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July 15, 2008
In October 2007 we ordered a steel building (garage) from KSTB. We gave them a deposit of $6880.00 (25% of the total contract (Exhibit 1) price of $27, 993) to lock in a price and delivery charges, and signed a "Delivery Date Confirmation" (Exhibit 2) for the spring of 2008. In June of 2008, after the completion of the construction site, we tried to contact KSTB, however all of their phone numbers where disconnected. I was able to get the new numbers from the Kentucky Better Business Bureau. Upon contacting KSTB they stated they could not honor the contract due to the increase of the cost of metal. They offered a revised contract (Exhibit 3) to meet the original price, but left off half the attributes such as the three garage doors, the four windows, the 12ft x 48 ft shed roof, gutters, overhangs, soffitts, and eaves. They stated I could order them at a later time or purchase them locally. KTSB said the new cost of the garage as originally configured would be approximately $36, 000. After telling KSTB the counter offer was not acceptable, we asked for our deposit back. The salesman Chad Blackwell said he would have the owner contact me to see if there was anything we could work out. That was on July 8, 2008. I have not heard from the owner or received a return call from Mr. Blackwell. I sent a fax and an email (Exhibit 4) to Mr. Blackwell to demand the refund of the deposit in full on July 15, 2008.
In the time I was waiting for a return call and or the refund, I contacted another steel building company: United Steel Building, Ft. Lauderdale, FL. I asked them to quote the original configuration that KSTB had quoted back in October of 2007. Their quote (Exhibit 5) is: $25, 568.52 including delivery from Florida.
We did research the company (KSTB) prior to doing business with them. We contacted the Better Business Bureau but did not realize the BBB’s are separate entities so nothing came up on this company, locally. We now realize the Kentucky Better Business Bureau has them listed as unsatisfactory.
I would like a complete refund of our deposit. This project must be completed as I have the construction site completed including the foundation poured.
As of October 20, 2008 I have not heard from KSTB, KBB, or the Kentucky Attorney General's office on moving forward with resolving this complaint. Please do not consider this case closed until I update this posting.
kwelch update as of November 16, 2008:
We have spent the last several months trying to resolve this issue with the following entities: Kentucky Better Business Bureau, Kentucky Attorney General’s Office, Kentucky Clark County Attorney, and Kentucky Governor Beshear’s office. Suffice it to say that not one of these organizations have been successful or in any way made one bit of progress to get this company to mediate, or better yet, do the right thing and refund the deposit for their breach of their contract. We have in good faith faxed, emailed, phoned and responded with unquestionable accuracy to requests of all of these offices’, to no avail. Everything we stated had stood up to scrutiny. What is the purpose of all these consumer advocacy groups? Who is paying them? In the case of the Better Business Bureau of Lexington, Ky; they now have four outstanding complaints against this company as of September 30, 2008, for both ‘selling practices’ and ‘refund practices’.
Let this experience give pause to all when dealing with any business in the state of Kentucky.
I took delivery of a KSTB in October 2007. These guys are great to work with and very accommodating. Amanda (No longer there) and especially George (technical staff) are the greatest and have been most helpful during construction. The building package, 40' x 60' x 16", was delivered as promised for the contract price. A true "do it yourself and save" project.