Ridge Contracting

Review: Contractor agreed to and comprised a contract in the amount of $50,000 for remodeling/construction work at my mother's home. Items in the contract were not completed; contractor did not return my mother's phone calls. Have had work reviewed by individuals with field experience; electrical work in a closet was deemed "illegal" and "a potential fire hazard". General contractor said approximately $18,000 to $20,000 of remodeling/construction had been done. Most of the "work" that was done, was to the upstairs bathroom and basement of the home, and a handicap ramp added to the back of a deck. My mother is not able to safely navigate to the upper and lower levels of the home, and was not aware that she was being completely taken advantage of. In the upstairs bathroom,an exiting tub was removed, and the contractor installed a shower stall, exhaust fan, new toilet, light bar, and installed new hardwood flooring in an approximate 6x2 foot area. In the bedroom on the other side of the bathroom, the contractor removed a piece of existing drywall and cut out an access panel for the shower water pipes. The existing piece of drywall was then re-attached to the wall--not replaced with new drywall. This is an example of the type of work that was done.I was not living with my mother at the time, but am preparing to move in with her so she can stay in her home, as she is having difficulty meeting the loan repayment requirements for this remodeling fiasco. Once I saw how gross the level that this contractor took advantage of an elderly widow, I encouraged her to take action. Please contact me if you need any further information, and thank you for your assistance in preventing this from happening to someone else.Sincerely,[redacted]Desired Settlement: I would like for the contractor to prove his expenses for this work, and my mother to get the money back for work not completed and/or not completed correctly.

Consumer

Response:

[To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed Administratively Resolved]

Review: [redacted]

I am rejecting this response because:

There are several items which **.[redacted] states in his letter had been completed, which in fact was not.

Proposal I; Item #2:

The main floor is not level, and has caused the floors to buckle, and drop away from the walls and baseboards approximately an inch in some areas.

Proposal I; Item #7:

The wall in the kitchen over the door and across the ceiling has not been patched.

Proposal I; Item #10

The basement walls have not been waterproofed, and the water literally runs through the walls.

Proposal I; Item #12

The front and back porches were not insulated and covered with Tyvek, nor secured with wood strips.

Proposal I; Item #15

The drip-edge for the gable ends were were never made, as **. [redacted] stated to my mother that he “didn’t know how”.

Proposal I; Item #18

There are many small existing plumbing leaks in the basement that should have been fixed, if the entire house had been checked.

Proposal I; Item #19

The outside water line under the deck was not insulated.

**. [redacted] stated in his response that all of the work in in Proposal I was completed except for #17; this is simply not true.

Proposal 3; Item #1 & 2

Refer to above complaint regarding Proposal I; Item #10

Proposal 4; Item #5

Proper wiring is determined by electrical code; not by the discernment of the contractor or subcontractor. The work performed in this item was grossly negligent. My argument is not with the remaining wiring throughout the house, as **. [redacted] references, but with the work performed in Item #5.

My mother did call **. [redacted] and actually spoke to him briefly, however, as he was transporting his wife to the doctor’s office, and stated he would call her back the following Monday. When her call was not returned, she phoned again and left a message for a return call, which she never received.

My mother is requesting a refund for the work that she was charged for but was not performed. She does not want **. [redacted] to return to complete the work that was not done, or done incorrectly; meaning not to code, as this should have been done to begin with. We would also like to see copies of the permits and final (closed) inspection date, including the inspectors name, as **. [redacted] told my mother it was his responsibility to secure such permits and inspections. She said that to this day, not one inspection has been done.

Regards,

Business

Response:

December 11, 2013

Dear Sir/Madam,

As I stated in my previous letter, this is an older home and needed lots of work, and I informed the customer that the work she wanted performed was not going to completely fix all the problems in her home.

Proposal 1; Item 2

Three adjustable lolley columns were installed under the main beam of the house. This was to add support to the structure. They were adjusted as best as possible to level the main floor, but due to the older condition of the home, could not be completely corrected. This would do nothing for the previous additions that were added to the kitchen and living room.

At the time the columns were installed, the floors were buckled and dropped away from the walls and baseboards. The installation of the columns was to add extra support to the main beam and to level to some degree.

Proposal 1; Item 7

After speaking w/ the subcontractors who worked with me, I believe you are correct on this item. They reminded me that the customer and I agreed that I would do this when I returned to do the kitchen floor.

Proposal 1; Item 10

The interior basement walls WERE parged and waterproofed, using approximately 13 gallons of water sealant.

Proposal 1; Stem 12

Perhaps this should have been worded differently. The part of the “original" front porch and the “original” back porch that had previously been closed in to make two additions, one to the kitchen and one to the living room, were insulated underneath, covered with Tyvek and secured with wood strips. There would have been no reason to insulate under the remaining exposed areas of the porches.

Proposal 1; Item 15

The customer wanted something to deflect the water on the gable ends of the home. I told her that I did not know of a way to add this without putting holes in the metal roof and did not feel comfortable in doing so.

Proposal 1; Item 18

Over two years ago when the plumbing was checked there were no discernable leaks noted. Proposal 1; Stem 19

I spoke with the subcontractors on this item also and I was assured that the part of the water line that was extended under the ramp of the deck was insulated. However, I did not actually do this myself, so I will have to take their word for it

Proposal 3; Stem 1 & 2

Again, approximately 13 gallons of water sealant was applied to the interior basement walls. Proposal 4; Item 5

A light fixture was moved from the bathroom ceiling to above the vanity and a light switched was installed by one of the subcontractors who helped on this project and he has training in electrical work; so i’m not clear what is meant by “grossly negligent”.

As I stated before, I do not remember talking to the customer by phone as she states, but if I was taking my wife to the doctor at the time, it may have been because she had to be hospitalized and the same weekend by father suffered a brain aneurysm. So with all that was going on I may have talked to her and just do not remember. I am not clear as to why

someone didn’t try to call again rather than wasting two years to follow-up.

I did NOT tell the customer that I would be responsible for securing the permits. If that had been the case, it would have been clearly stated in the original proposal.

The only work that was not performed were the items that the customer chose not to do at the time and it was agreed that I would return at a later date to do the kitchen floor as stated in my previous letter. At this time, being this was over two years ago, returning to do the kitchen floor and patching the wall above the kitchen door and the ceiling, or doing the items she originally chose not do is the only remedy that I have to offer the customer.

Sincerely,

Consumer

Response:

[To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed Administratively Resolved]

Review: [redacted]

I am rejecting this response because:

December 22, 2013

Revdex.com of Metro Washington DC and Eastern Pennsylvania

1411 K St NW 10th Floor

Washington, DC 20005-3404

RE: ID# [redacted]

To Whom It May Concern:

We are again rejecting the proposal offered by **. [redacted]. [redacted], owner of Ridge Contracting. We understand that the house is an older house, and did not, nor currently have, unrealistic expectations. What was expected, is that the work **. [redacted] received monetary compensation for be performed correctly and completely. The reason for the delay in filing the complaint, is due to the fact that my mother was not aware that she had an advocate for recourse.

Proposal I; Item #2:

**. [redacted] responded with the suggestion that the condition of the floors (upper and lower levels) buckling and dropping away from the walls and baseboards was a preexisting condition; it was not.

Proposal I; Item #7:

Concerning the crack in the kitchen wall and ceiling; **. [redacted] has acknowledged that this item was not performed. He stated that an agreement was made that this item would be completed when he returned to do the kitchen floor. There is no mention in any of the proposals regarding work to the kitchen floor.

Proposal I; Item #10

I have video of the basement walls literally spouting water, in multiple places, through the block after a rain. I don’t know how much square footage 13 gallons of water sealant covers, but would be intrigued to see the receipts as they apply to this job.

Proposal I; Item #12

**. [redacted] is correct in stating that the front and back porch floors were insulated and covered with Tyvek, and secured with wood strips.

Proposal I; Item #15

We appreciate that **. [redacted] was up front regarding his concerns pertaining to the drip-edge for the gable ends, however, my mother was charged for this item, and the work was admittedly never done.

Proposal I; Item #18

**. [redacted] states that there were no discernable leaks when the house was checked 2 years ago. We have pictures of the cumulative results of leaks in the basement.

Proposal I; Item #19

When acquiring and paying a subcontractor for work that **. [redacted] was the contractor, it is ultimately his responsibility to ensure that the work has been performed according to the contract.

Proposal 4; Item #5

The explanation of “grossly negligent” consists of the old wiring being connected to the new wiring in the closet on the other side of the bathroom, and then wrapped with electrical tape. A junction box was also left hanging, not attached to any framing, and uncovered. The wall board that was removed in the closet to gain access to the wiring was never replaced, and this is how I know the condition that the wiring was left.

[redacted] did state to my mother that he would be responsible for securing the permits. My sister that was living with my mother at time was involved in this conversation, and can attest to this.

**Also, in the proposal dated 6/16/2010, item #17 lists that an entertainment stand/bookshelf was to be built in the living room for the TV, etc. My mother did decide not to have this done, however, she was still charged for it.

**In the proposal dated 8/16/2011, item #2 lists that a new handrail was to be installed for the basement steps. The old handrail was removed and reinstalled. A new handrail was never installed, and again, my mother was charged for this. Item #3 in this same proposal lists a new oak handrail and pickets was to be installed in the house to the upstairs. Again, my mother decided not to have this work done, but was charged for it.

I’m reiterating that my mother does not want **. [redacted] to return and do the work that was not completed, or performed incorrectly, as the work should have been completed or performed correctly from the beginning as stated in the proposals. My mother should not have been charged for work that was never done.

**Addendums to original complaint filed October 27, 2013.

Regards,