Stay away from Kimberly Reyes Interior Design or she may do this very same thing to you. I called her to schedule a meeting at my house to negotiate a kitchen remodel. She arrived, I explained the situation, she agreed to wait until my bathroom remodel moved forward, and on May 25th, 2012, I paid her $1650.00 by writing her a check (a retainer fee) to reserve her services. She cashed it on May 30th, 2012. I never saw her again.
Liberty took many months to finish the job. I had kept in touch with Ms. Reyes through emails because I had every intention of honoring our contract. She assured me that she would be ready to go whenever the time was right, as we had never established an official time line of any kind. I emailed her (3xs) in March of 2013 to move forward with the kitchen project, at her convenience.
On April 24, 2013, I emailed her :
"If you have tired of the idea of working with me, deduct your initial consultation fee and please refund me the rest of my money.
On April 24, 2013 she responded:
To date - I have spent well over the number of hours agreed upon.
You actually owe me money at this point.
As I have told you verbally... All of the correspondence by email and
phone adds up. I have it all logged. This time period was not allocated for you. When we spoke on the phone I told you that I would not be available during this time period. You said, that you understood. You may cancel the contract at any point. That is my right as well. You must know that you have actually used your hours a long time ago. The contract also states that the deposit is non-refundable. I was very clear about my availability.
How could she have spent the remainder of the monies on my project when we never even discussed it? There is no truth to her claims as she never communicated with me about anything, much less her personal business. I had been the one contacting her, not the other way around. Had I not, I never would have heard from her.
On April 28th, 2013, I responded:
At this time, we have little knowledge of what it is our $1650 bought. Provide us our itemized, monthly billing statements detailing expenses concerning our kitchen remodel.
On April 28, 2013-
"I would be happy to. I will also let you know that I will be billing you for any additional time spent on correspondence or anything else. I don't appreciate the last hostile correspondences. I was VERY clear that I would not be available during this time period.
All of this was thoroughly explained to you.
I made two visits to your home at 7 hours. That alone is $950.00. There were 55 emails to and from you. I made six phone calls to your contractors. This is not counting the numerous phones calls to and from you. (These logs are in my office. I guarantee that the hours are more than the emails.)
I did product research and resource options in your area. (These logs are in my office- I can tell you with vendor visits, internet research and contacting merchants that there is way over 25 hours just off of the top of my head) minimum $3,750.00
I am not in my office. But, I would be happy to break this down in a more detailed way when I return. I will be charging you from now on.... the project hours have far exceeded the entire project scope.
Let me know if you would like to pay me to create something more detailed. Our contract does state that it is a non-refundable deposit and that either of us can end the contract if we choose to. I am actually in the right to be able to collect for the rest of the time that I have invested above and beyond the initial deposit.
How could she even begin to know what I wanted in my kitchen? There were never any phone calls or floor plans from her nor did we meet for even a second time to discuss shelving, tile, flooring, cabinets, or counter tops. There was never any communication between us concerning any of this. I do not know about which client or whose remodel to which she refers, but it is certainly not me or mine.
April 30, 2013 she responded:
"This is an official document that I am providing you with written notice that I am ending our contract.
I will forward the email correspondence part within 48 hours. That alone is more than $1,650. I am out of state as you have been told numerous times.
I bill hourly like everyone else. You chose to use your time the way you did.
I over estimated you.... I truly believe in Karma....".
I overestimated her. She never sent me any billing statements, invoices, or any accounting of her time spent "planning my kitchen remodel". Ms. Reyes has not presented me with one ounce of proof to validate her claim.
If she truly understood the meaning of Karma, she never would have done what she did to me. read more