Rick Bent Flooring

There were some minor snags but they were all promptly resolved. They are the best out on Hilton Head Island. I was very pleased with the work they did.

My wife and I have been vacationing in Hilton Head, SC over the last three years, and decided to purchase our second home there. We purchased a fairly new home (builit 1998) in Hilton Head Plantation in July 2009. Prior to purchasing the house I had an inspector examine the condition of the house, and began to contact as many contractors as I could to begin making the necessary repairs listed in the inspection report. Not being a member of Angie's List at the time, I relied on information from the real estate agent, banker, and telephone directory for recommendations. I have to mention the fact that the contractors had only two and a half days to meet with me, while I was in South Carolina, because my my primary residence is in the northeast. I can honestly say that I made it a point to obtain a minimum of three estimates for all repairs, before making a final decision on the contractor. I was surprised at the positive response. With the economy being the way it is, I did not have a problem getting the contractors I needed at short notice. I wasn't as fortunate with the flooring companies. I decided to hire Rick Bent?s Flooring (RBF) to lay down the wood flooring in the bedrooms and bonus room prior obtaining the other two estimates because they were recommended by the Armstrong Flooring Company, and because I was pressed for time. All of the repairs were arranged to be completed by a date, that I knew I would return to South Carolina to inspect the work before paying the final balances. Communication with all of the contractors was either by phone or email, because of the distance. My communication with RBF was solely by phone, and continued until I lodged a complaint with the company. I called Rick Bent immediately at RBF when I received and noticed that the square footage in the two additional estimates were approx. 150 sq. ft. less. I brought this to RBF?s attention, and was advised at the time that the estimate would be adjusted in the final invoice that was to be forthcoming. Despite repeated requests, the final invoice never arrived. Since I was not going to be in South Carolina during the repairs, I made the necessary arrangements to give the contractors access to the house. RBF, against our agreement attempted to access the house before the painters finished repainting the interior of the house. I found out when I received a ohone call from the painters notifying me that RFB had sent their crew to begin the flooring. The painting contractor recommended against it, because it interfered with their work, and because there was a very high chance that the floorers would damage their work, if the paint was not allowed to dry properly. Communication with RFB was predominantly with Reggie Benjamin, sales representative and co-owner of the company. I called him and reminded him that he was not to enter the house until after the painters finished painting the house, as per our agreement. I later learned from the painters that the flooring crew arrived with their materials a couple days later, while the painters were ?touching up?. I was informed that RBF?s crew was observed to be somewhat reckless, when one of the workers was castigated for leaning on a recently painted wall. I was told that they were all asked not to touch or lean on the walls while they laid the floors down. I then made arrangements with Bay Shore Contractors (painters) to allow the flooring crew in as they made their final ?touch-ups?, since I was told that the floor would be completed within a couple of days. I did not give RBF a key to the house, because I had just changed all of the locks to secure the building. Mr. Bent was upset with my decision, but I was not acquiescing on this matter. I received a call the day after RBF ?completed? the flooring from the painting contractor, advising me that there was damage to their work in the rooms RFB worked in. I also learned that the one piece of furniture in the entire house (king size mattress, box spring and frame) was removed from the Master Bedroom into the Master bathroom where it remained after the floor was laid down. On receiving the news, I immediately called RBF, and spoke with Rick Bent about relocating the bed in the bedroom, and was simply told ?No?. When I tried to reason with him, he informed me that as per the contract, RFB was not responsible for moving any furniture. We argued, at which time I then called his partner, Reggie Benjamin to explain to him that I could not move the bed because of my back injuries. Mr. Benjamin promised to relocate the bed in the Master Bedroom the following day, and asked to have the house unlocked. I immediately made arrangements to have someone unlock the house at 7AM the following morning. Later in the evening I received a phone call notifying me that the individual waited until 9AM for RBF, who never showed. On their return at 6PM, they noticed the bed was still in the Master Bathroom. They locked up the house and called me with the information. That cost me $50.00. I decided to hold back my authorization for the remaining balance, until I had the opportunity to inspect RBF?s work and to negotiate a workable solution. The day after I arrived, I made arrangements to meet with the painting contractor to inspect the damage. My wife brought to my attention that there was damage to the mattress. There is a red tint on the newly purchased mattress approx. 12? X 12?. I hired help to relocate the bed back into the Master Bedroom at the cost of $50.00 for two men, and to have the painter touch up the damage to the walls, and moldings to the amount of $100.00. During my inspection, I noticed that RBF did not lay down the carpeting in the Master Bedroom?s walk-in closet, even though this was discussed. What they did was leave a glob of hardened glue used to adhere the flooring at the entrance of the walk-in closet. My wife discovered the glue when she tripped over it before bringing it to my attention. This did not include the pile of flooring RBF hid in the storage space in the bonus room. When I did not hear from RBF, I decided to contact American Express to lodge a complaint, and discovered that RBF had charged the remaining balance of $1801.35 without my knowledge and consent. We had an agreement with the contractor that the balance would be authorized only after I had the opportunity to inspect the work. The contractor verbally accepted the terms and reneged. At no time did RBF notify me to inform me that he had ?completed? the work, give me the opportunity to inspect the work, or made the attempt to contact me to secure my authorization for the balance. The last couple of discussions with Mr. Bent have been extremely confrontational. I understand that there may be a scuff mark or two on the walls, but I do not understand how they managed to place scuff marks on the ceiling of the bonus room,lightly scrape the paint across the enire length of one of the walls in the master bedroom, and stain the one piece of furniture in the entire house I just can't believe any contract gives a company this kind of latitude.