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08102009****** S C A M W A R N I N G ********************** about ***
***************************** US. Buildings Direct **********************
*********1182East Newport Center Dr, Deerfield Beach, FL 33442 ********
******* O#800-416-4482 O#954-28-2100 FX#954-281-2093 *********** ******************** www.usbuildingsdirect.com *********************
I have wanted to purchase a steel building for more than 10-years, therefore, finally on 27 May 2009 I began the internet process steps toward the goal of purchasing a steel c-shaped building 25’W x 25 L x 12’H from US Buildings Direct for $4, 301.00 by combined internet, phone, fax and e-mail sales.
US Buildings Direct had pre-existing buildings that were on sale for liquidation and the buildings had to be moved from the location or sold at discount, therefore, the building they had available was not a special order nor special made for me.
US Building most often require 25% paid up front, however, since this building is on liquidation sale US Buildings Direct accepted only a $300.00 non-refundable deposit.
I paid the non-refundable $300.00 deposit for I presumed that all steps to obtain and erect the building would be successful.
My neighbor down the street just purchased a steel building that he placed on his existing concrete slab and his concrete slab looked identical to our concrete slab.
In past years I struggled for 5-years in a previous circumstance and failed to obtain a county permit for another planned home improvement project which is why I stated to US Buildings Direct by verbal, fax and e-mail expression on countless occasions that, “I will not accept delivery of the building nor finalize the purchase until after all plans, preparation, delivery, finances, county approval and Inspector 100% green-light granted approval to erect the building.”
US Buildings Direct stated with confidence that I will not have any difficulty with the county to obtain a permit and inspector approval to erect the building.
I declined for US Buildings Direct approved GEMB to finance the building loan due to an outrageous high 20% variable interest rate.
I chose to attempt to obtain prior loan approval from my personal credit union.
On 27 May 2009 I received a call from US Buildings Direct stating that I am unable to erect the building unless I purchase the base channel arch connect for an additional $793.00 cost for a projected total cost of $5, 148.58.
On 18 June 2009 US Buildings Direct call to state that their office forgot to add the $100.00 cost for freight and fuel charges not increasing the projected total purchase cost of $5, 248.58.
On 18 June 2009 I received a Shipping Notice document by mail requesting my signature to accept delivery of the building on 29 June 2009.
I did not sign the Shipping Notice dated 18 June 2009 and called US Buildings Direct to again state, “I will not accept delivery of the building nor finalize the purchase until after all plans, preparation, delivery, finances, county approval and Inspector approval with the green-light granted to erect the building.”
I missed a day of work on 29 June 2009 to spend the entire day at the county permit office playing musical chairs within the multiple specialized county unit cubical trying to obtain a permit.
At the final county permit office cubical on 29 June 2009 the permit was denied because the building plans were missing the required raised seal, signature and date.
White at the county permit office last cubical of denied permit with a county representative present I used my spouse’s cell phone to contact US Buildings Direct.
I expressed to US Buildings Direct that the county declined the permit due to missing seal, date and signature on the building plans.
The US Buildings Direct representative responded with, “We will be more than happy to send you the sealed, dated and signed plans for an additional $800.00 cost.”
I replied with, “This is unethical and unacceptable business practice for US Buildings has increased the building costs on two previous occasions from: 05272009 $4, 301.00 to 06122009 $5, 148.58 to 06292009 $5, 248.58 and now this is a third additional hidden and unexpected expense. Additionally and again US Buildings Direct stated that obtaining a permit would not be county denied, therefore, I decline to pay any additional costs and decline to continue with the building purchase.”
I then disconnected the call.
Just a few days later in the mail I mysteriously received to my surprise a 2nd set of building plans signed, sealed and dated 2 July 2009.
Between 27 May 2009 to 18 June 2009 is a 22-day difference and, therefore, with the unexpected and unrequested 18 June 2009 Shipping Notice document received is when I was first advised that the flat bed truck just delivers the building to the property, however, the flat bed truck does not have a forklift to unload the two large 10’L x 2 ¾’W x 3’H pallets that have a combined weight of $2, 350-pounds.
This 18 June 2009 shipping notice placed the entire coordination of truck delivered pallets unloaded solely the customer’s responsibility, therefore, this again delays the project for I had to locate a salvage yard to accept delivery of the building and a vehicle towing service to transport the building pallets from the salvage to the property.
On 10 July 2009 the county approved the permit with an however statement of, “The Inspector will not permit the building to be erected unless the existing concrete slab is proven to be monolithic-poured and rebar reinforced.”
The concrete slab did not meet county inspector requirements to erect the building for the rebar reinforced footer was added years later and separately after the initial 4”concrete slab was originally poured.
From 10 July 2009 for the next approximate 7 to 10-days following I attempted to get the concrete slab approved and it was not approved.
Shortly before 27 July 2009 I sent US Buildings Direct an e-mail stating that I am unable to continue with the building purchase and stated why with an apology and regret for we did want to be successful with this building project plan, however, the county requirements are too strict.
On 27 July 2009 I received a US Buildings Direct letter stating that my $300.00 deposit is forfeited and that I am required to pay the full 25% deposit for a building that I never received or face future contact from a collection agency.
The same27 July 2009 US Buildings Direct letter also states that I signed a contract and on the reverse side of the contract is a condition #1 paragraph referring to the required 2% non-refundable deposit.
Additionally, the same US Building Direct 27 July 2009 letter stated that the business has gone through great expense processing the order to justify the forfeit of 25% additional funds from the customer.
I will visit, examine and notate the expense to the business versus the expense of the customer: . . . . . . . . .
US Building Direct expense consists of: . . . . . .
Appx. 3-faxed pages to customer
Appx.5-pages mailed to customer
Appx. 2 or 3 phone calls to customer
Appx. A few e-mails to customer
US Building Direct exercised paper-
pushing and money-squeezing
efforts to bleed the customers wallet.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -VERSUS- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Customer expense consists of:: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3-days of missed work in an attempt
to obtain loan, obtain permit, obtain
county approval, obtain inspector
approval, coordinate building
delivery with 3-different businesses
and county approval to erect
building.
Customer had to physically and
financially coordinate all physical
and financial aspects of the processes
with the documents to walk it, push it,
deliver it, and finance it.
Customer has to physically erect the
building or hire a different business to
erect the building on the property.
Finally, after attempting to jump
through all hoops required by US
Building Direct, county and inspector
all efforts failed for county and
inspector denied building to be erected
on property.

I never received nor initialed any such reverse side typed document of condition #1 about the 25% required if the customer declines the purchase, for my faxed received documents from US Buildings Direct are fax machine page numbered and fax dated to validate that no condition #1 of 25% was not ever received.
The 27 July 2009 letter from US Buildings Direct with the TransWorld Systems collections letter dated 08012009 demanding $1, 087.15 additional funds for a building I never received is a scam in an attempt to scare, squeeze and thieve funds from the well-intended potential patron. This is the poorest customer service, unethical, without quality and diminishes any desire to revisit the business for any possible future patronage purchases.
I am 50-years known as Ms. Tenacious and Ms. Archivist; therefore, I have every document received by fax, postal mail and e-mail received from US Buildings Direct and will dispute this with every avenue available.
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************ Warning to all who patronage US Buildings Direct ***********