Non-responsive contractors

tt_four · February 10, 2012, 10:59:59 PM

I had to get a new furnace put in around new years. I had a few guys come for estimates and this guy seemed like the best option. He was supposed to come about 4 days later for the install, but then said he could only come in the afternoon so he measured some stuff and said he'd come back to install on Monday. Got a text monday saying one of the air ducts wasn't ready yet, he'd come the next day. Finally after a few blown off days he showed up and installed it. I finally had heat again, so that was a bonus, only now when it kicks on you can feel it vibrating through the living room floor and I've been trying to get him back here for just over a month now to fix it. Of course the first time I called the guy he showed up within a half hour for the estimate, and every time after that he says he'll call or show up he either sends me a text hours later, or I just never hear from him again. When I do get a hold of him he says he'll come a certain day, never does. About a week ago he was he blew me off 3 days in a row. I talked to him earlier this week and he said he'd come on Saturday, would call me today to tell me what time, of course he never called, didn't pick up when I called him. I'm just gonna have to wait until i wake up and call him every 10 minutes until he picks up. Unfortunately he's already got my money because I thought we were done, any contractors out there with any advice as to what would get someone to actually show up to fix something?? I'm also trying to get a final invoice out of him because I can get a $750 rebate through the gas company for the high efficiency furnace, but he can't even be bothered to spend 2 minutes writing up a paper and putting it in the mail for me.

I've read in a similar post on another forum before that no one really cares about the BBB anymore, is that even worth bringing up, or will I just sound even less like I know what I'm talking about if I mention it? Just go ahead and file a complaint and hope he shows up to sort things out after? The guy I've been dealing with is the owner of the company, so there's no boss above him to call, obviously no office to show up and bother him at because he's always out doing work. Short of utterly trashing him on the internet, I wasn't sure where to go from here, but that's obviously a move for after everything is all said and done. Until he actually comes I don't really have any options but to still be civil. This is why I hate having anyone do anything on my house/vehicles/computer, but I wasn't gonna mess with anything gas related.

yamahonkawazuki · February 10, 2012, 11:07:33 PM

is this guy a backyard contractor? or is he a business?, anyhoo angies list is a good spot. so is posters hung everywhere in town describing your awesome experience [/sarcasm]. this day and age. no one wants to lose business. i work on wristwatches. and get referrals from walmart, and other retailers. granted its down to a trickle due to many things. but NOT my work. can you take a picture of the installation?, i may be able to tell you how to solve your issue if he wont

Toogoofy317 · February 10, 2012, 11:16:31 PM

Yeah, I thought BBB too. Is he licensed? If so maybe talk with the licensing board. Or put it up in every local forum you can find. Heck put up a craigslist ad too! Can't hurt!

Mary

yamahonkawazuki · February 10, 2012, 11:19:53 PM

Quote from: Toogoofy317 on February 10, 2012, 11:16:31 PM
Yeah, I thought BBB too. Is he licensed? If so maybe talk with the licensing board. Or put it up in every local forum you can find. Heck put up a craigslist ad too! Can't hurt!

Mary

BBB although not used as much, is still good. if too many complaints, it DOES tend to hurt them. also angies list. CL is a good one. BUT get me a pic showing the install. will find a way to quiet that pig down. will be quieter than the dolphins after a good loss

tt_four · February 10, 2012, 11:20:25 PM

It's a real business, or at least I thought so. The whole reason I didn't just start calling guys on craigslist is because I wanted to avoid this exact situation. I dug through the phone book, only called the ones that looked legit, talked to a few guys. I looked around online or reviews of each, and there really just wasn't anything about him online at all, so if I go on and put up a bunch of negative reviews it'll definitely be his only online presence.

I definitely plan on going out of my way to trash him name once it's all said and done because this has been beyond ridiculous, but at the moment I'm more curious about what the actual chain of action would be to actually get him to fix it. What kind of motivation can I give him to come to my house when he already has my money? I did some digging around online and found the applications to file complains with the better business bureau, the attorney general, and the bureau of consumer protection, so I don't mind sending in complaints to all 3. I'm basically just preparing for when I call him in the morning and he says "yeah.... sorry, just really busy, I'll come out next week, I'll call you in a few days to let you know when".

If I need help fixing it I can take a picture of the furnace and see if you have any advice. From looking around online a while ago it sounds like either the fan/blower/don't remember needs the speed turned down, or else some kind of damper needs put between the furnace and the air duct to get rid of some of the vibrating. To be honest I'm not concerned with getting the stupid invoice. I want the noise fixed, but it doesn't really bother me so bad that I want him here to do it. If I trusted more I'd tell him to come do it over summer when winter/furnace season is over, but the rebate is another story. It's a 'we're giving out rebates until the money runs out' kind of deal, so if the money runs out while I'm waiting for him while he's just screwing with me, I'm gonna be pissed, because $750 is $750.

Toogoofy317 · February 10, 2012, 11:24:03 PM

Hmm,

Maybe a white lie. Say "this thing ain't working right and I need you out here now" then a sob story how not getting the rebate is causing you guys some really bad financial hardship.

Tell him there is a 12 pack involved if he comes out

always works on guys doesn't it!

Just taking shots in the dark.

Mary

yamahonkawazuki · February 10, 2012, 11:24:42 PM

does it sound like a metallic drumming thru floor?, sounds liek somethign wasnt insulated. i dealt wiht that by using a 4ft long zip tie left behind by the ac guy. who did a good job. but i tend to stumble alot because of losing gfeelign in half of my left foot. and i bashed into the furnace in basement. line vibed after that, so i took 2 old bicycle innertubes, between bracket and line. and thaty ginormous zip tie. = problem solved.

yamahonkawazuki · February 10, 2012, 11:25:44 PM

Quote from: Toogoofy317 on February 10, 2012, 11:24:03 PM
Hmm,

Maybe a white lie. Say "this thing ain't working right and I need you out here now" then a sob story how not getting the rebate is causing you guys some really bad financial hardship. Tell him there is a 12 pack involved if he comes out always works on guys doesn't it!

Just taking shots in the dark.

Mary

yup this WILL work. or say. " lack of heat is causing ( medications to spoil) theres beer and pizza here if you come out now.

tt_four · February 10, 2012, 11:39:06 PM

haha, I could try that, but I feel like I've called him so much over the past month that he'll call my bluff. I should shut the furnace off one day when I leave for work and when I get home I can text him a picture of the thermostat saying it's only 60 degrees inside. I have a friend who lives 2 blocks up the street. I was thinking it would be more fun to have her call and say her furnace won't turn on and her house is freezing, see if he'd show up in 20 minutes, and I'd be sitting there on the couch waiting for him. I could say "hey don't worry about her furnace, it started working again, but now that you've got a few free minutes...... let's walk down to my house!"

yamahonkawazuki · February 10, 2012, 11:56:06 PM

Quote from: tt_four on February 10, 2012, 11:39:06 PM
haha, I could try that, but I feel like I've called him so much over the past month that he'll call my bluff. I should shut the furnace off one day when I leave for work and when I get home I can text him a picture of the thermostat saying it's only 60 degrees inside. I have a friend who lives 2 blocks up the street. I was thinking it would be more fun to have her call and say her furnace won't turn on and her house is freezing, see if he'd show up in 20 minutes, and I'd be sitting there on the couch waiting for him. I could say "hey don't worry about her furnace, it started working again, but now that you've got a few free minutes...... let's walk down to my house!"

or have her call on your behalf. specially if she can talk all sexy like

he will rise to the occasion faster than a porn star on viagra

BaltimoreGS · February 11, 2012, 05:50:21 AM

Or you could try "My carbon monoxide detector keeps going off!"

-Jessie

Jared · February 11, 2012, 07:11:48 AM

Have a neighbor call him for an estimate a half a block away and camp on him.

People still use the BBB...just not enough...

He's out doing the work and is a one man show? Send him a letter (registered) asking for an invoice and about addressing the problem.
This is just a furnace not Heat/ AC right?

tt_four · February 11, 2012, 07:55:27 AM

Quote from: Jared on February 11, 2012, 07:11:48 AM
Have a neighbor call him for an estimate a half a block and camp on him.

People still use the BBB...just not enough...

He's out doing the work and is a one man show? Send him a letter (registered) asking for an invoice and about addressing the problem.
This is just a furnace not Heat/ AC right?

AC runs through it too. He has a few guys that work with him, when he finally showed up to do the work there was about 4 or 5 guys in my basement working on it. Even if his time is 'too important' I don't know why he can't send one of those people.

Jared · February 11, 2012, 09:33:00 AM

Quote from: tt_four on February 11, 2012, 07:55:27 AM

AC runs through it too. He has a few guys that work with him, when he finally showed up to do the work there was about 4 or 5 guys in my basement working on it. Even if his time is 'too important' I don't know why he can't send one of those people.

Well he got your money...so now he isn't as motivated to care/do anything. I'd send him a letter/stop by his office on the odd chance of catching him there...

Does the furnace hang on your floor joists? Is it Ac/heat in one unit or did he just patch in to your AC ducts... ? Vibrates through the floor.... like a duct rattle - rattles constantly when it runs or like somethings unbalanced in a motor/ fan? Does it have the "rag joint" between the unit and the plenum - think big square thin rubber hose- isolates the Air handler/furnace from the ducting? This a crawl space or a full basement?

5 Guys... Plenty of people to overlook something being tightened down "I thought you did it...".
If it's a duct rattle- see if all the joints are screwed/ taped together where they added/modified...(If you haven't done this.)...
If you feel like shooting a few pics...

PachmanP · February 11, 2012, 01:44:45 PM

I'm getting pretty impressed with the lack of follow up on with a lot of contractors. I feel like you could make a killing just being the guy who shows up and returns phone calls...

SAFE-T · February 11, 2012, 02:53:10 PM

Maybe it's different there but where I live if the company is not a member of the BBB you can't even complain about them. Even if they are members it sometimes doesn't help ~ I complained about a competitor who was installing hot water tanks without journeyman certification in gasfitting, and they completely ignored it.

joshr08 · February 11, 2012, 05:09:37 PM

sorry to hear about your issues. now heres how you should be able to fix the problem. theres a boot that you can install in the duct work that will isolate the furnace from the duct work. its a leather type boot that goes in place of a section of duct work right over the furnace. they are not hard to install and you can do it yourself. all youll need is to measure your duct work and then goto lowes or home depot or maybe a local heating company to buy it. it will have a metal flange top and bottom with the leather between the twoonce you get it home mark your duct work so that you can get the piece put in but not so much that its tight when its installed. should get rid of the sound in the house.

yamahonkawazuki · February 12, 2012, 02:58:40 AM

Quote from: joshr08 on February 11, 2012, 05:09:37 PM
sorry to hear about your issues. now heres how you should be able to fix the problem. theres a boot that you can install in the duct work that will isolate the furnace from the duct work. its a leather type boot that goes in place of a section of duct work right over the furnace. they are not hard to install and you can do it yourself. all youll need is to measure your duct work and then goto lowes or home depot or maybe a local heating company to buy it. it will have a metal flange top and bottom with the leather between the twoonce you get it home mark your duct work so that you can get the piece put in but not so much that its tight when its installed. should get rid of the sound in the house.

yupers

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Non-responsive contractors