Complaint Review: Telemainia

Telemainia Contracting and Consulting Services are a Rip-Off! They did not honor their verbal agreement with me.

I met with Chad Smith, Telemainia’s Team Leader to design my new office building in the Miami area. I agreed to the cost of a little over $10,000 for the blueprints, the site inspection and some initial consulting work from Mr Smith and his “team”.  Mr. Smith continually told me in several meetings with me and 2 other employees of Telemainia; that the 10K would come off the cost of the construction work. In other words he said, “Mary, if the total cost of building is 100K, then this 10K will come off the top and the balance upon completion will be 90K”. He also confirmed that if I didn’t have Telemainia do the construction; then the 10K would be the cost of the initial consultation work already finished. I was fine with that.

He said that once the contract was signed, they’d deduct the 10K and I’d pay 50% up front and then the balance when the work was finished and it went through the final inspection. Well that all seemed fine with my partner and me; but that is not how it would turn out.

I decided to go ahead with the work and the total cost was estimated at $241,000. I was happy with their design and was eager to have them do the work. Mr Smith again assured me that the 10K, I had already paid would come off the total price, which would leave a balance of $231,000. Chad seemed like such a believable guy. I really trusted him. I called Chad and told him that I wanted to go ahead with Telemainia’s bid.

I did not hear from Chad Smith for 3 or 4 weeks so I called Telemania to speak with Chad and was told he was on vacation and wouldn’t be back for a month. His assistant said she’d look into the matter. One week later I got the contract and was surprised to see the total price owing was $241,000. They didn’t take off the 10K, nor did they ask me for 50% down. They wanted the entire $241K.

I called again and spoke with Mr Smith’s assistant and she said that I must have had a misunderstanding and that the company never deducts the initial fee from the contract price and that there is no such thing as only giving 50% down at contract signing. I was furious to say the least. I need to speak with someone.

I asked to speak with the owner of the company or someone that could help me. The person I spoke with said that someone would get back to me. I’ve called over 15 times in the past 5 weeks and no one has even called me back; including no calls from Chad Smith who won’t respond by phone or email. They totally ripped me off for $10,000.

Telemainia Construction and Consulting is a total scan and I'd strongly suggest that people avoid their contracting, building or consulting services. Thank you Rip-Off report, for giving me this avenue to explain my problem and help others avoid the same bad situation.