ComplaintsforACADIAN HYDROJET AND SOFTWASH

• Initial Complaint

  08/08/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  **** w/ Acadian Hydrojet came to home to give estimate and showing me how he was going to keep the water from draining close to house and water flooding carport and under house. He showed me what he was going to do and assured me the water will flow away from house to the back coulee. He did the job while i was at work, but called me to go pay him. When i saw he made a deep ditch like cris-cross in my back yard not even close to where the water was standing and also in the front yard supposedly going to flow to the road drain. I questioned it b/c it didn't look like a logical solution. but he assured me it was definitely going to drain. So i paid him. It has NEVER drained. the water still holding around house, and the scrapes he made is like a ditch holding a pond of water. I asked him to come back to look at it, and he continued to tell me it was not holding water, and it was draining. Saying no matter what he would do i would never be satisfied. I had 2 experts come to look and fix the original problem, and they both laughed and said what he did is leaving more water standing in my yard. The scrapes are not even close to where the water was pooling. Hydrojet is a SEWER specialist as he told me that's mostly what he does, but informed me AFTER he did his mess. I have all his text messages. He said he would meet up with me again to make a plan on a weekend, but never showed or called. I found out he came when i was not home and he made a little scratch at the end of one of the ditches. That made no difference, and he will not call me or try to rectify the problem I have tons of pictures and videos of the water he was supposed to fix, and of the ditches he made in my yard.

  Business response

  08/21/2024

  To start, we have always tried to give customer satisfaction no matter what, as well as ensure we provide open and precise communication. From the start it was explained what would be done, I even organized to meet with Mrs. Taylor to paint a description of the job, which was done. I also gave her 3 days to review, think about and decide if she wanted to proceed. The payment was offered to be paid when she arrived home on her lunch break, never do I call a customer and demand payment, unless otherwise discussed prior. I offered to bill her, as I only do electronic invoices and wanted to be sure she had a copy of the receipt whether it be via email or standard mail. Due to her going on vacation she extended the offer for me to get paid right away. During the initial consultation as well as after we completed work, I reiterated to her multiple times that it would take a couple months for grass to grow and her yard to look more proper, as well as certain spots to naturally grade out. (May 29) Her first communication with me was approximately 3 days after the job was complete, her daughter had called to discuss and I explained that we did all of what was discussed in the estimate. The issue from the start has been the customer trying to add work to the scope of job without paying, even telling her daughter things were suppose to be done that were never discussed or quoted. I have continued to go back and try to rectify her complaints, but could never visually see any issues with the yard. Once, she asked me to go look due to rain being present all day, and I explained to the customer I would be able to go at 4:30 but due to family obligations that specific day I would not be able to go after 5 as requested. (July 17)  Once I arrived I took pictures which are dated and time stamped, and still could not visually see any issues, The customers complaint then became that I was trespassing and I had trespassed multiple times. Which is completely inaccurate, at no time had we went to the customers house without prior notice as well as notifying her of our arrival and departure times. Once this allegation was made, I explained to the customer that we would no longer continue on with entertaining this, and that we would never be able to satisfy her, but that we are confident the job discussed, estimated and billed for well reflect the job she received. 

   

  (Also have screenshots of everything stated I can send over via email with date and time stamps, if necessary) 

  Customer response

  08/23/2024

  
  Complaint: 22108348
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  When **** came out to look at the yard, I explained to **** the problem I was having with my front yard and backyard.  Water was holding in the yard near the flower beds, flooding the area around the home, and was collecting on the carport.  I proceeded to show him the backyard and explained that on the left side of the house near the gutter, water was collecting to the point that the ground around the house was washing out and that I needed him to try to divert the water away from the house.  
  **** explained that he could divert the water to the back of the house towards the coulee avoiding the roots of the tree in my backyard by turning to the right of the tree and then towards the coulee to avoid the tree roots. He and I then went to the right side gutter in the backyard and I showed him how the water in that particular area was collecting so bad that it was eroding and making a trench.  He said that he could divert the water coming from the gutter to go toward the coulee also.  I informed him that I had sinking spots in the yard.  He stated that he would use the dirt that was left over after completing the work as mentioned above to fill in the sinking spots.  

  He then sent me an estimate on 5/8/24 for $1150 for the drainage swell and filling in the holes. When I inquired about signing anything, he mentioned the next steps would involve checking the grade and verifying that what needed to be done would work, as well as coordinating with utilities.  NOT ONCE DID **** INFORM ME THAT I HAD 3 DAYS TO REVIEW WHAT WAS DISCUSSED IN REGARDS TO PROCEEDING WITH THE WORK TO BE DONE.  

  On May 9th of 2024 **** text me that he would put in a locate request to get moving on the job.  On May 12th, **** told me that he would try to come by on Wed May 15th to get the grade measured.  I told him that would be fine.  

  I hadn't heard anything from **** since May 12th.  I text him on May 21st and asked him if we were still on board.  He apologized for not reaching out and stated he had me on the schedule for the Friday and he had put in for utilities to be located which he stated should have been completed within the week.  He stated he would get with me to try to come by on Thursday to check the markings and verify the work that would be done.
  

  We proceeded to text back and forth regarding the utility locate.  On May 24th, I received a text from **** that he wanted to go over everything because he had received an email from utilities stating he could move forward with the job; however the job was delayed due to significant weather delays.  He was finally able to get the job completed on May 29th, 2024. I met with **** during my lunch hour to assess the work he had done and to pay him.  To my HORROR, I could not make any rime or reason to what he had done to my yard and how the work he completed would solve any drainage issues I had with my yard.  I questioned him on how this would work and he assured me that the water was "definitely going to drain and the soil would fall and the grass would grow."  He even stated that he would come back if there were any issues and he asked me to "be patient."  I trusted **** and took him for his word.  

  In regards to **** stating that he DEMANDED payment, my complaint has nothing to do with him DEMANDING payment. I asked him if he had an invoice for me.  He told me that he did not have it in his truck and that he would email it to me.  I then paid him right then and there and again, took him for his word in regards to him emailing me an invoice.  HE NOT ONCE OFFERED TO BILL ME.  HE TOLD ME HE WOULD EMAIL IT TO ME, HE TOOK HIS CHECK AND LEFT.  I later received his invoice via email the same day on May 29th 2024 @ 12:08 p.m.
  I am not sure why **** mentioned anything about my vacation, because my vacation had nothing to do with his payment.  He did the job, he asked for me to trust him and the process, he promised he'd email me my invoice and I paid him.  

  I reached out to **** two days later to inform him that water was just sitting in the areas where he scrapped (so deep) in the yard and it was not going anywhere.  He told me to take pictures, which I did on May 31st.  I sent him pictures of both the front and backyard.  His response was that the water would pool up slightly until the ground leveled itself.  He stated the loose soil on top would move and level accordingly (which did not make sense or had nothing to do with the water draining to the coulee as it should have).  He said if it did become an issue to let him know and that he would come back to take a look at it.  I then sent him pictures to show him what was happening in the yard with the water.

  A few days later, **** came out to my home to meet with me in regards to the concerns I had with the yard.  My daughter was there with us and my daughter's father was on speakerphone to listen in on our conversation.  I again, explained my concern with the job that had been done with nothing being resolved.  The job was unacceptable and I wanted ****'s input on how to get it resolved.  **** kept fast talking and reiterating that the soil had to level out and that the grass would grow along with other jargon that made no sense.  In ****'s response to my complaint to the BBB that he reiterated to me that "it would take a couple of months for the grass to grow and the yard to look more proper as well as certain spots to naturally grade out," was NOT MY CONCERN.  My concern was not with the COSMETICS of my yard, my CONCERN has and is still the proper drainage of the water.  I WAS NOT trying to ADD work to the scope of the job.  I wanted him to address what he promised me from get go and what was promised by **** was to get the water to drain; not make the standing water WORSE and STILL NOT DRAIN.

  My daughter and I both have no idea what **** means when he states, "things were supposed to be done that were never discussed or quoted."  This makes no sense.  I have no idea what this even means or what he is trying to insinuate.  Again, I gave **** the benefit of the doubt and tried to give it time and continued to take pictures, because the problem was not resolving as he stated it would and I wanted to document it for him.  The problem areas actually became worse, holding significant amounts of water in the areas he scrapped; the areas I thought he had fixed.

  I reached out to him again in July and things became unprofessional on ****'s part.  He came to my home without me knowing and when I asked him about this he became defensive and stated that he wouldn't be able to "please me."  I hadn't heard from him since.  

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

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