RC Jones Company Chronicles: What Now Pow Wow

I ended the last post with a riddle. The answer as far as I'm concerned is that the new project manager, Jamie, had already been in my house without permission. I questioned him. He denies it. I have no proof except for his statement on the phone. Whatever.

I'm going to say right now that I hope these reviews get better. I pray that they do. The reason is simple. I want my house finished yesterday. Good reviews means good progress. However, the truth will be told good or bad. So there.

Today was the meeting with Jamie and the company owner, Jim. The short story is that the wifey and I decided that the project will continue.

When we started discussing the finer details of "the plan" we discovered that Mr. Hoffa (AKA, the MIA former project manager, John Riley), had some issues with understanding the plan. Maybe he has issues with integrity. Who knows?

The short story is that Hoffa must have been using some hard-core smack while formulating a plan in his head that allowed us to stay in the house. I've gone from liking this man to despising him for lying to us. I should have trusted my instinct. Further deviations from what was drawn and promised reveal that he's right on par with Scott Peterson's definition of truth. These are the plans I repeatedly made him recite back to me on numerous occasions. #@!$%@#!

I guess I should again mention, I signed the contract. It's my fault for not scrutinizing the 9-page scripture that contained enough detail to make China's new Olympic bird nest look like a lucky drop of the Pickup Sticks.

Back to the meeting. I was actually surprised that I managed to regain the slightest in bit of trust with ole Jonesie during meeting. I can only imagine what they were thinking when they heard the complete detail of Mr. Hoffa. The good part was that they recognized several things that were omitted from the contract. That story comes later.

The bad part came when Jamie realized what I wanted versus what I'm getting. About the wall to nowhere he said, "Now why did he do that? You don't need that 8' wall. We could have poured the foundation, put two rows of block and then started framing from there. It would have saved you a good piece of money."

Baah. Money shmoney. (replace with what I really said)

As for the thought of staying in my house during construction, well... On a positive note, I now completely understand that Jamie is correct. With one bathroom, two kids, one wife and a irritated daddy, things would have gotten a bit rough when we had to use the construction workers' port-o-let. What hacks me off is that I bought into Hoffa's charm.

Baah. Trust Shmust.

So now we have to move out until November! NO-FREAKIN'-VEMBER. At least that's what the RC Jonesers are saying. My prediction: weather and incompetence lead to a fighting-to-get-detail-work-completed mid December move in. Merry Christmas. Goonie Goo Goo.

Coming Up: Family steps in to rescue the homeless. Confusion ensues with the project manager when I describe the concept of incentive by using doorknobs and painting as a example. The high road of trust in the form of an email. The local bank explains a loan protection policy that doesn't sit well with the hardhat boys. And the wall to nowhere stands lonely stalwart.

(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.

The RC Jones Company Chronicles
Part I - The RC Jones Company of Greenville, SC: A Woeful Home Improvement Experience
Part II - The RC Jones Company Chronicles: The Project Manager Switcheroo
Part III - The RC Jones Company Chronicles: A Soccer Metaphor of My Week
Part IV - The RC Jones Company Chronicles: What Now Pow Wow
Part V - The RC Jones Company Chronicles: Hoffa Found Alive, Concept Confuses Project Manager
Part VI - The RC Jones Company Chronicles: Always Have An Exit Strategy
Part VII - The RC Jones Company Chronicles: A Glimpse Into Personality

The RC Jones Company Chronicles: The Project Manager Switcheroo

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 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 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.

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.

The RC Jones Company Chronicles
Part I - The RC Jones Company of Greenville, SC: A Woeful Home Improvement Experience
Part II - The RC Jones Company Chronicles: The Project Manager Switcheroo
Part III - The RC Jones Company Chronicles: A Soccer Metaphor of My Week
Part IV - The RC Jones Company Chronicles: What Now Pow Wow
Part V - The RC Jones Company Chronicles: Hoffa Found Alive, Concept Confuses Project Manager
Part VI - The RC Jones Company Chronicles: Always Have An Exit Strategy
Part VII - The RC Jones Company Chronicles: A Glimpse Into Personality

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

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. 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.

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.

The RC Jones Company Chronicles
Part I - The RC Jones Company of Greenville, SC: A Woeful Home Improvement Experience
Part II - The RC Jones Company Chronicles: The Project Manager Switcheroo
Part III - The RC Jones Company Chronicles: A Soccer Metaphor of My Week
Part IV - The RC Jones Company Chronicles: What Now Pow Wow
Part V - The RC Jones Company Chronicles: Hoffa Found Alive, Concept Confuses Project Manager
Part VI - The RC Jones Company Chronicles: Always Have An Exit Strategy
Part VII - The RC Jones Company Chronicles: A Glimpse Into Personality

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