ComplaintsforDependable Handyman Services, Inc.

• Initial Complaint

  11/05/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  June 2023 work:Repairs were not complete, damage done to our home. Was told they would Charge us to come back and fix their mistakes. First: ceiling fans: asked them to install 3 WiFi fans. One was done correctly. The other two were installed, they couldnt figure out how to work them, took them down and told us to send them back because they didnt work and they would charge us the full price again to put the new ones up. We got an electrician out who hung them and got them to work with no problems and for much less money plus every ceiling around the fans has greasy/dirty fingerprints that they didnt clean. Second: an outdoor motion detector replacement security light they put up is on dusk to **** - wrong setting. We were clear to set in motion. Again, they said they would charge us the full fee to come back and adjust. The electrician we had install the fans also had to fix this. Third: we paid them to clean our gutters. They said they verified they were all clean and running smoothly. First rain came and they were 100% clogged. Much worse than before they started. We had them install replacement bulbs on security lights outside the barn. They told us the lights didnt work and we would have to replace the units - all 8 of them. Now we re thinking this was just a way to get more money. Asked them to install a simple but custom light switch cover we had purchased and it was shattered on install from over tightening but they left it in place and didnt report the damage

  Business response

  12/04/2023

  The complaint has been received. We are pulling our records regarding the project to review. We will be meeting with the staff members connected to the project and will have an official response by 12/08/23. 

  Customer response

  12/05/2023

  I am rejecting this response because:  The response is very delayed - significantly past the time BBB gave them to respond, and they provide no timeline on when they will get back to us or to the BBB. If I do not receive an adequate response by the end of the week, I will forward this complaint to the licensing board. 
  

  Business response

  12/08/2023

  I am surprised and confused, but I do understand that memories can be skewed. It does appear that the service was provided on 6/12/23 and 6/13/23, and the BBB complaint was filed 11/05/2023. My surprise is that we had a total of 19 items on the miscellaneous service request list, and there are only 5 items the customer is dissatisfied with, yet requesting a full refund. There is a total of 14 items not mentioned, and these items include:

  1.       Towel Holder Installation

  2.       Resecure trim at the back porch on soffit.

  3.       Replace shower head in bathroom.

  4.       Resecure and cover exposed electrical

  5.       Reseal shower door rails

  6.       Disassemble and salvage old wine box

  7.       Tile roof **** cleaning

  8.       Diagnose skylight shade

  9.       Resecure vent on upper deck

  10.   Install access panel in garage

  11.   Patch woodpecker holes and paint a seal coat with kills primer

  12.   Install junction box under sink

  13.   Extend light switch box in wine room

  14.   Install new toggle switches

  The four items the customer is dissatisfied with are:

  1.       Ceiling fan installation

  2.       Outdoor motion detector light replacement

  3.       Gutter cleaning

  4.       Custom light switch cover

  5.        That we may have been purposely misleading regarding separate barn exterior light fixtures for financial gain only

  Our process for service includes:

   Receive call, schedule a walkthrough, perform walkthrough with customer/ authorized individual onsite, create an estimate, receive approved estimate with any additions or subtractions, schedule to perform work, initial walkthrough at the time of service with techs and customer/authorized individual onsite, complete project hazard documentation, perform work, take  before/during/after pictures, constant communication during time of service with available customer/ authorized individual onsite, at the completion of service-  perform final walkthrough with customer / authorized individual onsite, receive payment, complete project paperwork and documentation, issue final paid invoice.

  This process is in an effort to help mitigate any potential issues that a project can create between customer, tech, and company.

  I am also surprised that there was no direct communication between myself, *************************, and our customer, *******************, considering she has had direct previous experience with me and my company in the past regarding any concerns, questions, or grievances. It is my understanding from our records and staff that we did in fact make a mistake with the ****-to-dusk motion sensor light setting. Because of this, we did in fact return and adjust the setting free of charge.  It is also my understanding that when it came to the ceiling fans from our recommendation, that we had possibly defective units, and we offered to only charge half price as a result of us having to do the work again. We also informed the customer that we recommended contacting the manufacturer regarding the potentially defective units. There was no additional charge for disassembling and repackaging defective parts.  It is our policy that if we do in fact come to realize that it is a mistake on our part, there is no additional charge.

  Regarding the gutter cleaning- the gutters were in fact cleaned and the downspouts were cleared. However, we do understand in a circumstance as in the ***** family home, it is surrounded by trees and vegetation. This can in fact easily create an additional clog or back up at any point in time. So I do understand that it could be misunderstood that the job was not complete. However, during our walkthroughs with the customer at the end of ********************, we do in these circumstances where the customer cannot or may not stand in a location to see the work performed, we do show the before and after pictures as a way of making our customer comfortable work was in fact performed during the final walkthrough.

  I do not believe there were any repairs that were not complete, and no damage was done to the ***** family home, nor were there any unreported damages by tech or customer, per final walkthrough and before and after pictures.

  Regarding the light diagnosis on the separate barn, we did in fact offer and give an estimate for our recommendation. This was not accepted nor requested to be performed.

  One of our service techs did mention that there was a custom light switch cover which was not replaced or was damaged, to our knowledge at any point in time.

  Considering all of the documentation and circumstances, at this point in time I would not agree that any financial amount of refund is due. I will include some additional documentation regarding this complaint, including:

  Original approved estimate

  Before, during, and after gutter and roof cleaning photos

  Hazard assessments

  Service tech daily job sheets

  Final invoice and proof of payment in full

   

  We wish *************** all our best moving forward and thank her for having been a repeat customer. 

  Owner and operator,

  *************************

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩