Haidar, Architect & Builder Co. ripoff, ridiculously high fees, incomplete work, mistreatment Arcadia California
Ok here it goes.. My dad's business needed to make some improvement on it's bathroom in order to aquire a permit from the city. We hired Aly Haidar the architect for blueprint of the building. He promised he would help us get the permit we needed and see things through until everything is done so my dad signed the contract at $7500.
After several visits to the city construction agency, the blueprint was approved for construction so we paid Mr.Haidar the remaining $3500 ($4000 was paid when the contract was signed and he wanted the rest when the blueprint was submitted but my dad refused to pay him off until the plan was approved)
We realized we were ripped off when we spoke with a contractor. We found out that most building plans, those more complex ones than ours, NORMALLY COST LESS THAN $3000. Also, submitting the plan, verifying address, clearing sewer availability and all those complicated process should've been taken care of by the architect, but we didn't know that at that time.
So basically, WE BOUGHT A REALLY REALLY EXPENSIVE BLUEPRINT AND WE DID MOST WORK OURSELVES. Even when i asked Mr.Haidar some questions about the process, he just cut me off saying "you don't understand anything!" I was very offended.
My dad who doesn't understand english signed the contract thinking Mr.Haidar was a professional who could help us through this complicated process. Instead, my dad PAID TRIPLE of what it should've been and he had to go back and forth the city hall trying to get the documents all correct. Technically we don't have the permit yet but, Mr.Haidar is claiming he did all he could.
It is just sad people like Mr.Haidar is using minorities like my dad who doesn't know english and ignorant of the system to rip off. If it is possible i would like to sue Mr.Haidar, but we just don't have money.
Jessica
los angeles, California
U.S.A.
3 Updates & Rebuttals
jessica
United States of AmericaRetraction by the author of original report
#4Consumer Comment
Tue, December 21, 2010
I'm the author of original report made on Aly Haidar, the architech.
Due to my lack of understanding of the English language, I mistakenly accused Mr. Haidar of mistreating us.
The scope of my father's project was to legalize an unpermitted Drycleaner, not just to remodel a bathroom.
Our contractor's statement that we should have paid only @3,500 for the blue prints is only his opinion without having all facts.
My father and the seller received other estimates that were higher that Mr. Haidar's fee of $7,500 to legalize the unpermitted additon.
Mr. Haidar did jcomplete his work on time and revised his plans without any extra charges.
Mr. Haidar neither shouted, nor yelled at us at any time during the permit process. Rather, he was professional in his conduct.
Mr. Haidar did indeed help us, and we were able to legalize our unpermitted additions and able to sell our Drycleaner.
Ms. Christna parish, our business buyer, declaration rebuttal posted on the RipoffReport.com is true and accurate since she witnessed the entire permit process.
I, Jessica Yi, hereby apologize to Mr. Haidar for any prior or future damages to his business and reputation which caused by my report.
Jacob
Chicago,Illinois,
U.S.A.
Defense of Architect
#4Consumer Suggestion
Mon, June 12, 2006
Jessica,
First off, let me start by saying that the behavior of the Architect to yell and scream at you and tell you that you don't know anything is wrong. I won't defend not being professional. I will however defend some of the items you stated in your original post.
Under no circumstances is it a contractors buisness the fees that an Architect charges, and is agreed to by an Architect. The majority of time, contractors would rather have that money in their pocket, so they feel as though their opinons on price my lead you to call them direct the next time you desire services. Most likely in metropolitian areas however, and Architect is required before a permit is issued. This contractor definatly crossed a line and it was none of his buisness.
The Architect offered a set fee of $7500, which based on your statement does seem a bit high. The reason I say this is because he did not involve himself in the application for permit nor the construction administration. Architects have several ways of assessing fees for particular projects, and some services they don't perform per their contract to reduce cost. With out seeing the scope of the project, $7500 seems high, and $3000 seems low. I wouldn't say you got ripped off as it pertains to the fees, I would just say he was on the high end. Next time, get a second opinon, and make sure Architects know they are in a competitive bid for the job with other offices. This should encourage them to be competitive with their prices.
As stated above, different contract obligations result in different services, or further the types of services required by the Architect. Unless his contract stated that he was responsible for permitting and construction administration, he shouldn't of had to perform those duties, and if you requested it, he would have for an additional cost.
Realize that when you attain services from an Architect, you aren't paying exclusivly for the sheet of paper the plans are printed on, you are paying for his knowledge of applicable codes, standards of construction, liability of design, among numerous other items. Pawning off $7500 dollars to paper isn't really fair.
I think there is more to meet the eye other than just an angry Architect, especially when further services are warranted which ultimatly means more money for him. If he had a hard time recieving the payments on the initial contract, and then you approched him for additional services, I could see how he would be aggitated.
The moral is, next time shop around, and make sure the ability to communicate with the Architect is there before you hire him for the job.
Jake
-Chicago
Jessica
los angeles,California,
U.S.A.
Haidar, Architect & Builder co. ripoff, incomplete work, mistreatment
#4Author of original report
Thu, June 08, 2006
Even now when we requested some corrections on the blueprint, he actually yelled and screamed saying there's nothing wrong with his plan and he doesn't want to work with people like us.
All we want right now is to get the the permit we needed and we can forget about all of his misdoing. In order to do that, he just needs to make a little correction on the blueprint so we can start the construction. Afterall, we are just asking him to finish his work. Now me and my family are at loss. This is just too hard.. I'm searching for a government agency that handles stuff like this. We paid him way too much for him to just ignore his responsibility and still treat us this bad.