SITUATION:

We had completed a remodeling project and the client was in his warranty phase. He called with a concern that when the bathroom heater is on the electrical breaker starts to buzz.

CREATIVE SOLUTION:

We dispatched our electrician over to check on things, the fear is that fires happen from things like this. When I reached out to my electrician to figure out what happened he said that it was an existing breaker that was acting up, so he replaced it at no charge. J

THE 4,000 FOOT OVERVIEW

This is what I am talking about. We understand that we are working with you and for you. We are kind and it trickles down to our subcontractors. What could have been a dangerous situation was defused by a simple act of kindness that extends our streak of legendary service. 

SJ. 4-23

SITUATION:

We had completed a remodeling project 4 years prior and as part of it had replaced the roof and gutters. I got an email that the client was looking for who to contact to get a leaking gutter seam fixed. Emails went back and forth in order to get a handle on the magnitude of the situation.

CREATIVE SOLUTION:

I was able to research the project and leave a phone message with our subcontractor within minutes. I let the client know that I was looking into it and asked that they check the gutters for free flowing and no obstructions. My hunch is that this is going to have a happy ending. J

THE 4,000 FOOT OVERVIEW

Things happen, sewer lines get broken, it was an accident. The folly is believing that it is fixed when the proper care was not given to using the correct fittings that are suitable for burial. Technically what he used is OK but in reality, it is too risky to use them because the earth settles over time and nobody wants a misaligned sewer line.

MG. 1-22

SITUATION:

We had completed a remodeling project 2 years prior and as part of it had connected a sewer line for a new bathroom that ran alongside the home. During an unrelated sewer inspection for a root ball in an area we had not worked on, the scope detected a suspicious area where we had worked. By the time I learned of the issue the homeowner had dug it up discovering a misaligned not broken line. In looking at the issue and questioning my field staff I learned that a previous employee had reported hitting the line with the excavator. We were told that he had fixed it and not to worry.

CREATIVE SOLUTION:

I was disappointed to see that the wrong connection devices were used. We had seen an example of a plumber using them and experienced a similar failure. At that point, I had vowed never to use a rubber-only connector and had to have it surrounded with stainless steel. I had my plumber respond and replace everything correctly.

THE 4,000 FOOT OVERVIEW

Things happen, sewer lines get broken, it was an accident. The folly is believing that it is fixed when the proper care was not given to using the correct fittings that are suitable for burial. Technically what he used is OK but in reality, it is too risky to use them because the earth settles over time and nobody wants a misaligned sewer line.

MG. 1-22

SITUATION:

We were in the process of creating a basement. The beams were removed with no regard for the sprinkler manifold box and it was inadvertently crushed with heavy equipment. Upon return, the client initiated a sprinkler cycle, and before he knew it the unfinished basement had a good inch and a half of water and mud in it before he could shut it off and call after hours on a holiday weekend.

CREATIVE SOLUTION:

I was out of town and my Production Manager had his phone charging while he had gone out for dinner. A project manager was reached and he responded to check out the damage we also contacted our landscaper. The following day (Saturday)the box got rebuilt and the area cleaned.

THE 4,000 FOOT OVERVIEW

Imagine if that call went unanswered, I thank my team and their willingness to respond after hours for an emergency. The root cause is frustrating because the damage was done by the negligence of others, That being said I tend to focus on the positive. Bravo for solving a problem in my absence. I have surrounded myself with a caring team that believes like I do “service before self”.

JA. 5-21

Sinking plants

SITUATION:

We had installed two egress windows for a client about a year ago. After a lot of rain and the sprinkler system was turned on, she noticed that her new plants started to sink near the wells. She called in a panic and wanted to make sure she was still under warranty.

CREATIVE SOLUTION:

First I calmed and reassured her that we would take care of it. Then we responded quickly to verify that all we needed was more backfill. She had removed her plants and we scheduled a time to fix her up. It just so happened that a crew of 4 descended onto the project with buckets of topsoil and filled it up in no time.

THE 4,000 FOOT OVERVIEW

There is a proper way of backfilling things and it involves tamping the dirt back in or watering it in as we backfill. We even made a tool to do it. Shortcuts happen sometimes when we are not looking. In this case, compacting completely did not get done correctly and we suffered the consequences. We apologized and left on great terms. In a way, it makes me happy because it refreshes why we harp on doing things right the first time. It also reminds me that protecting our reputation like a mama bear protects her cubs is what our warranty is all about

LH. 5-21

SITUATION:

We were informed that the cabinets we ordered were back ordered from our supplier and we were shorted the cabinet the client wanted. Without the cabinet quickly it would cause us to have the project delayed.

CREATIVE SOLUTION:

We located another vendor in Utah that had the exact cabinet that we wanted but delivery dates and times were not going to make the schedule work. We asked our staff if anyone was willing to go fetch them and Mark Mitchell raised his hand. We set him up with a rental car and he made the round trip in record time. This heroic act saved the project schedule and was a huge win for us.

THE 4,000 FOOT OVERVIEW

I like to use the Lifesaving merit badge mantra (Reach, Throw, Row, Go). Which means that the last thing you want to do is go into the water to save someone who is drowning.  Mark saw no other good options and dove in. This is above and beyond behavior. It is exactly in line with our mission statement. To make your remodeling experience worthy of referring to your family and friends. Bravo for your efforts and results.

JL. 12-19

SITUATION:

We added a beautiful addition to a north end home. Sadly the concrete stoop and steps started to sink. The client called in an uproar that it was happening and she recalls the concrete contractor mentioning to her that he was not sure if it had been compacted by others.

CREATIVE SOLUTION:

Sure enough the entire area had sunk substantially in a very short period of time. We immediately notified our concrete lifters who brought it back up into position.  We then repaired and replaced the flashings to make it look great again. Who was responsible for the compaction? Ultimately us, but I believe it was delegated.

SITUATION:

At 8PM I got a call from an employee in Meridian a town one to the West that it was raining pretty hard and that they had left the roof of a home unprotected at the end of the work day. Next thing I hear he is headed to the home and texted his coworkers to meet him there. I offered to go but he said he had it taken care of.

CREATIVE SOLUTION:

I learned that Brant arrived at the clients home and asked for a hammer because he needed it to protect the roof. Dumbfounded, the client asked why? Because it is going to rain here in about 15 minutes and we left your home unprotected. Not a cloud in the sky at that time. As Josh and Shawn arrived they were able to help save the day. It did rain pretty hard for a short time but we kept the home dry.

THE 4,000 FOOT OVERVIEW

As a team we understand that the client’s experience is the part of remodeling that we love to celebrate. Nobody wants to worry about things like an unprotected roof in an unpredicted rain storm. That is what you pay for. I congratulate my team for thinking ahead and reacting wisely rather than hiding or letting the home get damaged.

M G. 4-19

SITUATION:

I got a frantic text with a video showing the unexpected torrent of weather event coming down on the stem walls that were poured less than 2 hours prior when the skies looked threatening but who knew a micro-burst was about to hit. It was after hours and not raining in other parts of the city.

CREATIVE SOLUTION:

I called immediately and got a clear vision of what was going on. Next I contacted Noah the their Project Manager. He insisted on heading over to cover the forms. He also vacuumed out a good several inches of water off the top and tarped the whole thing.

THE 4,000 FOOT OVERVIEW

We are absolutely responsible for the project.  I was ready to head over too but he insisted that my help was not need. Showing that we care is how we communicate to our clients that our interests are aligned. Would the concrete be damaged or ruined? Unlikely but why risk it. Well played Noah.

T D. 3-19

SITUATION:

I got an email while about to enter a home of a project we were working on. It was Friday Afternoon. My team was aware that we had dusted out a clients home, but I had not learned about it yet. Apologies had been given but no action to remedy the problem. We had cut her foundation concrete and inadvertently left an opening into the home through an open hatch cover.

CREATIVE SOLUTION:

I called immediately and apologized again and suggested a house cleaning ASAP. I used my phone to arrange for an emergency Saturday morning cleaning. The employee responsible paid for the cleaning and a valuable lesson was learned.

THE 4,000 FOOT OVERVIEW

We are not perfect, and I get that occasionally it seems like we are not thinking ahead before we do something that could have untoward consequences. The important take home here is that we are responsible for our actions. This is how we learn and grow. Showing that we care is how we apologize for problems that we cause.

J S. 12-18

SITUATION:

I got a call while it was raining on to or project. “Water is coming into my old basement. Is there something you can do to protect my home”?

CREATIVE SOLUTION:

We were short handed and out of position to protect the home properly. My Project Manager called one of our guys who was rained out of his project for the day, and asked for help. Without hesitation He ran over there and through the day he managed to gift wrap the project with several materials to make it water tight and dry.

THE 4,000 FOOT OVERVIEW

I have created a cohesive group of fun loving hard working employees that flex to do what has to be done. Soaked to the bone at 7Pm the report was “Job completed and proud of it”!  The KA award was initiated by the PM. The last thing we want to do is lose the trust we have earned. Bravo

E A. 10-18

SITUATION:

I got a call during the worst winter weather we have had in several decades, I naturally remembered every detail about their addition and asked gingerly, “good question, why do you ask”? “Well, we had and ice dam and the guys who came to clear it noticed a nail head that was exposed and said that there should be some black tar emulsion on it.”

CREATIVE SOLUTION:

The ice dam was reportedly monumental and it had filled a gutter causing water to flow up under the flashing and flow into he wall behind the siding. The water ultimately did do some minor damage to the particleboard trim around a door. I melted some residual ice and applied the emulsion. I explained that the gutter heater that they had on order would resolve the root of the problem, I also said that although not a warranty issue, that I would gladly replace some trim when they were ready.

THE 4,000 FOOT OVERVIEW

I appreciate being the first to know about the problem and I feel that the trust we earned during the project grows over time. Coming over right away to calm and reassure was exactly what they needed. Coincidentally they had some other remodeling projects to discuss.  “Oh no not that ?”

J & C V. 1-17

SITUATION:

I got the call and was curious how this could have happened. It was a typical vinyl floor guest bath. Six months prior we had rebuilt a flooded bathroom in a home that has renters in it. Upon deconstruction inspection it became obvious that we had not gotten a good wax ring seal and out came the water. Unfortunately, the renters did not inform us in a timely manor which extended the area of water damage. We will, but we hate to reinstall old toilets. They develop hairline fractures and are water wasters in most cases.

CREATIVE SOLUTION:

I arrived and surveyed the problem and returned the following day and tore it all out, leaving a fan to dry everything our for a few days (however long it takes). Then we will replace the underlayment, flooring and base trim. We will discuss the option to reuse the existing toilet. (No warranty) or use a new one.

THE 4,000 FOOT OVERVIEW:

We rarely manage to screw up but it is possible. When we do we take responsibility and make it right. I am giving an in-service on proper wax ring installation to our staff as well.

Mary H. 6-16

SITUATION:

We had just plumbed in a new shower valve and other rough in plumbing fixtures in a master bathroom remodeling project when I got this email from our client reporting an odd problem. I quickly contacted the project manager who said, “I’m already on it”. How could that be? we wondered, we did not do any work in the kitchen and there is hot water at all of their other fixtures. Weird, thankfully, the plumber was already on his way.

CREATIVE SOLUTION:

Once the plumber arrived he realized he had inadvertently put the wrong part into the rough in valve and the situation was easily solved in minutes.

THE 4,000 FOOT OVERVIEW:

When things go wrong we have a one stop shop. This is why you have a general contractor in the first place. We prefer to get these sort of notifications by phone but that is a client call, obviously it was not a 911 kind of problem. We got it fixed within an hour of notification and everyone learned a thing or two about doing it right the first time and avoiding the hassle.

The problem was resolved in a timely manor, no faith was lost, and as I always say the only way to achieve great customer service is by having a problem in the first place.

Margaret E. 4-16

SITUATION:

We had just had a beautiful granite countertop installed Friday afternoon. When the family got home in the evening, they noticed an odd issue. When the kitchen lights were on the counter top looked like it was casting a bright shadow. My clients called to have me inspect it. First glance and it was obvious. When the lights were off it still looked like it had a shadow. Could we have missed it on inspection at the slab yard? Could it have been damaged at the fabrication shop? After all it is a mother nature thing and a variance in color or anything for that matter is possible.

CREATIVE SOLUTION:

I contacted the fabricator straight away Monday morning and they showed concern. The fellow I spoke with said he had inspected the slab himself and did not notice anything odd. He agreed to have it looked at right away and sent a guy. He was there within 20 minutes and was able to determine that a sealer had not been applied to one area. They had essentially “Missed a spot”. Once the application was applied the problem went away!

THE 4,000 FOOT OVERVIEW:

Giving clients piece of mind is about as important as showing up on time. Yes there are the occasional hiccups during the remodeling process and we are tied to resolving those things. In this case we lived up to our reputation by allowing our subcontractor to come to the rescue and make sure that satisfaction was complete. These are the things that make remodeling fun and fulfilling.

The emojis were hands clapping and a thumbs up once the problem was resolved.

Karen F. 4-16

SITUATION:

I ran into a client we had done a master bathroom remodeling project for several years ago at the grocery store. Naturally I asked how her bathroom was holding up and if she was still in love with it. “Fantastically”, she said, then went on to ask for the name of my plumber. Her fancy dual flush toilet was not flushing properly

CREATIVE SOLUTION:I ran into a client we had done a master bathroom remodeling project for several years ago at the grocery store. Naturally I asked how her bathroom was holding up and if she was still in love with it. “Fantastically”, she said, then went on to ask for the name of my plumber. Her fancy dual flush toilet was not flushing properly.

I figured that it would be good to take a look myself so I set up a date to respond and look it over. I contacted the manufacturers representative in town in advance to discussed the problem, then despite calling everywhere I could not find replacement parts. The idea was to have some parts on hand just in case. “We have not had any failures so there is no point stocking parts in town” he said.

responded and tried to make it fail but could not. Then I had my client show me how they used the flushing mechanism and discovered that the button was being held down too long. We laughed about that and she thanked me for responding. Operator error seemed like the likely culprit at the time. I explained what we discovered to the manufacturers representative and he went on about his day. Upon leaving I was told that the heated tile floor was the best investment she ever made and that she is saving up for us to remodel her kitchen.

THE 4,000 FOOT OVERVIEW:

As we do more projects, our reputation grows. Returning to take care of the little things that crop up allows us to learn about how well our components hold up over time. Offering assistance and advice is second nature. As I like to say, “Remodeling is an intimate thing, we develop relationships and friendships that are golden”

Then my client called again. It was still messing up. She watched a You Tube clip about a common problem caused by sediment in the fill valve. Rather than having me respond again she just fixed it herself successfully.

Sandra T. 11-15

SITUATION:

My client called in a panic at 7:30 PM to say that water was in her basement again! We had done 3 egress window wells for her and spent a considerable amount of time and energy to make her basement water tight. What could be the culprit? She assumed it was something (we had/or had not done). I take these things seriously! My reputation was on the line! It had just rained heavily dumping 1/2″-1″ up to  2″ in some areas, besting our entire expected rainfall for the month in about an hour. The darn place should not have leaked, I thought. We had already experienced a rainy spring with no issues.

CREATIVE SOLUTION:

I was just getting out of my work clothes when I got the call forwarded to my cell phone for after hours issues. I had to go see for myself so I told her I was on my way. Upon arrival with a wet dry vacuum and a drying fan crammed in my car. I vacuumed up the water, set up a drying fan and mopped up the remainder of the dampness. Upon further investigation I noticed that one of the window sills was wet. Looking out of the window I could see a water line in the window well that was 4″ over the top of the window sill. I went up on a ladder and found the culprit. A completely clogged downspout. The entire back half of the house roof had been directed to the plugged downspout and had overflowed the gutter into the window well.

THE 4,000 FOOT OVERVIEW:

I cleaned out the down spout on the spot and fixed the problem FFN (Forever for now) Obviously this was not a Levco problem. The goal of my company is to “create enthusiastic referrals through the process of remodeling”. Charging her for my time seemed pointless. I do not want her to be afraid of her home. How we handle what is wrong defines us. This is a perfect example of why people trust us completely. (you can’t make this stuff up.) Downspout cleaning is now on her PM list ?

Paula W. 7-15

SITUATION:

My client enjoying a nice evening at home with his family, nervous about the weather because his roof was torn off. Another nervous Nelly was Steve my project manager. Unbeknownst to me, he and Tracy were texting back and forth about how the rain was really coming down.

CREATIVE SOLUTION:

Rather than wait for a nervous or angry phone call from our client, the guys responded at 8Pm to check the rain protection they had installed and stayed until 11PM to make sure their efforts were keeping the water out of the home.

THE 4,000 FOOT OVERVIEW:

Several cool things happened here. First and foremost we showed that we care. secondly, I found out about it in the morning. How cool is that? I put my trust and faith into these guys and they proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that they take the responsibility seriously.

Brad H. 5-15

SITUATION:

My client was having a set of amazing refrigerators delivered during a kitchen remodeling project to replace her old refrigerators and she wanted to gift the old ones to a friend across town. None of this had been communicated clearly to the guys that were doing the work. Rather than panic or freak out, they stayed calm and made a few phone calls.

CREATIVE SOLUTION:

Phone calls were placed to their superiors and to the Levco team who scrambled behind the scenes to untangle the situation without making things worse. They got the appropriate approvals, bent the rules and sent a new team up to take the used units away and deliver them to a happy new home.

THE 4,000 FOOT OVERVIEW:

How we handle adversity and deal with changes of plans on the fly defines us as professionals. Taking a moment to untangle a mess in a calm manor serves us all well. It separates us from the pack and provides legendary service. Trust me an impression was made and in this case it reflected wonderfully upon you and the CHF Appliance company and the Levco remodeling team.

I am especially proud or Devon, Jason, Hugo and Jesus on the CHF appliance delivery team for understanding that showing that you care is the above all guiding principal of our lives.

Renee B. 4-15

SITUATION:

I got a call from a client who we had finished a whole house remodeling project for last year. Included was updated PEXplumbing system, and two new frost-proof faucets.

One had obviously frozen over the winter and failed. Thankfully they realized it and were able to shut it off and call in a timely manor.

CREATIVE SOLUTION:

Upon arriving at the home on the same day, I found the problem and replaced the faucet quickly. I also noticed that the angle of the faucet needed to be improved so that it would naturally automatically drain better.

The culprit was most likely a hose left on the spigot during freezing conditions this winter. When I noticed that the installation was partially to blame, I replaced the faucet and improved the drainage for free, leaving a fan behind to dry things out.

THE 4,000 FOOT OVERVIEW:

My first call was to my plumber to educate him on the risks of improper frost-proof faucet installation with a friendly reminder that little details are very important.

To me this was a win-win situation. Just saying “There is no one that cares more about your project”, is easy and cheap to say. Showing that it is real, is priceless.

Erick H. 3-15

SITUATION:
One day she decided to give the fan a rest and switched the furnace to the “auto mode”. She was met with a funny sound that lasted for an hour so she returned it to the on mode and called a reputable heating company to give her advice.I got a call from a client who we had finished a basement for last year. We had updated her furnace filter and replaced her thermostat during the project, and had advised her the leave the system in the “ON” mode to even out the temperatures between basement and first floor.

When the salesman arrived, he quickly noted the age of the unit and suggested she replace her entire system and add more return air ducts.

CREATIVE SOLUTION:

Nervous about being sold a bill of goods, she contact Levco and filled me in on the details. I in turn, arranged for a service call with my HVAC service tech, which I attended.

Upon repeating the steps she had described, the system was working just fine, then we heard the sound.

We discovered that her recently replaced condensation pump had a stuck float that was cycling on and off rapidly.

Once the pump was replaced we reprogrammed her thermostat and left. Problem solved for under $100. I also noticed a loose wire connection that I snugged up while I was there. Wit any luck there is another 10 years of life left in the unit.

THE 4,000 FOOT OVERVIEW:

Being involved in problem solving in this way reminds my clients that they should not be afraid of their homes. Often a simple solution is just around the corner. Having a trusted adviser on your team is like having money in the bank.

Cassi B. 3-15

SITUATION:

I had a chance visit with a past client in the supermarket. Besides beaming about her kitchen we remodeled three years ago, she mentioned that the finish looked funny.

I had the cabinet shop respond and they took 25 cabinet doors away to refinish. They told her it was a case of bad finish, later they called me to say they had misdiagnosed the problem and that the client was responsible for the $2,700 bill.

CREATIVE SOLUTION:

I worked through the problem with my salesman and the owner of the cabinet company to reduce the cost of the repair. I was determined to shield my client from paying a cent.

THE 4,000 FOOT OVERVIEW:

My gut told me that there was going to be a silver lining hidden in this problem resolution, yet I was having trouble finding it at first. Later I decided to create and publish manifesto on proper care and feeding of cabinetry that all of my cabinet manufacturers approved of. (One cabinet maker even asked to use my document as his own!)

I also created a system of ensuring that all my clients have this information available for their cleaning services to ensure that our cabinets last a lifetime.

Lisa R. 2-15

SITUATION:

We were remodeling a kitchen that had a dark gold granite top that was eight years old or so. We just needed about 5 more feet to add to the kitchen to get what we needed. We lucked out and found an exact match that had been in storage for all those years.

During the fabrication process cutting out a large sink hole, it fell apart. I had to tell the client and come up with a creative solution immediately.

CREATIVE SOLUTION:

I got a three way call going with the fabricator and the client right away. Nothing good would come from waiting. I feel like the client and I went through all the stages of grief. (Denial, anger, bargaining, depression, then acceptance) in the span of about fifteen minutes.

A plan was made to come select something new that would work. As a committed party I shared in a precious interaction with my client.

THE 4,000 FOOT OVERVIEW:

Things go wrong at times, it is important to have a plan B. Thankfully the subcontractor had the strength and poise to understand that the benefit of solving problems calmly and focusing on developing a creative solution.

In this case replacing her granite, so it would all match was the only reasonable thing to do. The subcontractor also endeared himself to us by not skipping a beat, working the weekend and keeping us on schedule.

Karen M. 12-14

SITUATION:

We were asked to fix a poorly done roof on a fairly new “cookie cutter” home, there had been several attempt at repair. I was called out of frustration with other unresponsive roofing contractors.

Upon evaluating the situation, we found several obvious issues including missing flashing. My roofing subcontractor quickly fixed what was obvious on the spot.

CREATIVE SOLUTION:

Fixing the poor work of others creates some hidden pleasures. The problem is that unless you find “the smoking gun hole”, roof leaks can be elusive and difficult to resolve. In other words, until it rains again without leaking, we are not positive we’ve got it.

This one took 3 (complimentary warranty) visits to finally permanently repair the faulty construction problem but, by golly, we got it resolved for good.

THE 4,000 FOOT OVERVIEW:

Unfortunately or not, roof leaks only cause problems when it is raining. Once we take responsibility to fix something, there is no need to get excited. Trust me, no one wants your leak to be resolved more than we do. Great communication, photo documentation, and anything else you can offer helps us to win eventually.

This is how we build our reputation for enthusiastic referrals. Thank you for your patience, cooperation, and understanding.

Maren M. 11-14

SITUATION:

We were remodeling the the entire basement for a client, they has suffered through several months of an ineffective HVAC system because the return air loop portion of the system was open. When it was eventually closed we expected amazing results.

Initially there was a dramatic improvement, unbeknownst to us, there was a gradual diminishing of the cooling ability to the point that the system was not working again.

I got a call Monday morning early, “What is going on Joe? I don’t think our cooling system is working. I’m frustrated, overheated, and upset”.

CREATIVE SOLUTION:

I realized that our efforts to make her HVAC system better without replacing components was making great strides. We had quadrupled her air filtering capability or more.

What could be wrong? Then it dawned on me that it had been awhile since we had changed filters and lots of work had been done recently. I had the filter changed within an hour and everything went back to great in an instant.

THE 4,000 FOOT OVERVIEW:

When I say, “We’ve got you”! That means that we develop a fierce loyalty to our clients and their homes. These little things occasionally slip through the cracks despite our best intentions. Fixing your home is the most important thing we do.

“We are not remodeling to you, we are remodeling for you and with you”. I liken it to a surgical procedure. Letting us in on the symptoms, lets us be better practitioners.

Casi B. 7-14

SITUATION:

We were remodeling the kitchen and in doing so refinished the entire hardwood floors in the home. We did the work the previous day and expected the seal coat smell would have dissipated by the following afternoon.

Needless to say the process of refinishing the floors is very smelly. We thought that it would be OK by nightfall but when I was informed that it wasn’t, it was 6:00PM. There was no way I was going to have them stay at home for the night.

CREATIVE SOLUTION:

We had anticipated this sort of thing could happen years ago. We had a plan B. I preplanned with a local hotel that can handle pets and has kitchens for just this type of emergency years ago.

THE 4,000 FOOT OVERVIEW:

As a professional remodeling firm, Levco takes pride in treating our clients like family. There is no feeling of relief that is more powerful to a client than knowing that you are having your home remodeled by folks that live the “we’ve got you mentality”.

What is that sort of  trust worth? The problem was solved within 12 minutes, after hours, with one phone call. Oh and by the way, the dog is welcome and there is no charge.

Karrie H. 7-14

SITUATION:

We were asked to replace a sidewalk as some point during a front porch rebuild project. Someone got the big idea of getting the grand kids who were making a rare visit from out of state to get their hand prints placed in the wet cement.

My client gave us a week notice.

It was he busy season there was no way to get my concrete contractor to do all that work and pour it the next week.

CREATIVE SOLUTION:

We decided to work together and share the workload. We did a back flip after hours, broke out the existing slab, hauled it off, and prepped the walk with proper gravel and compaction just in time to have the sidewalk formed up and poured on schedule. Thanks to everyone who made it all work.

THE 4,000 FOOT OVERVIEW:

At the end of the day we understand that family and lasting memories are what it is all about. We did something impossible for a friend and neighbor. In doing so in a loving way created a client for life.

Jan & Larry S. 6-14

SITUATION:

We were installing 5 casement egress windows for a client. At the stage of installation the windows needed to be disassembled for ease of installation. Some were lefties, and the others righties.

My client who was home at the time thought nothing of it. My Project manager checked with the window supplier and verified which way the casement windows should go.

At the end of the day we had installed 3 windows and reassembled them only to discover that two were installed opposite of the homeowners wishes. Despite his willingness to leave them how they were, that is not how we roll.

CREATIVE SOLUTION:

We had no option, two of the windows had to be switch around.

THE 4,000 FOOT OVERVIEW:

Despite having to undo some really fine work, (we pity the fools that try to undo our work) we got it right the second time around the project turned out just like everyone planned. We have also added a section to our DOW that shows the direction of casement windows that is initialed by all parties to prevent this situation from reoccurring.

Tom R. 5-14

SITUATION:

We were installing a new ceiling fan for a client with a remote control feature when we discovered a racket coming from the den.

The stereo’s sub-woofer that was plugged directly into the wall was making a horrible sound that was intensifying without even being in the “on” mode.

I arrived to untangle the problem and quickly discovered that we had wired the fan wrong. It was obvious to me that Levco was responsible for the problem.

CREATIVE SOLUTION:

I contacted my stereo specialist and after doing some troubleshooting determined that we has damaged the unit by mixing up the wiring to the fan. My client took the unit in to be serviced and together we ended up replacing it rather than taking a chance with the repair.

THE 4,000 FOOT OVERVIEW:

We are only human. Mistakes happen… My employee’s now have a better idea of the consequences of not asking for help when the problem they are facing is beyond their abilities. The fan works now, the base is back, and we have another excellent example of our just culture at Levco to brag about.

Jim L. 4-14

SITUATION:

We were leveling a home up in the highlands that had been sinking a bit and all of a sudden the lights went out in part of the home. By the time we were able to take a look the client had packed up and left.

We had no access to the electrical panel so we left a note.

The following day I got a panic call that the client had tried all of the breakers and they assumed we had caused the problem by pinching a wire.

CREATIVE SOLUTION:

I dropped what I was doing and got there in time to evaluate the fine work we had done. No wires pinched, everything looked good. I asked of I could look at the panel to verify that the breakers were all good. Instinctively I headed to the new panel we had installed several years prior. The client tried to redirect me to the garage. No I said, you have a panel over here pointing to one he looks at every day but didn’t realize was there. I found the 15 amp breaker, flipped it, and viola it was all better.

THE 4,000 FOOT OVERVIEW:

It’s all about what is wrong not who is wrong here at Levco. “When we eventually sell this home, you are going to involved because you know more about our home than anyone!”

Ron S

SITUATION:

During the Design Development Stage, my client had mentioned that they would need a new furnace, that theirs was starting to fall apart. A service technician had given them a bid for replacing a fan for over $600 that was failing. They had hoped that it would last long enough for us to replace it for around $5000-7000.

That morning the house was cold and her husband was out of town. Fortunately she called to let me know because I had shared my concerns that she was not getting good information from her service technician.

CREATIVE SOLUTION:

I immediately called my HVAC contractor and set up an appointment to look it over and come up with a better solution. discovering we were OK for the night, we arrived the following day and not only got the unit going for $100, but we assured her that her furnace had plenty of life left in it.

THE 4,000 FOOT OVERVIEW:

As a trusted adviser there is no better advocate for my clients, the team I have assembled is simply awesome. We treat folks like we would want to be treated and give our advice from the heart. It is becoming less and less surprising that we are able to untangle these things in stride.

Kerrie H

SITUATION:

My client’s home was damaged by a huge fire that happened next door. The insurance company explained to them that since the neighboring tenant caused the fire, the tenant is responsible not the owner of the property for the damage that was caused.

There was no renters insurance in this case, and the tenant is destitute, so my client ends up ultimately responsible for paying the deductible to fix her own home.

“This seems completely unfair, Farmers insurance insures both homes too. We’re completely angry and frustrated, no one at the insurance company can do anything about it. Can you do anything for us Joe?” she said.

CREATIVE SOLUTION:

Once I was informed of the problem in a calm manor, I went to work contacting my friends at the Frichette Farmers Insurance Agency. We were able to work together to come up with a great reason, and way to waive her deductible that made sense at many levels. She nearly fell off her chair when I informed her that it is taken care of 10 minutes later.

THE 4,000 FOOT OVERVIEW:

This is the kind of Legendary service that comes from having the wisdom to know what the right thing is to do. Bending the rules when appropriate is easier than it seems. I look forward to strengthening my relationships with clients and vendors alike over the coming year and expanding our role as a re-builder of damaged homes.

Beth M

SITUATION:

I got a call on my office line at 8 PM, I was working late and answered on the first ring. “Levco, this is Joe” my client explained how we had been working on her bathroom plumbing all day and that now the kitchen sink was backed up. Coincidence or directly related?

CREATIVE SOLUTION:

I told her to sit tight, that I would contact my plumber and ask if anything could have caused the problem, Unable to reach him quickly, I decided to respond with my snake to see what I could do. They said not to, that they would just call a drain cleaning company. “Nonsense” I said, I’ll be there in 15 minutes. I got there and together we cleaned the line. In the end, it was completely unrelated, but it got fixed anyway. We shook hands and I left explaining that there was no charge.

THE 4,000 FOOT OVERVIEW:

My client was about to go to bed angry with us because there may have been something we did to cause their plumbing problem. Instead they had desert and relaxed, beaming about what a good decision they made in hiring Levco to remodel their bathroom.

Todd & Mary M

SITUATION:

I got an e-mail explaining that the neighbors were doing some clean up on the side of the home and smelled natural gas. They also mentioned that when they turn on their new gas fireplace there is a hint of natural gas.

CREATIVE SOLUTION:

I was shocked and surprised that this sort of thing wasn’t a call to 911. Naturally, I assumed that it was no big deal for a moment. Then I contacted Intermountain Gas who has roving trucks for just this type of problem. Within 10 minutes the gas guy, the owner, and I all arrived to discover that there was a significant gas leak before the meeter on the home.

He was able to fix that quickly and we headed inside. He determined that there was a manufacturing flaw in the new fireplace and “Red Tagged” the unit. I contacted the supplier who responded within a day and several days later responded with new parts and fixed everything for free.

THE 4,000 FOOT OVERVIEW:

My client was amazed that I responded so fast. She was very impressed that I dealt with the supplier and made sure that the problem was completely fixed since she bought the fireplace herself.

Crystle V

SITUATION:

My client was concerned that the “switchology” was not as expected. We had done over the electrical plan multiple times and the electrician was confident. “I’ve got it” he said. After reviewing the DOW it became obvious that the operation of some of the switches were screwy. After questioning everyone as to how this could happen, we found the culprit. A helper decided his plan was better. You have got to be kidding! I thought.

CREATIVE SOLUTION:

After a painful discussion with the subcontractor, he came up with a clever solution. RC switches were able to be installed and programmed to do what the original intention was.

THE 4,000 FOOT OVERVIEW:

My client was impressed that we were able to fix the problem without ripping out the walls. everything works now. We also improved our system based upon this problem. We now write on each wire to explain what it will operate. This way, when the Drywall sign-off is done, the client can verify the operation of the wires and double check us prior to covering everything up.

Lisa R

SITUATION:

My client was anxious to have their stamped concrete entry replaced. We were behind schedule due to weather issues and a busy time of year for everyone. When they returned home from work they were immediately disappointed in the look of the stamp. During questioning my subcontractor admitted that the slab “got away from him,” “It dried too fast and the stamp was not up to his standards either.” Rather than have others do the work, he offered to replace it at no cost in 3-4 weeks.

CREATIVE SOLUTION:

After a brief discussion we decided to have it ripped out and replaced. We hired others to remove it and within a few days it was replaced. Landscaping was refreshed and all was well.

THE 4,000 FOOT OVERVIEW:

My client was impressed that all they had to do was mention the issue. It was obvious that we were on the same team. The inconvenience of having to wait to have the slab replaced is long gone, the lasting impression of a cool entry is all that remains.

Jeff & Crystle V

SITUATION:

I got a call explaining that the home felt musty and despite using the fans regularly, it just wasn’t getting rid of the shower humidity. Realizing that we had installed 3 great fans in this project I could not believe that they had all failed.

CREATIVE SOLUTION:

Naturally I did my telephone triage and asked what led him to the conclusion. Understanding that most folks want to be involved in the solution, he explained how a piece of toilet tissue wouldn’t even stick to the fan when it was on. That sounded serious and so I hopped in my truck and brought a ladder. My first thought was that there was some sort of electrical problem because these fans are so quiet that they could have been taken out by a faulty breaker. Then I remembered a problem I had had at my home years ago. I jumped up on the flat roof and found the culprit. Each of the vents has a small screen in them that was clogged with lint. By removing each one I solved the problem.

THE 4,000 FOOT OVERVIEW:

My client was shocked that I could fix it so fast. He ran in to confirm that I has solved the issue and sure enough there was the toilet tissue stuck to the fan grill.

Dennis N

SITUATION:

On a nagging American Standard dual flush toilet issue I had responded once before and realized that the mechanism was so complicated that we were most likely going to get a new tank and mechanism. On my first visit I thought I had it fixed but noticed that there was a propensity to splash water out of the tank with the lid off.

Not thinking this was normal I looked at the other identical toilet only to see the same problem. I noticed that if the lid is on perfectly no problem, but if it gets dislodged slightly it could potentially spray a tablespoon or so of water out on each flush.

Not hearing from the client for awhile I assumed all was well. OOPS, I suppose they had gotten used to the annoying wasting water sound. The antithesis of why they purchased the high performance toilet in the first place. Was it the manufacturers issue or a plumbers mistake

CREATIVE SOLUTION:

Anxious to fix the problem for good I had the supplier of the toilet connect me with the manufacturers representative Paul Nelson.

We got to the home later that day and looked it over together. Paul said no biggie we will get you a new tank. He was frustrated by the spray too and had not been aware of the potential problem.

We were just about to call it a day when I said ” let’s see if the float is out of adjustment” Paul pitched in and we had it torn apart in a flash. I lowered the float assembly and viola. fixed! Paul was happy and I was ecstatic.

THE 4,000 FOOT OVERVIEW:

My client was very happy, and amazed that I had fixed the problem right away. I was impressed that the American Standard manufacturers representative met me at the home.

That is the sort of support I deserve and expect. Besides fixing a real problem, Paul got to meet me in the field and now gets how important this sort of thing is to me and my clients.  As a bonus, he found a engineering flaw and will take it back up the American Standard ladder and we may have indirectly made an improvement in all future dual flush toilets made.

Dan N

SITUATION:

We had installed 4 egress windows for a single woman and had all sorts of difficulties with the leftover dirt. We were glad to be done with the project.

A year and a half after completion, she called in the early summer to report that one of her windows was leaking badly and had flooded her basement family room.

CREATIVE SOLUTION:

Panicked, I responded (Code 3). That’s ” lights & sirens” Realizing that it had not rained in over a month, I was anxious to figure out what had happened. When I finally got the full story from her, it turns out her son had turned on the sprinkler system and had left it running for days spraying right at the window. “We did not build you a boat, I said”

THE 4,000 FOOT OVERVIEW

I agreed to not only help fix the problem, but we upgraded all four windows using our new improved moisture proofing technique that we had learned since her project. She thanked us profusely! we have used this new improved procedure from that day on, without issues (knock on wood)

Mary H

SITUATION

It was a winter day and it had been snowing recently, all of a sudden it started to warm up. The roof top melted in a flash and the downspouts drained everything just like they were designed to do. Unfortunately, there was a breech in the underground drain system that ties it all together. Unbeknownst to the crew that was working in the same room, a waterfall of water entered the subterranean room in a heartbeat.

CREATIVE SOLUTION

Shocked the crew started vacuuming it up as fast as they could. They struggled to keep up and slowly got the upper hand. The homeowner came down to say hello, and was shocked that for the past 2 hours the crew had been doing everything possible to save the home from flood damage.

THE 4,000 FOOT OVERVIEW

To everyone’s amazement, at 7pm the water stopped coming in. Nothing substantial was ruined. “ Those boys worked their tushes off to protect my home, I can’t thank them enough, It was amazing to watch”

Jodi P

SITUATION

Nursing a very ill husband my client to be called Idaho Power to see what was going on, the arrived shortly to discover that a huge branch had fallen from a tree that straddles the property line. It had ripped the power mast from her home. Idaho Power does not fix that sort of thing. Freaked out she asked for a referral. The service man handed out my card and within an hour Levco was there getting her matters back in order.

CREATIVE SOLUTION

Not only did the branch take out her power it also crushed a fence and was full of honey bees making the branch removal impossible. We quickly found a beekeeper who removed the queen and the rest followed. After putting everything back together we informed the neighbor that the unstable tree could do damage to their home too and had the entire thing removed.

THE 4,000 FOOT OVERVIEW

We became close friends and have done several other projects, She has also become a great referral for us. It was a natural disaster that brought us together and through our git-er-done mentality we were able to allow her to focus on her top priority.

Julie D

SITUATION

After having a water heater installed I received a strange call around 8PM. “Joe”, she said, ” I hear a weird sound in the basement, can you come check it out? I buzzed over to discover that the water heater supply line had a large leak! Freaked out I attempted to contact the subcontractor after hours. I kept getting his answering machine.

CREATIVE SOLUTION

I ended up fixing the problem myself on the spot. The following morning I reported what had happened. Frustrated that I could not reach him, I asked if there was a special person or number that takes his call. “Nope, when we leave we are off the clock” He is no longer our plumber and I raised my esteem in my homeowner’s eyes.

THE 4,000 FOOT OVERVIEW

There is no way for me to be in the remodeling business with the “Rong” subcontractors. Their model works for commercial projects or new homes but we are a “high touch, in your living space kind of company”. Now when I choose a subcontractor to be part of my team I set the expectations early and get confirmation that we are a good fit prior to getting them on the job.

Jodi P

SITUATION

After installing carpet protection to avoid getting an area rug from becoming soiled during the remodeling process we removed it expecting that the carpet was in fact protected. It looked fine until a few days later when we discovered that the carpet was actually attracting dirt. We immediately called in our usual carpet cleaning company that did “the best that they could”The client called nearly in tears, “my $3000 wool carpet is ruined”.

CREATIVE SOLUTION

Instinctively I zoomed to the home while calling the carpet cleaners. “it looks fine, she is overly picky” he said. I arrived to see what was going on, and it looked bad! In questioning the client she normally takes the carpet to an area cleaning company that I had not used “they are the best” she said”. We rolled it up and put it into my car.

Arriving at the carpet cleaning company, I told my story to the counter person, wait she said, you need to talk to the guy who is going to do the work.
The next morning I received a call that the carpet was ready to pick up.I met the actual cleaner guy who took great pride in his process and his work. He said he has a two week backup in business. I left  hoping for the best. It was like leaving a pet at the veterinarian clinic and driving away. I let my clients know that we were going to keep our fingers crossed and hope for the best. “We should know in two weeks”.

Fearing a clerical error had been made, I arrived with trepidation, expecting to be disappointed. But NO, it was perfectly clean!

After hugging the cleaning guy, I hot footed it to my clients home and returned the carpet to its place. My client was giddy with joy. “Thank you, how did you get that done so fast? It looks beautiful again!”

THE 4,000 FOOT OVERVIEW

That is what I do. I contacted the protective film company who said I did not read the fine print “NOT FOR WOOL CARPETS” In fact they took responsibility for the problem and paid for the cleaning as well as provided me with a credit for more film. Through this process, I also learned that I needed a new carpet cleaning company, which I now have.

Barbara B.

SITUATION

It was a warm summer evening and my second story remodeling project was in the electrical rough in phase. We had discovered that the kitchen we were working over had been remodeled poorly in the past. There were all sorts of short cuts taken and we were up to our elbows in cleaning up others mistakes.

It started getting dark around 7pm and my clients called, “half of our home is without electricity”. Having two small kids, this was going to be a problem.

CREATIVE SOLUTION

I immediately responded to see if it was something simple like a flipped breaker but no.

I finally got in touch with the electricians and we were out there with flashlights until 9pm when we finally got it solved. “Thanks you guys are GREAT, I really appreciate that you came over and fixed this tonight, it means a lot to us” I was there with the electrician fixing what they had left incomplete at the end of the day. It made an impression on everyone. Testing everything before we go is part of the evening checklist.

THE 4,000 FOOT OVERVIEW

Who wants to have their home remodeled by someone they trust, only to discover that the remodeling company is unavailable to fix things that happen. Our commitment is to remodel with you not to you. Things like this happen we are your conduit to the solution.

Phillip M.

SITUATION

We were called to examine a water damage problem in a kitchen of a 9 year old home. We were welcomed at the front door and didn’t notice any particular sense of urgency, then we heard a loud “POP” behind her.

CREATIVE SOLUTION

As we rounded the corner into the kitchen with hardwood floors, we saw the buckling. My superintendent and I immediately dove into demolition mode. We started removing the waterlogged flooring that had swollen and pinned the refrigerator. We quickly located the spraying hose, and turning off the broken water line.

After removing the majority of the ruined flooring the clients said “gee, we were just hoping you would provide us with some advice, we had no Idea you were going to spring into action. That was cool.”

THE 4,000 FOOT OVERVIEW

We try to handle these problems like they are in our own home. With my strong background in emergency medicine it was a reflex to dive in and fix the problem and save the home.  We left them with fans and dehumidifiers running. Later we did the paperwork and ended up dealing with the insurance claim and remodeling her entire kitchen.

Marva R