Abruzzi Carpentry & General Contracting

We hired Abruzzi Carpentry in May of 2010, to construct concrete steps, pathway(s) and drive-way curbs. It is a year later, and we are experiencing problem arising from the service they performed.

We had hired Abruzzi Carpentry based on a very strong referral from a friend. We met the owner of the company, saw his work, and were happy to do business with him.

When all was said and done, we would rate our satisfaction of the "over-all" finished product to be an 8 out of 10. My satisfaction level of the workers, and dealing with the owner during the month long process was 5 out of 10.

After the concrete had been poured, we were very unhappy with some of the blochy sections seen on the concrete, and the weird discoloration observed in some very prodominant areas.

We had expressed our concerns to the owner of Abruzzi Carpentry, and were told that the problem areas would go away after the concrete had cured. He had also promised that when he sealed the concrete, that those unsightly areas would resolve themselves. It has been a year now, and the contractor never came back to seal the concrete, nor have the unsightly markings disappeared. In fact, they have gotten worse.

This spring, we have noticed problem areas on the finished concrete. We have asked industry professionals for help, in trying to determine what is happening to our concrete, and they tell us that the problems are due to poor finishing techniques, and poor judgement on the contractors part to pour concrete on a day that called for heavy rains.

The problems we are experiencing are as follows:

• A “white and milky” discoloration in the coloured concrete, that was as a result of rain water seeping through the inadequate tarps "they" (Abruzzi Carpentry) used to cover the freshly poured concrete. The company who supplied the concrete have informed us that rain-water on freshly poured concrete will react in this manner, and that the appropriate measures should have been taken to protect the concrete properly. This discoloration is permanent, and is unsightly.

• Numerous areas of the concrete have been “flaking”. We have contacted an industry professional, who informs us that the problems we are experiencing are in part, as a result of the poor finishing techniques displayed by Abruzzi Carpentry.

• Lastly, cracking has occurred on one of our steps. This may be due to the fact that there is no expansion joint used between the new concrete steps, and the foundation of the house. Again, this would be an error in judgement on the part of Abruzzi Carpentry.

We believe that all of these issue are as a result of either poor workmanship and/or a defect in materials. I have phoned and spoken to the owner of Abruzzi Carpentry (Aldo D'allosio) on several occasions over the past 4-months now, asking him for his assistance in attending to these problems. In each conversation, he has said that he will "drop by this week", but to date we have yet to see him.

It's not hard to find a contractor, but it's almost impossible to find one who cares! Don't even consider using Abruzzi Carpentry.