained to [redacted] that we had to wait or it could possible hurt our case. I ask if we owed him anything. He said no, that he understood and to get back to him when it was finished. That he would like to give us a bid when we were ready to build. That is what we did.
During the timespan of our case, we were told that Delegrange had some issues with dealing with the BZA. If Delegrange just stuck by not wanting to deal with them again, this whole mess would have been avoided. Yes we would have been disappointed, but we would not have wasted almost a year. You would not be out any time or money. We would still think that you were a good,honest builder. Yes everything could have been avoided and we would have been enjoying our cottage built by someone else.
[redacted] Lori [redacted]
Final Business Response /* (4000, 16, 2016/02/26) */
March 9, 2016
[redacted] Case No# XXXXXXXX
Antwerp, OH XXXXX
Mr. & Mrs. [redacted],
On behalf of Delagrange Homes, LLC, I would like to personally apologize for having mishandled your entire deal and all the in convenience it has caused you. We are accepting full responsibility and will make not further claim for costs incurred for plans or survey work. Enclosed is check #XXXXX in the amount of [redacted] for your refund.
We ask you to please feel free to contact me at my personal number (XXX) XXX-XXXX with any questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
[redacted] D. [redacted]