Designs By Mark

The last time I received contact from Mark was on April 13th, and the last time I attempted to contact him was April 27th. I had told him in an email that I thought what he had given me was just an estimate and a plan to convert the garage into a living space. He said we could pay him to create a design for our space without hiring him to do the renovation work. He insisted that we could give that design to whatever contractor we would want to hire for the renovation. It seems that he did a "bait and switch" act with us. He basically wrote up an estimate and NOT a special design, and it was what any regular contractor would write up (e.g. install drywall, flooring, etc). He also provided some basic pictures using design software to "create a space" and sent me pictures like that, but it was not something I could hand to a contractor and ask them to do work from that. A big issue I expressed before paying Mark concerns the ductwork needing to be neatly incorporated into the space so that it didn't look odd. Mark ignored the ductwork issue by leaving it out of the pictures he provided. I told him I was also concerned about the lighting scheme and he made no mention of how the lighting scheme should be handled in his plan. I mentioned that I'd like a snack bar incorporated into the Media Room- he made no consideration for such an option. He used some ideas I gave him, but I basically had to keep bringing up ideas to him instead of him bringing them up to me so that a special space could be created. Also, early on in our interactions, he asked about other prices we had received, and I told him. When I asked him what he would have charged for his "design" his price was very close to the first estimate we received, which included custom cabinetry. There is nothing special in Mark's estimate or final "design". Mark's advertising pamphlet says "we will design your new space with the style that is right for you" and that is not what was done for me. He made note about having high marks from the American Society of Interior Designers, and that I had been working with regular contractors, and that there was a difference between such companies. With what he has given me, I see no difference, which I told him. Although I asked for a contact person from the American Society of Interior Designers(ASID) who might be able to explain the value of what Mark provided to me and the difference from what "ordinary" contractors have shown me for free, I never received a response. Angie's List members would do better to get a FREE estimate from Cipriani Builders and not pay $500 to Designs By Mark for a design of their project area, especially since Designs By Mark seems more Mark-focused versus client-focused.