Complaint Review: Cavanna Construction - Reading Pennsylvania

THE REVIEW: After meeting with several contractors, we decided on Cavanna Construction in JUNE 2009 because we were looking for a company that could give us a nice deck before fall so that we could still enjoy it before winter. We told the Cavanna's that they were our top choice as long as they could in fact start soon, giving us a deck by fall. Ricci Cavana clearly stated that they could definately start by SEPTEMBER 2009, so we happily and excitedly chose Cavanna Construction as our contractor. They cashed our $3,000 check in JULY (remember this date because they didn't start our project until almost January 2010 - 6 months LATER, despite telling us they would start by September 09). As we waited anxiously, days turned into weeks and we heard not a peep from them. After contacting them several times over the course of a week (note in their voicemail they say they will return your call the next day - I think that happened maybe 3 times over the course of half a year when we had to get aggressive because they were 5 months late), they returned our call stating that we were next up and that the only reason they hadn't started was because it rained the weekend that they were going to start. September was unseasonably warm and there were 28 other days that month that they could have started. Not only that, but they failed to honor us with the common courtesy of a phone call or letter informing us of the hold up. Instead, we had to repetitively call them. At that point, we still had no start date, but they told us we were next in line and assured us they would be starting soon.

October passed and nothing, despite the fact that they had cashed our check 3 months ago at that point and weeks ago they had told us we were next in line. All of a sudden, they told us that there are now 3 people in front of us???? So if they knew that there were that many people in front of us, why would they cash our check in July and why did they lie and tell us we were next in line prior? They failed to return our calls and emails for a long time. The week of Thanksgiving we were so frustrated and my husband and I discussed offering to let them finish our basement instead, hoping maybe the change in project would appeal to them and also that way we would have something usable (since we no longer could use a deck even if they did start because it was winter). The Cavanna's agreed to this and said it would work out well because they had someone who would switch supplies with us. Ricci said she would use her special software to make up a 3d design and send it to us promptly. A week passed again. My husband called every number possible and emailed them, and after no response called their home phone and they finally responded (because on that message he asked for our money back) - surprise she called right back. I was in the car and heard the entire conversation between Ricci and my husband (who I might add, at this point was still being very nice despite the fact that they had our $3,000 and it was almost December with still not a minute of work done). Ricci told him that they were so sorry and that if we couldn't get ahold of them any other way it was fine to call their house. She told us that she never recieved any of our calls or messages (keep in mind we emailed, called their work number, business number and left messages) and that she couldn't get ahold of us (not true) and that she had the basement plans all ready and they were faxing them over to my husbands work.  Days turned into a week again, and we received no faxed plans, and no calls or emails. My husband called again several times on cell and business numbers. No response, so he finally resorted to calling their house, which Ricci had clearly told him was fine if he couldn't get ahold of them any other way. Ricci called back and told him he was rude for calling their home, and said she needed measurements. If she had plans completed and faxed, why would she need measurements? Wouldn't she just simply refax? And I highly doubt that your phone, email, and fax do ALL not work when you are a business. Ricci said she would personally deliver the plans to our house the next day which was a Wednesday. No show on Wednesday (surprise) even though I stayed home to recieve them. I am a stay at home mom, and my daughter and I were at home the next day, Thursday, all day except for about 8 minutes when I ran an errand in the shopping plaza 1 minute from our house. No plans Thursday. No plans Friday. So my husband called and asked where the plans were. Ricci said she put them on our doorstep Thursday (even though she originally said she would deliver them Wednesday and she didn't bother to call and let us know when she couldn't come Wed...) I was here all day like I said, nobody came and I have a dog who barks viciously anytime ANY car is in our driveway. So I know nobody was here, and no plans were here. She told us the wind must have blown them away. We didn't understand why she couldn't just have faxed them in the first place. She said she refaxed the plans after we had to contact her several more times, and the fax never came. We played chase again calling them. Ricci said she gets a dead line when she faxes and faxed an example of the busy line, which is why she claimed the fax didn't go through. I worked for 4 years in a busy office where I faxed DAILY and anyone who faxes knows that if a line is dead it simply means another fax is coming through or someone is on the phone and you simply refax it until you get through. And by the way, at this point we had asked for our money back several times because in no way did we trust them or want them to do anything at our house, but they wouldn't give us our money back. Magically, the fax worked after my husband called Ricci and told her that he himself just faxed to the line successfully. The plans were not done on her special software, they were the most basic quick drawing and handwritten notes you could possibly send, basically a rectangle with circles - a 6th grader could have done it. Making it obvious that the runaround for a month was in fact most likely because that original "3D special software basement plan" draw up never really was faxed, and probably never even existed.

After 6 months, some unkind exchanges, and a lot of frustration, they finally gave us a written start date of December 28^th via certified mail. As Dr. Phil says, you can judge future behavior based on past behavior and we should have known again that this date could not be trusted or taken at their word, certified mail or not. My husband took off an entire week of work (or should I say BURNED a week) so that he could be here while Cavanna worked and let them in etc... He set his alarm when he could have slept in, for 8:00 because they said they would be here at 8:30, on Monday December 28th. When he woke up the morning of the 28^th and they didn't show, he checked his email and saw that they had emailed him shortly before 9pm the evening prior, stating that they weren't coming. How disrespectful and rude to wait until the last minute, and email rather than courteously call (he told them many times he is up at least until 10) that they weren't coming? (Surprise, surprise).

Their next lie was that they were really truly finally going to start at 8:30 on Wed. the 30^th. 9:00 came that day, 3 hours passed. At 11:40 the truck finally wheeled in our driveway. (And again, on his week off, my husband had un necessarily set his alarm and got up to let them in) Vinnie and his worker unloaded and then informed us they were going to lunch. Hahaha. And to get more supplies. Finally after returning, they actually started and got some work done (3 months, 30 days, and 3 hours LATE are you serious?!! Or, if you count from the time they cashed our check, 6 months late) Vinnie told my husband at the end of that day that he was starting at 7am on Thursday the 31^st, but that he wouldn't be here until 9:30. Again we waited. No Vinnie and NO PHONE CALL AGAIN! Minutes turned into hours and we called - not happy. They stated that they had to take care of a church because it is a liability. First of all, every single person we have explained this to has said we are fools for not taking them to court, aren't we a liability too? That list of people includes my friend's parent's home building company and my uncle who is also a contractor. (We couldn't use him because his back is out although it turns out we could have with how much time had passed.) Second of all, wouldn't you think after all of this, and the fact that they have had our $3,000 since JULY, over half a year ago, that we should come first, snow or not? That it should finally be our turn? That nothing else should stand in the way? And why wouldn't they at least have the consideration to pick up the phone and call us to let us know again they weren't coming? Instead we basically had to phone stalk them to get somewhere and we always sat around waiting.

Day 4 of my husbands week of vacation, that day they were supposed to start at 9:30. At 3:15 we were still waiting around for them, when our family could have been out doing something together. They didn't even call. They emailed. We don't check our email constantly, so we didn't get it, we just wasted time. I had the phone book opened to the better business bureau, something that should have been done months back. I decided to give them one more shot, and I called every number and left a message saying that if they did not call me back by 4:00 I was contacting the better business bureau. Wouldn't you know that within minutes I magically got a call back from Ricci. I was firm with her and asked her what is going on. I rehashed everything they put us through and demanded an explanation. Ricci was super apologetic, admitted that they were embarrassed, asked me what they could do to fix this, and told me that it is because it was snow season and they are swamped with business that we are having to still wait. (HAD THEY started our project when they promised in September, snow wouldn't be an issue). She said one of their faults she admits is forgetting that other people have lives and are waiting around on them. She actually told me about a bank and another customer who was also so irate with them and she said they have a good friend who told them that their customers are just going to have to wait. She went into her personal life and used that as an excuse as well. In my opinion, if you are struggling in your personal life, and if your children aren't seeing their father, then you shouldn't accept more jobs than you can handle. It all comes down to personal priority and I can assure you that their priority is money alone, definately not their reputation, not their integrity, and not teaching their children the narrow path. After that phone call, I thought I had really gotten through to them and that they knew not to mess around anymore. Wrong.

Vinnie wrote an email to us about how I had called his wife and yes it is unacceptable that we had to wait again but that the snow removal comes first etc...

The next day when Vinnie came to work, he was pretty much on time for the first time. My husband and I decided to put away all past bitterness and start a clean slate because Vinnie was in our home and we didn't want awkwardness on either end. We chose to go down into the basement and thank him for actually coming on time that day and for finally making us a priority. I apologized for having to be aggressive on the phone with his wife. Vinnie just went on and on about the snow removal and how swamped with business he is and how he didn't sleep in 17 hours or something. Again, had they started our DECK in SEPTEMBER when they cashed our check in JULY, the snow would never have been an issue. To me, that is NO excuse and a simple apology would have went over better than a trail of excuses that are invalid and unrelated.

I should also note in my conversation with Ricci she told me that Vinnie's helper is legally not allowed to work here by himself, that Vinnie must be with him at all times and that is why he couldn't send him alone. That very day however, Vinnie left his worker here alone. A few days later the worker was here and worked hours by himself, I don't even know where Vinnie was, so that was another lie.

Finally, they got the job done. By the job I mean framing, electrical, and waterlock seal. For $6,000 that's all we got and we did try to barter and we did sign the contract in the end because frankly you take what you can get, right? It seems to be a good framing job, however there was supposed to be an electrical inspector they sent to come look at the electrical and approve it and that never happened. Now, my husband is finishing the drywall and one of the lights is not working already so I can't say what a great job the electrical is. Vinnie said he "hooked us up" with higher grade wire and more outlets. To me, for all the trouble, lies, etc...they put us through, I think they owed us worlds more.

On that note, I should tell you that the Cavanna's told us several times that Vinnie would come back and show my husband how to do the drywall to get him started. They finished their contracted work on Tuesday and had faxed us a contract to sign stating that they did finish all they were contracted to and we signed it. Ricci told James that day that Vinnie would be coming back on Thursday to help James learn to start the drywall. When Vinnie left that Tuesday, I gave him the signed finish contract. He asked me for the final check amount. I said, "do you want it Thursday when you come back or today?" He said it didn't matter, but he questioned what was Thursday. I told him that Ricci said he was coming back to help James learn to start the drywall. He said he knew nothing about it but that if she said he'd be here then he'd be here for sure. He looked me in the eye and stupid me, I trusted him so I wrote him that final check. Never saw him again. Thursday came, my husband injured his foot at work that day but waited to go to the ER because Vinnie was so kindly coming to get him started that night. 4:00 turned into 5:00 turned into 6:00...we called and left messages, no answer (of course). At 7:00 I told my husband to go into the ER, they aren't coming, they are not honorable and never have been, just go. They never came and never called again. They had our money, why would they? Ricci said that the reason was because she thought my husband had off Thursday she didn't know he worked till 4. But she never bothered to call and neither did Vinnie to tell us they couldn't come or to set up another time. Why couldn't he have come from 4-5?

Then there is the vapor barrier that Vinnie claims to have purchased and left in our basement. I assure you, several of us searched, and there is no vapor barrier in there but we were charged for it. My husband went and bought his own vapor barrier. We contacted the Cavanna's more than once about it and asked for a refund. In one of those final emails, we let them know once again we were so disappointed, and we told them that we would be writing reviews on them and gave them the opportunity to rectify the final situations of the vapor barrier and the drywall instruction before the reviews were written. No reply for days. We called all numbers and left a message saying that we weren't letting this go that they need to call us back. We got an email from Vinnie saying that we were blackmailing them and bribing them and that they were forwarding our emails to the Attorney General. Vinnie said he never told us he would do our drywall, he only was going to help (WE NEVER EXPECTED HIM TO DO THE DRYWALL, WE JUST WANTED HIM TO SHOW MY HUSBAND HOW TO START IT AS PROMISED) They said that they have done everything they can to please us (more like everything you could to enrage us) and that we cannot be pleased. They said that the check for the vapor barrier would be in the mail via certified check/mail along with a receipt proving they bought it. All a reciept proves is that it was purchased, not that it it was actually put in our basement, and it wasn't...we are honest Christian people who do not lie, we would never "steal" vapor barrier, even from people like them who were dishonest with us time after time. We paid them on time both times, we were here waiting for them every time they said they would be here. We didn't contact an attorney on them or contact the better business bureau (which I am still pondering but they are dealing with a new family loss and my heart doesn't know if it wants to put that in their laps). We called them last week to let them know we still hadn't received the certified mail check. Ricci told us they had a family loss, and because we are kind people we told them to take all the time they needed to get us our check. We don't need that check, it is like 40 some dollars, but its just the principle of it. Another lie because it was almost 2 weeks before the family loss that the check was supposed to be in the mail and never was. So we know it was never sent, but their time to mourn is more important and we can wait. But we will get it.

I am actually someone who loves to write letters to thank and praise people who do a good job (the woman at the post office who helped me with a smile...the librarian who works for free to give my daughter enrichment...the people at my church who pray and give up their time to pray on behalf of me...) And that is the saddest part about all of this. My husband and I are good good people. We bake for the fire and ambulance company during snowstorms because they don't get a day off, we sponsor starving children, we tithe 10% of our money to the church, we visit the elderly neighbors, we never fight, even with each other, and we have no enemies. We hated being on bad terms with the Cavanna's and gave them chance after chance and were kind to Vinnie in our home even though it was not earned. I am not saying all of this to pat us on the back, I am saying it to ensure you that our anger isn't about money, it is about principle and common human courtesy and kindness. I have NEVER written a bad review EVER, and I write reviews often because I believe it is an honest way to know what you are getting into.

Contrarily, the Cavanna's are honestly the rudest, most inconsiderate, most deceitful people we have ever encountered and we were disgusted to be doing business with them and even more disgusted that they have our money. I laid awake many nights so enraged, praying that God would take away my anger and allow me to forgive them again and again and again. We have forgiven the Cavanna's but will never forget this ordeal and will probably never shrug off a bad review again. How does a human being do this to another human being? The Cavanna's should be so incredibly ashamed of their business and their personal character. I hope their children don't see the way they conduct themselves with lies, misleadings, put offs, ignorance, and shame. I can tell you after talking with both Ricci and Vinnie that one of the main problems is a lack of communication on their part. It sounds like Ricci tells you one thing but then doesn't tell Vinnie and it doesn't get done. The other problem is that they take on too many jobs and have too much going on in their personal lives at the same time. They do not prioritize, they do not empathize, and they do not run their business in a manner of treating others the way they would wish to be treated. Mostly, I hope that us and the other people who are victims of the Cavanna's scheming ways are mere exeptions and not typical scenarios. I hope that the Cavanna's get a wake up call in a good way so that they can continue their business and support their family, but in an honorable way that doesn't bring misery to others.

There are some pro's, which I feel must be mentioned although I wouldn't ever recommend Cavanna Construction to anyone. They were not in my way while they worked, they kept the door shut when needed (we have a cat and dog), they cleaned up after themselves for the most part (except for the screen that Vinnie didn't put back in that is in the yard). Vinnie seemed nice. The worker smoked outside. They seemed super nice and professional at our first meeting.

If you do decide to go with Cavanna construction, here is my advice:

1) GET DATES!!! Do not sign any contracts unless there is a start date and end date on it, and make sure that if those dates are not kept that you can get a refund

2) Record all phone conversations, emails, etc... they are super sugar coated nice through emails and beat around the bush and never admit fault - they will act like you are a bad person and they do everything for you. I wish we had more recorded phone calls because that is when you would catch them in their lies if you choose to take legal action.

3) Expect a lot of excuses and be ready to have to call them and question them.