Davesducts

Hi Andrea - Thanks for sharing your version of this story. As everyone knows there are always two sides. From our perspective, we've done everything in your favour. I would have preferred to keep our dialogue private but here is my response to your feedback...
You engaged us without any building experience and hoped to GC your own project - we advised you that we could handle the HVAC side of things as we've been regularly engaged with award winning GC's across the GTA to design, build, install and service their custom projects. Collectively, we've got licensed gas fitters, sheet metal mechanics, refrigeration mechanics and HVAC designers that have been in this trade with more than 60+ years of experience combined. We've overseen many construction projects for HVAC and to us, yours is no different.
Unfortunately, the biggest challenge for your project is your lack of experience and choice to undermine everyone that is associated with your jobsite. From Day 1 - I decided to help with your project because I could see that you needed it. Your project isn't straight forward and has challenges BUT these are challenges we've seen and overcome in our collective experiences with customers like you who are novice to the building process.
That said, your delays were specific to you and your choice to live through an invasive process - all of our clients homes' that are doing sheet metal work with walls/ceilings that are fully gutted DO NOT LIVE on the job site.
Here is our response to your specific comments:
"We engaged Dave's Ducts for our HVAC project with high hopes, but unfortunately, our experience has been deeply disappointing. Despite hiring them in mid-March, their team has not been on-site since mid-April, leaving our project stagnant as we approach mid-July. "
This statement is very interesting and clearly does not share the whole story. The reason for the timing gap is because you hired an HVAC designer that made HVAC drawings without ever setting foot on your property. This is your mistake, not ours. We arrived onsite and your home required extensive demo's to expose available joist spaces, wall studs and even penetrations through floors, ceilings and concrete. All of which you expected us to perform at no cost. Once we made it known to you that this isn't part of our scope - to demo an entire house and move structural walls, electrical and plumbing - you decided to put a stop order on our scope so you could seek the services of a general contractor. This process took months and by that time we had other projects booked. When we took your project on - we gave you a start and end date but that all changed when we arrived and you were clearly not ready for us to begin our work.
However, we still made concessions to get your job site further along by installing what we could so it wouldn't have to be installed later. We installed your furnace, heat pump, tankless water heater and even sheet metal that was in your original drawings but NOW, that sheet metal needs to come down and be replaced.
FYI - had we installed what was drawn you would have had MAJOR problems. As a homeowner myself, if an HVAC contractor took the time and care to ensure that drawings that I supplied were in fact incorrect and then took the effort and care to rectify my mistake, I would be grateful for that - it's unfortunate that you don't see it that way. We have spent countless man hours (behind the scenes) across all our journeymen to solicit feedback (internal/external) to ensure that what we're installing in your home would function properly. You are unappreciative of this fact.
Remember, this work is VERY DIFFICULT to undo if installed incorrectly - our intent is to ensure that you do not have to UNDO ANYTHING in the future. And your HVAC plans were incorrect to begin with and needed time for us to properly rethink in order for us to proceed.
When we install any HVAC equipment, we ensure that it's installed properly and not haphazardly.
Your next comment:
"Despite multiple attempts to contact Geoff via phone, email, and text, communication has been virtually nonexistent."
You chose to directly communicate with my lead technician; Geoff has shown me all your texts and emails - I would argue he has been more than communicative with next steps; given he has many projects to manage along with having time for his own family. Any delays were clearly a result of back and forth time between us planning and communicating new revisions to your HVAC designer - again, a task we took to help you get further along that only served your own best interests. This is ABOVE AND BEYOND any HVAC contractor's scope to assume responsibility for. Let me be clear, this additional scope of work was not billed to you but did benefit you.
Your next comment:
"We have already paid 2/3 of the total amount upfront, expecting professional and accountable service."
The amount paid is correct because that's the value of what was installed. You still have a remaining balance for work that will be completed now that we have the PROPER HVAC drawings.
Your next comment:
"To make matters worse, we have endured two week-long heat waves without adequate cooling, and yet there seems to be no urgency on their part to resolve the situation promptly. It's incredibly disheartening to see such disregard for customer care from Geoff and Dave."
Living through a reno of this type was your choice and not recommended. Further, your delays are of your own making - see above. Pushing blame to us for coordinating your HVAC design issues is unfair. That takes time and was unplanned and un-budgeted for us - which is the reason for your perceived delays.
Your next comment:
"We urgently need clarity on when Dave's Ducts plans to return to complete the ductwork. A timely resolution is essential for us to proceed with our renovation plans and regain trust in their ability to fulfill their commitments."

We received finalized drawings and already communicated to you when we are returning for the completion of our sheet metal work - see you on Friday.

Despite your choice to display your feelings in such a public manner, we have every intent on fulfilling our obligations to install a properly functioning system - our only wish for you is to be kinder to those that are doing their best to work in your best interests and exhibit patience and understanding throughout this process. Your belief that everything is our fault and is intentional is very contradictory in reality - considering all the EXTRA WORK you pushed upon us that would typically NOT BE OUR RESPONSIBILITY. Your lack of experience and familiarity with the building process is what originally compelled me to help you - but this public display of ungratefulness is very unfortunate for myself and my team and will make me pause in the future should another homeowner wish to have us be part of their own build with no prior experience.
We understand that most construction projects rarely ever go smoothly (delays, surprises, costs etc) and that it can become stressful at times - but that is the nature of our industry - these things are expected - it's never intentional and there's usually a good reason for it. Trust that after all is said and done - all these delays and costs are worth it because you'll have this part of your project done properly and with care.
For everyone reading this note - please don't let this review deter you from having a conversation with us - we all believe in karma and the way this client has chosen to voice her concerns in such a public forum is unfortunate considering we've only been operating in her best interest, doing our best to save her from making costly mistakes.