ComplaintsforMr. Handyman of E. Columbus, New Albany and Gahanna

• Initial Complaint

  08/30/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  I reached out to several handy man services an got several quotes. The quote from Mr. Handyman was for between $236.00-$353.00. I needed the work done quickly and they were available so I when with them. The Tech was supposed to arrive at my home between 1:30PM and 4:30PM but didn't show up until 6PM. He was supposed to do 3 external vent caps and hang 4 shutters total of 4 hours. The job lasted for 3 days because the Tech just came and sit in the driveway and garage for 8 hours doing totally nothing. After I called Mr. Handyman's office to complain about the project being overdue the Tech then finished up in an hour. After the work was completed, they invoiced me for $647.00, I called Mr. Handyman and asked to speak with the owner the woman who answered the phone told me that he would call me back. Needless to say that he never did so I called them back. The lady on the phone insisted that the invoice was correct. I told her that I had 2 other quotes that were lower at $285.00 and why would I ever agree to 647.00 when I could have it done much cheaper. I asked to speak with the owner and she said he was in a meeting.

• Initial Complaint

  12/28/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I was looking for estimates to replace the old cook-top and range hoods with ones I purchased previously. I also wanted a new sink installed. I called the company to come take a look and they sent a man out. He tried to get me to install a new oven and also noticed that underneath the sink, the drain pipe was rusted and needed replaced. He did not give me any temporary solution to prevent the water from dripping until they could come back and fix it. I ended up calling a plumber to fix it and install the new sink. The company sent the estimate information in the mail like I requested. At the bottom was an authorization clause that stated I authorized them to go ahead to do the work and that I read over the information. I did not. The man showed me a screen which did not show any of the information, so I did not know he included the authorization paragraph. I did not agree to them doing the work.

  Business response

  12/28/2021

  Customer could have called us to talk about her concerns. We know we did not capture her authorization to do the work and will be more then happy to cancel the appointment. I was not trying to sell the customer on replacing the oven. Just mentioned that I believe it could have been done. 

  Customer response

  01/03/2022

  Dear BBB,

  Thank you for your prompt response. I am enclosing the copied estimate/contract from the company, with my reply written in long-hand underscored at the top of some page.
  

  It is an oxy-moronic statement to say that I could have called with any concerns. While the tech was here, I brought up the subject about the existing oven not being able to be replaced due to its small size per other home improvement companies when talking about it, he rudely interrupted me to tell me that they could cut cabinet above the existing oven to make it work. He was very (illegible word) about it, which I didn't appreciate one bit. Furthermore, before I began showing him the project to be done, I took him out in my driveway to have him (then park there instead of out in front. Without my consent, he started taking photo after photo which made me wonder why.
  
  I said that to say this: - Once I finished talking the garage and recycling bin to the service alley, I closed and locked my overhead garage door for the remainder of the night Wednesday 12/29/21. Upon going out in my attached garage the following morning someone had apparently attempted to open the overhead door with the outside keypad. Due to the door being locked, it only raised it off the ground enough to get my attention. I can't help but wonder if that's why the tech had taken so many photos of my garage, its contents there-in (my door was open) and everything else that fit inside the lens. Now that I know hiring this company is not in my best interest, would you be willing/able to have him send the pictures to you and in turn send them to me? I don't want to have any more contact with that company whatsoever and would, therefore, truly appreciate it if you could do this for me.

  Happy New Year!
  

  Mrs. ****** ** ****

  Dear BBB Dispute Resolution Team:

  I just have a few more points I'd like to share with you. The verbal agreement that I'd made with Steve over the phone at ###-###-#### was for the company to state in the written estimate what parts, etc. they would need in order to do the job. (Thus I'd be able to go and price them and determine whether or not to hire them for this project.) Upon receiving the estimate, I realized that that wasn't even mentioned. Please bear in mind that what I wrote in parenthesis was my own personal idea - not discussed. The other point I'd like to make is that on the day that the tech was here to give me an estimate and since he did not discuss with me what he was putting on his I-pad or whatever, I immediately asked that they send me a copy of what he had me sign. Then, as soon as he left my house, I called Steve and asked him to sent it ASAP so that I could have everything in writing before the year ended. When you receive the paperwork I sent you yesterday, you'll know that I'm be honest- my signature isn't one it. 

  Sincerely,

  Mrs. ****** * ****

• Initial Complaint

  12/13/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Unresolved

  More info

  I contacted the company Nov 2021 to have a lighted ceiling fan installed where there was an existing one, old fan had been taken down. He was also contracted to install a brand new Andersen Fullview Glass storm door that was very expensive. Upon his arrival he began by reading the installation instructions, he proceeded to install it. He approached me during the installation saying there was a problem, the lights work ,however the fan didn't. Said there was an obvious problem with the motor, and I needed to purchase another one that he would be able to install at a later date, requiring a minimum of a $229.00 add'l charge if the installation was completed that day. The $229.00 charge was inclusive of a $60.00 trip fee. He then began installing the Andersen storm door, reading installation instructions for that item. Upon completion he said that there were problems with that also. The door had gaps all around that measured at least 1/2" to 3/4". and he did not install the door sweep at the bottom of the door. Albeit, the door sweep was somewhat bent, but it wasn't coming brand new out of the box. The door was also crooked hanging. I told him the work was unacceptable and explained there were 2 white plastic strips as well as a grey strip left and he basically said they were trash. He said to call and schedule another appt and he would be back out to repair the door gaps. Upon calling the office and speaking with Steve, he scheduled him back out at 5:10 pm on Wed. 12/08/2021. Nobody arrived at all. Called and was told my the handyman who did the work I wasn't on his schedule for 12/08. Called the office again out on 12/10.Handyman came broke the door closure, gaps still there, and I paid $472.00, on the first day he arrived. A switch that should have been flipped L or R enabled the fan to operate, I fixed this upon his leaving. The door strips should have been installed in the brickmould, and I kept strips. These compensated for gaps around door. Will never callagain

  Business response

  12/20/2021

  When the tech went out to perform the work, he found the door and ceiling fan to already be open and the materials for both scattered about in various bags. The customer went into the techs person tool bag with authorization from tech and removed a business card of the techs and contacted the tech asking him for quotes for bathroom remodel as she didn’t want to pay MR. Handyman but wanted to pay the tech out right. The tech refused to ger a quote for side work. 

  After the work was complete customer called and asked if we could fix somethings. Our CSR did forget to schedule the warranty repair, customer wanted us to come out on a Thursday, which we are very sorry for, but we managed to get out to the customer house the next day on a Friday of the same week work was performed.  When we went to install the door seal, the customer provided the tech with an additional bag, that was not there at the original time of install and found the door seal to be bent and unusable. The Tech then used a van stock part, that we DID NOT charge for.

  For the door closer the Tech said it was broken on his arrival, for the door seal repair, and he did not have one to install that day Later Friday night. We called the customer up the following business day which was a Monday and informed the customer we would be willing to warranty the door closer part, and customer denied us the ability to do so. 

  Customer response

  12/20/2021

  The response given to my complaint from Mr. Handyman is a complete falsehood. The ceiling fan was contained within the original box, it had been opened and contained the fan motor , blades, various pink plastic bags containing the bolts and screws. as well as the lamp shades as it was a lighted fan. Model name Sonesta II manufactured by Patriot Lighting. The old fan had been taken down and the wires had been capped off. The repairman Bret J******, said he had put up hundreds of fans, although his forte was HVAC. He installed the fan within 30 minutes max and approached me in my living room where I was the entire time he was installing the fan and said the lights worked but the fan didn't. He said the motor was defective.  I did not at anytime get into his bags, for business cards or otherwise. This is a blatant lie.  I was in another room the entire time. The switch that rendered the fan operable was never installed it came mounted to the fan motor. He read the installation instructions, and on the troubleshooting page it clearly stated the switch needed to be moved Left or Right for the fan to be operational. I told him this as well as showed him when he came to adjust and repair the door. The storm door had no broken or bent pieces when being removed from the box. Upon him showing me the bent piece he said one could be purchased from Lowes at a cost of $11.00. He installed the door and there were noticeable gaps around the door and the door was not adjusted properly as it slammed shut quickly. He said he would be out the next day to repair, and that didn't happen, he didn't arrive. The EZ Z Bars as well as a  grey strip should have been installed in the brickmould, and they were essentially the reason there were gaps in the door, Two days after the initial meeting Bret came out after dark to adjust the door. The door closer was not broken when he installed the door, otherwise I would not have had him out to adjust it. I am at liberty to ask anyone , as is my right to do any type of work in my home. I asked him if he did any work outside of Mr. Handyman and quoted a price to do my remodel. After the quality of work that I saw, I decided not to hire him for anything. In speaking with Steve, to reschedule the closer adjustment as well as the gaps, I told him to send another technician out. Obviously he did not abide by my wishes. I expect a full refund from the company. They sent  incompetent people or untrained people  out to do work they were unqualified to do. If in fact he had installed hundreds of fans, then he should have known there was a switch that rendered it operational. .  The storm door closer was sheared off at the brackets because he used a drill instead of a screwdriver to adjust it. Now rain trickles down the inside of the door because of the gap, and the door is difficult to close because the inside gold plate rubs the edge of the door. As stated, I expect a full refund. I will need to hire someone else to reinstall the storm door.

  ******** ********

   

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