Jesse Jones: Local families burned by ‘Made Renovation,’ a virtual bathroom remodel startup

“I feel sad and frustrated and embarrassed that we invested in our dream and ended up with this.”

Lisa Trischetti of Bothell paid Made Renovation $64,000 for a bathroom remodel.

“If I bring someone and say, ‘This is our bathroom remodel’ they think it’s a DIY.”

Lisa says she hired Made Renovation; a $30 million start-up to design her dream bathroom.

“I feel like we got robbed. Like what they did is criminal, and they’re not even licensed in the state right now.”

The company boasts a marriage of tech and home design and promises to manage every aspect of your remodel virtually.

“It’s supposed to take all the guesswork out of this project - one-stop shopping.”

When Tracy and Tom Aaron of Bellevue first came across Made Renovation online, they were also intrigued. But they say the company design process is all talk.

“It felt like, you know what exactly what we were looking for, right?” says Tom Aaron.

But the couple said when they went into their initial design meeting and the Made Renovation was completely unprepared. “She had no idea about her designs. She didn’t know the layout of the bathroom.”

After the meeting, Tracy started checking the company online and came across the company’s San Francisco Yelp page.

“There were over 125 one-star reviews. It was insane. So, that’s where we ended in it.”

The Aarons hired an attorney and recovered some of their cash. But to get the rest the couple had to agree to sign a non-disparagement agreement promising not to post any negative reviews of their own.  They refused.

“Unfortunately, Washington state didn’t have anything. That’s when I told him. I said, we need to notify Washington State.”

Logan Hickle of the Better Business Bureau says non-disparagement clauses are dangerous because they prevent consumers from making sound decisions.

”As a consumer, as a customer in the marketplace, you are able to leave your honest feedback about any company you interact with. And if a company does have a non-disparagement clause in their contract, that is illegal and can be pursued legally in court.”

Tracy says what made her even more uncomfortable was that the original thread that she had found got wiped out. Unfortunately, thanks to Made Renovation’s scrubbing skills, Lisa Trichetti of Bothell didn’t see any bad reviews.

“My husband researches everything. He researches when we buy a vacuum or dishwasher - and at the time there weren’t any bad things about the company.”

The couple had refinanced their home to pay for their dream bathroom. Now Lisa’s walls don’t match up.

“The tile is bouncy on the floors, their electrical was sloppy, and there’s a hole in my ceiling of my kitchen where he put his finger through the bathroom.”

Made Renovation is now doing some financial remodeling of its own by selling off its assets. CEO Roger Dickey did not respond to our emails or to Lisa Trichetti’s attorney.

Lisa wants people to know the risks of paying upfront and know who their contractors are. She says this was a life-changing experience. And, the only thing that could now change their life back is the return of their $64,000.

“Right now, we have no bathroom and no money to make a new one.”

If you or anyone you know have been impacted by Made Renovation. Give me a call at 1-844-77-JESSE or through JesseJones.com

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