Complaint Review: Decked Out Builders - Barrington IL

Decked Out Builders has a slick website which presents the image of a successful and substantial company.  However, the reality is they are a mom and pop shop with 1 occasional employee.  Neither Tony or Kristen are educated in business, accounting, marketing, etc.,  and company principal Tony is a high school dropout.  He lets wife Kristen handle business operations, and she prevents clients from speaking to Tony, who talks up his experience but stays away from any business issues,  since he has no background or education.  

Kristen is inflexible, unresponsive, ignores anything outside her "business plan" of PAY UP AND SHUT UP, untruthful, nickel and dimes clients, and thinks clients are the same as customers at a Walmart checkout counter.

She does NOT want communication from clients, but rather, one way and does NOT meet with customers. you'll never meet her face to face.  That's odd isn't it?  She's very guarded and easily set off.  She could care less if clients are satisfied, instead her focus remains on getting paid.  

I raised the issue of  trust with her several times, and not only did she NOT care but didn't even understand the concept.  As a former business consultant I can tell you there is an ages old acumen "the customer is always right".  In the modern age that means a client is entitled to anything they want - without a hassle from the vendor - as long as they are willing to pay for it.  Kristen, lacking a business background and experience, doesn't understand that.

Kristen has to be in charge and feel important.   Will you pay tens of thousands of dollars to make her feel good about herself?

Having paid the first half of the project with a down payment of $32,025.00  office clerk Kristen Miller withheld $2,940.71 from our refund without documenting expenses for which, after she lied to me on a number of occasions, she expected me to accept her word on expenses.  She provided an expense list, of which were NOT supported by receipts.  I do not believe she sustained these expenses and has cheated us.

PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED - SPECIFICS:

    Kristen refused to let me speak to Tony - the carpenter - claiming he "works 18 hour" days (impossible in the fall).

    Start date pushed back several times (early Oct., mid Oct., early Nov.)

    Had to tell Kristen to cooperate with my architect, don't hassle him (she wanted 8 by 11 printouts which is NOT how it works)

    Charges exorbitant prices for add-ons (fan & lights, 4 panels instead of 2, ceiling finish)

    Refused to include single ceiling box (for ceiling fan) into full price. 

    Gave me phony info on screen doors (lumber yard she mentioned doesn't carry them).

    Her architect was too pricy (she may add mark up onto his fee).

    Kristen was miffed because I hired our own architect.

    Set deadline for builder and architect to discuss, Kristen refused to cooperate.

    Weeks after hiring them I emailed concern about communication, was ignored, talked of trust (ignored), told them they've "gone dark" and offered deep concerns (ignored).   

    Had to ask Kristen to cooperate with architect,

    Claimed she didn't get plat, 2 days later it mysteriously appeared (she lost it - no apology).

    Offered concerns about pouring concrete in November, she's not a builder and preventing me from speaking to Tony.

    Specifically addressed concrete with website quotes about dangers of night time freeze.

    Kristen demanded I go to county to resolve water and leech field issue WHICH WAS THEIR JOB AS PART OF THE PERMIT PROCESS and their own website says they handle permits.

    Sent her reprimand email, told her again she works for me, the client is THE BOSS.  You guessed it, she ignored that.

    Received scolding email from Kristen, refused to acknowledge my authority, recalcitrant, unprofessional, ignored my points of view, she lied.

    Kristen is petulant, inflexible, little business experience, bossy, demands control, and has a big problem with authority which goes back to her formative years.

    

I have found another builder, a vastly more professional outfit who maintains a showroom, to handle my project.  I fired Decked Out Builders and Kristen for cause.