When a client has a complaint about a contractor’s work, the contractor would most often wish to resolve the complaint and obtain the customer’s satisfaction. In this way, contractors may win repeat business and positive referrals. However, if the client refuses to allow the contractor to address the complaints, it may cause unfair damages to the contractor’s reputation as well as taking time and money from his or her construction business.
Not every contractor has the opportunity to advertise on a national TV network like HGTV or to work with celebrities in the home improvement industry, such as Drew and Jonathan Scott of Property Brothers. However, one construction company won that honor and participated in the renovation of a couple’s home. The couple paid over $193,000 for renovations. Soon after the episode aired, the couple filed a complaint with the state contractor’s board, claiming the construction company left more than 90 deficiencies, including exposed wires, improperly hung doors and others.
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Investigators for the board found only 10 of the deficiencies were valid and sent a notice of those deficiencies to the contractor. However, the contractor claims that, despite numerous attempts to contact the couple, they refused to allow the contractor access to the home to repair the defects. The state board of contractors closed the case, citing the lack of cooperation of the homeowners.
Nevertheless, the homeowners have filed a lawsuit against the construction business and the Property Brothers’ production company. The brothers defend the contractor and believe this lawsuit is an attempt of the homeowners to win a large settlement. Unfortunately, the contractor may now be dealing with the negative consequences of the bad publicity and potentially false claims.