David Potter - Spa Warehouse of Houston - in gound hot tub 1 year later still not finished and avoiding our phone calls - dead beat - scam - be aware Kemah Texas
In March of 2008 we decided to get a hot tub for our backyard. After lots of research and price quotes we found David Potter, owner of Spa Warehouse of Houston and were very impressed with his work. He showed us a project he was working on in person and we looked at many pictures on his website and at his "store".
We were not just getting a boring hot tub, but an in ground hot tub that makes it even more enjoyable. He made everything sound so easy and from what he said everything should have been finished within 2-3 months. We made our down payment of $3000 on 4-14-2008 and we were excited like little kids. Then the nightmare began. David told us he would be there on a certain day and he didn't show or he started digging the whole in the backyard and didn't return for weeks nor answered our phone calls or emails.
He always had an excuse, it rained and the ground was wet, it was hot and the heat got to him and he was sick, he was rear ended by illegal uninsured Mexicans, he had to fix the water heater on his truck, then something else happened and so on. He then gave us a date to have the hot tub in the ground and ready to be used but not completed and if he doesn't finish by that date he will subtract $50a day not to include weekends up to a maximum of $1000.
We thought for sure he would get moving, but it took him to loose about $400 to get to where he said he would be. So the first milestone was completed, finally, but we were not done, the copping, the tile and the box for the hot tub motor was still to be completed. There we went again, could not get him to come out and get to work on our construction area. The whole time we had his tools and supplies all over our backyard even though we offered him free use of the shed.
Of course we had to pay him more money in the meantime for the hot tub itself and supplies. We bought the copping and tile ourselves to make sure we have it on hand when he finally gets to the point where it is ready to be installed. He finally showed up again and got the copping done and one side of the tile. He again gave us a date of completion and the same deal, subtract $50 each day he goes over not to include weekends up to a maximum of $1000.
The date was August 10th 2008 and of course he didn't get it done and he lost $1000 which was the last money we owed him since we already paid him for ALL the supplies he needed to finish. Then hurricane Ike hit and we have not seen him since. We have talked to him a few times and he gave us dates of when he was coming back, but of course we did not see him. Unfortunately he lost his house and office in the hurricane and we did feel for him and told him to take care of business but please stay in touch and keep us up to date on what's going on.
Well Ike has been a while ago and most people have rebuilt and have their lives almost back to normal, but our hot tub is still not done and it is now May 2nd 2009, over a year since we first signed our contract with David Potter. We know he is in the area since we saw his truck today parked outside Wal-Mart but after waiting for 45 minutes for him to come out we decided to go inside and see if we run into him. Big mistake, we went in, took a round through Wal-Mart and as we get back outside he drove off.
We have paid a total of $6300 and all we want is for him to finish what he started and get our backyard back in order and protect our hot tub that has just been sitting there subject to the elements and he won't honor his 5 year warranty we're pretty sure. We are thinking about taking him to small claims court, but will that get our hot tub done? We are at the point where we are exhausted trying to get a hold of him and looking at the unfinished product, we can't even fully enjoy it. I hope nobody else falls for him and if they do I hope they have better luck then we do.
Anja
Bacliff, Texas
U.S.A.
3 Updates & Rebuttals
Anja
Bacliff,Texas,
U.S.A.
Sad
#4Author of original report
Wed, January 06, 2010
Fyi, we had to finish the project ourselves. David was most concerned about his business and how WE (as in my husband and I) can fix his reputation and keep him from loosing what little he had left after we filed the rip off report in May 2009. There was a short time were I felt unsafe.
I feel for the person that posted the other rip off report.
Anja
Bacliff,Texas,
U.S.A.
UPDATE
#4Author of original report
Mon, May 04, 2009
In response to David's response I want to say that yes we are both stating facts, the hot tub is usable, but not completed. But fact is also that if it would have been done in August as we were told we would not be in this situation with the Ike problem.
On the other habd I want to apologize to David Potter for calling him a dead beat and a scam, he is not a dead beat and he did not scam us out of any money. I was very upset when I first reported our problem and wish I could erase those 3 little words which could have a very negative impact on David's business. The last thing I want to happen to David after everything he is going through since hurricane Ike took everything but his truck and a few damaged hot tubs from him is for him to lose his customers and have people cancel on him. That was not my intention, we were just getting frustrated that we could not get a hold of David and that it is taking so much longer to get the hot tub done than we had planned on.
I know the finished project will be awesome, but getting there has been a rocky road and I think David you would agree on that.
We have been able to talk to David and we agreed that he will finish the tile and the box. To our surprise, when David called he was very calm and assured us that he too would like to see our hot tub finished. He said it will be a few weeks before he can make it to our house but he will be in touch. The being in touch I think was our biggest problem, but I think we have worked it out and everybody's concerns were put on the table and we will go on from here. We all have learned something.
David's inground hot tubs are beautiful, the pictures on his website are not lying, but don't be in a rush and expect everything to be done in a few months, things we cannot control do happen.
So we are looking forward to seeing David in a couple of weeks.
Btw, this update has been written in a very calm state of mind.
David
Kemah,Texas,
U.S.A.
90 % finished
#4REBUTTAL Owner of company
Sun, May 03, 2009
In respose Anja I would like to report the following
1.. spa was special order (customer didnt want any spas we had in stock)
ordered spa from factory ....factory took a little longer to get I upgraded
spa next model up 600 wholesale to me didnt charge customer....actual discount
for delay ( voluntarily... customer didnt asK..... I vouluntered......
2.spa was delivered and installed ingound working great for past 11 months
no problems
3,rock and granite was to follow... delays on my part other jobs (rain sure likes to Rain in houston yike.......well after 4-6 weeks I decided I would deduct 50 dollars a day
#############side note #############
I mentioned to customer (before starting Job) maybe be they should get a differnt contractor to do rock work Response we want you
Ike ........Actually it was hurricane Ike....my house and business are sitting out in
the Gulf of mexico (everthing clothing tv computers tools everthing )
its now 7-8 month ago from hurricane Sep 13,2008
today march 3,2009
status
city and landlord unable to get to get it worked out so I can reopen
all the spas were destroyed but still there damage
city ...landlord want spas remove ...Told them I couldnt do it
the day the spas are gone it would look like I went of business...And I wouldnt be
able to continue servicing and warranting
Did I mention anja's spa has been working perfectly since day 1
2,Spa rock work is/was 90 % complete
3.when was the last time anyone had a company without having to be asked
discounted because of delays ................(and it was the right thing to do )
4. clearly with a couple items listed the 1400 dollars deduction would clearly pay
for the 2-300 dollars to finish the job if she chooses to go that way
5. I have called and left a message on her phone
I will glady finish the 10% tile work on the back of her spa and build a box
@@@@@@@@ this is the important part @@@@@@@@
if anyone has a problem that I have yet to resolve please contact me 713.542.5334 ....dollarspa@aol.com......thanks david
@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
Final note
I use to look at disasters on the news day after day floods fires tornados hurricannes ...and think sorry and then change channels
its one thing to lose you job or its another thing to lose you house
but its no fun to lose everthing ...house ..business ...job...clothing in one day
the point is should have done a better job on staying on top if anja job but i was a
little pre -occupied
34 years of doing spas and hot tubs ...looking forward to another 34 years
@@@@@@@@ this is the important part @@@@@@@@
if anyone has a problem that I have yet to resolve please contact me 713.542.5334 ....dollarspa@aol.com......thanks david
@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
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