Larry O. Crother, Inc

Review: 3 Can Lights and 15 Drywall Nails Were Pushed Through my Ceiling as a Direct Result of The Insulation Install. The Damage did not exist prior.

The Salesman who quoted me was [redacted]. I received the attic insulation proposal from [redacted] by email on 7/31/2012 for $793.00. The description of the project was to: Install R-38 Blown Cellulose Insulation over existing R-0 Insulation to equal R-38 Insulation overall in ceiling areas of living space-1133 square feet-included baffling. I agreed to proposal by email to [redacted] on 8/12/2012. The Actual Insulation Install was initially scheduled for 8/24/2012, but the install had to be re-scheduled for a later date of 8/27/2012. The Insulation Install occurred on the date of 8/27/2012. ABC Insulation & Supply Co dispatched a beat up truck to my home with no company logo, and two Spanish workers who barely spoke English to do the install. The two Spanish workers utilized what appeared to be a series of vacuum hoses that appeared to be attached by tape holding them together and the insulation was blown from the back of truck. I exchanged a few phone calls during the install with [redacted], because the full extent of the Insulation Install regarding the Baffling part was not fully explained to me, on the details of baffling for the Can Lights and such. Shortly after the Insulation Install, I noticed the multiple Drywall Nails and Can Lights were showing through various areas in my ceiling at my residence. I contacted the salesman, [redacted] by phone, on Sept 7, 2012 and reported the issue to him and my expectation that ABC Insulation and [redacted] O. [redacted], would fix the damage caused. [redacted], the salesman scheduled an appointment with me to come take a look at the damage. I believe it was on Monday September 10, 2012 when [redacted]-the saleman and [redacted] O. [redacted], the owner came to my home to investigate the damage. [redacted] O. [redacted], stated that his Insulation Install Spanish Workers did not cause the damage with the Can Lights and Drywall Nails Showing Through The Ceiling, And Took Pictures And Left and Refused To Take Any Action To Correct The Issue. The Salesman, [redacted], advised he would talk to [redacted] and See what he could do and get back to me, and I have not heard anything at all back.Desired Settlement: I would like ABC Insulation & Supply Company to Please Send A Drywall Professional to Repair The Can Lights and the Drywall Nails That Are Now Showing Through My Ceiling In My Home, After Their Insulation Installers Completed The Project, Free of Charge To Me. This Damage Did Not Exist Before The Project.

Business

Response:

Business' Initial Response

Company states:

This letter is in response to a complaint made by the above mentioned person to the Revdex.com.

Ms. [redacted] telephoned me, [redacted], on my cell phone and left a message that she was interested in getting a price for attic insulation. A few hours later, she called me a second time, as I had not had a chance to return her call. She and I set up an appointment for me to look at the attic space on July 30th. I arrived at our agreed time with a frappucino for MS. [redacted] because of the time of day and our ealier conversation. I then checked the attic space, and there was no insulation.I then explained to Ms. Dorestt our installation procedure, as I always do. She contacted me on August 13th and wanted to schedule the insulation installation for Aug 23rd or sooner. The first available installation date was Aug 24th, and she was put on schedule first job out, Friday ,morning around 8:00 am.

On August 23rd, [redacted] called Ms. [redacted] to confirm her appointment for Aug 24th. Ms. [redacted] told Ms. [redacted] her heating and air conditioning people were not finished with their work and could we reschedule the installation for the next available date which was Monday, Aug 27th in the afternoon. Ms. [redacted] felt the HVAC people would finish over the weekend. Mrs. [redacted] called the morning of August 27th to verify the job was ready - Ms. [redacted] did not answer, and Mrs. [redacted] left a message. Ms. [redacted] returned the call and said to come. When the crew was on their way, Mrs. [redacted] called to let Ms. [redacted] know they would be arriving shortly.

As far as her complaint about ABC Insulation & Supply Co.'s truck, it is a 2001 Isuzu van with an enclosed box. A "universal" blowing machine is in the box area. We do not have our logo on the side of the box; it is on the cab of the van per DMV requirements. We have magnetic signs with our name, phone number, and contractors license number. This truck goes through the truck scales and has not had any violations, including the proper information on the truck.

The hose she complains about is taped together because hoses are 50' in length with metal inserts to hold the hoses together. Taping hoses helps keep the metal sleeves from blowing off and causing the insulation to blow everywhere in the neighborhood. It also prevents damage to said sleeves caused by contact with cement or asphalt. The power cord is also taped to the hose to allow the installer in the attic to control the flow of insulation from hose into the attic space.

The "Spanish" workers are actually Hispanic workers. Once speaks English very well;the other speaks broken English. Both have been in the industry as installers for ten plus years. One has been with our company since 1999 - and has never had a complaints against him. The other has ten years experience and has been with the company since March 2012. Both have had background checks - both passed!

Ms. [redacted] called Mrs. [redacted] at the beginning of the installation questioning fiberglass batt insulation used for "baffling". She told Mrs. [redacted] she did not want the fiberglass batts tin her home; she wanted the blown material. Mrs. [redacted] explained that by code, certain items that go into the attic space or through the attic space have to have a three inch clearance, and this was accomplished by using the fiberglass insulation. Ms. [redacted] then told Mrs. [redacted] that she had told the crew to get that stuff out of her house.Mrs. [redacted] responded with "could you please let me talk to Antonio, the batts have to be installed for baffling purposes per code". A copy of Ms. [redacted]'s contract states, "Proposal includes baffling as required" which I had explained to Ms. [redacted] at our initial meeting. The crew did the baffling per code. A copy of Ms. [redacted]'s signed proposal is enclosed. Note the contract was emailed on July 31st. We didn't receive a signed copy prior to August 27th, so Ms. [redacted] told Ms. [redacted] another copy would be sent with the crew for her signature.

The installation was completed on August 27th. Eleven days later, Septemebr 7th, Ms. [redacted] called me to report there were some damages to the ceiling area, including two lights. I set up an appointment with Ms. [redacted] to look at the "damages" on Monday September 10th. We agreed I would cal her when on the way. [redacted], owner of the company, met me at the job site to assess the damages from inside the house before looking in the attic. There were nails pushed down, two can lights disturbed- one can light down 3/4" of an inch with the seal or sheet rock broken in front of the fireplace;the other can had the seal broken in the kitchen.

Mr. [redacted] and I looked in the attic space on a ladder through the crawl hole. We both noticed the insulation had been disturbed after installation - it is very obvious when loose fill insulation is disturbed. We asked Ms. [redacted] if anyone had been in the attic, and she said "no."Pictures are enclosed showing the areas not disturbed vs. the areas disturbed. The insulation was also disturbed at the attic opening. Where the insulation had been disturbed are the same areas where the damages occurred. We had Ms. [redacted] look at the insulation - she stated she "did not know what she was looking at". It is clear that someone had been in the attic after ABC Insulation & Supply Co. When loose fill cellulose insulation is installed, it is installed slightly damp to activate a binder that keeps the insulation from settling. It forms a "crust" on top of the insulation. When disturbed, the blanket effect becomes uneven or ruffled.

After looking at the disturbed insulation, Mr. [redacted] left. At that point, Ms. [redacted] stated to me that she wasn't dumb and [redacted] was basically calling her, in her words, a liar to her face by saying someone else was in the attic when she says that no one was. She also stated that she doesn't know what to do other that to sue your (ABC Insulation & Supply Co.) "[redacted]". I said excuse me and she went on to something else.

In conclusion, it is our opinion that the damages were not done by our company, but by someone else who was in the attic after us. When Ms. [redacted] called me to inform me of the damages, she mentioned that after she noticed the damages, her HVAC person agreed with her that it was our company's fault. Why was the HVAC person there if all their work had been completed prior to the installation of the insulation? Why didn't she call me first- why would she call the HVAC company? Why, when asked, does she refuse to tell me who the HVAC company contractor is? Why didn't Ms. [redacted] notice the damages sooner when the major damaged can light is right in front t of her large tv that is always on? In fairness to our company, we would appreciate an on-site inspection with a representative from the Revdex.com, Contractors State License Board, [redacted], myself and Ms. [redacted] at her convenience .We would be willing to repair the damages, if the insulation had not obviously been disturbed following our installation.

Consumer's Final Response

(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)

I absolutely deny saying anything about suing anyone! I saw no Company Name Listed on The Truck and I did see what appeared as duct tape on the hoses attaching them together. The Hispanic workers did not understand English, because I made the attempt to speak to them per [redacted]'s request, about my confusion regarding the baffling, which was never completely explained to me by [redacted] in a way that I understood. I did ask the Hispanic workers to remove the baffling from my home, but then when I called [redacted] with questions about the baffling, she explained the full use for the baffling to me. I requested [redacted] to call her installers to advise them that it was okay to go ahead and install the baffling. I let [redacted] know that her Hispanic workers did not have a good understanding of the English Language. [redacted] attempted to call her Hispanic workers with no response. [redacted], then called me back and requested that I ask one of her installers to call her, which I did, but unfortunately it took a while for them to understand what I was saying, because again, they did not have a complete understanding of the English language. As far as my HVAC installer, he had come to my home at my request, on another matter that did not involve the Attic or insulation what so ever. My carbon monoxide alarm had gone off and I had asked him to come by and check it out for me. At that time, I showed him the damage on the ceiling and we had a brief conversation about it, since he was already in my hallway, checking my Carbon Monoxide Alarm. I find it quite hilarious that ABC Insulation made a comment in their response that my TV is always on. How would they know? To be honest, my TV is Not always on! [redacted] knew full well why I did Not notice the damage sooner, as well does [redacted] and [redacted], because I notified all of them verbally that I had been extremely sick. I was diagnosed with MRSA and was fighting and I am still fighting an extreme serious staff infection that is quite resistant to antibiotics. I can provide the doctors records and the positive result of the culture that was taken by the doctor as proof if needed. I have already allowed [redacted] and [redacted] into my home for their inspection and I am Not willing to allow another inspection in my home, where the owner is going to call me a liar again. Any amount of stress is not helping my health situation at all. The owners and the company's position has not changed and they are only interested in continuing the argument, over actually fixing the problem. As far as I am concerned, this issue will be closed, as soon as the Company and the Owner, dispatches someone to my home to fix all the damage that occurred with the nails protruding through my ceiling in various areas, as well as the can lights that were pushed down by their installers. This is the only resolution I am looking for and the only resolution that I will accept.