ComplaintsforA Quick Drain Service LLC

• Initial Complaint

  10/20/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Ongoing issue regarding large amount of water in backyard in July of 2022. Contacted company to see if they would help diagnose the issue and remedy. Used their camera to inspect drains located in backyard Misdiagnosed it as a clogged drain downstream and charged $300 without officially quoting how much camera would cost. Self-determined that water was coming out above ground due to ground water/ground. Contacted company to work out a deal to install french drains in back yard. Charged $6500 to dig up back yard and install multiple linear foot of french drains, tie everything back into existing drains, cover drains with soil, grade, apply straw and seed. Due to excessive water saturation final grading/straw/seeding was not complete but they asked for final payment (which was paid on 8/4/2022) with the promise that they would return once it was dry to complete work. After multiple phone calls they finally showed back up to straw and seed, but did not fix the massive amount of tread marks/top soil mounds that needed to be backdragged and graded. Was informed by them that "they were not landscapers" and wanted to work out a deal for more money to fix the issue. After stating I wasn't paying additional for the work that should have been completed already they stopped responding back to me. Contacted the owner directly multiple times to inform them of the situation and how the job still needed completed/corrected. Finally got them to come out and inspect the area and they agreed it needed to be addressed but they were busy and could not get the equipment back out for at least 2 weeks. That was a month ago back in September, with no other contact from them, job still has not been finished. After the grading/dirt has been fixed the area needs to be reseeded, however since it is nearly winter no grass will likely grow. This job should have been finished months ago, in a timely, professional manner. I would like for them to finish the job, or receive a partial refund.

  Business response

  10/25/2022

  *** ***** was notified prior to any work being done that we were not landscapers mainly because his yard was a swamp when we got there and in poor condition.  We also had to contend with a massive amount of rain during the work but that's mother nature for you.  In any event, his yard is now completely dry and the work we were contracted for was completed properly and professionally.  His yard looks outstanding compared to it's previous condition. 
           Having said all that, I gave my word to *** ***** that I do make exceptions for jobs that are hard to grade due to ongoing rain or additional damage that caused due to wet conditions by our machine.  I went to him and asked him to be patient.  He said as long as it got done he was fine with waiting. I even offered to rent him a machine(as he is an operator himself) if I could not get my machine back to his place in a timely manner.

  
            My work load has not slowed down at all but I called and offered him a spot next week on voicemail after receiving his complaint( in the first week of November).  I would have tried to find him some time beforehand if he would have called and expressed how he was getting tired of waiting and was getting impatient. He instead chose to go to the BBB which is fine but I truly wish he would have contacted me before going this route. 
          Every single time *** ***** has called or texted me I have responded almost immediately but I am open to completing the work despite his lack of patience regarding work I was not obligated to perform but chose to take on because he was unhappy.  I would like to make *** ***** happy but I've been in business long enough to know you can't make some people happy no matter how hard you try. 

  The work required will not take long and is not in an area where it should be causing him too much hardship. I left him a voicemail stating my desire to finish the work which I was not contracted for but will do because my word means everything to me.

  
           If he chooses not to accept the offer and would rather have some financial compensation(within reason) returned due to his yard having minor damage, I will be willing to discuss terms.  I would prefer to keep my word and attempt to make *** ***** happy one final time if at all possible. He seemed a pleasant fellow I could reason with prior to his complaint.  Hopefully that is still the case.
  
  
  Walter N***********
  A Quick Drain Service 

  Customer response

  10/25/2022

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********* and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.

  I spoke with him over the phone and informed him that I did not trust that he would come back and do a proper, responsible job in a timely manner and that he would just never show up or call like he normally has done these last 3 months.

  I informed him that I would like to reach a financial solution so we can move from this incident.

  I recommended that he reimburse me the $300 which he charged me for the camera inspection (which he did not inform me upfront how much it was going to be until afterwards) since he misdiagnosed the issue as a clogged drain, which it was not as was actually excessive ground water from an underground spring.

  I also informed him that I would like $1500 back on top of the $300 for a the waste time and effort over these past 3 months of trying to get them to come back out and finish the job. This is only a 23% refund off of what the whole job cost ($6500 not including the money for the camera inspection).

  He stated that that was way too much and that he was willing to refund a $1000.

  I informed him that was unacceptable for me as now I will have to do the work myself, rent equipment, or hire another company that will actually do and finish the job properly. His offer of $1000 is only a 15% refund from the total cost of the job, again not including the original $300 for the camera inspection.

  When I countered with a total of $1500 (which would now include the $300) he stated that it was still too high and if I would not accept $1000 then he wanted to come back and finish the job.

  When I informed him that I have been trying for the past 3 months to come back to do exactly that, he began arguing with me so I hung up the phone.

  I do not trust him to make good on his word to finish the job in a timely and professional manner. I want this matter resolved amicably and with no further incidents.

  I believe my offer of $1500 (with the $300 included for the misdiagnosed camera inspection) is a fair offer given the amount of time that has passed, and will cover any expenses I will incur to fix the situation myself, or hire another third party or rental equipment.

  I do not want to be contacted by this company any more as they have proven not have my best interest at heart when it comes to fixing this issue.

  I also do not want them on my property from this day forward, or to physically contacting me or my family in person.

  The rest of this matter can be handled through a BBB representative.

  
  [To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, we would like to know your view on the matter.]
  
  Regards,
  
  ***** *****

  Customer response

  11/01/2022

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********* and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.

   

  Seeing as how they are not going to budge any more on the offered refund, then I will take the initial offer of $1000 refund.

  Once this has been received we can conclude this matter as resolved and close out the complaint.

   

  Please send check to:

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

   

  
  [To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, we would like to know your view on the matter.]
  
  Regards,
  
  ***** *****

  Business response

  01/05/2023

  As of 1/5/23 A Quick Drain Service has decided to go ahead and honor our word of doing the $1000 refund. Hopefully this show of good faith can settle the complaint as we have done all efforts on our part to resolve this issue. We will be sending the check to the listed address for *** ******

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩