- Report: #579567
Complaint Review: Portland Systems Steel Buildings - Wheat Ridge Colorado
Reported By:
Carlos -
Hesperia, California, United States of America
Submitted:
Updated:
-
Author Not Confirmed
Why?
Portland Systems Steel Buildings
4251 Kipling Street suite 250 Wheat Ridge, 80033 Colorado, United States of America
Phone:
3034320778
Web:
www.portalandsystems.net
Categories:
Business Rating:
(0)
Tell us has your experience with this business or person been good?
Portland Systems Steel Buildings Don Canale, Doug Sedivec, Brock Miera Steel Buildings Telephone SCAM Rip Off Beware Contractors Wheat Ridge, Colorado
I was contacted via telephone initially by Portland System's Steel Buildings Mike Schultz approximately August 2009. He said that my company CRC Konstruction & Koncrete Inc was chosen as one of a few to be selected to be "Preferred Contractors" to sell their steel Buildings. He said that currently Portland does not ship to California but that they were opening up now to start shipping here.
Mike told me that he found my company through the internet "Yellowbook" pages. He said that they had gotten some very favorable comments regarding my company. He said that if I were interested & accepted by Portland then I would have to act quickly because there were only 10 companies in his list and they were only choosing a few. I was advised to send a profile of my company via Fed Ex/Priority Mail and RUSH RUSH it. They requested a blank piece of my company's letterhead, envelope, business cards broshures etc. I sent in the information as requested. I was re-contacted after this submission and was advised that my company had been "chosen" but that I needed to send in info of local newspapers from all communities where I live. I was told to submit more business cards and a check for $5850.and that I MUST send it fast OVERNIGHT. I asked what the $5,850. was for and was told that it would cover my training,advertising and education of Portland. I sent in the required amount and was told that my company and Portland would be working together as a team. My acceptance letter consisted of a short note acknowledging the receipt of my $5850.check which they now called "an investment".It was NEVER referred to as such during the sales pitch. If it was an investment doesn't that mean that I am now a small part of the Portland Systems Company? I thought that it might be a good thing (given the state of our economy)at the time and how business was very slow.Mike seemed sincere at the time. It appears Portland Systems Steel Buildings was just looking for a sucker. I even added them to my advertising and my internet web page and advertising materials. Beware because this Company wants to sell & ship their product to more WESTERN states and they will be CALLING. The Better Business Bureau will do NOTHING! ,All they do is take your money to JOIN the Better Business Bureau and give you a rating. The Better Business Bureau rated Portland Systems with an A+. What a JOKE.
Portland Systems intended the entire time to rip me off and the Better Business Bureau finds NO FAULT in their actions. Its amazing how this Steel company used the phone, internet and postal system to scam me like a Ponzi Scam.Whatever they said on the phone no longer was true after they got my money. Mike disappeared after that and Doug was introduced by phone.I spoke to Doug on few occasions and then was introduced to Brock. Brock was working in the capacity of "Training me" and he would be my OFFICIAL Sales Rep thereafter.
After giving them my money,my training consisted of approximately 7 fifteen minute morning phone calls. Again nothing in writing but Portland Forms and phone calls.I was instructed by Brock Miera that I was not to ask any questions during the so called "TRAINING"...just sit and listen by phone. I took notes but it was over the phone so not much was retained. I was advised that Portland would place ads in our local papers with my name & contact info for the steel buildings. The ads were placed in local, cheap want ad papers not the daily newspapers of my area that I provided him with. In a short time I located an individual interested in buying a steel building for his new business. I contacted Brock who sent me some Portland Systems forms via the internet. He told me that he was now going to train me on how to use the order forms. We went through the form box by box filling it out.
I told Brock on 3 occassions that we had not yet applied for permits required by San Bernardino County and I later provided him with a copy of the Inspector's report that indicated PLANNING APPROVAL REQUIRED. Brock nevertheless instructed me that the appropiate box to check was the "PRODUCTION" box when ordering a building. I now know that the proper box to check is the PERMIT HOLD box.He said we were checking "PRODUCTION" so that we could secure the price of the building. I did not know then that there would soon be a problem between myself & Portland by checking that box. I thought we were "working together". I was instructed to fax or email the forms back to Brock. The rest of the form was filled out pretty easily as it pertained to color, size, windows, doors etc.
The forms were sent in to Brock and before I knew it I was asked for a deposit. I got $5000. from the individual ordering the building Jerry Crain and I had to submit another $2700. Brock then ordered the building. He said we had to "lock in" the price. Again at that time our relationship was friendly and I was sure that is how it would stay. After that things changed and so did Portland's attitude and relationship with me. I did not tell him to order the building. I told him again and again and again that we had to get the permits. I was in training to do this ordering and was tricked/trapped in to ordering a building because I trusted Brock to be honest.He even encouraged delivering the building to the sight location like Portland had no negative issues with that delivery or more MONEY.
Even after ordering the building I thought that we were working together until I started receiving DEMAND letters. I believe This company preyed upon me and I also believe that I am not the only one that they've done this to. They lied about the initial amount to send and kept on changing what the new amount was needed for. They called me initially in a solicitaion call via telephone. They knew exactly what they were doing. They were just phishing for somebody to fool. I feel embarassed that I allowed this company to do this to me but I feel strongly that others should be alerted of this company.
After trying to straighten this all out with Brock he became abrupt and uncaring and before I knew it, Brock was no longer the guy to talk to me. Now the only contact is with the owner of Portland Systems Don Canale & Doug Sedivec. They don't talk by phone.They don't TALK at all. All Don does is email or sends me demand letters through the US Postal Service.I have tried to fix this mistake but they are unwilling to work with me even after I told them my customer still wants the building but we had to get the planning department's approval first. I even put Portland in direct contact with the Planning Department but to no avail.Now I am receiving "DEMAND" letters from Don who is asking for even MORE money. They told me that I could store the building until the Planning Department approved the plans (approximately 90 days) for another $9,000. Well I am a single Father and I have NO MORE MONEY.
Please assist me as I have no dollars for an attorney to fight this. This company scammed me & my company just like the Ponzi Scams. I do not trust them any more and therefore cannot see myself working with a company that has no decent business practices. I don't even know if they registered with the State of California Department of Corporations to Solicit here. All I know is that everything that was supposed to happen, didn't. I have tried to remedy this through the Better Business Bureau but still Don will not relent. They sure aren't the people they pretended to be when they originally called me on the phone. All he keeps saying is that he has a contract to order the building but as I stated it was Brock who told me to check Production as he taught me how to fill out the forms and it was Brock also who prompted me to send in additional forms like color change etc.
I do not have any more money to give him. They have $13,550. of my and my client's money. The only thing they put in writing is when I sold the first building. They offered me nothing in writing about our 2 companies working together other than the receipt of my $5850.now called an investment (by Portland)letter. I paid them by checks. Portland says that they are not responsible for any statements made by any of their employees oral or otherwise. If a contract is arrived at through deceit then how can that be valid? In addition there is a Force Majeur clause in the fine print of the contract. It states that if I am prevented by a government agency from carrying out the contract by the date stipulated, that I cannot be held accountable to that date. The County Planning Department says that I cannot continue without planning approval. Please BEWARE!!!!! They will take your money & RIP YOU OFF!!!
Mike told me that he found my company through the internet "Yellowbook" pages. He said that they had gotten some very favorable comments regarding my company. He said that if I were interested & accepted by Portland then I would have to act quickly because there were only 10 companies in his list and they were only choosing a few. I was advised to send a profile of my company via Fed Ex/Priority Mail and RUSH RUSH it. They requested a blank piece of my company's letterhead, envelope, business cards broshures etc. I sent in the information as requested. I was re-contacted after this submission and was advised that my company had been "chosen" but that I needed to send in info of local newspapers from all communities where I live. I was told to submit more business cards and a check for $5850.and that I MUST send it fast OVERNIGHT. I asked what the $5,850. was for and was told that it would cover my training,advertising and education of Portland. I sent in the required amount and was told that my company and Portland would be working together as a team. My acceptance letter consisted of a short note acknowledging the receipt of my $5850.check which they now called "an investment".It was NEVER referred to as such during the sales pitch. If it was an investment doesn't that mean that I am now a small part of the Portland Systems Company? I thought that it might be a good thing (given the state of our economy)at the time and how business was very slow.Mike seemed sincere at the time. It appears Portland Systems Steel Buildings was just looking for a sucker. I even added them to my advertising and my internet web page and advertising materials. Beware because this Company wants to sell & ship their product to more WESTERN states and they will be CALLING. The Better Business Bureau will do NOTHING! ,All they do is take your money to JOIN the Better Business Bureau and give you a rating. The Better Business Bureau rated Portland Systems with an A+. What a JOKE.
Portland Systems intended the entire time to rip me off and the Better Business Bureau finds NO FAULT in their actions. Its amazing how this Steel company used the phone, internet and postal system to scam me like a Ponzi Scam.Whatever they said on the phone no longer was true after they got my money. Mike disappeared after that and Doug was introduced by phone.I spoke to Doug on few occasions and then was introduced to Brock. Brock was working in the capacity of "Training me" and he would be my OFFICIAL Sales Rep thereafter.
After giving them my money,my training consisted of approximately 7 fifteen minute morning phone calls. Again nothing in writing but Portland Forms and phone calls.I was instructed by Brock Miera that I was not to ask any questions during the so called "TRAINING"...just sit and listen by phone. I took notes but it was over the phone so not much was retained. I was advised that Portland would place ads in our local papers with my name & contact info for the steel buildings. The ads were placed in local, cheap want ad papers not the daily newspapers of my area that I provided him with. In a short time I located an individual interested in buying a steel building for his new business. I contacted Brock who sent me some Portland Systems forms via the internet. He told me that he was now going to train me on how to use the order forms. We went through the form box by box filling it out.
I told Brock on 3 occassions that we had not yet applied for permits required by San Bernardino County and I later provided him with a copy of the Inspector's report that indicated PLANNING APPROVAL REQUIRED. Brock nevertheless instructed me that the appropiate box to check was the "PRODUCTION" box when ordering a building. I now know that the proper box to check is the PERMIT HOLD box.He said we were checking "PRODUCTION" so that we could secure the price of the building. I did not know then that there would soon be a problem between myself & Portland by checking that box. I thought we were "working together". I was instructed to fax or email the forms back to Brock. The rest of the form was filled out pretty easily as it pertained to color, size, windows, doors etc.
The forms were sent in to Brock and before I knew it I was asked for a deposit. I got $5000. from the individual ordering the building Jerry Crain and I had to submit another $2700. Brock then ordered the building. He said we had to "lock in" the price. Again at that time our relationship was friendly and I was sure that is how it would stay. After that things changed and so did Portland's attitude and relationship with me. I did not tell him to order the building. I told him again and again and again that we had to get the permits. I was in training to do this ordering and was tricked/trapped in to ordering a building because I trusted Brock to be honest.He even encouraged delivering the building to the sight location like Portland had no negative issues with that delivery or more MONEY.
Even after ordering the building I thought that we were working together until I started receiving DEMAND letters. I believe This company preyed upon me and I also believe that I am not the only one that they've done this to. They lied about the initial amount to send and kept on changing what the new amount was needed for. They called me initially in a solicitaion call via telephone. They knew exactly what they were doing. They were just phishing for somebody to fool. I feel embarassed that I allowed this company to do this to me but I feel strongly that others should be alerted of this company.
After trying to straighten this all out with Brock he became abrupt and uncaring and before I knew it, Brock was no longer the guy to talk to me. Now the only contact is with the owner of Portland Systems Don Canale & Doug Sedivec. They don't talk by phone.They don't TALK at all. All Don does is email or sends me demand letters through the US Postal Service.I have tried to fix this mistake but they are unwilling to work with me even after I told them my customer still wants the building but we had to get the planning department's approval first. I even put Portland in direct contact with the Planning Department but to no avail.Now I am receiving "DEMAND" letters from Don who is asking for even MORE money. They told me that I could store the building until the Planning Department approved the plans (approximately 90 days) for another $9,000. Well I am a single Father and I have NO MORE MONEY.
Please assist me as I have no dollars for an attorney to fight this. This company scammed me & my company just like the Ponzi Scams. I do not trust them any more and therefore cannot see myself working with a company that has no decent business practices. I don't even know if they registered with the State of California Department of Corporations to Solicit here. All I know is that everything that was supposed to happen, didn't. I have tried to remedy this through the Better Business Bureau but still Don will not relent. They sure aren't the people they pretended to be when they originally called me on the phone. All he keeps saying is that he has a contract to order the building but as I stated it was Brock who told me to check Production as he taught me how to fill out the forms and it was Brock also who prompted me to send in additional forms like color change etc.
I do not have any more money to give him. They have $13,550. of my and my client's money. The only thing they put in writing is when I sold the first building. They offered me nothing in writing about our 2 companies working together other than the receipt of my $5850.now called an investment (by Portland)letter. I paid them by checks. Portland says that they are not responsible for any statements made by any of their employees oral or otherwise. If a contract is arrived at through deceit then how can that be valid? In addition there is a Force Majeur clause in the fine print of the contract. It states that if I am prevented by a government agency from carrying out the contract by the date stipulated, that I cannot be held accountable to that date. The County Planning Department says that I cannot continue without planning approval. Please BEWARE!!!!! They will take your money & RIP YOU OFF!!!
5 Updates & Rebuttals
crckonstruction
Hesperia,California,
USA
Portland Systems Steel Buildings
#2Author of original report
Mon, February 28, 2011
I, Carlos Rodriguez, hereby retract and recant my statements
concerning Portland Systems, LLC and Don Canale, Brock
Miera, Douglas Sedivec, and Mike Schultz posted on March 10,
2010 and
all other postings and statements of this sort for myself and on
behalf of CRC Konstruction & Koncrete. Portland Systems
and
CRC Konstruction & Koncrete have resolved our differences
Don
Wheat Ridge,Colorado,
United States of America
Don
#3UPDATE Employee
Fri, February 18, 2011
I, Don Canale, hereby retract and recant my statements concerning CRC Konstruction and Koncrete and Carlos Rodriguez posted on March 11, 2010 and all other postings of this sort (there are no other postings) for myself and on behalf of Portland Systems. Portland Systems, Carlos Rodriguez and CRC Konstruction and Koncrete have resolved our differences.
crckonstruction
Hesperia,California,
USA
Settled Differences Portland Systems
#4Author of original report
Fri, February 11, 2011
I, Carlos, hereby retract and recant my statements concerning Portland Systems, LLC and Don Canale, Brock Miera, Douglas Sedivic, and Mike Schultz posted on [dates] and all other postings and statements of this sort for myself and on behalf of CRC Konstruction & Koncrete. Portland Systems and CRC Konstruction & Koncrete have resolved our differences.
crckonstruction
Hesperia,California,
USA
Nice Try Don
#5Author of original report
Fri, March 12, 2010
Holding the bag, Don? or holding the "money" bag?
Mr. Canale as you can see, addressed none of the points in my original complaint. Not one. He addresses what he considers to be legal but nothing about what is right. The entire process of using another company's forms & procedures is new to me. I have been in the construction trade for 17 years and not sitting on my hands.
My complaint was never about Mr. Canale's product. It is about his and his company and his employee's honesty and integrity toward another individual.
I did not solicit Mr. Canale's business. There are countless steel building companies to choose from. Perhaps Mr. Canale needs to take a second look at how he & his company aquires new general contractors to sell his product.
Who advised Mike Schultz to seek me out and to sell me on the idea of hooking up to work with Portland Systems? What I have written in my original report are the facts in chronological order as they happened over several months time.
They phished for my business and quite frankly they cared little for any future business I could bring them. As long as they got the $5850. initial amount I was charged. And for God knows what now because Don certainly doesn't admit to any category to substantiate taking the $5850. At first it was for training, advertising and educating me on Portland forms & procedures. After my check was cashed it was referred to as an investment as stated in my original complaint.
For somebody who has been in business for 10 years, Mr. Canale sure knows little about what his employees are saying and doing to hook another General Contractor.
Let me advise you Don, I was not alone in my conversations with Brock. I had another party listening in on the so called friendly conversations, training and "help" sessions. If you trained Brock & Mike then shame on you. Maybe you have more experience in business contracts than I but I would never stoop to the tactics used by those 2 guys.
You may be an ok guy Don but if you allow the tactics used on me and others by Mike & Brock then you too are just as guilty. That is the trouble with our society today NOBODY CARES about the other guy anymore. Nobody does the right thing and that does include you. As long as you keep touting "I have a contract", you are continuing to be evasive and are eluding my complaint.
I am not the least bit interested in your A+ Better Business Bureau rating and neither will anyone else who reads this. You just don't get it. Instead of correcting your employees and finding out what really went on, you tout your rating on a site that cares little about your BBB rating. Your failure to acknowledge the things that I tried to get through to you about your employees means that you stand by their tactics to snag another contractor.
You can lose the line about how Portland continues to suffer damages from my actions Don, I doubt people will swallow that line when I have been able to list a play by play of your company's antics.
You have not lifted one finger to remedy this situation with me so do not imply that you have. I have received nothing but demand letters from you and denials of your employees actions and how you are not responsible for what your staff says or does...written or oral after the contract is signed. Honest people don't need that line in their contracts.
I realize now that I was way too trusting of Brock but that is just my nature. I've kept all my receipts, envelopes, emails and paper trail including documents from the planning department while I was "sitting on my hands" awaiting further instructions from Brock. Using our communication system (telephones), the US Postal Service (Rush, priority mail) and the Internet to garner new business is a negative thing especially if it is carried out the way you fail to acknowledge, your employees did. You can't fix what you do not acknowledge Don but you can't get past that. What goes around,comes around.
My complaint is what it is and it is the truth and nothing but the truth. Take pride in ruining me if it makes you & the Better Business Bureau feel any better. Some people don't mind taking money that they did not earn from others. I remain.... the nice, little guy and nice guys do finish last but they do so honestly. I'm done with this site as I have warned others and I think they will err on the side of safety when it comes to steel buildings.
Don
Wheat Ridge,Colorado,
United States of America
Carlos Rodriguez/CRC Complaint
#6REBUTTAL Owner of company
Thu, March 11, 2010
Mr. Rodriguez is the owner/operator of CRC Konstruction-Koncrete, a duly licensed California contractor whose license has been in effect since March 19, 2003. Mr. Rodriguez/CRC Konstruction-Koncrete is a professional general contractor rather than a consumer.
Portland Systems LLC is a global supplier of pre-engineered metal buildings and related components. Portland Systems has been in business since 1998 and enjoys a BBB A+ Rating. Thousands of Portland Systems buildings are in service throughout North-America and the World. In its more than ten-year history, only five (5) BBB complaints have been filed; two resolved to the mutual satisfaction of the parties with the remaining three administratively closed. Please click (or copy and paste to your browser) http://www.bbb.org/denver/business-reviews/buildings-pre-cut-prefab-and-modular-dealers/portland-systems-in-wheat-ridge-co-1010262 for more information. Relevant facts are these: On December 3, 2009, at Mr. Rodriguez/CRC Konstruction-Koncretes request, Portland Systems, LLC (Portland) provided a quotation and order form (proposal) for a custom-designed, project-specific steel building. Two days later, on December 5, 2009 Mr. Rodriguez/CRC Koncrete-Konstruction approved the complete order and sent the order and his earnest money down-payment to Portlands offices via overnight courier. Mr. Rodriguez, in his own hand specified his order was to be for Production. Also in his own hand, Mr. Rodriguez specified his request for delivery on February 1, 2010.
Portland Systems accepted Mr. Rodriguez/CRC Konstruction-Konkretes order on December 10, 2009 and the agreement was entered. Portland issued a letter thanking Mr. Rodriguez/CRC Konstruction-Konkrete for his order and mailed the letter along with a complete copy of the accepted order and Portlands Customer Service Procedures to Mr. Rodriguez/CRC Konstruction-Koncrete. Our letter thanking Mr. Rodriguez/CRC Konstruction-Koncrete restates his request that his order be for production and that, as such, the Building(s) will be designed, engineered, detailed, fabricated and delivered as rapidly as possible. Changes to the work will not be accepted after the order has been processed. Delivery must be accepted when tendered in order to avoid storage and other delay-of-shipment charges.
On about December 17, 2009 Mr. Rodriguez/CRC Konstruction-Koncrete asked Portland Systems to make changes and additions to his order; paperwork capturing these changes was sent to Mr. Rodriguez/CRC Konstruction-Koncrete for approval that same day. He returned the paperwork, with his approval, on January 5, 2010. Changes & additions per Mr. Rodriguez/Konstructionon-Koncretes specific direction were made and Portland continued work on the order.
Portland Systems advised Mr. Rodriguez/CRC Koncrete-Konstruction that his order was fabricated, complete and scheduled for delivery on January 29, 2010 with delivery set for February 10, 2010. To date, Mr. Rodriguez/CRC Koncrete-Konstruction has refused to accept delivery or even pay for his order and Portland Systems has been left holding the bag.
Despite his status as a licensed general contractor for more than six (6) years, Mr. Rodriguez/CRC Koncrete-Konstruction will accept no responsibility for his actions. Despite his status as a licensed general contractor for more than six (6) years, Mr. Rodriguez/CRC Koncrete-Konstruction did very little to benefit his customer except order a custom-fabricated metal building. He didnt apply for a building permit; he didnt submit for land-use approval. Despite knowing that materials hed ordered were being built and readied for delivery for more than two months Mr. Rodriguez/CRC Koncrete-Konstruction apparently just sat on his hands.
Now, with custom-fabricated materials made as he requested and payment due Mr. Rodriguez/CRC Koncrete-Konstruction is choosing to lash out at and try to place blame for all his trouble on Portland Systems. Portland Systems continues to suffer damages resulting from Mr. Rodriguez/CRC Koncrete-Konstructions actions.
Portland Systems is not unsympathetic to Mr. Rodriguez/CRC Koncrete-Konstructions situation. In business people sometimes get busy and 'things' get overlooked. HOever, Mr. Rodriguez/CRC Konstruction-Koncrete has done nothing to help Portland Systems help him. Our sincerest hope is to deliver the materials that have been built at Mr. Rodriguez/CRC Koncrete-Konstructions direction as he, no doubt, originally intended.
