Philco Inc

I contracted with Mr Philip Franklin, who stated that he was a licensed plumber and member of the plumbers union in NY and also an a/c mechanic, to replace my boiler and baseboard heater system, with a forced air heating and a/c system, which was damaged by tropical storm Sandy. We signed an agreement on 12/20/12, for Mr. Franklin to remove my old water heater and boiler and install a two unit (one for upstairs and one downstairs) heating and cooling system for a total cost of $10,000. As requested I gave a check payable to Philco Inc. for $5000 as an initial payment. Mr Franklin and his assistants on that day removed the water heater, boiler and attached copper pipes. As instructed I removed the baseboard heaters and connected hot water pipes. On three different occasions, Mr. Franklin came to the house with people he claimed to be his duct and pipe people. After two weeks he came and cut holes in my floor boards and walls in order to install ducts and vents. Then the work came to a complete stop. I called Mr Franklin on several occasions and got his voicemail, finally he got back to me and stated that his "guy" had given him incorrect information on the "equipment" and "ducts" needed for the job and there was some sort of compatability problem. He stated that he would get back to me. He did not so I kept calling to find out what was happening. The rest of the repairs on my storm damaged house were on hold because I did not want to close up the gutted walls and holes until the ducts and vents were in place for the new system. After a week of calling Mr. Franklin now informed me that I needed to approve the eqiupment that he would install in my house. I stated that I had no knowledge of heating and a/c equipment and wouldn't know what I was approving. I requested more information and asked why I would have to approve equipment if we had an agreement to install the system already. He said that he would meet me at my home and show me blueprints of the equipment to be installed. Mr Franklin did not show up for that scheduled meeting, did not call and did not answer his phone when I called. Later that day when I was at work he left me a message stating that he had gotten "caught up" and would send me an email with the equipment information, he never did. At this time Mr Franklin stopped answering my calls and texts. I went to the address listed on the contract but was unable to find any Philco Inc. After over twenty-five calls I finally contacted Mr Franklin and he, after an angry exchange on the phone, again promised to email me the information on the equipment. Again it was never received. After dozens of unanswered and unreturned calls I filed a complaint with the BBB and left a message on his voicemail requesting my money back so that I can hire someone to do the job. When we finally spoke, an appointment was set up for Mr Franklin to meet me at my house on 01/15/13 almost a month after the initial payment to "discuss" a refund. He never showed, called or answered the phone when I called. When I did finally reach him he stated that we did not have an appointment but that he would meet with me on that Friday, 1/17/13. Again he did not show, call or answer. When I spoke with him late on that day he stated that he found out I filed a complaint with the BBB and that he "must respond to them and wait for their reponse before he can meet with me". After a lenghty and heated discussion Mr Franklin stated that he would come and do the job if I approved the "equipment" as stated in the contract. There is no such requirement on the contract and I let him know that, but once again requested that he send me the information on this equipment. Two days later when I had not heard from him I sent Mr Franklin an email giving him a deadline of 1/22/13 at 12noon to send me an email with the equipment information and a schedule for the completion of the contracted work. I also sent a text informing him of the email, he acknowledged the text and said he would respond to the email but never did. With temperatures falling into the twenties and teens and fear of my water pipes freezing I was forced to hire another contractor at a much higher price to do the job. I got two quotes after Mr Franklin failed to do the contracted work, one was for $14,700 and the other $15,000 for central heating and a/c. Had Mr Franklin not removed the copper pipes and I in anticipation of him doing his job had not removed the baseboard heaters I could have gotten a new boiler installed at no cost to me by the NYC Rapid Repairs program. Since I had no pipes or baseboard heaters I had to continue with the forced air system and was charged $10,500 for just the heating portion, with the expectation that I will install the cooling portion when I have the funds, which I don't at this time. Mr Franklin of Philco Inc has made no real attempt to do the contracted work nor return any portion of my $5,000. I am now struggling to get the rest of my house repaired due to a shortage of funds. The contractor that I found to get the forced air heat installed, Dewpoint Heating & Air of Brooklyn, was very professional and understanding and completed the work in one week with out me having to approve any equipment that I have no knowledge of. I have not had any contact with Mr Franklin nor Philco Inc since 1/22/13 when I informed him that I will be getting someone else to install my heat since the house was freezing and he was not doing anything and that I would like a full refund. A friend of mine contacted him to find out what he planned to do about my money and the work that his company failed to perform and he stated that I canceled the contract, failing to mention that he had done nothing to get heat to my house, delaying all repairs and risking further damage to pipes and such.