Zaken Design LLC. contractor in Phoenix - Zaken Design Scammed us out of $16,788.00, not a legal opperating company, not an honest business Phoenix Arizona

Zaken Design before he claimed to be a contractor now he claims to be a design center. On 04/17/2007 My husband and I hired zaken design to do some work in our home. My husband and I both led to believed that zaken was a licensed contractor, since we are acquaintances we did not ask to see his license. He gave me a contract that stated what work they where going to do and requested we pay half up front, we agreed. As time progressed we encountered that more work would have to be done and he let us know that he can do the work we needed done so he continued to provide invoices adding all additional work. I do have the invoices that he has provided. >
> On 6/22/2007 he sent his company plumber to my house to install a toilet, shower head, body sprayers, bathtub faucet, kitchen faucet, garbage disposal, kitchen sink, and utility sink. While installing the toilet he flooded the master bathroom that created drywall damage from the upstairs wall all the way down my dining room wall. I contacted him later that evening and let him know of the damage to the tile and drywall and heassured me he would repair the damage.

I let him know how uncomfortable I felt with this guy coming back to do the rest of the work.

He recommended "let the guy finish what he has been paid for" I took his professional advice and agreed. On 6/23/2007 the plumber continued to work on the bath tub that had the faucet installed and it was not put on correctly. The tub can not be fixed he has placed holes in the tub. Later that evening I was in my kitchen when I realized I was standing in a puddle of water that leaked through my new cabinets from the dishwasher.

There was also a ding in my brand new cabinets that occurred while installing the dishwasher along with two scratches in my new granite counters. I called a licensed plumber to come inspect the work and was charge $190.00 to fix the kitchen sink garbage disposal, and utility sink. the body sprayers where also placed to high.

We had made several attempts Sat. to contact zaken and finally reached him when you told us that he wanted to walk away form the job, at that point he said he would compensate us $5,000.00 for our damages. I did not here from him after that and was not getting a response so assumed that he abandoned the job like he had threatened in previous conversation.

We have gotten a quote from a licensed home restaurateur and the damage done to the dry wall not including tile, paint and, drywall will be $400.00. I am also having a licensed plumber finish the rest of the pluming that I paid him for. I let Zaken know that at this point if he would like to resolve this without legal action we would like him to cover all cost of damaged properties in my house while he was working and complete the job he started an was payed for. I also gave him an option if he did not want to finish the job that is also ok but I do expect to be compensated for all the damage and would like for him to have Pedro ( the tile installer) finish the job. I have taken pictures of all the damage and am getting receipts for all repair work done.

I have gone for legal advice but have not yet retained an attorney. Avi Zaken failed to make an attempt to resolve this matter so I filed a complaint with the R.O.C. of AZ, in result the state has pressed charges against Zaken Design for operating as an unlicensed contractor in the state of AZ. We are out $16,000 dollars at this time and awaiting restitution when the courts find him guilty. I would recommend that know one do business with this company they are a scam and do not follow through on their end of the deal. Even though he claims to no longer be a contractor and claims he does Design only I would never trust him to do any work in my house. Once a scam artist always a scam artist he will not complete his end of the bargin. His also so called business address is just a mail drop and his business phone number is his cell he has no showroom and no business.

Carmit
Scottsdale, Arizona
U.S.A.