Evolution Tile and Stone Inc.

A general contractor who thought he was doing me a favor recommended these guys, so I have hesitated to write a review. As I prepare to dig up the grout FOR THE SECOND TIME, I am motivated to warn others. Perhaps they do better work for the general contractor than they did for me. The Evolution employee involved was Angel Lopez. I had just torn up the floors in my kitchen and hallway and had a new subfloor installed. I was planning a birthday party for October 13, and hired these guys several weeks in advance. I told Lopez about the party and the importance of the timing, and he assured me he could get the job done on time. If he had been honest about it, I could have hired somebody else. Every time he was scheduled to come, he failed to show up or even call to let me know that he couldn't. With all the work I had to do, I could not afford to sit around waiting for this guy. When I would finally reach him by cell phone, he would tell me that he was still working on a job out of town. I understand that these things happen, but it happened over and over again. Not only would he fail to show up, but he would lie about it: "You remember, you told me not to come until next week." Not likely, with my party now only days away. Two days before the party, I still had no kitchen floor, and was ready to cancel the party. When they finally showed up -- the day before the party -- they had underestimated the amount of marble needed for the fireplace surround. TWICE I had to go out and make the 25 mile round trip to buy more marble, so I was not able to see what they did with the kitchen floor. They actually did a good job installing the tile and marble, BUT they did not seal the grout. Angel left the job early, while I was out buying marble, leaving his two workers to finish the job. When I asked them if the grout was sealed, they got all shifty-eyed and told me I would "have to ask the boss". By the end of the party the next day, with 50 people walking in and out of the kitchen to the patio, the grout was ruined. I have tried to clean it with every detergent and chemical imaginable, and have hired professional cleaners, but the damage was done. In contrast, I have grout in a heavily-used utility area that was installed 18 years ago that still cleans up like new, because it was installed by competent, honest professionals. Last summer, I spent a week digging out the kitchen grout by hand and trying to regrout it myself. I didn't do a great job -- although better than Angel Lopez & crew. I am about to do it again, now that I have better tools and a bit mopre knowledge. No doubt, I will be thinking about Angel Lopez during the process.... Maybe Evolution has other employees that are better. Nonetheless, if they don't show up on time, find someone else. If you do hire them, watch them like a hawk. If they need more material, tell them to get it themselves. Don't leave them there alone to cut corners.