Pacific NW Housing, Inc./Stuart D. McMullen Ripoff "con" Siding Contractor - out to make you a "victim" Vancouver, WA And Beaverton, OR Washington and Oregon
My husband and I are selling our home, and a couple was in the process of purchasing our home. The buyer's mother had LP siding, she was extremely nervous about our T1-11 siding, so they decided to pay $95 for an inspector to come out to see if there was any damage. I already knew our siding was in excellent condition, so I didn't have a problem them paying for an inspector. The company they hired to write a report was Pacific NW Housing,Inc. and the person's name is Stuart McMullen who is the President.
Mr. McMullen used fear, scared tactics, misleading, and false information to further his business purposes. Mr. McMullen made his report an advertisement against LP siding and promoted the LP class-action suit in order to gain business. However, I believe the most troubling aspect of his proposal was stating there was damage to the backside of our home when he knew that was a complete lie. If there was real damage to our siding he would have done the following as a qualified paid inspector: a) Identified specifically what and where the damage was, i.e., swelling, buckling, fungus, moisture, mold or rot, b) taken pictures of the damage with written documentation and an explanation, and c) verbally explained to your customer exactly what problems there were. He should have known our siding is T1-11, and it wasnt a part of the class-action suit, and as a qualified inspector he should have known that.
Furthermore, the heading on our buyers proposal read Enclosed Is The Bid To Replace Your Defective Man Made Siding. Again, using "scare tactics". Additionally, he stated we had areas that had gone bad because the contractor did not caulk properly. However, based on our telephone conversation the day of the inspection, he said, our siding is in good condition, but on the backside because it is exposed there might be some swelling that could lead to buckling. Might and could do not equal damage. Then he went on to say there was absolutely no mold, fungus, or rot, but there could possibly be moisture. Possibly moisture? Either there is moisture damage or there isnt! His proposal was to reside the back and left side for $3,307.50 plus taxes, but in our telephone conversation, and in his proposal, he said nothing was wrong with the left side. Then he said, he added the left side per our buyer's request, wish she denied.
A few days later I had another company come to inspect our siding, and he just happened to be a siding specialist. After he inspected our siding, he came to my door and said, Mrs. Lawson why do you want your siding replaced? He said, our siding is in excellent condition from top to bottom, and that siding contractors are in the business to sale siding. He said, he sales siding as well, but is also an LP siding specialist, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with our siding. He stated we have no moisture, mold, rot, fungus, or deterioration. He stated, replacement isnt required, and your walls are solid!
One week away from closing, our buyers backed out of the contract because of Mr. McMullen's proposal. They said, the only reason they terminated the contract was because they were scared and confused after receiving the report. They requested the backside and left side be resided, and we refused to pay to have perfectly good siding replaced.
Replacing LP siding (that is not damaged or defective) has become a big con game in the Pacific Northwest, and we refuse to be a victim.
Mr. Stuart McMullen of Pacific NW Housing, Inc. is using fear, false and misleading information, and out right lies to get business. DON'T BECOME HIS NEXT VICTIM!
Sharman
Camas, Washington
U.S.A.
2 Updates & Rebuttals
Mr. Roberts Sr.
Vancouver,Washington,
U.S.A.
Mr. McMullen Did What Was Right
#3Consumer Comment
Sat, March 29, 2008
Before using Mr. McMullen on a recent project I found this report and told Mr. McMullen that I was disturbed by the information that it contained. He agree and let me see his entire file.
I had the file for a week and did some investigation myself. It seems that seller of the house (not the person who hired him in the first place) Sharman turned him into everyone, The State of Washington, The Better Business Bureau and a local news channel. In his file he documented the State of Washington's case that was brought after Sharman filed a complaint against hime with the State of Washington. The documents show that that the seller of the house was in fact not correct about the type of siding that was on the house. The seller Sharman had stated that she had "true t1-11" siding on her home when in fact it was Louisiana Pacific Inner Seal Panel siding and his pictures did show some swelling on the siding.
I found that the case which was filed by the State of Washington against Mr. McMullen and his firm was closed. They found Mr. McMullen and his firm not guilty and during the proceedings acknowledged that the seller in her documents had not been truthful in the type and condition of her siding. Mr. McMullen's findings might have stopped the buyers from buying the house and the seller certainly were disappointed in this and attacked Mr. McMullen because of his findings but the State of Washington found that Mr. McMullen's report was accurate. He provided the right information to the potential buyers.
In my investigation I also talked to the potential buyers and they were very happy with Mr. McMullen's services and said that they would hire him again. They were not surprised that the seller had challanged Mr. McMullen's findings but they were not happy to learn that the seller's had not been truthful in disclosing the type of siding that was on the house. With the class action suits against LP at the time they were happy that Mr. McMullen was able to identify the type of siding and point out the issues on the house.
The local news channel that had been called was going to do a story on this but when they met with Mr. McMullen and he showed them that the seller's truely had Louisiana Pacific Inner Seal Siding and not true T1-11 plywood siding they decided not to persue the matter.
As a result of my investigation I would and did hire Mr. McMullen to overview a project of mine and the results turned out to be great.
I took the time to write this because when people file stories about companies that are not true like the seller of this house it does have consequences. In this case the consequences should be on the person who filed this report. In fact I think this whole complaint should be taken down because her complaint is one that has been legally found to be untrue!!.
MaryJane
Vancouver,Washington,
U.S.A.
JUST SAY NO TO T-11 SIDING
#3Consumer Comment
Tue, September 23, 2003
It is my persoanl opinion that T-11 or any other vertical siding slapped up in large sections or sheets is the cheapest and ugliest siding that is trashing the entire pacific northwest. Houses with this type of siding look like absolute shacks within a few years. Furthermore they are not good in our wet and rainy climate. I would never ever ever ever consider looking at a home with T-11 siding both for aesthetic reasons and value. Hardiplank is the way to go and tells me its a quality made home. T-11 homes are cheaper because vertical siding is cheaper in quality and price. You get what you pay for.