S & C Home Solutions

October 2017 S&C Home Solutions sent me a bid for a remodeling job in my home. The job essentially consisted of removing a wall, ceiling patch, dry wall work, moving a phone jack and electrical outlet and un & reinstalling vinyl plank flooring. I agreed to this bid. I also purchased a box of flooring in case he needed a board or two to place where the wall went down (I had 4-5 boards left over from the original install). The project was going to begin the week of thanksgiving, take a few days with the possibility of him having to come back a time or two to touch up the drywall.
The project started 11-21-17. One of the vinyl planks was damaged during the demo and broke a baseboard. The baseboard was replaced. A week into the project, the owner was given a key because I needed to leave before he’d make it to my home.
11-30-17, Thursday, I was told they’d be finished the next day and I asked the owner to leave a statement with the final balance.

12-2-17, Saturday
Owner dropped off statement and I pointed out a couple things to him. I asked if he could feather out the ceiling patch a little bit as it dipped in on 3 sides. I also asked if he could remove the stuff he sprayed on the ceiling for texture off of my walls & asked about what he could do about the gap between the smaller bedroom’s carpet and the plank flooring transition that wasn’t previously there (he had mentioned that the previous installer hadn’t ‘snapped’ the transition pieces in properly, and he did. There was no gap before and I had no issue with the previous plank flooring install. The gap was large enough to fit my fingers between the carpet and transition piece. He said he’d fix the ceiling, get the stuff off the walls and would think what to do about the carpet. He mentioned maybe ‘kicking it’.
12-4-17, Monday, I left a check (~75% if the payment was made) to put towards the final invoice of, on my counter to pickup when he came out that day. I also left a note with the check indicating that as soon as everything is finished, I’ll complete the payment.
Later the same day, when I returned home, I noticed some issues. A transition piece was bowing, the little bedroom carpet was loose and I saw a bunch of carpet bits and pieces laying about. I texted the owner asking about these things and sent pictures. I asked if the fibers were from fixing the gap?.
He said he’d definitely take a look at it the next day.
He didn’t get back to me about the carpet. You can see in the pictures I sent him, the square carpet patch at the entry way. I didn’t catch this at that moment.

12-10-17, Sunday
I came across floor boards in front of the smaller bedroom that have issues. The edge of one of the boards looks kind of crunched and isn’t sitting flush with the board next to it. Also, another board has gouges in it. I let him know that they’ll need replaced and sent pictures. He admitted to one of his people stepping on a knee kicker that caused the damage. He said he planned on taking them out that week when he came to finish the ceiling.

12-11-17, Monday I ask the owner if he knows what day he’ll be doing the flooring? He said he was going to pick one day this week to come out, probably Wednesday or Thursday.

12-14-17, Thursday, I ask the owner if he’s coming out. He said he’s been delayed with another job and will be out Monday.

12-15-17, Friday, I contact the owner about the weird seams in the carpet at the doorway to the little bedroom. I noticed it a week or so prior but never thought it would have been caused by the owner. I ended up asking him if he did any carpet patch to that bedroom (mind you, I’d just had this carpet laid in May). He admitted to cutting a patch out of the closet in there to fill the hole he cut out at the entryway. He also said he ordered carpet to replace the piece he cut out of the closet.
He did NOT have my permission to cut into my carpet and had he asked, I would have said no. I checked in the closet, moved storage tubs and uncovered the missing piece of carpet. Also, the patch job didn’t look right. I told him this and he came over.
We got into a heated discussion where he told he had no responsibility to inform me of any issues he encountered as long as he planned on fixing them... and he did not need my permission to cut into my carpet. He also used explicit language. He left and later that evening texted that he’d remove and replace the carpet.
I thanked him and asked him to keep me appraised of the timetable... and that when I knew he’d be coming again, I’d get the room ready to the best of my ability.

12-21-17, Thursday, I ask if he knew of a timetable of everything to be done. He says he’ll be out after the holidays to measure the room to order the carpet & that once the carpet is here, he’ll install it.

12-27-17, Wednesday, owner says he’ll be over Wednesday to measure the carpet. I ask if he meant Wednesday, January 3rd. He said he didn’t realize it was Wednesday and would be out more like Friday. He didn’t come, nor did he give notice of not showing.

1-1-18, Monday, owner sends me a message saying he didn’t realize there was a holiday this week too and that he’ll be out Tuesday to measure & he apologized for his behavior during our discussion about the carpet. He didn’t come Tuesday, nor did he say he wasn’t coming. . I only know this because he came on Thursday, 1-4-18. He has a key and just let himself in. He didn’t ask me if it was ok that he came that day. I only asked him if he came Thursday because I could tell something was different in my home.

1-17-18, Wednesday, I inquire about the status on the carpet. He said he ordered it and was waiting on it to come in. He also said it took about 2 weeks to get the other piece in that he’d ordered (when he’d done the carpet patch without any notice to me), when I asked if he knew how long it’d take. I also asked about the width of the carpet and he said it was 12’. The room is less than 12 feet wide and I believe it was one solid piece when originally laid.

1-25-18, Thursday, I asked if the carpet was in yet & that there were a couple more boards I’d found that the edges looked funny. Once I know when he was coming, I’d mark them to point them out., no reply until...

1-29-18, Monday, owner texts says he was out of town. He says he hasn’t heard anything from the carpet company but would call them this week.

1-31-18, Wednesday, owner texted that he called the carpet company the day before but hadn’t heard back. He said he’d go into the store that morning to check on it. I didn’t hear anything from him.

2-1-18, Thursday, I text the owner asking what he’d heard. He replies back, ‘who’s this’ and ‘sorry’. I identify myself and mention that he did he’d go visit the carpet company yesterday. I get no other messages from the owner.

2-2-18, Friday, I once again text the owner asking about the carpet. No reply.

2-7-18, Wednesday, I again text the owner asking if he knew the ETA on the carpet. No reply.

2-15-18, Thursday, I call the owner and actually get to speak with him. He says he heard back from the company, the carpet was in. He also said they mentioned leaving a voicemail with him at least a week ago but that he didn’t get that message. The owner said let’s plan on getting this done on Monday, 2-19-18, and he’d get in touch with his carpet guy.

2-18-18, Sunday, I text the owner asking what time he plans on being there the next day.

2-19-18, Monday, owner texts back saying that he couldn’t get ahold of his carpet guy but he’d call him that morning to see what he could set up for that week. Later that day, I texted the owner asking if he’d talked to the carpet guy that day.

2-20-18, Tuesday, the owner texts back saying that he spoke to the carpet guy last night, he agreed to do the job and he was trying to set it up for that day. I said no, as I want to know at least the day before that you’re coming. I indicated that I hadn’t marked the boards yet. (I had indicated wanting advanced notice before and to be kept in the know of timetables).
The owner then went on to remind me that I still owe him money. I informed him that I was aware and that I’d pay in full when the job was complete. I’d paid him ~75% of the final invoice in December, the check dated 12-3-17.
Later that day, I asked him if he knew a date of when I could expect them. No reply.

2-21-18, Wednesday, I called the owner and we planed on the install Thursday. He’d confirm with his carpet guy and get back to me. I got my place ready for the install. I didn’t hear anything further that day.

2-22-18, Thursday morning, I call the owner to see if the carpet guy is coming. He said he’d call me back in 1 hour. He did not call back.
I waited 3ish hours and called him. No answer. I texted him, asking about the flooring install and ceiling fix & that I didn’t hear back from him per our earlier discussion. No reply.
Later that afternoon I called him & left a voicemail asking him to call me back. He did not call or text back. No work was done at my place on Thursday. I ended up keeping things ready in case they might come out Friday.

2-23-18, Friday, I text the owner asking when will he and the carpet guy be out. No reply. I try calling but he doesn’t answer. Later that day I send another text. It read:

“Please just set a date within the next week or two that you & the carpet guy, will be out to wrap up the projects & let me know within the next 24-48 hours of the date.
I’m quite frustrated & disappointed by the lack of communication displayed by not getting called back when I’m told you’ll call me, viewing my texts (iPhone feature) without replies and not responding to my voicemail that I’ve left you. I just want this project completed satisfactorily so I can complete the final payment to you.”

The owner promptly sends me a bunch of pictures of the outside and him working? (didn’t ask for these). He replied that he’s on a job and he’ll call me in a little bit. I told him that I looked forward to that call. He never called. However, he sent me a message that read, “Look I'm not working I'm not going to be at your beck and call every minute if I view your message or hear your voicemail that's what I'm supposed to do if I don't get back to you as soon as possible I'm working I don't wanna be an *** to you but you start rub me the wrong way”

I replied with:
“I'm not asking you to be at my 'beck and call'. But I do expect you to return phone calls when you say you will. Right now, I'm just asking for you to set a reasonable date & time of when I can expect you and your carpet guy to come and wrap things up. I would preferably like this to be done within the next couple weeks as this whole project has been ongoing since November. I don't feel this is an unreasonable request.”
I received no response.

2-26-18, Monday, I sent the owner the following message:
“Would you please set a date and time of when I can expect you to come and finish the project?”
No response.

2-27-18, Tuesday, I sent the owner the following text:
“I know you’re a busy man and I’m sorry if I’ve rubbed you the wrong way. I’m really anxious to get the ceiling and the flooring wrapped up. If you would, please, set a reasonable date of when this will be done, so that I may finish payment to you and get the key to my home back.”
No response.

3-5-18, Monday, I send a text again:
“It's been over a week since I've heard from you and I'm checking in to see if you've been able to schedule a date of when you and your carpet guy will be out to finish things up?”

3-6-18, I called the carpet company to see if it had been picked up and paid for. I was told that it’s still there, waiting for the owner, not paid for.

3-8-18, Thursday, I send the following text:
“It’s been nearly 2 weeks since I’ve last heard from you, despite multiple attempts on my end for requests of communication. It seems to be a struggle for you to schedule a time for you and the carpet guy to replace the bedroom carpet, exchange out the damaged vinyl plank boards and finish the ceiling patch. In light of the situation, I propose this:
We call it square with the work done and the money in the sum of $x that I’ve paid you. I will hire someone else to finish the work and I will not pay any more money to you. If you agree to this, I would like a statement from you emailed to me stating these conditions on your letterhead and signed by you. My email address is x. Please let me know your answer within 48 hours by replying to this text. No reply will be viewed as agreeing to the above terms.
Thank you,
X

He promptly replied:
“I've been sick for the last week with ammonia and influenza B so that's why did not get back to you I do not agree to this I want my $x that you owe me still and you're not a lawyer so you can't set an a 48 hour terms and think someone's going to agree to that I don't agree to that at all. I have no problem setting a date with you and coming in to
complete the project. I told you I was busy A couple weeks ago and I will get you in.

I can not comment on the work or craftsmanship, but the owner said he was going to drop a trailer off at a certain time and never did, my wife took time out of her day to make sure they had room in the driveway, but they never showed or contacted us back. We were suppose to meet at a certain time to discuss what work was needed around the house, the owner never showed up, we had other things to do and he called a half an hour later, we explained to him that we had things to do, he gave my wife attitude and said that we need to find a different contractor. He did state that his wife was sick with the flu, which we fully understand, but at least take a minute or two and send us a text stating that you can't make it.