Wednesday, July 30, 2008

The RC Jones Company Chronicles: The Project Manager Switcheroo

RC Jones provides home and commercial improvement, repair and restoration. My experience with the RC Jones Company of Greenville South Carolina: A review of experiences, promises, and contract issues.
We liked our salesman from the RC Jones Company, we really did. He answered our questions. He said the right things. John Riley promised that he, specifically, would be our project manager and that we wouldn't have to move out of our home. We do have a new baby, ya know. Moving out is a big deal. Bing, bam, boom, we signed a home improvement contact that will cost us more than the actual price we paid for the house ten years earlier. Then John disappeared.

This project isn’t so much of an improvement as it is an expansion, a massive expansion. Factor in a huge increase in property values and the service guarantees by Jimmy Hoffa and the choice was simple.
He said the job would be completed within three months of the contract being signed. “More like two-and-a-half” followed in a hush tone. No one else was in the room.

We signed the contract on April 9, 2008. This Friday will be August 1.

He promised that we would be able to stay in our home during the entire construction project. This was huge—HUGE—factor in going with RC Jones. We have a newborn baby girl and a six-year-old. We need a potty and a bath. We RC Jones provides home and commercial improvement, repair and restoration. My experience with the RC Jones Company of Greenville South Carolina: A review of experiences, promises, and contract issues.don’t need a hotel for who knows how long. It was a Go / No Go variable that seemed to swing in our favor.

While discussing the interior décor and appliances, Hoffa had the deal. He told us to go to Home Depot, pick what we want and get a quote. Take that quote to Jeff Lynch Appliances, which is a local Greenville, SC electronic and appliance store. Lynch has a policy to beat the competition by 10%. We give the Lynch quote to Hoffa who take it to his buddy at Loews and gets a competitive price break plus the contractor (en mass) discount. I would guess that RC Jones probably marks up their cost by 15-20%.

It was probably a 5%-10% discount for us, but when one is furnishing a huge new master bed/bath/walkin suite, a new kitchen and another new bathroom, at least a couple thousand would be saved. The biggest perk was that we make one shopping trip, one phone call and then turn in the quote. Hoffa would handle the rest.

The last verbal agreement involved simple changes to the plan as stated in the contract. Numerous contractors charge big cash for RC Jones provides home and commercial improvement, repair and restoration. My experience with the RC Jones Company of Greenville South Carolina: A review of experiences, promises, and contract issues.changes even if the changes come before a hole is cut or a nail is hammered. If the change varies from the contract, it’s an up-charge. Hoffa explained that he didn’t roll that way. As long as the work hasn’t been started, he said, change fees are ridiculous. Fair enough. ...and on we go.

The first thing that we’d see was a big dumpster. He asked us where we’d like it. The first thing I actually saw was an expression of disbelief on my wife’s face after several weeks of unreturned phone calls. This is discussed in RC Jones Company: A Woeful $100,000 mistake?

The masons showed up about two months later and built me a wall to nowhere.

Two-and-a half weeks go by with no additional construction and three unreturned phone calls. The wife calls RC Jones and asks to speak with the owner, Mr. Jim Hale. Confusion is on the other end, and the call is forwarded to Jamie. Who the heck is Jamie? Where’s Hoffa. I want Hoffa.

It seems good ole Hoffa is no longer in the employ of RC Jones. Now we have Jamie Decker as our project manager. I called Mr. Decker the next day, furious. He answered the phone with “Uh...hello?”

I managed a three-minute conversation. His diction sucked life from my soul.

RC Jones provides home and commercial improvement, repair and restoration. My experience with the RC Jones Company of Greenville South Carolina: A review of experiences, promises, and contract issues.I now have one wall to nowhere, one large portion of my yard covered with an ass-load of hardened concrete and another portion destroyed by a bobcat, and I have the splinters of my demolished deck being carefully protected from the weather by my carport. I also have a meeting with Mr. Decker and Mr. Hale this coming Friday.

My Go / No Go agreements with Hoffa are now nothing more than verbal vapor. I still have no dumpster.

Coming next: My email to stop all construction on my home as well as ceasing all visitation from RC Jones to my premises until our issues are resolved during the meeting. Three days later I get a call from Mr. Decker saying that he’s at my home with his framers. He’s asking for permission to enter and take some measurements. “Yeah, uh, this back door seems open. Can we just go in that way?” Here’s what I want to know. How does a door that is unlocked seem open if it’s shut?

(Editor's Note) We are the target audience for home improvement, repair and restoration companies such as The R.C. Jones Company. We are of the right age and income. I understand that such a target audience tends to find product and service references via the Internet. My review is not intended as one of malicious intent, but only as a truthful review of promise, service and contract with the RC Jones Company. I will continue to update the RC Jones Chronicles with the experiences of my family, as we see them, over the coming months and until the project is complete. The RC Jones Company provides home improvements and commercial improvement, repair, restoration, construction, and several other similar services. They are based out of Mauldin, SC, and service cities surrounding the Greenville, Spartanburg, Simpsonville and Anderson South Carolina markets. The J.D. Hale Company (JD Hale, Co) is a wholly owned subsidiary of the RC Jones Company. Jim Hale is the owner of the RC Jones Company. JD Hale construction company advertises using the following words: Build Remodel Roofing.

Monday, July 28, 2008

RC Jones Company of Greenville, SC: A Woeful Home Improvement Experience?

RC Jones provides home and commercial improvement, repair and restoration. My experience with the RC Jones Company of Greenville South Carolina: A review of experiences, promises, and contract issues.The memory is so clear. My wife was very uncomfortable while we strolled the isles of the annual home and commercial improvement, repair and restoration trade show. The RC Jones Company booth caught her attention long enough to distract the now ever-present YOU-DID-THIS-TO-ME vibe that all dads-to-be must endure.

John, the salesman, said the right things. An appointment was made. The caveat was apparent; we may have to cancel due to circumstances beyond our control. That caveat turned out to be a beautiful gift from God. We rescheduled.

I tried to not to like him. That ingrown man thing just kept pounding me to believe that John was nothing more than a plate of chicken wings and a cold beer to imbibe when I pleased. Cut emotions. Do not trust. Think. Question. Protect. Do not trust. C'mon, ya gotta give me a break on this one. All guys do it. It's a protection issue. This is a HUGE amount of money for us. If handled improperly it could severely cripple our family for years to come. RC Jones Company Construction Woes Could Lead to a $100,000 mistake. My experience with the RC Jones Company of Greenville South Carolina: A review of experiences, promises, and contract issues.Well, as it turned out, we both loved John.

He had brilliant ideas. His credentials were great. I had no doubt that he knew what he was doing. He told us that he, specifically, would be the project manager on this account and that we wouldn't have to move out of our house. With that, the deal was sealed. Although minutia fell within the details, the short of it is that we had the home and plans inspected, got the loan, signed the contract and gave a $10,000 deposit.

If you've ever watched Vh1 Behind The Music, this is the part where the lead singer gets hooked on heroin. (cue: dark, depressing music)

As soon as the deposit was signed and handed over, communication all but stopped. Phone calls went unanswered for days. Promised beginning dates lapsed. The excuse was that the company was waiting on the permits. ...and here we go.

I called city hall to check on the permits. They'd been ready for almost two weeks. I called (and emailed and texted) John, leaving my new-found information for him. Guess what? He called back. The work began the following Monday. Imagine that.

The rc jones is not providing what was promised to my family. My experience with the RC Jones Company of Greenville South Carolina: A review of experiences, promises, and contract issues.My precious little girl is now nearly six-months old. My back yard is partially destroyed and littered with construction debris. My deck has been ripped off the side of my house and left to sit in my driveway. I'm paying a much higher construction loan interest rate while nothing happens. Phone calls for the past two weeks have gone unanswered. An unfinished exterior wall sits at the center of it all.

Coming Soon: Part two of my experience with RC Jones of Greenville, SC. Actually, RC Jones is based out of Mauldin, SC. Here is a tease: The thing that sealed the deal was John telling us that he would be our project manager and that we wouldn't have to move out of our house. We trusted him, me begrudgingly. The footer laid. The wall goes up. Work stops. My wife called the company owner after two weeks of phone calls not being returned. It seems that John no longer works for the company. I wonder when RC Jones Company was going to enlighten us with this tidbit of information? ...to be continued.

(Editor's Note) We are the target audience for home improvement, repair and restoration companies such as The R.C. Jones Company. We are of the right age and income. I understand that such a target audience tends to find product and service references via the Internet. My review is not intended as one of malicious intent, but only as a truthful review of promise, service and contract with the RC Jones Company. I will continue to update the RC Jones Chronicles with the experiences of my family, as we see them, over the coming months and until the project is complete. The RC Jones Company provides home improvements and commercial improvement, repair, restoration, construction, and several other similar services. They are based out of Mauldin, SC, and service cities surrounding the Greenville, Spartanburg, Simpsonville and Anderson South Carolina markets. The J.D. Hale Company (JD Hale, Co) is a wholly owned subsidiary of the RC Jones Company. Jim Hale is the owner of the RC Jones Company. JD Hale construction company advertises using the following words: Build Remodel Roofing.

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Buckeye Panic

Todd Nance, John Bell, Domingo Ortiz & Dave Schools - Widespread Panic - Columbus, Ohio 10.04.06
Todd Nance, John Bell, Domingo Ortiz & Dave Schools - Widespread Panic - Columbus, Ohio 10.04.06

Friday, July 18, 2008

Monday, July 7, 2008

First SC Apple Store Opens at Clemson University, More Coming

Clemson Apple Store Worlds Beyond RittmanFinally! With the departure of CompUSA, the Upstate--all of SC actually--has been jonesin' for Apple pieces and parts. Well the wait is over. The first Apple store has opened its doors on the campus of Clemson University. This is the first of a rumored three openings in the state.

As most of you can see, I'm departing from my usual photo/video blogging to bring you this news. Why? It's simple really. Macs rock. Apple simply has the best OS on the market today. Also, access to this information is pretty easy for me. I work on campus. Oh wait, one more thing, MS Vista sucks worse than Windows 95. Yes, I am a Mac snob. You should be, too. ...and on with the news.

Mac users once hid in the shadows around the Tiger campus. They occasionally found a little relief in the form of help from those within the School of Education, the only people on campus who know better. Most of the time, however, computer support on campus had the standard solution to all Mac problems..."We don't support Macs."

Oh how things change. Mac users at Clemson University are now getting a huge support...in a big, over-the-top way. Clemson Computing and Internet Technology (CCIT) has opened a retail Apple store in the heart of campus. Located in the Loggia of the University Union, the Apple store now offers all Clemson users the convenience, affordability and personal attention of a local outlet at prices even better than online or the regular educational discounts. Plus, you can receive personalized service and advising on products and features.

“The goal of the store is to offer our customers the products, services and information they desire as we (CCIT) provide better support for this growing community of Mac users,” explains Jason Domke, director of CCIT’s business office.

The Clemson Apple Store, the first in South Carolina, carries a full selection of Apple products including laptops, iPods, monitors and accessories. Currently, customers can take advantage of a special Back-to-School offer from Apple and receive a free iPod with the purchase of one of the recommended Apple laptops. [source ]

Rumor #1 - A Store in Greenville
New store coming to Magnolia Park. This city's site was originally planned for Haywood Mall, but there was no appropriate space. So in August 2007 Apple switched to this 670,000 s.f. town center being created after the former mall was demolished along I-85. It will include retail, retaurants, cinema, offices and hotel space on 65 acres. It would be the second-largest mall in the state, and the first Apple store in the state. Mall opens in Fall 2009. [source]

Rumor # 2 - A Store in Charleston
This once-seedy section of downtown has been turned into the "SoHo of the South," with many familiar Apple store neighbors (J. Crew, Abercrombie, GAP, Pottery Barn, etc.). The street offers 500,000 s.f. of retail and is 96% occupied. Apple reps visited the city's Department of Economic Development in mid-2006, snapped site photos and asked about zoning/heritage approval procedures for a space renovation. Speculation is on 301 King St., a 2-story brick building formerly occupied by the Cumberland's Pub & Grill. An architectural design proposal was submitted to the city review board on March 3, 2008. Job listings posted June 9, 2008. Could open by late summer, 2008. [source ]


Mac OS X Buckeye Edition, Mac OSX Wallpaper Ohio State University Buckeyes Columbus Macintosh Apple Free Apple Wallpaper

For all of you Ohio State Buckeye Mac Users, feel free to download one of my latest Wallpaper designs - Mac OS X Buckeye Edition.

Surf

Brookwood Church at Discovery Island Water Park Keywords: Simpsonville SC Brookwood Church Discovery Island Waterpark

Brookwood Church at Discovery Island Water Park - 6.08

Wednesday, July 2, 2008

Rain Rocks

A child explores the rocks in his mother's hand held during a rain storm.  Keywords: rocks rain down pour curious child wet toddler playing in the rain exploring new things rittman ohio best photography photojournalism
Rain Rocks - Summer 2003