Rapid Repairs and Remodeling

Business stated that deposit would be used as a credit against repair work, but then reneged on the agreement.
We were victims of a bait-and-switch at the hands of Home Repair Centers, Inc. d/b/a Rapid Repair. In the process of buying our new home, we received an inspection report with many items that we planned to have repaired after closing. We were referred to Rapid Repairs, so we contacted them to get a quote. We were told that it would be $22 per line item, which at 38 items worked out to $836. These were mostly mere punch list items (e.g. replace vinyl siding with hole; replace attic cover; etc.). We thought it was ridiculous to pay $836 just to get a quote, but we were assured by Rapid Repairs that the moneys paid were actually a deposit in that they would be applied as a credit to work performed. So, we paid the $836 in reliance on this promise.

When we received the quote, we were shocked at the ~$15,000 price tag, which included mark-up for things that are traditionally considered overhead like worker's comp insurance on top of the labor costs.

Fortunately, we were able to negotiate having the sellers perform several of of the key repairs. However, there were/are still several of the items left to be done.

We revisited with Rapid Repairs to have them perform two or three of the items on the list to obtain the benefit of the $836 we paid that we were assured would be applied as a credit to work done. *** the owner of Rapid Repairs, responded claiming that the credit only applies per line item, so that out of the $836 deposit we put down, we would only receive credit for $44. He has continuously pointed to language in their quote and paid invoice that isn't particularly clear, but could be construed to say that the credit only applies per line item. However, he completely refuses to acknowledge the fact that the quote and paid invoice were sent AFTER we had already paid $836 relying on his office manager's word that the moneys would be applied to work performed without any specification that we would have to have Rapid Repairs perform every line item on the list to get the full credit.

*** has refused to do anything to make the situation right, and apparently intends to retain our $836 for doing nothing more than providing a quote to perform work. To say my experience with this company was disappointing is an understatement. Beware of this company's tactics.