Alexander Renovation

CUSTOMER BEWARE! We had already starting rennovation in backyard and getting design for rennovation in our kitchen when we found out we were moving. We signed a contract with Leo for $15k and work to be completed 4 to 6 weeks. He took a deposit and agreed to start the next day, Monday He called the next day and said he forgot he had a wake to go to and would start demo of kitchen on Tuesday. He showed up 10:30 with another man he refered to as his employee. On Friday we spent a morning selecting granite and a kitchen sink. The next week with partial kitchen demo done, he wanted his second installment of money. We told him there was not enough work done to warrant the second installment but he said he needed the money to get the materials necessary to start work as soon as demo was complete. We obliged with concern because at this point he had $7,500 and no part of any of the project was done but he was doing demo all over thehouse. Week two my husband was working at his new job and I was staying in the guest room of our house. Leo removed all the bedroom doors and the water hardware in the kitchen and baths were down with the exception of the guest bathroom stool and tub. Before demo was complete, and painint was done he installed half the granite counter--not the granite I selected mind you another granite! He said he "eye-balled the large counter" pennisula but the granite did not come in that size said he was gong to look other places for it. Week 3 the new appliances arrived and he attempted to install before the cabinet prep was done we had to force him to take out the stove and microwave and instructed him not to install until after the kitchen walls and cabinets were painted. He took them out and put them in the master bedroom (which was already packed up for moving). Still no granite for the pennisula. He painted the cabinet hidden hinges even though I told him over and over we were not going to accept painted hinges. He said it was easier for him to paint a set of hinges and put on a fresh set when he was done. This seemed to be a stupid waste of money but his call. He came to us again for money - not part of the agreement--explaining he ran out of money. None of the supplies that should have already been purchased were at our house. Still no granite for the pennisula. As with previous payments he would not accept a check made payable to his business only to him personally, but we reluctantly gave him another $1k telling him we were not giving him any more money until the project was done to our satisfaction. After over 7 weeks - still no granite for the pennisula; not one single thing in the project including demo was done, no doors, no water, no kitchen facility. Just a huge smelly mess. Somedays Leo did not show up at all. Other days he would claim he was there when he wasn't, I know because I out of worry and concern and since I worked just a couple miles away, I statred a habit of driving by my house to see if anyone was working. He usually did not show up until 10 to 11 AM; sometimes not until after 1 PM. He went to lunch for full hour,. Sometimes he left at 5-6PM once in a while 7 PM. The exception was when we told him we were having friends for the weekend to help my husband complete the backyard reno. This Friday, without any prior discussion that he had planned to do so and with our guest sitting in the great room, he statyed until after 1:30 AM, with his blaring radio on. Week 7, Leo could not provide the materials that should have already been purchased. Still no granite. Construction and painting was terrible. We found it hard to believe he had a contractor's license. He had brought unlicensed people in our home. They made mistakes on the quartz counters and they were marred and crooked. One counter was miss measured and could not be used at all. He brought beer to our house to enjoyy while working. End of week 7 we fired him. When he could not provide the materials he was supposed to have purchased, he had his wife write us a check for $600 from his wife's checking account and took his tools. I hired another contractor, a painter and granite people. EVERYTHING without exception, that Leo touched had to be redone, torn out rebuilt, repainted, rewired, etc. The tradespeople finished the job 3 weeks later and we listed the home and sold it in 3 days. This is a contractor NOT TO HIRE. He stole from us, he demonstrated he had no skill for wiring, painting, contracting nor did he demonstrate professionalism, courtesy or respect for us, the customer. We are posting this review so no one else gets hurt by this guy.