Csb Contracting Cyril (Spike) McDonald - ConstructionDeal Promised new concrete driveway in two weeks, never showed up and kept downpayment ripoff Mckeesport Pennsylvania

My wife's friend was looking for a contractor for their driveway, and found one on www.ConstructionDeal.com. After she filled out the form for a new job request they(csb contracting) called her to set up a time to come out for the estimate.

I got the call at work that he gave them a real good price due to the fact he wanted to get his foot in the door and referal work in the new plan. So my wife contacted him and he came out to our plan, and gave us a bid too. He also looked at my neighbors driveway and measured it up for a estimate also.

So we got the bids, and he sent us emails of all the jobs he had done, stating he had worked with his dad, and now looking to go on his own. In the meantime her friends had already signed his contract and gave him $1000 deposit. My neighbor and I also then signed April 12,2006 to be completed April 26,2006. That's when the waiting game started.

So 2 weeks came and went and no driveway; we would move the cars everyday out of the driveway and no csb contracting. They did give us a bid to do a patio in the back (emailed) - I guess to take our minds off the driveway. Then we received this April 25,2006

"We will be starting Wednesday. Due to the weather and with the recent death in my family, I am a little behind but I promise we will make progress this week"

Cyril (Spike) McDonald
Owner of CSB Contracting

April 26,2006
"We will be there thurs day. We have had a rough week with my grandmas death but we will have everything set up, plus finding a bobcat has been hell."

CSB Contracting
Cyril (Spike) McDonald

Well he was not here Wed, Thurs, Fri, or Saturday So on 5/2/06 we emailed him

"Spike. we didn't see you last week. If you can't get a bobcat this week to start let me know. If your too busy just let us know."

Well by this time our friends cancelled their contract because he did not bring out a bobcat to dig theirs, and laid forms on top of existing mud and stone that sloped water back into their house and would void their warranty on the house.

He contcted us shortly after
"I am just returning your email. First let me assure you you are my top priority. Until this week I never had someone cancel a contract on me and I won't let it happen again. I just want this to be right I have too much to lose in your plan if I do a bad job. My bob cat guy also does concrete so he is just looking out for what is best for you and me. I promise you by may 10th we will be done no matter what. That's at the latest! If you look at other cement or asphalt job done in your plan they are cracking already. I do not want that to happen. I will be there tomorrow no matter what. Feel free to call me anytime."
Cyril (Spike) McDonald
Owner of CSB Contracting

I emailed back on 5/4/06
"It is going to be nice fri-tue, saturday will be the nicest day, but after next wed it does not look good for awhile. So our window is tomorrow. My wife will be here for part of the day.
Wo we are understanding each other, Jeff's backyard gets any extra dirt."

and

"If we can't get the driveways dug out and tamped by tomorrow, then we are just going to wait until next year. I know you had your problems with the bobcat, and family. I will have no bad feelings if you can't do it, just let me know. I don't want to come home tomorrow and see nothing done."

"We signed and gave you a check april 12th, cashed april 13th; it's been a month, so let's see what happens tomorrow."

Now the weather had been fine this whole time, and bad weather was going to be here on wed- so you wou think he would be here thurs, fri, sat - nope posted on 5/5/06

"I will be there today but if I have to rush and lisa told me yesterday that your yard was wet underneath I will not gaurantee the concrete. I will get it done. but all I here from ppl that buy ****** homes is that they have trouble so I try to give you one good thing and ppl are upset? I will be there today."

CSB Contracting
Cyril (Spike) McDonald

After not showing up on monday he emailed us
"Here is the weather for the next ten days. If you want your money back that's fine. Our guy has been out there 3 times all ready and said it was too wet. Lisa also said your yard was wet when they dug it. You will have your money back no later than Wednesday. I have to go through my accountant."
CSB Contracting
Cyril (Spike) McDonald

Now my wife said the ground was wet 1 day last month and he kept using it as a excuse. The ground was rock hard and dry, and this guy did not have the equipment to get the job done we found out. We offered to have the driveways dug out for him if he would knock something off the total so we could pay whoever did it.

He replied
"Jim and Lisa,
THe bobcat was supposed to be there; I have not heard from him. I have since 2:30 been in the hospital with my wife who at 29 weeks went into premature labor. So if you want to cancel the project fine that is your right I Gauranteed you that by Wednesday your project would be completed which is the tenth. If I didn't think I would be done you would have your money back. I am a small company. I do not wish to rip anyone off or wish to do bad work because most of my refferals are word of mouth. BUT MY WORD IS THE TENTH OF MAY YOUR JOB WILL BE DONE I WILL NOT DIG ON SEMIWET UNSTABLE GROUND WHATEVER ADVICE(AND I TOLD GUY AND LISA THE SAME) THAT YOU ARE GETTING FROM NEIGHBORS OR FRIENDS IS FALSE AND WALK UP YOUR STREET AND LOOK AT CONCRETE POURED ON WET GROUND CRACKS EVERYWHERE. I want to do your job RIGHT IF YOU LET ME DO IT MY WAY RIGHT YOU NEVER WILL HAVE PROBLEMS! FEEL FREE TO CALL OR EMAIL I HAVE MY LAPTOP WITH ME BUT MY CELL WILL BE OFF DO TO HOSPITAL POLICY."

CSB Contracting
Cyril (Spike) McDonald

Well after this I knew it was not getting done it was monday and the rainstorm that's still going on now would start wed so the concrete job could not get done. I asked for our money back, and said we are done. I knew now this guy was not holding up his end of the deal.

He wrote
"I had everything re set up For Monday then pour Wednesday but if you wish to not continue that is fine. I will make sure your money is back to you no later than Wednesday. Sorry for the wait but I believe that next week was going to be nice and we could get this done. any questions email or call me."

Cyril (Spike) McDonald
Owner of CSB Contracting

So now the wait for the money has begun..

Following emails sent and received to spike

"Hope all is well with the family. You stated in your previous email that we would have a check back to us by Wednesday. Today is Wednesday and it wasn't in the mail. Could you please advise us of the status of our money.

Thank you,"

Then we find out it was mailed tue

"If you guys do not receive your check today let me know was mailed late tuesday."

CSB Contracting
Cyril (Spike) McDonald

reply

Did not get a check wed or thursday. I hope it is here friday. I can't see it taking longer than that."

replySpike,

"We did not receive our check today either. (Friday May 12, 2006) Please be advised that we are willing to wait until tomorrow to see if the check arrives. Hopefully it does. If it does not, we are ready to file suit with our magestrate in order to get our money returned to us. We really hope we do not have to go this route, but we are ready if we have to."

his reply
"YOUR MONEY WAS SENT!! DO NOT THREATEN ME!! I WILL FILE A SUITE ALSO IF YOU FILE FOR BREACH OF CONTRACT!! I DO NOT DO WELL WITH THREATS YOUR IMPATIENCE AND IGNORANCE OF CONCRETE CAUSED THIS NOT ME ONLY THING I CAN FIGURE THAT HAPPENED WAS MIS FILLED OUT IF YOU DO NOT RECIEVE IT BY MONDAY THEN THATS WHAT HAPPENED."
Cyril (Spike) McDonald

our reply
"This issue is not due to our ignorance and impatience. This is due to you not being able to communicate. You never kept us updated at all! You would tell us you would be there tomorrow and you wouldn't. And then, you never made a phone call to tell us why. Spike, the weather was excellent for over a week and you continued to make excuses as to why you were not here. You said you had trouble finding a bobcat. Well, I could easily go rent one from Home Depot. Then it was weather. That was another one of your excuses. Then it was this, then it was that. You showed up to do an estimate at our house without any of the property materials. You took our money and over 5 weeks later nothing was done but spray paint marks on our driveway. It would be a week and we would never hear from you. I told you from the beginning that all we wanted was communication and you failed to that among fullfilling the rest of you so called contract. We want our money and we want it now. And our suit is not a threat, it is a promise."

his reply was
"Mail was returned today is being resent wrong zip on it any questions email me back."

Cyril (Spike) McDonald
Owner of CSB Contracting

So after he yelled at us he blamed his wife who was in labor for not getting the zipcode right. He mailed it again. Well its may 20th now. 2 weeks since we asked for our money back and it's still not here.

we did get this reply fron constructiondeals.com


Hello Jim,

Thank you for your info. We already suspended his account and put a note on it with yours and Lisa's complaints.

Thank you,
ConstructionDeal.com
Customer Service

Also we turned him into the BBB and are going to the magistrate tomorrow any other suggestions.

Jim
canonsburg, Pennsylvania
U.S.A.

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