ComplaintsforBancker Construction Company

• Initial Complaint

  04/27/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Bancker was hired by the water company Liberty American to replace water mains on the street. When doing so they damaged the existing sewer line causing raw sewage to flood my finished basementFirst the people on the job denied it was there work that caused the problem. They had me call Nassau County sewer company. They came and said they could not clean the sewers because there was damage exactly in the spot where Bancker had done the work. They did eventually start to fix the outside problem. When I called the office to file a claim for the inside damage they told me that Banker had nothing to do with it even as four Bancker trucks and several men were working outside my door at that moment. Then the said the claims person would call me back right away, I gave it an hour before calling back. Still no one would talk to me they were quite rude and did nothing. I have raw sewage in my basement and they have given me the run around all day. The ***********************, stood there smiling at me saying ir had nothing to do with his work, while his men were in a 6 foot hole outside my house replacing the sewer line they damaged. This is a health concern and a logistical nightmare. And all I get is rudeness and smirks. I

  Business response

  05/12/2022

  While we understand the circumstances surrounding this incident have caused significant frustration to the claimant, Bancker Construction Corp. (Bancker) is not responsible for claimants damages for the reasons set forth below.
  
  On April 4, 2022, Bancker performed a water main offset on behalf of ******* Utilities in *********, **.  Approximately three weeks later, at 8 A.M. on Tuesday April 26, 2022, Banckers office received notification of a sewer-related issue near the location of the offset and dispatched a supervisor to the scene to investigate.  Upon arrival, the supervisor opened the sewer manhole located in the intersection and observed no visible flow of sewage heading east. Approximately 200 feet north of the intersection, he removed a second manhole cover where he found sewage filled to the brim, which suggested the likelihood of a sewer main break between the two manholes.  As Bancker performed the above-referenced water main offset three weeks earlier, Nassau ***************** of ****** Works (DPW),owner of the sewer, requested Banckers assistance in exposing the sewer main to assess the damage as well as to determine if it was caused by Banckers performance of the water main offset. The crew exposed the sewer pipe and immediately observed that the pipe had deteriorated over time and was blocked with soil, causing the lack of flow, filling of sewage in the manhole and,unfortunately, backflow of sewage into claimants residence. 
  
  The deteriorated pipe was more than three (3) feet outside of Banckers original water main offset excavation performed on April 4th,which provides additional support for Banckers position that the offset work could not have caused this sewer damage.  Nassau County DPW representatives completed their own investigation and arrived at the same conclusion, i.e. Bancker did not cause this damage; it resulted from a deteriorated sewer main.
  
  Claimants representations that Bancker personnel had not been in contact with claimant are without merit. In fact, Bancker tried throughout the process to be communicative and open about its investigation and findings.  While it is certainly understandable that someone with sewage in their basement cannot be expected to have infinite patience for the investigation into causation of the condition, communication was extended throughout the process from Bancker and from Nassau County DPW as well as from ******* Utilities toward claimant.  Unfortunately, the claimant did not want to hear it.  She decided Bancker was responsible and demanded compensation.
  It was suggested by both Bancker and Nassau County DPW personnel that claimant file a claim with the County, to which claimant was adamantly opposed because it will take too long.  Again, we sympathize with claimant but it was made reasonably clear to claimant that Bancker was not responsible for the sewer damage or any damages stemming therefrom.

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