Our Church, in South Mississippi, hired Commodore Steel out of Theodore / Mobile, Alabama for the construction of a 2,400 square foot storage facility on our property, as we prepared for the building of educational and worship facilities. The experience was horrific. Promises were made that were broken, repeatedly. A four week project turned into 13 weeks. Final payment installment was basically demanded before the final inspection by the County was done, which they failed, by the way. The wrong building was constructed, with a roof pitch that was not ordered, nor was it on the plans. Continuous welding was called for, but spot welding was used, which caused the failed inspection. Repair of the welding caused burning and discoloring of the already installed insulation. The only professional workers were the persons creating, pouring and finishing the concrete foundation. A different crew was used on a regular basis. The owner rarely checked on the project, and if he did, it was due to a complaint that we had. He was very disgruntled with all complaints that we had, as if we had done something wrong, as the customer. Side panels are crooked, roof panels were bent (seventeen in all) and were only replaced at our demand. Proper sealing was not done, the roll-up doors are hung improperly, and many, many, many people in the community were appalled at the hideous construction job that was done. Two families that were planning to use Commodore, looked at our project and decided never to do business with Commodore. The rudeness by the owner to our church leadership and appointed project guides was unbelievable, unacceptable, unchristian, unprofessional, and extremely disturbing.
Continuing, we (huge mistake) took them at their word (as Christians) from the beginning, and even thought that their building the additional buildings would be wise. We were extremely wrong. We gave them a down-payment for the additional buildings, which were never begun, and for which a contract was never signed. The only form pertaining to a building and it's specs that was signed, was for the storage unit. After the storage unit fiasco, we knew that we could never trust this company or company owner to build a building to "house" people, when they could not, without our constant oversight, pointing out of flaws, logged in complaints, and demands for simple and proper building up to code, build a storage unit. They would have walked away without fixing any of our grievances if we had not repeatedly stayed on them. It was a disastrous experience for our Church, from people who proclaim to run a Christian company.
After seeing that this Company and its owner were untrustworthy, sneaky, and not committed to overseeing the project, and experiencing the horrendous experience of the building of the storage unit, we informed them that they were dismissed (after the storage unit finally passed inspection).
We held a meeting with them, shared our concerns, told them that we could not trust them to build our House of Worship or Educational / Office Facilities. The owner was quiet at first, then defiant, unable to truly admit failure, unprofessional-ism, and completely unable to offer legitimate apology. We asked for our deposit back for the other two buildings. We were told that we could not have it back. We explained our vote of No-Confidence in their abilities and trustworthiness. The owner started to threaten that not only would we not get our deposit back, but that he could sue us for the entire price of both metal buildings (which had not even been started yet, in any form or fashion). We said that there was not a contract signed. The owner stated that it was a verbal contract, or an implied contract by cancelled check. This is nothing less than bullying, childishness, irresponsibility, unprofessional-ism, and a shaming of the name of Christ. If there had been integrity or character, and our deposit had been returned, we might have reconsidered, prayed hard, and used them for the additional buildings (maybe). But... This was not the case.in fact, some drawings of the two additional buildings were mailed to us by registered mail, which we immediately mailed back. We had to state that they needed to cease and desist.
We have asked more than once for the return of God's money to the Church, and this has not been done. This breakdown was completely the fault of Commodore Steel and the owner, and the workmanship for the storage unit was pathetic, irresponsible, unprofessional, shoddy, embarrassing, filled with poor quality, poor workmanship, and less than mediocre quality.
This Company is disreputable, irresponsible, filled with scams, uses bait and scam as a technique, and uses substituted building materials that are less than promised. And... Cannot even build a storage unit according to the stamped building plans and prints.in fact, they did not even really look at the prints. If they did, they did not follow them.
In the end, our storage unit was finished, adequately, but not what we wanted or expected. Now, the Church must lose a deposit that was made on good faith, yet the faith was grotesquely broken. Should we have to lose that deposit, based on no sign contract? A Contract does not even exist. Should we be forced to have irresponsible, unprofessional builders build our House of Worship or Educational facility? They breached any supposed verbal or implied contract by not being legitimate builders, and by being irresponsible.
We still await the return of our deposit, and any credible company would return that deposit. We should not be forced to use them to build anything, when we could not trust them to build a storage unit. If they were so reputable, and of good character, they would have plenty of business, gladly return our deposit, and go forth with clear conscience. But... They are not reputable, and they can claim clear conscience should they choose, but there is no way that such exists. We know this, our neighbors know this, some officials know this, and certainly God know this.
Beware! Do not use Commodore Steel to build anything for your family or business, and certainly not your Church or House of Worship. What a Shame. What a Scam. What a Scheme.
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