Rainbow International Restoration

Woman calls on Monday August 10th to set up appointment. Woman on phone sounds drunk and incoherant, I had to repeat myself multiple times and kept interupting me when doing so. We set up walkthrough for Tuesday August 11th and I inform her the residence will be open all day but please call prior to coming out. She agrees and date is set. Same woman then calls on Tuesday August 1th and tries to speak but can't formulate a sentence, puts me on hold and then returns to inform me that they were at the residence on Monday August 10th and there was nobody there...she sounded upset. I asked if she remembers our conversation regarding the appointment being set for the 11th - she said she remembers, so I ask why she sent people out there on the 10th. She then blames it on me claiming that I told her the residence would be open all day Monday the 10th. I received no phone call. She then stated proudly that "we won't be coming out today", the day in which the appointment was scheduled, and "we will contact the insurance company". I told her not to bother - I will call and have them send out another company. She proudly stated: "That's a great idea" and hung up the phone. This is how they treat a homeowner who is going through a home flooding in which the residence is unlivable. Avoid this company like the plague!

They charge for several things that they didn’t do. 30,000 for painting walls with a little drywall and some hallway carpet. If I could give no star review it would be rightfully deserved as well as putting this business in the ground where it belongs. Take advantage of women and the elderly. Take pictures and videos before and after if you’re desperate enough to use them or forced because American Family made you.

During the recent tropical storm, we had some trees snap and fall on our property, hitting both our garage and house. It was a mess! Joe responded promptly to look at the damage. Within two days his experienced service crew came out with heavy machinery and worked unceasingly in the heat for almost six hours cutting and clearing the trees. We could not have been more pleased, nor could we have asked for a more courteous, professional, hard-working team. Not only was the job safely and expertly done, but Joe went above and beyond what was expected of him. One doesn't always find workers who go the extra mile, so we are quite pleased. We highly recommend Rainbow International Restoration for any of your home restoration needs.

Revdex.com ID # [redacted] ? I must start by saying I am very sorry that the homeowner feels cheated after all that has been done since the project was completed in March 2018.? We returned for many trips to tweak and resolve all issues, even the ones we didn’t actually install, such as the clogged plumbing throughout the house.? ? We always had an open relationship and communicated regularly.? This comes as a complete shock to me and the employees that worked over and above on her project.? Until now I had no idea there were problems still existing.? Anytime you deal with a complete tear out and remodel project of this size with a 55-year-old home that was in as much disrepair and neglect as this was, you will always have bugs and quirks to work out months after the job is finished.? Even new construction has the same issues.? Building materials flex, expand, contract, warp, etc.? That’s why we believe in superior service here.? In business for years and still going strong in this field is a testament of thisBelow is a list of the complaints with an explanation as well.? It is very important to keep in mind their insurance policy was not willing to provide the correct amount of funds to successfully restore this home after the flood.? This was a result of the homeowner taking payments from past flooding and not addressing the problems several times over.? We were actually the only company willing to accept the job due to the confines we were presented with.? All of this was expressed in detail before any work began.? It was agreed that low costing, standard quality, materials would have to be used to accomplish the end goal.? All materials were purchased from LOWES & Home Depot.? Paneling Coming Off Walls:? When we started this project, the homeowner was very insistent on using old style paneling to cover the interior walls, wanting to retain the nostalgic look and feel of what the original house was, when first purchased years ago.? Due to the lack of funds as expressed above we were forced to use standard grade paneling 1/8” thick instead of the premium ¼” thick.? We even applied another separate layer of waferboard to strengthen it but there are spots that bulge and wave due to the age and condition of the original studs.? We tried several times to explain the benefits of drywall but she insisted on this product.? As I said, we made over trips after construction was complete to tweak these areas and she was happy each time with the results.? We even completely removed one entire wall and reinstalled it to correct the issue? ? Tiles on the Floor Lifting: Sadly, the insurance policy would not replace the original peel and stick vinyl tiles that were coming unglued due to being flooded several times over.? The policy would only pay for stained concrete.? I can only assume they were getting tired of paying for floors that never got installed from previous floods.? Either way we felt very compassionate about this due to the homeowners age and failing health so we did something that no other contractor would ever do, we gave her new floors for 100% of the home FREE!? At a cost to us of $3,400.? Luxury Vinyl Plank, floating floor.? The reason some tiles were separating is the extreme unevenness of the concrete slab.? In a situation these floors should have been floated with a thin overlay costing several thousand more to achieve a smooth sound surface.? Since it was a gift, we simply could not afford to do this and thought surely a few separating planks would be better than no floor at all, walking around on unfinished concrete?? It’s issues like this I start to question our good nature and care for those that can’t afford some of the necessities most of us can’t think of doing withoutReplace Molding: This is one of those issues I never heard about until now.? I’m not denying the fact a conversation may have taken place between one of my employees and her needing to replace something then that employee forgetting to relay the message.? It happens, but we never received any text or emails concerning this.? All she had to do was reach out to me.? I also have to question that if there is molding missing why was it never brought to light during all the previous trips we made there to adjust the bugs and quirks?? Or most importantly why wasn’t it on any of the 3-individual final punch lists we openly discussed before payment was made?? Missing Shop Vac: During the process of picking up and cleaning up the residence one of my employees accidently confused a shop Vac with our tools and loaded it on the trailer.? It was later discovered and returned the next day.? This is actually stated in her complaint.? The problem arises with her denying this was her Shop Vac.? Again, this is the first I have heard of this issue not being resolved.? It would stand to reason the complaint should have risen the same time the Vac was returned, not months later.? Either way I would be willing to replace the returned Vac with the proper style if she is able to present anything showing ownership of it to start with.? We will accept receipt, owner’s manual, even a photo of a Shop Vac in her home would be good enough for us.? Normally I would not insist on such documentation but in light of the recent developments associated with this complaint, I feel I can no longer trust what she saysWalk Thru Never Performed: This is a complete misrepresentation of the truth.? The actual homeowner (Mom) was on location in bed everyday we were there but due to her failing health and overall condition she was not able to interact with the process of remodeling.? The daughter was our contact.? She didn’t actually live there but would stay overnight from time to time.? The daughter worked night shift so she slept most of the days.? In between this we left punch list and notes as well as text to communicate.? As stated earlier walkthroughs were performed separate times.? Other than a minor touch up here and there all we heard was “Wow, this is great”, “I’m so excited about having such a clean place for Mom to live”, etcNow she is asking for someone to perform a walkthrough and point out all the items that are “not satisfactory work”.? I am concerned this is an attempt to negotiate things to be fixed differently than what the insurance was willing to pay for in the first place.? Possibly holding us over a barrel, so to speak.? I feel this is the reason for waiting so long after the completition of this project to contact Revdex.com instead of communicating with us directly as she has so many times before? ? ? ? ? ? Other Items We Completed FREE OF CHARGE: Below is a list of items we donated without expecting anything in return.? Again, insurance policy would not cover these items, but we felt they needed to be replacedWe do this form of charity when we see someone in need.? Even though this complaint has disturbed me deeply I intend to continue this practice when and where I see the need.? Hopefully it will not come back to bite me as this instance has.The attached signed Invoice also has these items listed in detail:·? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? New Toilets $Value·? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? New Pedestal Sink Master Bath $Value·? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Drywall in Both Bathrooms $Value·? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Dryer Exhaust Vent in Utility Room ...? ? $75? ? Value·? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Construct Wood Shelving Utility Room $Value·? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Lower ½ Wall Plywood instead of Drywall .? $Value·? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Vinyl Plank Flooring Entire House .? $3,Value·? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? All New Doors Instead of Using old as was stated $1,Value·? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Termite Damage in locations repaired $Value·? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Pods Container rented for 1-month Setup & Pick Up $ValueThe complaint dates do not make sense either.? It states 1st complaint on 1/17/18, a second on 1/19/18, then a 3rd and final complaint on 1/23/18.? However, we were still returning under good relationship for misctweaks and repairs all the way past end of February into early March 2018.? All of our records reflect these dates.? So, I have to say again, I am completely blindsided by the complaints being posted.? It’s as if she is not the same person we knew, grew to like, and sympathize with.? After the final walk through she had no problems paying us in full.? The total of the job was also exaggerated, she claims a total of $28,when I have a signed invoice of only $20,A difference of $8,490! (SEE ATTACHED) Hopefully this detail will shed light on her recollection of the project not being as accurate as she is suggesting.? Tell us why here

After restoring a water damage in our house in August 2015, Ronnie H*** from Rainbow International Restoration told us to be also a contractor and agree to redo the living area floor with tiles as well as remodel our kitchenWe gave him a down payment of $ 10,and the work started at the end of SeptemberWe personally bought all tiles and baseboards In October the floor was completed but we are discovering several hollow tiles and "steps" between tiles that make the floor unevenAt the beginning of October the kitchen was demolished but the cabinets were not started to be installed until the middle of December leaving a family of without a way for cooking for months and relying eating out every dinnerIn November the cabinets made were completely wrong and needed to be redoneIn the same time the granite counter-top that was to be saved and reinstalled was broken when needed to be moved from the front yard where was left for weeks to the garageAfter waiting weeks for estimations on different counter-tops from Ronnie H***, we bought it at Home DepotWhen we needed to call and pay out of our pocket an electrician for the oven and stove connection, we found out that Ronnie H*** did not asked for any permit for the jobIn these months the turn over of people working for Ronnie H*** was high and at the end he was the only one coming to work on our remodeling, and he was coming 1-hours at the time no more than 1-times a week with many times no-call no-showIn January 2016, after several promises that the kitchen was going to finish "next week", "for Thanksgiving", for "Christmas", we terminated the contract himAt one point we had small things disappearing from the house and among these all the handles we bought for the cabinetsIn March we have been able to hire a wonderful professional that is completing our kitchen, but we are founding out the following:
-The cabinet for the oven and microwave is not compliant with the law because leaves less than 36" between it and the cabinet in front not allowing wheelchair access
-The pull-out cabinet was not anchored on the wall
- The oil-base paint used for the cabinets needs to be redone because bubbling (the cabinets have been painted in our back yard and not in a closed dust-free place)
-All the drawer guides were installed on small side braces, a quarter of inch tick, attached only on the back of the cabinets and left hanging in the front
-All the hinges of the cabinet doors were too big and sticking out inside the cabinetsMoreover no one of these door close properly and all were making squeaking noises
-All the baseboards junctions are improperly cut and do not go together
Our experience with this "contract" is the worst of our lifeAnd he still asking to finish to pay for the above work

Revdex.com ID #***? I must start by saying I am very sorry that the homeowner feels cheated after all that has been done since the project was completed in March 2018.? We returned for many trips to tweak and resolve all issues, even the ones we didn’t actually install, such as the clogged
plumbing throughout the house.? ? We always had an open relationship and communicated regularly.? This comes as a complete shock to me and the employees that worked over and above on her project.? Until now I had no idea there were problems still existing.? Anytime you deal with a complete tear out and remodel project of this size with a 55-year-old home that was in as much disrepair and neglect as this was, you will always have bugs and quirks to work out months after the job is finished.? Even new construction has the same issues.? Building materials flex, expand, contract, warp, etc.? That’s why we believe in superior service here.? In business for years and still going strong in this field is a testament of thisBelow is a list of the complaints with an explanation as well.? It is very important to keep in mind their insurance policy was not willing to provide the correct amount of funds to successfully restore this home after the flood.? This was a result of the homeowner taking payments from past flooding and not addressing the problems several times over.? We were actually the only company willing to accept the job due to the confines we were presented with.? All of this was expressed in detail before any work began.? It was agreed that low costing, standard quality, materials would have to be used to accomplish the end goal.? All materials were purchased from LOWES & Home Depot.? Paneling Coming Off Walls:? When we started this project, the homeowner was very insistent on using old style paneling to cover the interior walls, wanting to retain the nostalgic look and feel of what the original house was, when first purchased years ago.? Due to the lack of funds as expressed above we were forced to use standard grade paneling 1/8” thick instead of the premium ¼” thick.? We even applied another separate layer of waferboard to strengthen it but there are spots that bulge and wave due to the age and condition of the original studs.? We tried several times to explain the benefits of drywall but she insisted on this product.? As I said, we made over trips after construction was complete to tweak these areas and she was happy each time with the results.? We even completely removed one entire wall and reinstalled it to correct the issue? ? Tiles on the Floor Lifting: Sadly, the insurance policy would not replace the original peel and stick vinyl tiles that were coming unglued due to being flooded several times over.? The policy would only pay for stained concrete.? I can only assume they were getting tired of paying for floors that never got installed from previous floods.? Either way we felt very compassionate about this due to the homeowners age and failing health so we did something that no other contractor would ever do, we gave her new floors for 100% of the home FREE!? At a cost to us of $3,400.? Luxury Vinyl Plank, floating floor.? The reason some tiles were separating is the extreme unevenness of the concrete slab.? In a situation these floors should have been floated with a thin overlay costing several thousand more to achieve a smooth sound surface.? Since it was a gift, we simply could not afford to do this and thought surely a few separating planks would be better than no floor at all, walking around on unfinished concrete?? It’s issues like this I start to question our good nature and care for those that can’t afford some of the necessities most of us can’t think of doing withoutReplace Molding: This is one of those issues I never heard about until now.? I’m not denying the fact a conversation may have taken place between one of my employees and her needing to replace something then that employee forgetting to relay the message.? It happens, but we never received any text or emails concerning this.? All she had to do was reach out to me.? I also have to question that if there is molding missing why was it never brought to light during all the previous trips we made there to adjust the bugs and quirks?? Or most importantly why wasn’t it on any of the 3-individual final punch lists we openly discussed before payment was made?? Missing Shop Vac: During the process of picking up and cleaning up the residence one of my employees accidently confused a shop Vac with our tools and loaded it on the trailer.? It was later discovered and returned the next day.? This is actually stated in her complaint.? The problem arises with her denying this was her Shop Vac.? Again, this is the first I have heard of this issue not being resolved.? It would stand to reason the complaint should have risen the same time the Vac was returned, not months later.? Either way I would be willing to replace the returned Vac with the proper style if she is able to present anything showing ownership of it to start with.? We will accept receipt, owner’s manual, even a photo of a Shop Vac in her home would be good enough for us.? Normally I would not insist on such documentation but in light of the recent developments associated with this complaint, I feel I can no longer trust what she saysWalk Thru Never Performed: This is a complete misrepresentation of the truth.? The actual homeowner (Mom) was on location in bed everyday we were there but due to her failing health and overall condition she was not able to interact with the process of remodeling.? The daughter was our contact.? She didn’t actually live there but would stay overnight from time to time.? The daughter worked night shift so she slept most of the days.? In between this we left punch list and notes as well as text to communicate.? As stated earlier walkthroughs were performed separate times.? Other than a minor touch up here and there all we heard was “Wow, this is great”, “I’m so excited about having such a clean place for Mom to live”, etcNow she is asking for someone to perform a walkthrough and point out all the items that are “not satisfactory work”.? I am concerned this is an attempt to negotiate things to be fixed differently than what the insurance was willing to pay for in the first place.? Possibly holding us over a barrel, so to speak.? I feel this is the reason for waiting so long after the completition of this project to contact Revdex.com instead of communicating with us directly as she has so many times before? ? ? ? ? ? Other Items We Completed FREE OF CHARGE: Below is a list of items we donated without expecting anything in return.? Again, insurance policy would not cover these items, but we felt they needed to be replacedWe do this form of charity when we see someone in need.? Even though this complaint has disturbed me deeply I intend to continue this practice when and where I see the need.? Hopefully it will not come back to bite me as this instance has.The attached signed Invoice also has these items listed in detail:·? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? New Toilets………………………………………………………………�...⇄ ? ? ? ? ? ? ? New Pedestal Sink Master Bath………………….…………………………...…$Value·? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Drywall in Both Bathrooms…………….………….……….………….……….…… $Value·? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Dryer Exhaust Vent in Utility Room……….…….…..………………….……...? ? $75? ? Value·? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Construct Wood Shelving Utility Room…….…….…………………….…….… $Value·? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Lower ½ Wall Plywood instead of Drywall……………………………..….….? $Value·? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Vinyl Plank Flooring Entire House……….….………………………………….….? $3,Value·? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? All New Doors Instead of Using old as was stated……………………….…$1,Value·? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Termite Damage in locations repaired…………………………………..……$Value·? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Pods Container rented for 1-month Setup & Pick Up………………………$ValueThe complaint dates do not make sense either.? It states 1st complaint on 1/17/18, a second on 1/19/18, then a 3rd and final complaint on 1/23/18.? However, we were still returning under good relationship for misctweaks and repairs all the way past end of February into early March 2018.? All of our records reflect these dates.? So, I have to say again, I am completely blindsided by the complaints being posted.? It’s as if she is not the same person we knew, grew to like, and sympathize with.? After the final walk through she had no problems paying us in full.? The total of the job was also exaggerated, she claims a total of $28,when I have a signed invoice of only $20,A difference of $8,490! (SEE ATTACHED) Hopefully this detail will shed light on her recollection of the project not being as accurate as she is suggesting.? Tell us why here

Consumer sent the following response:I do not agree with this response.  Rainbow was given everything I had on the report but they did not respond except that they would continue to help clear the problem.  After four months of 'trying' they were unsuccessful and therefore not qualified to take care of the issue.  When another company came into the property and it was cleared up in two days, it seems as though Rainbow was just not able to do the job and complete it to satisfaction.  Therefore we had to hire the other company so we could move on with this property.  Black mold, regardless of the amount found, if not killed completely will spread throughout the basement.  If it was not taken care of properly the problem would just continue to grow.They NEVER offered a ten percent refund, ever and that is so minuscule compared to what he paid out of pocket to have the retesting and correct cleaning done, we would have never accepted this offer.In the final air test report Rainbow suggested we get a 'qualified' air testing agency in to make sure the air was good.  THEY sent us a report stating this so we did what they suggested.  After seeing the job was STILL not done correctly, why would we want this same company to come back in and continue to do shoddy work?  At that point, after days of discussion, we decided to find a qualified company to do the job.  They came out and gave us an estimate.  We had no choice but to hire someone else since Rainbow was so incompetent and could not get the job done correctly.  AND the new company did get the job done, regardless of what Rainbow says, it was done completely and accurately.  END of story...Rainbow does not know what they are doing and trying to send people into homes that are not healthy for the homeowners.  IF they would like to settle for 1/2 of the money back, we will consider this option.  I would like to settle this between us and move on without having to go further.  I would be open to suggestions from them.  Thank you And the reason we were not getting clear results in noted in the report by the company that cleaned our house correctly.  Rainbow did NOTHING to properly clean the walls and left contaminated debris in the basement.  As the upstairs was closed off from the basement, this has nothing to do with basement contamination.  Black mold WILL spread if not treated correctly and this would have taken place had we not had it removed correctly and thoroughly by another company.  The basement had a dehumidifier running continuously to,keep the moisture out of the basement.  Rainbow is aware of that.  So frustrating that they will not own up to there mistake and make it right in any way.  They do shoddy work and will not admit

Business responded to complaint:ID #[redacted] December 28, 2015 Mitigation services started by Rainbow International Restoration July 27th, 2015.  The home was vacant with no power and had been that way for quite some time.  Standing water was present in the basement along with...

content and what appeared to be mold contamination.  Rainbow had a generator on site to accommodate power to run drying equipment, lights, and air filtering equipment.  All content was removed for disposal, all drywall was removed for disposal, and all carpet was removed for disposal.  All remaining structural surfaces were HEPA vacuumed, treated with a antimicrobial agent, and aggressively cleaned.  Drying equipment was placed to facilitate drying of the structural materials in the basement.  During this time Rainbow gave the homeowner the name and phone number of an Industrial Hygienist for testing purposes.  The homeowner contacted the IH.  The homeowner was told that testing costs for this project would be approximately 1200-1500 dollars.  This cost was higher than the homeowner wanted to pay.  The homeowner was notified by Rainbow that Rainbow could take air samples and send them to an independent laboratory for analysis at a much lower cost.  During the entire process the homeowner stated several times that they were going to be doing a complete renovation of the home so length of time was not a concern to them.  On September 14rd Rainbow took air samples and received the results September 23rd.  The homeowner was notified that the results showed elevated spore counts.  Rainbow returned to the home to clean, treat, and set air cleaning equipment as well as supply a generator (at no additional cost).  At that time there was still no power in the home and water intrusion was noted in the basement.  (Pictures available upon request).   October 1st, a second set of air samples were taken and sent for analysis.  October 12th the results showed elevated counts of only one species of contamination noted as Epicoccum.  The report states as follows:Epicoccum is a fungus that is generally called a mold.  This fungus occurs all around the world: it requires a damp environment and grows best on food substrates containing cellulose, such as paper or textiles made of cotton, or on insects, and produces  single, dry, many-celled globose, rough-walled, pale brown spores in small cushion-like fructifications called sporodochia.  The spores can become airborne and trigger respiratory allergies such as hay fever or asthma in susceptible individuals.  Epicoccum is not however a disease-causing organism and is able to grow only on dead organic substrates.  It is not a toxin producer.Rainbow notified the homeowner that this was the only elevated spore count noted and states that it is not a toxin producer.  The homeowner was not satisfied and requested a clear report.  Rainbow returned to the home to clean, treat, and place air filtering equipment.  October 30th samples were taken and sent to for analysis.  November 6th the report stated no elevated spore count.  November 17th the homeowner sent Rainbow an email stating:I would like to know your intent on our property if we get a bad air test back as suggested we do on the pages of your testing results?November 18th Rainbow responded with an email stating:I am here to help!  If it does not pass I would need to review the results in order to form a plan of action and identify the source.  As I have stated several times I stand behind my would and will not abandon your home. November 25th Rainbow received an email stating:Not sure how you sleep at night.  You have been giving us what you call clear tests and this is clearly a test that proves to be very harmful.  Do you SEE the stachybotrys???  IF in fact you are a man of your word, you would reimburse us the $$$ it’s costing us to have this done CORRECTLY as you have had four months to accomplish this and still not clear to date.  It does us NO good to have you come back repeatedly and not get this correctly.  I will wait for your response before we go any farther on the course of action we may have to take.It appears that initial samples were analyzed 11/10/2015 yet the homeowner sent Rainbow an email November 17th asking what our intent was if a bad test result occurred.  Clearly the homeowner should have had the results back by November 17th if they were analyzed November 10th prior to sending the above email.  The homeowner sent Rainbow the initial test results along with an invoice November 25th.  Several emails were exchanged that day between Rainbow and the homeowner.  Rainbow requested the entire testing results along with the entire invoice from the other mitigation company the homeowner hired to perform services.  The homeowner refused to send any other paper work stating “you have everything you need”.  This was not the case as several pages of both the testing and the invoice were missing. During the testing process the homeowner has been doing demolition on the main level of the home.  This includes removal of carpet, pad, sub flooring, and kitchen cabinets.  Due to the length of time the home has been without power, length of time standing water was in the basement, and length of time contamination was present in the basement it is likely there is contamination throughout the home.  Removal of materials from the first level during the testing process in the basement is quite likely to spread spores throughout the home including the basement causing re-contaminated.The homeowner was never charged for the additional work done in the home nor were they charged for the additional generator time, air filtration, testing, or additional drying equipment due to continuing water intrusion into the basement.  Rainbow did offer a 10% discount for what the homeowner believes to be a poor experience with Rainbow. As of today’s date Rainbow has not received a response from the homeowner.  Rainbow does have copies of all email exchanges.Throughout the entire process Rainbow communicated with the homeowner and has stated several times that we will stand behind our work.  Never was it indicated that Rainbow might not return to continue services if monies were not collected. Several times the homeowner contacted Rainbow Corporate to complain about lack of communication.  Rainbow did communicate via phone, text and email. In regards to the home being unsafe, the homeowner never requested testing of the main level from Rainbow or the contractor that was hired later by the homeowner.  If the homeowner is truly concerned with an unsafe environment than the main level should be tested as what appeared to be mold contamination was visible in the kitchen once cabinets were removed for renovation. Rainbow did offer to return to the home until a clear report was obtained as well as offering a discount to be refunded to the homeowner.Extensive work was completed by Rainbow which does not justify a refund of the amount requested by the homeowner.If additional information is required please feel free to contact our office.  Thank you,Scott H[redacted]General Manager

Business responded.  See attached.Business response copied and pasted below by Revdex.com staff 1/22/16.January 13, 2016Complaint No. [redacted]Mitigation services were started by Rainbow International Restoration on July 27, 2015. The home was vacant, without power, and had been so for quite some time. The basement presented itself with standing water, content and what appeared to be mold contamination. Rainbow had a generator on site to accommodate power to run drying equipment, provide temporary lighting and operate air filtration equipment. All content, drywall and carpet were removed and disposed of. All remaining structural surfaces were HEPA vacuumed, treated with an antimicrobial agent and aggressively cleaned. Drying equipment was placed to facilitate drying of the structural materials in the basement. During this time, Rainbow provided the homeowner with the name and phone number of an Industrial Hygienist for testing purposes. The homeowner contacted the recommended hygienist. The homeowner was told that testing costs for this project would be approximately $1200-$1500 dollars. This cost was higher than the homeowner wanted to pay. Rainbow had notified the homeowner that air samples could be obtained and sent to an independent laboratory for analysis at a much lower cost. During the entire process, the homeowner had stated several times that they were going to be doing a complete renovation of the home so length of time was not a concern to them. On September 14th, Rainbow took air samples and sent them for analysis. The results were obtained September 23rd and reviewed with the homeowner. The homeowner was notified that the results showed elevated spore counts. Rainbow returned to the home to clean, treat and set air cleaning equipment, as well as supply a generator (at no additional cost). At that time, there was still no power in the home. On October 1st, a second set of air samples were taken and sent for analysis. The results were obtained on October 12th, revealing elevated counts of only one species of contamination, noted as Epicoccum.  The report states as follows:“Epicoccum is a fungus that is generally called a mold.  This fungus occurs all around the world. It requires a damp environment and grows best on food substrates containing cellulose, such as paper or textiles made of cotton, or on insects, and produces single, dry, many-celled globose, rough-walled, pale brown spores in small cushion-like fructifications called Sporodochia. The spores can become airborne and trigger respiratory allergies such as hay fever or asthma in susceptible individuals. Epicoccum is not however a disease-causing organism and is able to grow only on dead organic substrates.  It is not a toxin producer.”Rainbow notified the homeowner that this was the only elevated spore count noted and states that it is not a toxin producer. The homeowner was not satisfied and requested a clear report. For the third time, Rainbow returned to the home to clean, treat, and place air filtration equipment. On October 30th, samples were taken and sent for analysis. The results were obtained and reviewed with the homeowner on November 6th, revealing no elevated spore counts. On November 17th, the homeowner sent Rainbow an email stating:“I would like to know your intent on our property if we get a bad air test back as suggested we do on the pages of your testing results?”On November 18th, Rainbow responded with an email stating:“I am here to help!  If it does not pass I would need to review the results in order to form a plan of action and identify the source.  As I have stated several times I stand behind my word and will not abandon your home.” On November 25th, Rainbow received an email stating:“Not sure how you sleep at night. You have been giving us what you call clear tests and this is clearly a test that proves to be very harmful.  Do you SEE the stachybotrys???  IF in fact you are a man of your word, you would reimburse us the $$$ it’s costing us to have this done CORRECTLY as you have had four months to accomplish this and still not clear to date.  It does us NO good to have you come back repeatedly and not get this correctly.  I will wait for your response before we go any farther on the course of action we may have to take.”Unknown to Rainbow, the homeowner obtained a contractor. Per the contractor’s report, the samples were obtained on November 9th, received by the lab on November 10th and a report generated on November 11th.  The homeowner sent Rainbow an email on November 17th asking what our intent was if a bad test result occurred.  The homeowner should have received the lab results prior to the November 17th email that we sent to Rainbow. The homeowner sent Rainbow the initial test results and an invoice on November 25th. Several emails were exchanged that day between Rainbow and the homeowner. Rainbow requested the entire testing results, as well as the entire invoice from the other mitigation company the homeowner hired to perform services.  The homeowner refused to send any other paper work stating “you have everything you need”.  This was not the case, as several pages of both the testing and invoice were missing.During the testing process, the homeowner had been doing demolition on the main level of the home. This included removal of carpet, pad, sub flooring and kitchen cabinets. Demolition of materials on the main level prior to any testing could have spread spores to other areas of the home if spores were present. The homeowner was never charged for any additional work completed in the home, nor were they charged for any additional equipment run time, air filtration, testing or drying equipment. Rainbow did offer a 10% discount for what the homeowner believes to be a poor experience with Rainbow.  As of today, Rainbow has not received a response from the homeowner. Rainbow does have copies of all email exchanges.Throughout the entire process, Rainbow communicated with the homeowner and had stated several times that we will stand behind our work. Never was it indicated that Rainbow might not return to continue services if monies were not collected. The homeowner had contacted our corporate office to complain about lack of communication. Rainbow did communicate via phone, text and email with the homeowner on several occasions. During the demolition of the kitchen cabinets, the homeowner revealed what appeared to be mold on the drywall. The homeowner never requested testing of the main level from Rainbow or the contractor that was hired later by the homeowner. The discovery of this mold should have prompted the homeowner to obtain samples if safety was a concern. Rainbow did offer to return to the home until a clear report was obtained, as well as offered a discount to be refunded to the homeowner after notified that a test revealed contamination. Extensive work was completed by Rainbow which does not justify a full refund of the amount requested by the homeowner. I would like to close by saying that under no circumstance was an unconscionable act or practice committed, nor was the basement in an unsafe condition when services were completed by Rainbow. Rainbow’s third and final sample cleared the basement environment of any hazardous conditions.  I cannot be responsible for conditions after services were completed as I do not know what may have been done in the home or how environmental conditions may have changed after our services were complete.  At the time of our services, the basement was a damp, unconditioned space, which could promote continued contamination growth. It is also a concern that the main level of the home was not addressed nor tested for contamination. The homeowner is remodeling the main level, which could cause spores to become airborne throughout the home, resulting in positive air samples. The report the homeowner obtained did show Stachybotrys. However, the count was a total of 3 cells in the basement.  I did contact a Certified Industrial Hygienist, who stated that a count of 3 cells is miniscule and poses no health hazard.  If additional information is required please feel free to contact our office.