MIRAMAR, Fla. – When the company Iris Baker hired a year ago to install a new back patio and driveway at her Miramar home finished the job, she was quite pleased.
"The front driveway is beautiful," she said. "I think they've done a beautiful job here."
Baker said she was satisfied with the back patio, too, until it rained.
"As soon as they finished, it rained and there was a whole film of water," Baker said.
The rainwater would pool toward the house and flood the area. The standing water created a breeding ground for mosquitoes and made it impossible for Baker and her family to enjoy the lakeside backyard.
"I've had to reschedule my granddaughter's birthday party. Fourth of July was supposed to be at my house and several other events I had to reschedule because we couldn't use the patio," Baker said.
The only way to access the patio was through sliding glass doors, which she would not open in fear of the water pouring into her home.
"All the water congregates to the doors and you can't get out of the doors," she said.
Baker attempted to contact the company for months by phone and by certified mail.
"They signed. They received it," she said. "No one has responded to these letters, by the way. I don't have anything in writing."
After filing a complaint with the Better Business Bureau in early January, a crew showed up at her house for two hours. But instead of fixing the issue, the contractor left Baker with an unsafe hole and a dust-covered patio.
"I'm really frustrated," Baker said. "I haven't been able to talk to the owners. Nobody returns calls."
Finally fed up, she decided to call Local 10 News consumer advocate Christina Vazquez, who met with owner John Della-Pietra.
"There was a problem in the back and the problem was the subcontractor we used, Edwin; he's a subcontractor," Della-Pietra said.
Della-Pietra got on the phone with his subcontractors and ordered them to Baker's home. The crew arrived within hours and Della-Pietra stayed in touch with Vasquez until the job was complete.
Baker is not the first one to file a complaint against JDP. According to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, two other people filed complaints regarding unfinished services the company refused to address. Still, Della-Pietra said he isn't leaving the industry any time soon.
"I'm not going anywhere. I've been in business since 1983," he said. "I have an A-plus rating from the BBB."
But in a statement to Local 10, the BBB said it reevaluated JDP's rating.
"BBB's report on JDP Construction, Inc. has been placed on update while we review the customer complaints on file," the statement reads. "When we have a report on update, it will provide an 'NR'' rating, which stands for 'not rated.' Our records show that during our three-year reporting period (1/28/12 - 1/28/2015), we've processed 21 complaints. Of those, 12 have been closed in the most recent 12 months.
The company's rating was listed as an A in November. However, under our ratings system the company now has a B rating. The factor that lowered BBB's rating is the number of complaints that have been processed."
Follow Christina Vazquez on Twitter @CallChristinaTV
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