ComplaintsforLawton Construction and Restoration Inc

• Initial Complaint

  10/22/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On 6/16/24, our home suffered fire damage. We filed a claim with *** on 6/17. Based on their recommendation of Lawton as a "one-stop shop" we decided to hire Lawton. We were assured that Lawton would provide a dedicated Project Manager overseeing the repairs.Project Manager ***** ******** and subcontractor ***** ***** outlined that the exterior stucco would be replaced from the horizontal seam between the first and second floors and hidden behind the drain spout. Instead of replacing the stucco as agreed, a patch job was done, resulting in visible lines and mismatched texture. When questioned, subcontractor ***** ***** stated that he was instructed only to patch the stucco, directly contradicting the agreed-upon scope of work.Subcontractors returned several times to correct mistakes such as poor paint jobs, chipping stucco, and drywall issues. Poor communication between ***** and his subcontractors resulted in mistakes being repeated. Subcontractors stood on our compost bin to complete painting because they arrived unprepared.The project, estimated to take 1 week, took over 9 weeks, causing significant disruption to our lives. Work began late, subcontractors had to redo their own work, and lack of oversight by ***** ******** exacerbated the delays.***** ******** failed to provide proper oversight, dismissed our concerns, and was unprofessional in communication. He blamed subcontractors for lying to him but never took accountability. His dismissive attitude and lack of sensitivity to the stress this situation caused my family, particularly in light of the traumatic nature of the fire, have been unacceptable. Lawtons handling of our personal property was unsatisfactory. It took 11 weeks to process the contents of our 1-car garage. A box of sentimental items was misplaced, then later found after they initially told us it had been discarded. Items were also lost or thrown out, leading to further frustration and lack of confidence in their inventory process.

  

  Business response

  11/05/2024

  Dear Better Business Bureau and ********************* ******,
  
  We sincerely apologize for the challenging experience you've had with our services. We take this matter very seriously and are actively working to address each of the concerns raised, as our goal is to provide a resolution that meets your expectations.
  
  In response to the specific issues with the exterior stucco and paint, please know we are committed to rectifying this. We have scheduled a painter to visit tomorrow to thoroughly assess the scope of work needed to repaint the side of your house entirely. Pending this assessment, we anticipate that the painting work will commence next week, and we will confirm the exact timing with you by the end of this week.
  
  In addition, we are making necessary adjustments to the fence, ensuring that all repairs are completed to your satisfaction.
  
  To acknowledge the inconveniences, you and your family have experienced, we have also plan to refund your deductible, as requested. I reached out to you via email today to provide this update directly, and we hope this gesture helps restore some confidence in our commitment to resolving these matters.
  
  Thank you for your patience as we work to make things right. We remain available to discuss any further concerns.

  Customer response

  11/12/2024

  I am rejecting this response because: The work has not yet been completed. I acknowledge that Lawton has sent an email explaining their plan to fix the areas of concern, and they have said they plan to honor our request for a refund, but the work has not yet been completed. Once the work is finished the refund is complete, I can accept a response. Thank you. 
  

  

  Business response

  11/13/2024

  As outlined by the client, we 're in the process of getting the work done. Work is scheduled for Friday and Saturday of this week. Once the work is finalized, we'll address the refund request. 

  Customer response

  11/14/2024

  I am rejecting this response because: Due to weather concerns, Lawton would like to move the repair dates from Friday and Saturday of this week to Wednesday and Thursday of next week. I am not comfortable accepting this response and saying I am "satisfied" until the work is completed correctly. Thank you. 
  

• Initial Complaint

  06/19/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Below is the timeline of what happened:(1) We had a leaking problem at our house, with water dripping along the window frames and caused further damage to the roof of the living room.(2) Our insurance company, Safeco, sent over a contractor, *****, who inspected the house and THOUGHT the point of entry was the crack along the windows of the 2nd story of the house.(3) Safeco sent Lawton Construction, the company that we're filing the complaint about, over to repair the damage.(4) I urged Lawton to perform a further inspection of the exterior BEFORE doing any repair to confirm thats the point of entry.(5) Lawton claimed that they did a water test and confirmed the point of entry. They also claimed they found another damaged part outside of the house and charged us fees to repair both, with a warranty of 4 years (I have a warranty copy as proof).(6) After both entry points were repaired, we saw another leaking event at the SAME LOCATIONS a few months later after a big rain.(7) Lawtons project manager, ****, came over, and said they DID NOT actually do a water test (admitted they lied), because they only sent one person over on the day of the repair. (8) They did a water test, and could not find the point of entry.(9) I asked them to bring a infrared device to further check the point of entry, which **** promised he would do, and they DID NOT.(10) They stopped responding to my multiple attempts of communication.From what has happened, I think anyone can draw the conclusion that neither Lawton or ***** found the correct point of entry. This is fine if they just admitted it, and we could hire a professional company to find out about it. However, Lawton charged us for repairing the parts of the house that were not necessary to be repaired and called it day. With everything that has happened, we paid so much money for repairwork we did not NEED to do, and ended up still having the SAME PROBLEM and a leaky house.

  

  Business response

  06/21/2024

  Dear Mr. **************** am writing to acknowledge receipt of your complaint regarding the repair work conducted by Lawton Construction and Restoration Inc. on your property. My name is *****************************, and I am the *** of the company.

  
  First and foremost, I want to express my sincere apologies for the frustration and inconvenience you have experienced due to the unresolved leaking issue at your home. We understand how distressing this situation must be and appreciate you bringing it to our attention.

  
  We take all customer concerns very seriously and are committed to thoroughly investigating and resolving the issues you have raised. To that end, we will review the job file in detail and carefully examine the timeline and specifics of the work performed. Our goal is to identify the root cause of the ongoing leak and ensure that the appropriate corrective measures are taken.

  
  We understand the importance of timely communication and resolution, and we assure you that we are prioritizing this matter. We will provide a comprehensive response by Monday, June 24th, after we have had the opportunity to review all relevant details.

  
  Thank you for your patience and understanding. We are dedicated to resolving this issue to your satisfaction and will be in touch soon to discuss the next steps.

  
  Sincerely,

  Customer response

  06/25/2024

  I am rejecting this response because:

  The business, i.e., Lawton Construction and Restoration, yet again failed to deliver the timely response they promised they would give me by Monday, June 24th, even though they claimed they were taking it very seriously and would give me a response by the time indicated. As of today, June 25th, no communication has been initiated by Lawton trying to explain to us what happened or what they would do to correct their mistakes. This again is in line with the usual "only talk, no action" behaviors I have observed from this business. Like the experience I have had previously, they would promise certain things on the spot when confronted and not deliver them in the end. I hope BBB can review the previous response from Lawton and realize the habits of behavior demonstrated by this business, and hopefully help me to get the fair treatment and resolution in the end.

  Thanks,

  Mohan

  
  

  

  Business response

  06/25/2024

  Dear Mr. ************ hope this message finds you well. I want to extend my sincerest apologies for not being able to respond to your concerns as promised yesterday. We were prepared to address your complaint through the BBB Portal, but unfortunately, we were unable to do so due to the system indicating that no action was required from our side until you had responded. We were not aware that we could not proceed with our response until your feedback was recorded in the system, which led to the unfortunate delay.

  Please accept our apologies for any confusion and frustration this may have caused. We are committed to resolving the issues you have experienced and ensuring your satisfaction.
  To move forward effectively, I, along with our project manager ****, would like to personally visit your property to conduct a thorough inspection of the affected areas. This will allow us to assess the situation firsthand and discuss the best course of action to rectify the problem. Please let us know your availability so we can schedule a convenient time for this inspection.

  We are keen to resolve this matter promptly and to your satisfaction. Please respond through the BBB portal with your available times, and we will coordinate accordingly.
  Thank you for your patience and understanding. We look forward to your response so we can schedule our visit as soon as possible.

  Sincerely,

  *****************************
  COO 
  Lawton Construction and Restoration Inc.
  

  Customer response

  06/28/2024

  I am rejecting this response because:

  Hi! From my previous interactions with ****, its my understanding that he had given up on addressing the issue and is no longer in charge of this project. Please see the screenshot of my text message chain with him, where he refused to correspond with me for weeks despite my multiple attempts. I would no longer accept assistance from this project manager, and please suggest a new project manager who is responsible and communicative. Then I will provide my availability for your visit.

   

  Thanks, 

  Mohan 

  
  

• Initial Complaint

  02/24/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  hired them to do demo and mold remediation work on my kitchen which they completed. got bids from them to do a replacement / remodel of of kitchen and fix the door /drain / raingutter that had caused water intrusion that led to the mold. told them i would like to proceed with the work on the door but we were undecided on the remodel options. they required a deposit to do the work on the door which i paid. they never did the work. they cycled 3-4 different project managers through the proposed remodel project which caused me to start losing confidence in them to do the remodel, and i used someone else for that.i got back in touch with them to complete the work on the door that i had paid for, which they were going to proceed with. i then received a call from yet another project manager who i had never met who said the company had ordered cabinets (without my permission and without any signed contract for the remodel, indeed we had not even chosen a final design) and so some portion of the money needed to go towards that and we needed to work something out. i asked that they either return the deposit or apply it in full to the work on the door. he then became abusive, yelling that i wasnt the smartest guy eh? and other insults. i tried contacting someone else at the company to get my money back and they have gone radio silent - did not respond to email or answer my call. i suspect that one of the project managers that they fired off my project at the beginning made some mistake and now the company is trying to use my deposit to cover the cost of their error. basically just stealing the money i paid to get my door/gutter fixed.

  

  Business response

  03/07/2024

  Lawton and the homeowner had come to a quick resolution to the homeowner concern. We have both realized that the door needs to be replaced. Please see attached we are moving forward with that replacement. We hope this concludes the Better Business Bureau concerns and closes this file. please let us know if theres anything else needed to close this down 

  Customer response

  03/18/2024

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to my concern, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  

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