BBB Serving Central Indiana is warning consumers to exercise caution before doing business with Quest Concrete LLC, a remodeling contractor headquartered in Indianapolis. The company currently has an “F” rating, the lowest on the BBB scale, due to 18 complaints including a pattern of collecting deposits, leaving projects incomplete, and failing to respond to consumers’ concerns.
“I know companies get busy; I just want some communication,” said Tony Hueston, a Franklin, Ind. consumer.
Hueston secured a $12,000 project with the understanding his patio would be poured in eight to 10 weeks. After signing his contract, “Quest” failed to provide Hueston a project manager.
Several weeks later, Hueston had yet to receive any sort of sufficient response regarding his project and $6,000 deposit despite the multiple voicemails left with the business.
When speaking with consumers during BBB’s investigation, confusion pertaining to the distinction between Quest Exteriors and Quest Concrete was apparent. BBB discovered Quest Concrete shared various business details with Quest Exteriors such as contact information, building address and office personnel. At one point, Quest Concrete did have a separate phone number and website; however, both were unavailable when BBB attempted to contact the business.
Originally, consumer complaints were filed against Quest Exteriors LLC, but Quest Exteriors notified BBB that complaints should be directed to a separate entity, Quest Concrete.
“Quest Concrete is a wholly separate entity with different ownership structure than that of Quest Exteriors,” said Mike Gossett of Quest Exteriors in a statement. “The entity that owns Quest Exteriors is also a minority owner in Quest Concrete. While I have been actively working with both companies, I have no control over the majority ownership of Quest Concrete or what direction they take the company. For startup purposes both companies ran out of the same office and used some of the same back-office staff until early November.”
Gossett further indicated their office had to close in early November due to labor issues brought on by the nationwide raw material shortage of Portland cement (an ingredient used to make concrete). As a result, Quest Concrete was put on a material allocation for five to six weeks from mid-September through late October. Gossett claims Quest Concrete could not continue normal business operations after the five-to-six-week period when the business was unable to perform work.
“Our attorneys are working on the path forward as it relates to Quest Concrete,” Gossett continued in its statement to BBB. “As it relates to Quest Exteriors, Quest Exteriors has met and continues to meet all its contractual obligations and did not contract any concrete work with the above-mentioned customers and should not have the complaints attached to its BBB Accreditation.”
Quest Exterior’s BBB Accreditation was revoked on Dec. 13, 2022, by BBB’s Board of Directors due to the business’s failure to adhere to two of the requirements BBB Accredited Businesses must meet and abide by. The first unmet standard relates to transparency, which according to BBB.org, BBB Accredited Businesses must “openly identify the nature, location, and ownership of the business, and clearly and prominently disclose all material facts that bear on a customer’s decision to buy.” The second requisite pertains to responsiveness where BBB Accredited Businesses must “address disputes forwarded by BBB quickly and in good faith.”
Prior to the revocation, BBB found additional information through an Indiana Secretary of State data search shortly after receiving Gossett’s statement. The discovery indicated the co-owner of Quest Exteriors, Carie Gossett, is listed as “Manager” on a Change of Principal Address form for Quest Concrete. Quest Exteriors was asked to provide ownership clarification and reliable contact information for Quest Concrete but failed to respond to BBB’s request.
As a result, BBB has been unable to identify a complaint handler for Quest Concrete outside of Quest Exteriors, leaving 18 unanswered complaints and a total monetary loss of around $74,000.
BBB followed up with several complainants in November 2022. During these conversations, the pattern of complaint was discovered, as consumers’ concerns pertained to unfulfilled contracts and lack of communication from the business.
Consumer Justin Barkey told BBB the business visited his home to begin the job but has since left his yard damaged and without the patio for which he paid a significant deposit. After several attempts to gain answers from Quest Concrete, the Fortville resident was met with “excuse after excuse” as to why his project had been delayed, including a broken-down truck, dispatch issues, and the lack of cement powder.
“I am going to have to pay someone to come out and undo what they have done,” Barkey said. “All I want from Quest Exteriors at this point is my deposit money of $4,500 back and nothing else.”
A couple from Fishers shared a similar experience. Amanda and Dan Hackworth found the company online and stated “Quest” came out rather quickly to assess a project in the summer.
In June 2022 they put down a $7,600 deposit and agreed to a contract stating work would begin in five to seven weeks. Amanda Hackworth claimed they didn’t receive much communication about their project after putting the deposit down and were left with quiet waiting periods. In fall 2022, they were told a new project manager was assigned to their project who came out to assess the project one more time. After that visit, all communication from “Quest” ceased and the Hackworths could no longer reach the business.
Indianapolis consumer Brandi Belucci put down a $4,500 deposit when she signed a Quest Concrete contract in June 2022 for a project estimated to take six to eight weeks. However, Quest Concrete pushed the project back several times after their initial agreement.
“I understand that he couldn’t complete the job, but he gave us the run around since August,” Belucci said. “If he couldn’t do the job, he should have just given us our deposit back.”
Originally, Belucci assumed they “were just behind,” but as of November 2022, she indicated she had been dealing with back-and-forth communication for months and can no longer reach anyone about her concerns.
Consider these tips when hiring anybody to work in your home:
- Research and gather information. Search for a contractor’s BBB Business Profile at BBB.org for free information on their history of complaints and read verified customer reviews.
- Request references. Ask the contractor for a list of recent local references you may contact to verify the services performed and their overall experience with the contractor and the quality of the work.
- Ask for multiple quotes. You should always shop around and get at least three quotes from different businesses. Make sure all bids consider the same set of criteria. Keep in mind, the lowest bid may not necessarily be the best bid; if one bid is significantly lower than the others, the contractor may be cutting corners or may not understand your work requirements.
- Get it in writing. Always get estimates in writing and never let any work begin without a written and signed contract. Do not be pressured into signing an agreement before you are ready and make sure you read and understand everything before signing. The contract should include contact information, start and complete dates, a detailed description of the exact work to be done, any material costs, payment arrangements, and warranty information. Specify who is to obtain the necessary building permits and who is responsible for clean-up. Make sure all verbal promises are included in the contract. Never sign an incomplete or partially blank contract.
- Verify license and insurance. Ensure the company you decide to hire has the necessary licenses and insurance to work in your region. Your local BBB can help with this. Once you have your contractor’s insurance information, call the carrier to confirm appropriate coverage for worker’s compensation, property damage, and personal liability in case of accidents.
- Confirm building permits. Your contractor must have the correct permits before starting your project. They will usually obtain the permits, but you will probably pay for them which should be detailed in your contract. Request all final inspections be completed by the local building official prior to final payment.
- Inquire about a lien waiver. In the United States, a lien waver is a statement from your contractor that says all suppliers and subcontractors have been paid for their work.
- Think about future service issues. Make sure you are aware of your warranty coverage and how to deal with service issues.
- Arrange a payment schedule. Never pay in full up front. Stagger your payments so your final payment is not due until the project is complete and you have fully inspected the work. Do not pay cash; make sure your check is written to a company, not an individual, or that you use a credit card. Paying with a credit card will provide some recourse should the job not be completed as stated in the contract.
- Get a receipt. Request a receipt marked “Paid in Full” when the job is completed and your final payment is made.
- Keep your contract. Hold on to your contract for future reference or if any questions arise after the work is complete.