I am a renovator in the toronto area and had seen a sticker with softbreeze.ca on it and contacted the company (416-410-9326) to get some estimates for work on the job.
When i left to meet him i checked the internet and found these interesting comments and thought ok lets meet and give the guy the benefit of the doubt. I asked for 4 prices and once outside he agreed to provide me with those prices and that there would be no charge.
Then he suggested he might have seen a crack. So reluctantly i let him back in and apparently he found a crack and said he would have to tag the furnace and shut it down. But i know his game and i suggest i need evidence and a second opinion, not just his camera/flashlight which takes no digital photos.
At any rate i tell him to close it off, already realizing that this was a mistake to have even invited him in. But what he did not know was that my friend, my other gas and furnace guy was there to evidence his behaviour and monitor his reactions. We have voice evidence and photographs and i have written a summary of how this guy operates. In the event that i need to provide it as evidence for any future actions he takes against me or my customer or to support others that might have been impacted by this guys unique tactics.
Once again, just before he closes up the panel and spending maybe no more than 10-15 minutes trying to find the crack and showing both myself and my other gas guy he gives up. But maintains that in the best interests of the owners, that this furnace will need to be tagged and shut down. And now he wanting to speak to my owner, which he did when we went upstairs. But not before he pulls out his trusty visa/mastercard and debit machine and asked how i wanted to pay. Oh, yes pay? for what? your inspection and apparently its $170.00, which he tells everyone they have to pay no matter what. That's why this guy lives in a nice rich house in etobicoke and likely can make up to 6-10,000 per week and maybe 25-35,000 per month.
Nice web site and not sure of his ethics quite yet, Written all over his professional looking web site. Outside he asked me how i was going to pay for it and i told him to send me an invoice so i can review it along with the 4 other quotes i requested. He says so you aren't planning to pay? i said send me an invoice. He then threatens he will put a lien on the project???? For $170.00 who is he kidding but it humours me and then he plans to contact tssa and report that there is a crack. But he did no co test and has no evidence of a crack on a digital camera to prove it. And on top of it he never tagged it before he left because i got him out of the house in time.
This type of behaviour is difficult to tolerate and i can appreciate why those other homeowners felt threatened. But for me its all about exposing those people that try to take advantage of others. Oh yes, he claims that he has an impeccable record with the Better Business Bureau? So Home Stars people maybe you should follow through on those complaints and register them to the BBB.
As a follow up according to my customer, he did call a complaint in to the Tssa or enbridge and then showed up on sunday night at 10pm and shut the furnace down. Then they inspected the furnace and found no crack and turned the furnace on again. And the ext day he contacted my customer and threatened legal action??? Ok, looking forward to it, because i am the renovator that engaged him in this original work to begin with. He will have to now deal with me, the ministry of consumer and commercial relations and of course Home Star customers who find his company name on the internet.
The more people that make these complaints the more likely he will either clean up his business or try another business.
Oh yes did he tell you he is an Engineer? ok good luck!
George in the Beaches wont Stand for It!
- Approximate cost of services:
- $170.00