ComplaintsforThe Basement Finishers LLC

• Initial Complaint

  09/12/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I contracted with The Basement Finishers in May 2022 to start my basement finish August 1st or thereabouts. I did not hear from the company until August 3rd when I contacted them about the start of the project. As of September 8th, they had not started the project. They were fixated on starting with the bathroom to improve their bottom line, refusing and unwilling to start in other areas of the basement project. The owner ****, only communicated by email, he would not call or stop by the project after the contract was signed. When he did communicate by email, he was abrasive, condescending, unprofessional, and communicated with lies about why the project was not starting. The contract that he has potential customers sign is punitive and abusive of the client/contractor agreement. When I chose to terminate the contract after the project was not started by September 8th, he sent me a termination invoice though his company never started the basement finish. The Basement Finishers are responsible for the breach of contract. Over the 38 days that I waited for the basement project to begin, he did not request required permits from the city. There were no out of pocket expenses from his organization as I requested termination of the contract. I am filing a complaint with the BBB because he is attempting to exercise a "Force Majeure" clause in his contract and extort $4000 though after 38 he did not start the job.

  Business response

  09/27/2022

  Dear BBB, The Basement Finishers, LLC entered into a written Contract with this client to complete his basement that was originally started by others approximately 18 years ago. These original contractors did not complete this basement due to this client terminating their contract many years ago.

  The Basement Finishers, LLC were hired by this client to complete this basement that was partially completed by others in approx. ****. The first phase of this work was completing the shower plumbing valves and drain assembly to allow for tile work to begin in the shower and bath. This client agreed to order and purchase the new shower valves for the shower and our Master Plumber was ready to install these valves to allow the tile work to commence. This client agreed to have these valves ready for install around the last day of August. The Basement Finishers then contacted this client on Sept 1st to verify he had the shower valves for installation by our Master Plumber. This client then abruptly terminated the Contract for no reason whatsoever. The Basement Finishers invoiced this client per the Contract terms and obligations as specified. Currently, this client owes The Basement Finishers for time/labor provided and termination costs as defined in the mutually agreed Contract. 
  

  Customer response

  10/03/2022

   
  Complaint: 18011614
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

   

   

   

   

  I am rejecting this response because:

   

   

  Mark at The Basement Finishers is attempting create a false narrative regarding my basement not being completed previously or by them to give a false portrayal. The original basement finish building permit was granted by the city of Aurora December 27, ****, not ****. The basement was not completed at that time because of a divorce situation.

  
  I signed an agreement with The Basement Finishers May 24, 2022,to begin the project August 1, 2022. During this time, I did not hear from them for confirmation or preparation. I initiated the call to them August 3rd asking for a status update when they are starting the job. There was no agreement for me to order valves, it was a demanded by them to start any part of the job. Due to supply chain management issues stemming from the pandemic,there was a delay getting the valves. Meanwhile, they refused and were unwilling to start on any other part of the **** square foot basement project.

  
  Furthermore, as acknowledged, the latest building permits were purchased in **** and because the amount of time that has gone by, new permits are required to bring the basement up to 2022 building codes. ******** building codes states if you penetrate walls, makes changes to plumbing valves, electrical,or structural components a permit is required. No permit(s) were purchased The Basement Finishers or requested of me to purchase it from the **************. The current blueboard in the shower where they wanted to install the valves is now obsolete and needs to be replaced with greenboard to bring it up to current building codes.Additionally, the shower has a light in it with blueboard that is not up to current building codes.

  
  The contract was not abruptly terminated, it was terminated after approximately two months of emailing back and forth with **** and the job never getting started and he refusing and unwilling to start on another part of the basement project. Lastly, it was terminated after determining no building permits were purchased to legally do the work in the basement and it properly be recorded with the **************.

  
  The Basement Finishers are running a contractors scam operation by not legally filing building permits with the city and not doing the work they contract to do. There was no time, labor, or termination cost involved because they never started the job.

  
  Unfortunately, The Basement Finishers are taking advantage of homeowners by coercing them to enter into a punitive contract, then not completing the work outlined in the agreement and attempting enforce "Force Majeure." These atrocious and egregious business practices should be and will be investigated by the ******** Attorney Generals Office.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***********************

• Initial Complaint

  08/15/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  My wife and I contracted with The Basement Finishers, LLC on 2/17/2021 to complete a basement finishing project for our home. Actual work on the basement began on 5/5/2021, with the framing chalk lines being put down, and now we are at 8/15/2022 with the project still not being completed. We want this job completed and finished as we are now at 15 months from when actual work began on this project.

  Customer response

  08/22/2022

  Hello, 
  
  I wanted to give you an update about the received communication from The Basement Finishers, LLC. My complaint was initially submitted on 8/15/22, with complaint ID# ********.
  
  On 8/15/2022, before submitting my complaint to the BBB, I wrote an email correspondence to The Basement Finishers (TBF) asking for an update regarding outstanding issues preventing our basement finishing project from being completed. You can see this email within the attached document to this email. 
  
  Also, I haven't received any messages from TBF regarding my questions within the email I attached. The response that we received is also within the attached email to this email, stating that we were in "Breach of Contract" for false BBB filing, and they would no longer perform work on the project until the BBB complaint has been completely removed from the BBB website. 
  
  I feel this is an attempt of intimidation from the contracted company TBF and a blatant disregard for "The Consumer Review Fairness Act of 2016." Within my complaint were facts regarding the start of our contract, the beginning of the project, and the current date, with still an unfinished project.
  
  I want TBF to communicate what "changes" they referenced in their response to us. After a complete review of all invoices, we have only had ONE change within this project regarding a doorway being moved, and the change was ultimately incorrect as the door opening for the mentioned change was supposed to be 42" wide but instead was made 50" wide. 
  
  I feel as if TBF are confusing material selection with changes (i.e., my wife and I chose tile materials out in December of 2021, and the tiling of the project is still yet to be completed due to mismeasurement of titled area and not enough material being ordered by TBF, thus causing another delay). 
  
  We have numerous situations of mismeasurements by TBF, causing extensive delays. Another example regarding the cabinetry that was again mismeasured by TBF, causing significant delays and impacting the installation of other items, like the countertop, etc. 
  
  In addition to the mismeasurement, we have hundreds of text correspondence with the ** of our project that shows this project has been mishandled throughout the entirety of the 15 months we have been dealing with TBF. 
  
  Please let me know if you have any questions or need any additional information. Also, please update my current complaint ID# ******** with this information. 
  
  

  Customer response

  08/25/2022

  Mark, 
  
  Following up again, please respond to my email from 8/22/22 at 4:25 PM (MST). 
  
  Let me know if you have any questions, and thank you for your "accommodations."
  
  Thanks, 
  ************************;
  ************
  
  On Wed, Aug 24, 2022 at 11:15 AM ************************* <********************> wrote:
  Mark, 
  
  I haven't gotten a response to my last email to you, and with my earlier conversation with our BBB advocate, they haven't gotten a response from you either. Please provide an update. 
  
  Let me know if you have any questions, and thank you for your "accommodations."
  
  Thanks, 
  ************************;
  ************
  

  
  

  Business response

  08/26/2022

  Dear BBB, this client is currently in Breach of Contract and we have been advised by legal counsel not to discuss the circumstances with any third party. We are hopeful of a mutual resolve and will keep the The BBB posted as needed. Thank you for your attention to this matter. The Basement Finishers, LLC

  Customer response

  08/29/2022

   
  Complaint: 17720252
  
  I am rejecting this response because it is comical. The reason that our Contractor "The Basement Finishers, LLC" is stating that we are in a "Breach of Contract" is due to posting a complaint with the BBB. One of the reasons we chose to sign with TBF was due to their A+ Accredited BBB status and now they are refusing to discuss this issue with the BBB? In review of the email correspondence I have already added to this complaint you can see that TBF are not answering our questions and have stopped working on our project. The last communication with TBF was an email from them providing a countdown to project termination if we do not remove our complaint from the BBB website. 

  I have text stream conversations between us and the ** that **** had assigned to our project for the last 15 months, that show without a doubt that this project has been mishandled from the start. I will move forward with getting these communications copies over to the BBB. 

  However, I greatly DO NOT ACCEPT the response provided by The Basement Finisher, LLC. 

  
  Sincerely,
  
  *************************

  Business response

  09/22/2022

  Dear BBB, this client has opted for litigation over a simple resolution that we offered a few times. The basement is finished with the exception of carpet installation and minor touchups. For some odd reason, this client appears to favor litigation instead of completing his basement in about 2 days. At this juncture, The Basement Finishers, LLC has offered to complete the carpet and minor touchups, but client is not responding or accepting our resolution. 

  Customer response

  10/04/2022

   
  Complaint: 17720252
  
  I am rejecting this response because The Basement Finishers LLC had 15 months to complete the project and failed to do so. The cause of The Basement Finishers' failures are due to non-existent communications with clients, the inability to measure and order products correctly, and a lack of professionalism. In no way did The Basement Finishers, LLC conduct itself in an A+ Accredited business mannerism.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *************************

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