New England Design Works

Revdex.com: I have reviewed the response submitted by the business and have determined that the response does not satisfy or resolve my issues and/or concerns in reference to complaint # [redacted] Thank you for attempting to resolve this matter My issue remains that the labor Ms [redacted] provided in connection with the project she contracted to do did not conform to the project parameters and, as a result, did not provide me with any design plans for use by my general contractor I will proceed to file my complaint in courtThank you again Regards, [redacted]

Hello, I am responding to a complaint filed by [redacted] against my business New England Design WorksI have copied her complaint below for reference.My response:I met with [redacted] a total of three timesThe first time was at an appliance showroom in Boston where we discussed the project and where I had a chance to show her appliances and discuss with her that the kitchen is built around the appliances so it was a good starting place for me to learn what she might like to see in her kitchenAfter this meeting she decided to hire me and I met her at the condo she is purchasing to see the space, hear more about what she'd like to see happen and for me to measure the entire unitShe was quite clear about wanting to keep the construction to a minimum and outlined what she wanted done in the kitchen and the bathroomsShe said that she would take possession of the condo on February 15th and rent back to the current owner for two months and thus the builder and I would gain access to get started on the work in mid-April (kitchen, two bathrooms, refinishing and staining all the floors and painting all the walls)She said her move in date was by September 1st, giving us a total of months to complete the workI told her from my experience working in the city that we could meet that deadline if we were able to order cabinetry quickly, understand what our finishes would be, make decisions during the time leading up to [redacted] taking possession(Having worked on a number of jobs in the city, I know that inspectors take longer to schedule, parking related woes can add to the complexity and time, everyone is really busy right now with a bit of building boom so you might want the electrician there at a particular time but sometimes you have to wait, etcetc.) I told her (as I do with everyone who hires me) that I wanted to explore some other options to solve some of the problems inherent in the existing layoutAs a designer the space planning and problem solving is the biggest part of my job and I have been told numerous times by countless previous clients that they love that I came up with something they hadn't thought ofI have won national design awards for my work namely because of my creative problem solving and vision to create a better space from what was existingIn [redacted] 's case, I did propose additional options beyond what she asked for (as I had told her I would), knowing that the space was going to be demo'ed either way and the work I was suggesting was not necessarily going to add a lot of expense to her budget -- The plumbing changes I suggested were in the vicinity of existing and I know from working on A LOT of projects that the plumber is coming over anyway and to move a bit here or a bit there doesn't really amount to much expense but can really change the space for the betterI had [redacted] 's budget in mind as I designed as well as improving the overall space from a re-sale perspective and finally wanting to present something to her that I could be proud of as a designerWe met for the third time at [redacted] 's office where I presented computer aided drawings to scale of her kitchen and bathroomsShe rejected the alternative plans, wanting to stick with her own ideaI pointed out the problems with function and flow with what she wanted and actually told her that it pained me as a designer to go in the direction she wanted to goBut she insisted so I relentedDuring this meeting she informed me that she decided to rent back to the previous owner for an additional two months cutting our window down to get the work done to monthsI told her it would be undue pressure on everyone involved and where her floors would have to be completed last, it would prevent her from moving in and living through the constructionI expressed my dismay at the drastically altered termsHer response was "well do you want to pay my mortgage so you can have the extra time?"It was a very aggressive retort that did not sit well with meWhen she asked for a final list of work to be done, (and after much soul searching), I told her I was not the right person for the jobI said as "one woman show" and with multiple jobs going on (I don't charge enough to be able to accept only one job at a time, most people I work with are fairly budget conscious and likely wouldn't want to pay someone for uninterrupted dedication to their job), the shortened time frame (going from months to months) wasn't something I could doI suggested she hire more of a full service remodelerI did offer to return the retainer mainly because I was afraid of herShe is a lawyer for a hedge fund and very aggressiveThis was just about around the time that my kids were let out for February school vacation and we took a trip to PennsylvaniaI did not have a chance to get the check out to her before we leftWhile I was gone, I started to really think about the scenario and truly felt that I never would have accepted the job had I known about so much work needing to be done on such a tight time frameIt really would have set me up for failure and I know enough about myself, the care I take with my work, and the limitations of the trades people's schedules with whom I work to know it simply would not have workedI spent more than the hours she was charged for as I did not count the initial meeting at the appliance shop nor did I account for the time I took to review various emails [redacted] sent asking about this product or that appliance and I did not account for driving timeI accounted for the meeting to visit and measure, the meeting to review plans with her and my time to draw scaled documents which she is in possession ofAfter reflecting I told her that I deserved to be paid for my time and would return hours of un-used retainerIn reality I should have kept that to cover the additional time I actually spent [redacted] 's conjecture that I drew things she didn't ask for is a null pointIt takes a fair amount of time draw existing conditions but once I have that on my computer it is pretty quick to develop various floor plans - it wasn't really much extra time to present a variety of concepts to herI believe [redacted] is the type of person who likes to have the last wordShe sent a very belittling email to me after I told her I was only sending $I did not respond as I would just like to put this behind meI spent the time meeting with her on a Friday night when I took measurements at the condo and then sat in horrendous rush hour traffic afterward to get home (the time chosen to accommodate others, certainly not me)As a single mother that was not easy to pull offI bent over backwards to do my best for her and would still be on the job (despite her aggressive and obnoxious behavior) if she hadn't so drastically changed the terms with regard to timing.Additional Response:As I was thinking about this complaint against me and having read [redacted] 's complaint again, I truly believe what happened here was [redacted] trying to control the design processI use the same process with each of my client's because it worksIt is really a "macro to micro" process where I start by drawing concepts, get my client's feedback and then on the next pass, come back with more detailThe additional ten hours I had not used would have been plenty of time to draw the details based on the feedback I got from [redacted] I believe she wanted me to take her ideas for what she wanted to see and fully detail those out on the first passThat is not how I workI also hoped that [redacted] would see a couple of alternative plans and consider going in a different (and in my opinion better) directionWhat she wanted wasn't something that any good designer would support and as part of my process, I gave her some other ideas to think aboutShe is a very headstrong womanSome of her ideas would not pass building code and certainly wouldn't be a good use of the spaceShe didn't want to hear any of that because she thinks she knows betterI wouldn't begin to tell her how to practice lawShe shouldn't tell me how to conduct myself in the design processIt is my business and it is a busy one with dozens of satisfied clientsI don't advertise or even have a website and keep extremely busy without having toIf I were what she paints me to be, that would not be the case.This has been rather upsetting to meI built this business from nothing and care very much about the work I do and the satisfaction of my clientsI initially thought to return the retainer out of fearI suppose in seeing how this is playing out, my fears were well foundedI think [redacted] is trying to bully meWhen I got that sense, it was the reason I decided to only return the unused retainer -- I do not want to be so weak as to be cowed by a bullyI cannot get the hours back that I spent on her project and she is in possession of the plans, I deserve to be paid for my time.Thank you for your time and consideration in reviewing thisPlease let me know what the next steps are.Sincerely, [redacted] New England Design Works [redacted] See my work on houzz

Hello,I received a letter in the mail today and wanted to respondIt is regarding a complaint against my company, New England Design Works by *** ***.I read her rebuttal and do not have much to addI stated previously that my process is one that works and that I use on each jobI stand behind it and am proud of the work I doI would still be on the job with her if she hadn't so drastically changed the timelineI spent a lot of time interacting with *** through meetings, emails and separately on the computerI cannot get those hours back and deserve to be paid.Thank you,*** ***New England Design Works*** ***
*** ** ** *** ***
*** ** *** ** ***

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response submitted by the business and have determined that the response does not satisfy or resolve my issues and/or concerns in reference to complaint # ***
It’s unfortunate that Ms***’s response is basically an unprofessional ad hominem attack on me, especially since I was referred to her by a mutual friend and was excited to work with her and support a friend’s business. Professionally speaking, her retainer request for hours of work reflected what she said was the amount of time designing a kitchen and two full bathrooms had typically taken her, so I was happy to spend that amount for designs to be used by the general contractor, as I knew my design requests were going to involve minimal changes. The current kitchen and two full bathrooms are fully functioning rooms, which the seller can attest to, as she has lived there for years with her son. Putting aside the time I have spent and the few months that remain before the renovation start date in June, the simple fact is that she charged me for kitchen and bathroom designs, but I have none to provide to the general contractor and have hired another firm to provide the design services that she did not. The work that she did completely ignored the requirements I conveyed to her from the very start, before any retainer was requested by her or provided by me, and if she objected to the requirements I communicated (or had any other objection for that matter), she should have declined to take the project in early December 2017, when we first started discussing the project, which would have been fine. In addition, the delay of the renovation start date by three months from March to June (agreed to by me so the seller would not have to uproot her son before the end of his school year) has nothing to do with her providing designs for use by the general contractor The general contractor is the one ultimately in charge of and responsible for completing the renovation work and timetable thereof, not her. Furthermore, after she communicated to me that she no longer wanted to continue, the general contractor she was working with (who she copied on her email), followed up with me directly to reiterate his interest in proceeding with the renovation project once I had obtained designs elsewhere for him to use. Thank you in advance for your time in reviewing the above. Regards, *** ***

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response submitted by the business and have determined that the response does not satisfy or resolve my issues and/or concerns in reference to complaint # ***.
Thank you for attempting to resolve this matter My issue remains that the labor Ms*** provided in connection with the project she contracted to do did not conform to the project parameters and, as a result, did not provide me with any design plans for use by my general contractor I will proceed to file my complaint in court. Thank you again.
Regards,
*** ***

Hello, I am responding to a complaint filed by *** *** against my business New England Design WorksI have copied her complaint below for reference.My response:I met with *** *** a total of three timesThe first time was at an appliance showroom in Boston where we discussed
the project and where I had a chance to show her appliances and discuss with her that the kitchen is built around the appliances so it was a good starting place for me to learn what she might like to see in her kitchenAfter this meeting she decided to hire me and I met her at the condo she is purchasing to see the space, hear more about what she'd like to see happen and for me to measure the entire unitShe was quite clear about wanting to keep the construction to a minimum and outlined what she wanted done in the kitchen and the bathroomsShe said that she would take possession of the condo on February 15th and rent back to the current owner for two months and thus the builder and I would gain access to get started on the work in mid-April (kitchen, two bathrooms, refinishing and staining all the floors and painting all the walls)She said her move in date was by September 1st, giving us a total of months to complete the workI told her from my experience working in the city that we could meet that deadline if we were able to order cabinetry quickly, understand what our finishes would be, make decisions during the time leading up to *** taking possession(Having worked on a number of jobs in the city, I know that inspectors take longer to schedule, parking related woes can add to the complexity and time, everyone is really busy right now with a bit of building boom so you might want the electrician there at a particular time but sometimes you have to wait, etcetc.) I told her (as I do with everyone who hires me) that I wanted to explore some other options to solve some of the problems inherent in the existing layoutAs a designer the space planning and problem solving is the biggest part of my job and I have been told numerous times by countless previous clients that they love that I came up with something they hadn't thought ofI have won national design awards for my work namely because of my creative problem solving and vision to create a better space from what was existingIn ***'s case, I did propose additional options beyond what she asked for (as I had told her I would), knowing that the space was going to be demo'ed either way and the work I was suggesting was not necessarily going to add a lot of expense to her budget -- The plumbing changes I suggested were in the vicinity of existing and I know from working on A LOT of projects that the plumber is coming over anyway and to move a bit here or a bit there doesn't really amount to much expense but can really change the space for the betterI had ***'s budget in mind as I designed as well as improving the overall space from a re-sale perspective and finally wanting to present something to her that I could be proud of as a designerWe met for the third time at ***'s office where I presented computer aided drawings to scale of her kitchen and bathroomsShe rejected the alternative plans, wanting to stick with her own ideaI pointed out the problems with function and flow with what she wanted and actually told her that it pained me as a designer to go in the direction she wanted to goBut she insisted so I relentedDuring this meeting she informed me that she decided to rent back to the previous owner for an additional two months cutting our window down to get the work done to monthsI told her it would be undue pressure on everyone involved and where her floors would have to be completed last, it would prevent her from moving in and living through the constructionI expressed my dismay at the drastically altered termsHer response was "well do you want to pay my mortgage so you can have the extra time?"It was a very aggressive retort that did not sit well with meWhen she asked for a final list of work to be done, (and after much soul searching), I told her I was not the right person for the jobI said as "one woman show" and with multiple jobs going on (I don't charge enough to be able to accept only one job at a time, most people I work with are fairly budget conscious and likely wouldn't want to pay someone for uninterrupted dedication to their job), the shortened time frame (going from months to months) wasn't something I could doI suggested she hire more of a full service remodelerI did offer to return the retainer mainly because I was afraid of herShe is a lawyer for a hedge fund and very aggressiveThis was just about around the time that my kids were let out for February school vacation and we took a trip to PennsylvaniaI did not have a chance to get the check out to her before we leftWhile I was gone, I started to really think about the scenario and truly felt that I never would have accepted the job had I known about so much work needing to be done on such a tight time frameIt really would have set me up for failure and I know enough about myself, the care I take with my work, and the limitations of the trades people's schedules with whom I work to know it simply would not have workedI spent more than the hours she was charged for as I did not count the initial meeting at the appliance shop nor did I account for the time I took to review various emails *** sent asking about this product or that appliance and I did not account for driving timeI accounted for the meeting to visit and measure, the meeting to review plans with her and my time to draw scaled documents which she is in possession ofAfter reflecting I told her that I deserved to be paid for my time and would return hours of un-used retainerIn reality I should have kept that to cover the additional time I actually spent***'s conjecture that I drew things she didn't ask for is a null pointIt takes a fair amount of time draw existing conditions but once I have that on my computer it is pretty quick to develop various floor plans - it wasn't really much extra time to present a variety of concepts to herI believe *** is the type of person who likes to have the last wordShe sent a very belittling email to me after I told her I was only sending $I did not respond as I would just like to put this behind meI spent the time meeting with her on a Friday night when I took measurements at the condo and then sat in horrendous rush hour traffic afterward to get home (the time chosen to accommodate others, certainly not me)As a single mother that was not easy to pull offI bent over backwards to do my best for her and would still be on the job (despite her aggressive and obnoxious behavior) if she hadn't so drastically changed the terms with regard to timing.Additional Response:As I was thinking about this complaint against me and having read ***'s complaint again, I truly believe what happened here was *** trying to control the design processI use the same process with each of my client's because it worksIt is really a "macro to micro" process where I start by drawing concepts, get my client's feedback and then on the next pass, come back with more detailThe additional ten hours I had not used would have been plenty of time to draw the details based on the feedback I got from ***I believe she wanted me to take her ideas for what she wanted to see and fully detail those out on the first passThat is not how I workI also hoped that *** would see a couple of alternative plans and consider going in a different (and in my opinion better) directionWhat she wanted wasn't something that any good designer would support and as part of my process, I gave her some other ideas to think aboutShe is a very headstrong womanSome of her ideas would not pass building code and certainly wouldn't be a good use of the spaceShe didn't want to hear any of that because she thinks she knows betterI wouldn't begin to tell her how to practice lawShe shouldn't tell me how to conduct myself in the design processIt is my business and it is a busy one with dozens of satisfied clientsI don't advertise or even have a website and keep extremely busy without having toIf I were what she paints me to be, that would not be the case.This has been rather upsetting to meI built this business from nothing and care very much about the work I do and the satisfaction of my clientsI initially thought to return the retainer out of fearI suppose in seeing how this is playing out, my fears were well foundedI think *** is trying to bully meWhen I got that sense, it was the reason I decided to only return the unused retainer -- I do not want to be so weak as to be cowed by a bullyI cannot get the hours back that I spent on her project and she is in possession of the plans, I deserve to be paid for my time.Thank you for your time and consideration in reviewing thisPlease let me know what the next steps are.Sincerely,*** ***New England Design Works*** *** ** ** *** ***See my work on houzz

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response submitted by the business and have determined that the response does not satisfy or resolve my issues and/or concerns in reference to complaint # ***.
Thank you for attempting to resolve this matter My issue remains that the labor Ms*** provided in connection with the project she contracted to do did not conform to the project parameters and, as a result, did not provide me with any design plans for use by my general contractor I will proceed to file my complaint in court. Thank you again.
Regards,
*** ***

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response submitted by the business and have determined that the response does not satisfy or resolve my issues and/or concerns in reference to complaint # ***
? It’s unfortunate that Ms***’s response is basically an unprofessional ad hominem attack on me, especially since I was referred to her by a mutual friend and was excited to work with her and support a friend’s business.? ? Professionally speaking, her retainer request for hours of work reflected what she said was the amount of time designing a kitchen and two full bathrooms had typically taken her, so I was happy to spend that amount for designs to be used by the general contractor, as I knew my design requests were going to involve minimal changes.? The current kitchen and two full bathrooms are fully functioning rooms, which the seller can attest to, as she has lived there for years with her son.? Putting aside the time I have spent and the few months that remain before the renovation start date in June, the simple fact is that she charged me for kitchen and bathroom designs, but I have none to provide to the general contractor and have hired another firm to provide the design services that she did not.? The work that she did completely ignored the requirements I conveyed to her from the very start, before any retainer was requested by her or provided by me, and if she objected to the requirements I communicated (or had any other objection for that matter), she should have declined to take the project in early December 2017, when we first started discussing the project, which would have been fine.? In addition, the delay of the renovation start date by three months from March to June (agreed to by me so the seller would not have to uproot her son before the end of his school year) has nothing to do with her providing designs for use by the general contractor? The general contractor is the one ultimately in charge of and responsible for completing the renovation work and timetable thereof, not her.? Furthermore, after she communicated to me that she no longer wanted to continue, the general contractor she was working with (who she copied on her email), followed up with me directly to reiterate his interest in proceeding with the renovation project once I had obtained designs elsewhere for him to use.? ? Thank you in advance for your time in reviewing the above.? Regards, ? *** ***?

Hello,I received a letter in the mail today and wanted to respond. It is regarding a complaint against my company, New England Design Works by [redacted].I read her rebuttal and do not have much to add... I stated previously that my process is one that works and that I use on each job. I stand behind it and am proud of the work I do. I would still be on the job with her if she hadn't so drastically changed the timeline. I spent a lot of time interacting with [redacted] through meetings, emails and separately on the computer. I cannot get those hours back and deserve to be paid.Thank you,[redacted]New England Design Works[redacted]

Hello, I am responding to a complaint filed by [redacted] against my business New England Design Works. I have copied her complaint below for reference.My response:I met with [redacted] a total of three times. The first time was at an appliance showroom in Boston where we discussed...

the project and where I had a chance to show her appliances and discuss with her that the kitchen is built around the appliances so it was a good starting place for me to learn what she might like to see in her kitchen. After this meeting she decided to hire me and I met her at the condo she is purchasing to see the space, hear more about what she'd like to see happen and for me to measure the entire unit. She was quite clear about wanting to keep the construction to a minimum and outlined what she wanted done in the kitchen and the bathrooms. She said that she would take possession of the condo on February 15th and rent back to the current owner for two months and thus the builder and I would gain access to get started on the work in mid-April  (kitchen, two bathrooms, refinishing and staining all the floors and painting all the walls). She said her move in date was by September 1st, giving us a total of 4.5 months to complete the work. I told her from my experience working in the city that we could meet that deadline if we were able to order cabinetry quickly, understand what our finishes would be, make decisions during the time leading up to [redacted] taking possession. (Having worked on a number of jobs in the city, I know that inspectors take longer to schedule, parking related woes can add to the complexity and time, everyone is really busy right now with a bit of building boom so you might want the electrician there at a particular time but sometimes you have to wait, etc. etc.) I told her (as I do with everyone who hires me) that I wanted to explore some other options to solve some of the problems inherent in the existing layout. As a designer the space planning and problem solving is the biggest part of my job and I have been told numerous times by countless previous clients that they love that I came up with something they hadn't thought of. I have won national design awards for my work namely because of my creative problem solving and vision to create a better space from what was existing. In [redacted]'s case, I did propose additional options beyond what she asked for (as I had told her I would), knowing that the space was going to be demo'ed either way and the work I was suggesting was not necessarily going to add a lot of expense to her budget -- The plumbing changes I suggested were in the vicinity of existing and I know from working on A LOT of projects that the plumber is coming over anyway and to move a bit here or a bit there doesn't really amount to much expense but can really change the space for the better. I had [redacted]'s budget in mind as  I designed as well as improving the overall space from a re-sale perspective and finally wanting to present something to her that I could be proud of as a designer. We met for the third time at [redacted]'s office where I presented computer aided drawings to scale of her kitchen and bathrooms. She rejected the alternative plans, wanting to stick with her own idea. I pointed out the problems with function and flow with what she wanted and actually told her that it pained me as a designer to go in the direction she wanted to go. But she insisted so I relented. During this meeting she informed me that she decided to rent back to the previous owner for an additional two months cutting our window down to get the work done to 2.5 months. I told her it would be undue pressure on everyone involved and where her floors would have to be completed last, it would prevent her from moving in and living through the construction. I expressed my dismay at the drastically altered terms. Her response was "well do you want to pay my mortgage so you can have the extra time?". It was a very aggressive retort that did not sit well with me. When she asked for a final list of work to be done, (and after much soul searching), I told her I was not the right person for the job. I said as "one woman show" and with multiple jobs going on (I don't charge enough to be able to accept only one job at a time, most people I work with are fairly budget conscious and likely wouldn't want to pay someone for uninterrupted dedication to their job), the shortened time frame (going from 4.5 months to 2.5 months) wasn't something I could do. I suggested she hire more of a full service remodeler. I did offer to return the retainer mainly because I was afraid of her. She is a lawyer for a hedge fund and very aggressive. This was just about around the time that my kids were let out for February school vacation and we took a trip to Pennsylvania. I did not have a chance to get the check out to her before we left. While I was gone, I started to really think about the scenario and truly felt that I never would have accepted the job had I known about so much work needing to be done on such a tight time frame. It really would have set me up for failure and I know enough about myself, the care I take with my work, and the limitations of the trades people's schedules with whom I work to know it simply would not have worked. I spent more than the 25 hours she was charged for as I did not count the initial meeting at the appliance shop nor did I account for the time I took to review various emails [redacted] sent asking about this product or that appliance and I did not account for driving time. I accounted for the meeting to visit and measure, the meeting to review plans with her and my time to draw scaled documents which she is in possession of. After reflecting I told her that I deserved to be paid for my time and would return 10 hours of un-used retainer. In reality I should have kept that to cover the additional time I actually spent. [redacted]'s conjecture that I drew things she didn't ask for is a null point. It takes a fair amount of time draw existing conditions but once I have that on my computer it is pretty quick to develop various floor plans - it wasn't really much extra time to present a variety of concepts to her. I believe [redacted] is the type of person who likes to have the last word. She sent a very belittling email to me after I told her I was only sending $750. I did not respond as I would just like to put this behind me. I spent the time meeting with her on a Friday night when I took measurements at the condo and then sat in horrendous rush hour traffic afterward to get home (the time chosen to accommodate others, certainly not me). As a single mother that was not easy to pull off. I bent over backwards to do my best for her and would still be on the job (despite her aggressive and obnoxious behavior) if she hadn't so drastically changed the terms with regard to timing.Additional Response:As I was thinking about this complaint against me and having read [redacted]'s complaint again, I truly believe what happened here was [redacted] trying to control the design process. I use the same process with each of my client's because it works. It is really a "macro to micro" process where I start by drawing concepts, get my client's feedback and then on the next pass, come back with more detail. The additional ten hours I had not used would have been plenty of time to draw the details based on the feedback I got from [redacted]. I believe she wanted me to take her ideas for what she wanted to see and fully detail those out on the first pass. That is not how I work. I also hoped that [redacted] would see a couple of alternative plans and consider going in a different (and in my opinion better) direction. What she wanted wasn't something that any good designer would support and as part of my process, I gave her some other ideas to think about. She is a very headstrong woman. Some of her ideas would not pass building code and certainly wouldn't be a good use of the space. She didn't want to hear any of that because she thinks she knows better. I wouldn't begin to tell her how to practice law. She shouldn't tell me how to conduct myself in the design process. It is my business and it is a busy one with dozens of satisfied clients. I don't advertise or even have a website and keep extremely busy without having to. If I were what she paints me to be, that would not be the case.This has been rather upsetting to me. I built this business from nothing and care very much about the work I do and the satisfaction of my clients. I initially thought to return the retainer out of fear. I suppose in seeing how this is playing out, my fears were well founded. I think [redacted] is trying to bully me. When I got that sense, it was the reason I decided to only return the unused retainer -- I do not want to be so weak as to be cowed by a bully. I cannot get the hours back that I spent on her project and she is in possession of the plans, I deserve to be paid for my time.Thank you for your time and consideration in reviewing this. Please let me know what the next steps are.Sincerely,[redacted]New England Design Works[redacted]See my work on houzz

I provided New England Design Works (the business of ***) a retainer in the amount of $2,625 for “Design Services related to Kitchen and 2 Bathrooms” for a condo that I was in the process of buying. The retainer was requested by Ms. on 12/15/2017 and, per her invoice, reflected 20 hours to design the kitchen and 15 hours to design the bathrooms for a total of 35 hours at $75/hour. The parameters I communicated to her from the start (and reiterated on various occasions) were that I did not want any structural changes to the layout of the condominium or any changes to the setup of the kitchen or bathrooms, since it was important to keep this project as short as possible in length and low as possible in cost, as I would be carrying two mortgages once renovations started. On 1/3/2018, we had an in-person meeting where she presented me with 5 draft one-dimensional basic floor plans: 2 draft plans of the kitchen only, which involved moving major appliances and plumbing, restructuring the layout and one even moving a wall; 2 draft plans of the kitchen/bathrooms, one involved moving walls in a bathroom and the other moving the shower and vanity in a bathroom, and each with the same kind of changes in the kitchen as the aforementioned plans; and 1 draft plan of the kitchen only, with the layout remaining the same, but nothing pertaining to the wall cabinet design. I reiterated my original parameters at that meeting. On 2/16/2018, when I emailed her and the general contractor to ask what they needed from me so I could get from them a final list of work to be done/plans/budget/estimated timing to ensure that we were all on the same page, she informed me that she was not the right person for the job and wanted to return my retainer in full. I thanked her and provided her my mailing address. On 2/28/2018, when I emailed to ask where the retainer check was, she responded that she had spent 25 hours on the project and was only going to send me a check for the 10 hours of unused time.