On December 21, 2010, I was informed by my energy contractors, Ken Kalke and Scott Oliver of Crossfield Heating and Air Conditioning, that they would not be starting or completing ~$24,000 worth of energy upgrades to my home. They informed me less than two weeks before the scheduled start. The reason that Kalke gave me for cancelling the contract: unbeknownst to me, he lied to the state regarding the efficiency of my furnace. He told New York state agencies that my furnace was 70% efficient when in fact my furnace is more than 90% efficient. (I was initially told by Crossfield that the reason that they were replacing the furnace was because it did not have enough BTUs for the size of my house.) When a state-funded group, CSG, asked Crossfield to resubmit the work scope for the project, Kalke told me that he decided to drop me as a client. He feared that the state would make a site visit, discover that my furnace was not as stated, and fine or expel Crossfield from the NYSERDA programs.

I must now seek out another contractor to do the work that Crossfield is unwilling to do. It is pretty lousy business practice for Crossfield to just drop my project less than two weeks before the start date. I should be compensated for the initial energy audit ($270); for lost time (4 months); for the hassle I went through this year to apply twice for NYSERDA funding because Crossfield never contacted me after receiving notification that I was approved for an Assisted Homes Performance with Energy Star grant on April 27, 2010; for the rebate that I will no longer be able to get from RG&E ($355); for the missed tax incentives; for the appliances (dishwasher [$810], refrigerator [$1400], and clothes washer [$500]) that I was required to purchase in order to move this deal forward (the dishwasher was installed on December 18); for the missed rebate for the Trane furnace (at least $100); and for the effort I put into finding contractors, et cetera. It is only because of the dishonesty and incompetence of Crossfield employees that this deal fell through.

Immediately after learning that my project was cancelled, I asked for a refund of the $270 I paid under false pretenses. My request was rebuffed by Kalke and owner Tim Malone. I am absolutely floored by the fact that Kalke did not return my phone calls, that I had to call Scott Oliver to confirm that Crossfield was not doing the work, and that Kalke took a cavalier and arrogant tone. I think that refunding what essentially became a deposit once we agreed at the end of November to do the work is the least that Crossfield can do in order to maintain some level of good business practice and standard customer service, and honor and responsibility. Why should Crossfield be rewarded money for work that was never started?