Our renovation took 2 times the time scheduled by the owner of this company, without any significant reasons to explain the delays. We just received excuses to justify the longer and longer times.
The contractor that she allocated to our project was unprofessional and did a very low quality job in our home. We were extremely patient with this company because we wanted a outstanding job not a rushed one, which was what we received at the end.
Our experience with them was disappointing. The owner of this company did not show the knowledge or the interest required to supervise her contractors and to enforce them to do an outstanding job. She ended firing her own contractor when it was too late to correct several mistakes.
Additionally, Just before the first year of receiving our basement finished some flooring edges were lifting and cracking. Fortunately, the work was under warranty, and the owner of the company sent someone to "fix" the issue. They changed some flooring but the issues kept happening and of course just some months after the warranty ends we were dealing with the same problems in the same spots.
We asked her to send her contractor again, but this time the job was out of warranty and although she sent someone her answer was that the cause of the flooring problems this time was water damage or maybe that the flooring was not levelled completely. She said to us that this situation was out of her responsibility and that she can not do anything about it. Besides that she did not know how the flooring was treated during these months.
The reality is that the flooring was having the same issues in the same spots and that the flooring was treated very gently all the time.
Sadly, only almost 2 years after having the flooring installed by this company (without any case of water damage or high traffic or abuse) we had to hire a new contractor.
Last week, our new contractor removed the flooring and found little stones under the flooring pieces that explain the damage and also found that the floor was prepared improperly which explains the issues in the same spots over and over. The damage was not caused by water or by the level the floor. Just an excuse to avoid responsibility and hide the mediocre job her first contractor did.
On top of that, we are concerned not only because we have to find the way to pay for the flooring job again but also because we found mold in the cold room they insulated! We did not have another option that re-opening the walls to understand what we are dealing with!!
This is a sad story. Also, it is upsetting to trust a person, pay with your whole life saving to have a better home and having to pay again to have the some of job done professionally just after 1 year of 2.
Please hire someone with a solid company behind and real experience in the business. Get several quotes, and do not rush, take your time selecting your contractor, call to the references, choose someone who can prove that did successful jobs like those you are trying to do.
Probably, you will have to wait and pay a little more money but you will pay just one time and will avoid all these headaches.
Learn from our experience. Protect yourself from nice jobs from outside but mediocre job behind the walls!
- Approximate cost of services:
- $90,000.00
- Company Response
Hi Katherine,
Thank you for your review. I would like to clarify exactly what went on with your project since I see several facts from your review are missing.
Yes, you are correct in saying that you had a bit of a delay. Again, much of the delay was caused by the fact that you added to the scope of work half way through the project including a significant amount of work on your main floor. I was always very transparent with you regarding the extra time we would need to complete yet it was expected by you somehow that even though the work increased, the timing shouldn't.
I admit I had challenges with a trade and needed to find a solution, which I did at absolutely no additional cost to you whatsoever. Again, you always seemed very happy with the work, came to site often to see the progress and even graciously gave the first contractor that you are speaking negatively about, concert tickets for all his hard work when we completed.
Originally there was a piece of flooring at the threshold of the basement bedroom that needed to be addressed. It was done in a timely manner when brought to my attention in July of 2020.
In February of 2021 you reached out to me stating the issue came back. When I brought in my contractor to take a look, he confirmed that the two boards that seemed to have lifted at the joint (not the same location where the original repair was done) were in fact water damaged.
Upon entering the basement apartment with the contractor, we noticed that the it was unkept and had a unpleasant smell. Your tenant showed me the spot of the floor at the threshold where the original repair was done, told me everything was good, and even made a comment about how she still hadn’t taken the masking tape off the floor since the repair was done back in July. When I explained to your tenant that this new lift in the board was water damage, she definitely had a guilty reaction to the news. It smelled as though they had not been using their exhaust fans (kitchen or bathroom) properly at all which was suggested at the time. I find your statement of mould being found in the cold room suspicious seeing as it wasn't brought to my attention until your review.
I reported the finding on the flooring back to you the same day after my visit in February and did not hear back from you until July.
Five months later (from what your tenant revealed, you had not been in the country for several months) you’ve reached out threatening to go to social media to tell about your “experience” unless I rectify the problem immediately.
Furthermore, you had disclosed to me that this was your first home and first renovation. You reached out to the online community to find contractors and was recommended by a past client of mine. You had also spoken with my references. I was always transparent, kind and tried to accommodate your changes and budget as best I could. You chose to work with me and my company based on your own research.
Even at the very end of the project I re-levelled your entire garage floor at no extra cost to you, even though we had only agreed to do a small patch repair where the garage met the driveway on the original contract because of your budget constraints, as a sign of appreciation for your business.
As I’ve always said to you, I stand by my work, and am happy to resolve a problem where I can, but it’s unfair that you believe I should be repairing damages caused by your tenants.
I hope this sheds some light on the other half of the story.
Thank you
Elysha Phillips