Shelley Basement Systems

<br /> July 14, 2014 <br /> <br /> Shelley Basement Systems <br /> <br /> Below details the situation that <br /> occurred at 1316 Mt Wilson Rd, Lebanon- <br /> <br /> July 7 ? My tenant, Beth Kohr, called to Shelley Basement <br /> and spoke with Jay. She asked Jay to confirm the scheduled arrival for <br /> Thursday, July 10. Jay said he was not sure, he had another job and would let <br /> her know on Wednesday. During that conversation Beth explained that Mary and <br /> Jose Melendez, the home owners, were traveling from Virginia to oversee the <br /> work, that it needed to be confirmed the work would take place on Thursday and <br /> Friday and not be continued into the following week. If that was going to be, <br /> then the work needed to be started on Monday, July 14 and not extend over the <br /> weekend giving the tenant limited access to her bedroom and no use of her bed. <br /> <br /> July 9 ?Jay called Beth and said the work would begin on <br /> Thursday. <br /> <br /> July 10 @ 8 am -The workers arrived. Beth spoke with them to <br /> confirm the work would be complete by Friday. The response was ? ?we have <br /> another job we need to work on, we won?t be here all day. Beth asked ?why <br /> wouldn?t you finish that job first and begin this one next week??  The response was ?then we?ll get <br /> further behind schedule, besides, that is a $10,000 job compared to this $3500 <br /> job. Beth again stated she did not want to be without a bed throughout the <br /> weekend. The workers said they?d do the best they could. <br /> <br /> July 10 @ 6 pm ? Beth comes home from work to find the <br /> living room tile tracked with dirt and the entire bedroom carpet seriously <br /> marked with rust and red dirt tracking (pictures are attached), as well as a <br /> very strong fuel oil odor from the oil tank removal. The only work completed <br /> for the entire day was the removal of the oil tanks, which in the process <br /> caused the serious damage to the carpet, door frames damaged and dents in a new <br /> steel entrance door. <br /> <br /> Beth did give the workers a drum and a pump to remove the <br /> oil from the tanks, which they said they were not aware as being part of the <br /> job. Mr. Melendez told them it was discussed with Jay. <br /> <br /> July 11 @ 8am ? The workers return. Jose was here to oversee <br /> some of the work, during that time dirt was being removed and it appeared <br /> progress would be made, Jose left about 1 pm. When Beth returned home from <br /> work, she found a terrible mess and more damage. The living room floor was <br /> tracked with dirt, the bedroom had canvas tarps throughout the room that was <br /> completely covered with red dirt, there were items on the wall that fell and <br /> broke caused by the jack hammer. The area being repaired only had some of the <br /> required removal of dirt, no other repairs were started and none of the mess <br /> was cleaned. <br /> <br /> July 12 @ 2 pm ? Beth returned from work hoping to find the <br /> job completed. Instead, she found the oil tanks had been removed from the yard, <br /> but there was no one inside the home to do work and the dirt covered tarps <br /> still in the bedroom. <br /> <br />   <br /> <br /> Jay was here to pick up the tanks. All of the material and <br /> tools were placed next to the tanks. When Jay saw those items, he should have <br /> known the work was not completed and he should have initiated contact to check <br /> the status of the job. <br /> <br /> At that point Beth contacted Jose. Jose began to attempt <br /> contact with Shelley basement. After numerous phone conversations over a <br /> several hour period it was disclosed by Jay, from Shelley Basement, that the <br /> workers who have been on site were sub-contracted by Shelley. <br /> <br /> That was not disclosed or part of the agreement when Mr. <br /> & Mrs. Melendez made the work agreement with Shelley Basement and they gave <br /> a $350 deposit. <br /> <br /> Jay refused to complete the work, he wanted ?Josh,? the sub-contractor <br /> to complete it, Mr. Melendez made it clear after the poor workmanship and work <br /> ethics of Josh and his crew, he did not want them back to work. When Mr. <br /> Melendez insisted this situation be addressed, Jay responded ?I have plans to <br /> go to the river tomorrow.? <br /> <br /> Beth had plans to spend the weekend with her military sons <br /> who recently returned and to celebrate her son?s birthday. She was not able to <br /> leave her home in the mess and shambles it was. She also has a white cat who <br /> was being impacted by the red dirt throughout her home. <br /> <br /> Mr. and Mrs. Melendez were expected and needed back in <br /> Virginia. Their return trip was delayed by an additional day trying to resolve <br /> this situation. <br /> <br /> July 12 @ 4pm ? Frank?s carpet cleaning arrived to pre-treat <br /> the rust stains on the carpet. He said each day the rust set, the more <br /> difficult it would to be removed. <br /> <br /> July 12 @ 6 pm ? Palmyra waterproofing arrived. They stated <br /> the ?planned? repair work by Shelley Basement would not be proper. There needs <br /> to be a cement footer for the drain and the dirt would then need to be sealed <br /> with cement, not plastic and stone as planned by Shelley Basement. <br /> <br /> An issue that arrived in the interim was a brief rain storm. <br /> The water came through the walls and since the job was not completed, there was <br /> not a pump to address that issue. When the dirt became wet the oil odor became <br /> more pungent, which brought to our attention that oil may have been drained <br /> into the dirt and then covered by other dirt. <br /> <br /> The dirt will be tested! And proper steps will be taken <br /> after results. <br /> <br /> July 13 @ 10 am ? the worker who was overseeing the job <br /> arrived to pick up his tools and material. He was asked how they disposed of <br /> the oil from the tanks, he said ?they were empty.? Mr. Melendez is confident <br /> there was approximately ¼ tank of oil in one of the tanks, which takes us back <br /> to believe the oil was drained into the dirt in the basement area that is being <br /> repaired. <br /> <br /> The tenant, Beth Kohr, has been inconvenienced by having her <br /> bedroom displaced and unable to use her bed since July 10 and it will continue <br /> to be that way until the job is completed and the final carpet cleaning is <br /> completed, possibly not until July 23rd, when the new company will <br /> be available, there is a serious oil odor that needs to be addressed. She has <br /> had to clean the floors both Thursday and Friday and again Saturday since the <br /> workers did not appear for work. <br /> <br /> We are at this time asking Shelley Basement to compensate <br /> Mr. and Mrs. Melendez for their expenses. <br /> <br /> Shelley Basement did not stand by their proposed contract, <br /> first by hiring a sub-contractor, not having Shelley Basement employees, next <br /> by not protecting the carpet or their property (doors and door frames), <br /> completing the job in a timely manner as proposed, inconveniencing their tenant <br /> in a much more serious manner than thought and by misleading Mr. and Mrs. <br /> Melendez with the plan and materials proposed. <br /> <br /> We would like the following reimbursements: <br /> <br /> $ 300 To Frank?s <br /> Carpet cleaning, paid by Mr. Melendez <br /> <br /> $ 600 To compensate <br /> our tenant Ms. Kohr, that we paid upfront. <br /> <br /> $ 1400 To <br /> replace the front dented steel door and repair both damaged door frames. <br /> <br /> $ 1000 To encase <br /> part of basement where Shelly (sub contractor Josh) dumped the oil in the <br /> ground. <br /> <br /> $ 350 Return my <br /> deposit. <br /> <br /> $ 1350 for <br /> travel expenses to PA from VA for this job and in convinces. <br /> <br /> Totaling $ 5000. <br />

Overall it went well and the french drain is performing as it should. We had a new sump pump installed in addition to the french drain. The guys were friendly & courteous. All the snow and rain we had this past winter and spring put the system to the test and it passed with flying colors. <br />

<p>I have gone over all above. WE are disappointed but I     hope with the help of a contractor we can fix the mess we are in. The other problem was we called a very well know company to take pictures of our drain and he refused. We just did not have good luck with anyone.</p> <br />

FANTASTIC PROFESSIONAL PEOPE PUNCTUAL DELIVERED WHAT THEY PROMISED. AND GOT WHAT WE PAID FOR PRICE WAS REASONABLE HAVEN'T HAD ANY LEAKAGE!!! AND THEY HAVE A LIFE TIME WARRANTY ABSOLUTELY RECOMMEND THEM <br /> <br />

It was suggested, by a realtor friend, to have an engineer evaluate my basement problem. This was after Mr. Shelly had submitted an estimate. The engineer's report stated that a wall inside a wall was the best and most economical solution for my basement.   Mr. Shelly called to follow- up on his estimate soon after.  There was no hesitation in hiring him for the job. This was the solution he had already decided was the best solution for my basement. The other contractor's estimates were suggesting a smaller and less expensive correction. This was a very difficult and labor intensive job.  And, we were hit with the coldest winter in recent years.  Nevertheless, the work was done professionally and as fast as possible under the circumstances.  A few times the masons had to postpone a days work because of the sub-freezing temperatures and the freezing of their equipment.   Mr. Shelly was hands on for most of the work, and I saw him personally painting my basement floor on his knees.  It dosen't get any better than a contractor who would do this job himself.  I would hire him again and refer him to anyone who would ask.

We had three estimates to waterproof our son's basement. Shelley's was the middle one. Mr. Shelley was willing to work with us on price to come closer to the lowest bid. They came in, on time, used a wet saw to create a straight line on the basement floor, jack hammered and dug out to below the foundation, and installed piping to the sump pump they installed in a corner. They used the old concrete, broken up, to cover the pipe, adding smaller pieces on top. They dug weep holes in the lower courses of block and ran plastic to channel seepage down to the pipe and then covered the entire area with cement. When finished the area was smooth and exactly level with the rest of the floor. Their work covered two walls, about 50 feet in length. The covered everything to prevent any dirt or dust and completely cleaned the entire room when finished. The job was begun on time, took exactly as much time as estimated, and completed when anticipated. Mr Shelley and his workers were very pleasant and easy to work with. I can't imagine a better overall experience. <br />

It took considerably longer than estimated. Didn't clean up as well as expected. I monitored the job daily to assure the job was completed as quoted. It was a hard job and at the end, the job was well done. Everything that was quoted was completed. The owner returns phone calls with any questions and resolved any concerns. <br /> <br />

The basement (in three days) is now dry and the job was done very neatly.  Our only wish is that our driveway could have been given a better cleaning when the job was done. <br />   We thought estimates for all contractors interviewed were reasonable and that a good job would be done by all.  My husband chose Shelley because the owner,  himself, inspected the area and gave us the estimate.  He has done the physical labor and  is very hand-on.  The business is family-run and operated. <br />

Great!!! They actually showed up early and went to work. It took them 3 to 4 hours to complete the job. I am very happy with the result. <br />

Our experience with them went superbly. They are absolutely phenomenal. The problems that we had were unique, and they were problem solvers. They devised acceptable solutions to solve that problem. They were friendly, cooperative, and listened. They engaged in a dialogue with us on how to go about solving the problem because of the uniqueness of the problem. They are truly a family-run business. Every employee is fantastic. The beauty of their company is that they do it right, and you never see them again. I would absolutely recommend them to others.

Mr Shelley Visited the home and did an evaluation. Presented two levels of recommended solutions, the minimum and maximum fix. I chose the max fix. The presentation on how and why the system works was clear and well explained. His extensive experience and committment to quality is obvious through the discussion. This is a family owned, operated venture, so from the initial call back through the follow-up inspection, every detail is performed by the "owners". Your basement will become a construction zone for the time needed to do the work. There is no glamour in this work, as it is all tough, heavy labor. <br />

They did a very nice job.  They told us that they would be here at one time and came much later than they said, but they also finished earlier.  They came to us recommended, so we did not get a price comparison.  The quality was excellent.

When we first met with Shelley a few months ago, we were very happy with his appearance, professionalism, and courtesy.  He also stopped by to visit us the same day we called him - on a Saturday!  He was very open and honest, upfront with everything, and not a pushy at all.  Shelley is the owner and employee of his company, which was a big plus for us.  This meant he wasn't just a salesman, but someone who actually knew what he was talking about because he personally installs this system for a living.  <br /> I wanted to wait to report this after we had several good rains.  We have not had ANY water in our basement and the basement feels and smells fresher.  We can actually relax now, knowing that our basement is fully waterproofed.  I can't wait until the remodeling is complete.  <br /> A BIG note:  Shelley performed several jobs in our small neighborhood and recalled the names and locations of our neighbors' homes that he performed the work.  One of the jobs he did was a few doors up from us.  We spoke to those neighbors, who tend to be stern critics, but they couldn't say enough good things about him.  They had their water system installed about 10-15 years ago and their home was about the only basement that wasn't flooded when we got hit in October with the tropical storm.  It really impressed me that a contractor would recall the people and jobs he did with such great detail, and wasn't afraid to give references.  It just goes to show that he cares about the customer and takes pride in his work.

The entire job, from the inital inspection, the quote , scheduling the job and then the actual work and wrap up went very smoothly. Always ontime, and no surprises. <br /> <br /> DO's  <br /> Be prepared to cover as much as you can with plastic or drop cloth <br /> Move furniture and stuff away from outer walls where trenching will be - I tried to clear out at least 6ft. <br /> This is a good timeto throw out all the junk you've been storing in your basement <br /> Crew shows up in a large Pick-up with a 14 trailer - do have your drive clear of cars if possible <br /> <br /> DON'T <br /> Be in the house when they start to jack-hammer - it is loud and you'll think your house is collapsing, plan to be out of there the first day or two. <br />

I left a message and he quickly called me back. He seemed very nice and knowledgable. There was a tropical storm going on and he was unable to get to our location because of the roads being closed. I later figured out that the problem was with my water heater and I didn't even need the services.

This company was recommended by my real estate agent.  They came, inspected my basement and made an estimate.  The whole process was explained in detail.  I had to get all my books (many) out before they started.  Whan the workers came to do the work three weeks later they moved the funiture to the center of the room and covered it.  The whole process was noisy an dirty (fine concrete dust).  When they finished they cleaned up the dust and dirt on the floor although we had to wash dust off all exposed surfaces.  This was to be expected with the type of work, breaking up concrete. The workers were polite and completed the work in the three days they had allotted.  My house is one/half of a semidetached house. I am very statisfied with the work the company did and  would recommend them.

They did not come the first day we had scheduled due to icy weather conditions which was totally acceptable. I mention this because I was pleased with how quickly they were able to reschedule. Mr. Shelley knew we were eager to advance our project, and as I mentioned before, the labor we asked them to perform was not necessarily the service they commonly provide. The crew came right on time, came in, were courteous to use the outside entrance to the basement, and finished the job in 2 hours. They did exactly what was asked, when it was asked, and for a very reasonable price. I did not utilize their waterproofing services, because our home already had one in place when we purchased it, but the gentlemen looked at what was already existing and answered some of our questions about it. They seemed very knowledgeable and were very nice.