ComplaintsforW.L. Bishop Construction Co

• Initial Complaint

  12/27/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  We hired WL Bishop (WL) as the general contractor to build out a new bar, including handling the pre-construction permitting process, the physical construction, as well as the final inspections. Though we had begun the permitting process, with WL citing expected costs of $90k on the 7/1 application (LOI, attached; in conversation gave a range between $90k and $130k), we only received a contract on 8/1 with a price of $165k. After negotiating, the best price they could offer us was still over $140k. Given the vastly increased quote, we were unable to move forward with WL but agreed to pay for the assistance in the permitting process thus far. We ended our business relationship amicably on 8/30 at which point WL invoiced us for $6,162.82 and we paid the sum. At this point, we became more active in the permitting. After reviewing the city's online portal, it became clear that permit revisions for the building inspector were never submitted after the application was rejected on 8/8, nor were they submitted after the 7-day follow up (see timeline, attached). WL did not inform us that we needed to submit revisions. We reached out to the architect who forwarded us the comments he had emailed to WL on 8/12 (email attached, DG response) so that they could complete the revisions. The city's review team confirmed via email (attached, email 2) that they did not receive any revisions until we submitted them personally. On 9/28, upon submission of revisions on 9/16 the final permit was approved. WL's delay in submitting revisions cost us a month of rent ($5,600) with no income. In light of these circumstances, we are requesting a reimbursement to compensate for the unnecessary expense and incomplete work. We attempted to resolve our claim directly with WL, but they were unable to justify the lack of response to the city. When asked to provide evidence that they submitted revisions to the city on 8/23 (claimed via email, attached, bishop response) they stopped responding.

  Business response

  01/02/2023

  Here’s the timeline that I have been able to pull together from all of the emails specific to the building inspections response.  Attached are 5 copies of emails that create the chronological timeline of emails.  In order of date:
  
  8/8/22 -**** ******* (architect) forwards ****** ****** (Project Manager) nd email from the city of ****** with a building inspection disapproval letter. 
  8/16/22 - Email from ***** ******** with the City of ****** on August 16th asking about the Building Re-review.  
  8/16/22 - ****** forwards an email to **** asking him when we’ll have revised drawings.  He responded on the 17th that he had sent comments to WC and was waiting on a response.
  8/17/22 - ****** forwarded a response back to ***** ******** (and to ***** ***** since ***** had an out of office) with revised electrical plans and revised plumbing plans.  She says that she is expecting revised building documents from **** *******. 
  8/17/22 - **** ******* forwards an email asking if we had submitted his comment letter tagged to a City of ****** Approval Summary with ****** ****** and ***** ***** in the deficiency comments.  **** says that the letter that he forwarded on the 19th (a Friday) and then again on the 23rd should have been forwarded. ****** promptly forwarded the letter from **** to both ****** and *****.

  Bonnie forwarded the drawings she had to ***** ******** via ***** ***** (***** is the plans intake manager).  And forwarded ****’s letter to ****** and *****.
  
  At the time of the 30th, I don’t see where we had any documents from **** to be uploaded to forwarded to any other sources.  At worst case scenario, **** told us to forward his last letter to the wrong department.  In which case, I would perceive that as an honest mistake on ****'s part, while we responded directly to the email instructions we were given.
  
  Hope this clears everything up, we responded in what I perceive to be a reasonable timeframe and fashion.  Seems to me ****** may have dropped the ball when ****** forwarded emails to ***** *****, or we didn’t have the final revised drawings from **** that he mentions (note about waiting on WC) by the time we were released on the 30th.  I'm not aware of what Documents were sent to ****** after our release, so I don't have anyway to compare the documents we have or have submitted.  Based on the documents and emails that I have in my possession, we were timely and accurate in our submittals to ******. 

*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. ↩