RVA Historicals

Buyer Beware; Bad Business Practices; Not to be Trusted:

Charles Barnes is not someone to be a trusted. He came into our home and measured for barn doors, then commits to doing the job which includes products, install and delivery. He explains that a deposit is required prior to him starting.

I was foolish and trusted him but buyer beware. DO NOT trust this man, he takes your money (cashed the check) and does not show up. He will start with excuses why he can’t fulfil the commitment as promised. The stories will go something like these (yours may be a little more colorful): helping to demo a house, bitten by a dog, truck is broken, Mom is sick, and the stories go on and on. At first I felt sorry for him but the stories start to get old after weeks have passed. Basically he is scamming people! But on the bright side of all of this, I have learned a very valuable lesson. And that is that I will never pay a deposit prior to work being performed. I will only pay when the job is complete!

I also would like to add that my husband offered to pick him up when he texted saying that his truck was broke down on the side of the road (Interstate 64). Also we offered to pick the doors up. We tried everything. I hope this message helps others.

We don’t have a lot of money and didn’t deserve this. I will also be contacting 12 on your side:

Extremely dissatisfied; this company and Charles Barnes is NOT a person to be trusted. Won’t return property removed from our home for repairs (defective pair of farm table benches) leaving our family high and dry for months without seats for our dinner table. Won’t return our calls, letters, etc. Simply the worst!

We hired Charles to build some shelves for us. He took our deposit and told us it would be 3-4 weeks. It has been 8 months and we can neither get him to deliver the shelves OR our deposit money back. I have made multiple attempts to get the money, and he promises and then doesn’t deliver. As far as I’m concerned, he stole money from us and I am very unhappy. I would not recommend Charles Barnes or RVA historical to anyone.

I ordered a Barn Door from RVA Historicals Nov. 2017. The owner came to measure for the door and was over an hour late. Owner had to reschedule installation twice and still was over an hour late. Upon installation I noticed the door rail was not level, I brought this to his attention and he said my house was crooked. I mentioned the wheels on the rail were rusted and rough, he said they would smooth out over time. After a month they have not. Noticed gaps between the wood on the door. Said he would return to fix it. Black overspray on the walls, dirty hand prints on the wall, noticed where he installed a door stop he split the base board. Schedule a return date to fix and he did not show. Have tried several time to contact but will not return messages or phone calls.

Review: In Sept 2015, I ordered a 6’Lx 40”W farm table from RVA Historicals. On Dec 11th, I received a table that is 5’7”Lx38”W. On Dec 12th, I asked that the top be replaced. The size is wrong, the table top is very uneven, with large gaps in between the boards.

The owners gave excuse after excuse for not getting the table top completed, and on many occasions would not respond to my calls or texts msgs at all. It is now February, and the table top has not been replaced.

The owner, Mr. B[redacted], finally came out on Sat Feb 6th to take one of the boards off the old table to take back to his shop and match the stain to the new table top. He was said to return on Feb 8th, but called to state that the stain was still tacky. He text again to say he would be out on Feb 9th in the evening, but then something came up. I asked that he be here the morning of Feb 11th, and Mr. B[redacted] agreed. That date has come and gone, he was a no show again, and I still do not have a new table top.

When I bought the table, I also paid Mr. and Mrs. B[redacted] $150 down payment on a kitchen island. Because they have clearly shown they are not dependable, I have requested my down payment back and no longer want the island. Mr. B[redacted] has also given me numerous excuses in regards to my deposit, and I have not received that back either.

Mr. B[redacted] has stated all of this is my fault, although I’m not sure how. This is clearly a sign of poor business practices. I have had to threaten legal action on occasion, just to get a response at all.Desired Settlement: I would like the top to be replaced and my deposit returned for the butchers block.

Business

Response:

Revdex.com spoke with the owner of the business he provided the following response: The business stated that initially when they delivered the table, the customer didn't voice any concern with board with or gaps, but in fact upon receiving the table ordered another piece and gave a deposit. The customer then contacted them and said that he didn't like the gap in that board, and the business stated that they used 100 year old reclaimed wood, and that was part of the style of the wood because they do not plane the boards, which they also explained beforehand. They offered to replace that board that the customer had an issue with, however, in an attempt to make sure he was satisfied. He refused that offer, and stated instead that he wanted a whole new top. The business agreed to do so, and came out to his home to get the board in question from the original top to match the stain on the new one. The business stated that when they came to his home the customer made attempts to intimidate the business, by coming out of the house holding a gun, and by mentioning that his dog was a former police dog. The business completed a new top, which was very labor intensive, and which go for a value of $500, and the day of delivery they stated that they had to push the time back to later in the day. The customer was not satisfied and wanted to keep both the original and the new top. The business stated that they would have to take back the old top and the customer made threats to sue, and said that he wanted to cancel the other order for the island. The business stated they have already sent back the deposit, and because of the threats and intimidation made by the customer, they were not going to continue the business relationship, and they are shipping back the board from the original top tomorrow morning.

Business

Response:

Revdex.com spoke with the owner of the business he provided the following response: The business stated that initially when they delivered the table, the customer didn't voice any concern with board with or gaps, but in fact upon receiving the table ordered another piece and gave a deposit. The customer then contacted them and said that he didn't like the gap in that board, and the business stated that they used 100 year old reclaimed wood, and that was part of the style of the wood because they do not plane the boards, which they also explained beforehand. They offered to replace that board that the customer had an issue with, however, in an attempt to make sure he was satisfied. He refused that offer, and stated instead that he wanted a whole new top. The business agreed to do so, and came out to his home to get the board in question from the original top to match the stain on the new one. The business stated that when they came to his home the customer made attempts to intimidate the business, by coming out of the house holding a gun, and by mentioning that his dog was a former police dog. The business completed a new top, which was very labor intensive, and which go for a value of $500, and the day of delivery they stated that they had to push the time back to later in the day. The customer was not satisfied and wanted to keep both the original and the new top. The business stated that they would have to take back the old top and the customer made threats to sue, and said that he wanted to cancel the other order for the island. The business stated they have already sent back the deposit, and because of the threats and intimidation made by the customer, they were not going to continue the business relationship, and they are shipping back the board from the original top tomorrow morning.

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the offer and/or response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.

The owner, Mr. B[redacted], makes it sound like this happened only a few weeks ago. Actually it has been going on since December 12, 2015. When the table was delivered on December 11th, Mr. B[redacted] failed to mention that the table was short by 4 inches, and not wide enough by 2 inches. He proposed that I look the table over for a week or so, and if I was not satisfied in any way, to let him know. I let him know the very next day. There are only a few statements in his response that are true. I did let him know I would be contacting an attorney to take legal action against them; that was the only way I got any response from Mr. and Mrs. B[redacted]. I did get my deposit back on February 12, 2016, after he stated he mailed it on January 26, 2016. On February 6, 2016, Mr. B[redacted] came to my home to remove one of the boards from the table. He stated that he was taking it back to his shop to match the stain, in order to give me a new table top. He observed my dog in the yard and I did tell him my dog was an old police dog living out the rest of his life in the country. At no time did I bring out a gun of any kind around Mr. B[redacted]. Furthermore I would not have firearms around strangers. Mr. B[redacted] even shook my hand when he left with the board. At this time, I feel that the owners of this company will say just about anything to make it someone else’s fault. I just want what I paid for.

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the offer and/or response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.

The owner, Mr. B[redacted], makes it sound like this happened only a few weeks ago. Actually it has been going on since December 12, 2015. When the table was delivered on December 11th, Mr. B[redacted] failed to mention that the table was short by 4 inches, and not wide enough by 2 inches. He proposed that I look the table over for a week or so, and if I was not satisfied in any way, to let him know. I let him know the very next day. There are only a few statements in his response that are true. I did let him know I would be contacting an attorney to take legal action against them; that was the only way I got any response from Mr. and Mrs. B[redacted]. I did get my deposit back on February 12, 2016, after he stated he mailed it on January 26, 2016. On February 6, 2016, Mr. B[redacted] came to my home to remove one of the boards from the table. He stated that he was taking it back to his shop to match the stain, in order to give me a new table top. He observed my dog in the yard and I did tell him my dog was an old police dog living out the rest of his life in the country. At no time did I bring out a gun of any kind around Mr. B[redacted]. Furthermore I would not have firearms around strangers. Mr. B[redacted] even shook my hand when he left with the board. At this time, I feel that the owners of this company will say just about anything to make it someone else’s fault. I just want what I paid for.