American General Building Services LLC

This project was a disaster from the start. According to the contract, the job was supposed to be completed over the course of 30 days. We were two weeks into that time frame before Mr. Woviotis even showed up to the work site, and nine months later it was still not completed. There was not a single part of the contract that was done in accordance with local building codes or licensing regulations. The heating system was installed improperly and the pipes were run without the benefit of a licensed plumber. We had no heat or hot water at all in the beginning, and only minimal hot water after he "fixed" it. We had to call in a plumber to repair the work. The chimney was left with gaping holes following the removal of the old furnace, instead of being repaired (as directed in the contract agreement), and drawing a terrible draft of cold air. The holes in the wood floors from the former radiators were filled with wads of wood putty rather than being repaired with oak flooring. The windows were installed without any flashing or insulation (as required by contract agreement). Almost all of the window frames had been cut and installed improperly, some hadn't been replaced, and some were missing altogether. The painting jobs that were performed were sloppy and inadequate. Only about half of the painting work was ever done at all, and the painting that he did was with the wrong colors and/or textures so it didn't match anything around it. The contract called for primer and two coats of paint, while only one heavy coat was applied without the benefit of primer (uneven covering and drips resulted). There was no effort made to cover or protect my furniture until I discovered it and did it myself. The beam that was installed to provide support to the living room ceiling had no wall supports - it was essentially "floating" with no connecting beams, and had not been inspected prior to covering (as required by code). Wall outlets and ceiling fixtures fell out when attempting to use them (an outlet fell out of the wall when we unplugged an appliance, and the recessed lighting fixtures fell out when we tried to replace blown bulbs). He improperly and illegally installed wiring throughout the house without the training or licensing to do so. He cut holes in the attic flooring to access wires and left the floor that way without informing anyone, causing a hazardous situation for anyone walking on it. We actually discovered that he had driven a 4" screw through the middle of an electrical wire - cutting it down to the copper - and then covered it behind some sheet rock. None of the electrical work was performed with the benefit of a licensed electrician. The new cast iron bath tub was left uncovered in the driveway for six weeks before installation, resulting in permanent staining and a voiding of the warranty. The tub surround was not installed according to directions, resulting in a failure to function properly and again voiding the warranty. Trash and construction debris have been left all around the exterior of my home as well as in the utility room, broken glass and nails were left in the driveway. He tried to cut cedar "shingles" out of trash pine shims and installed them around the exterior window frames - they neither fit, nor did they even come close to matching anything else. Much of the failed and/or improper workmanship was performed in my absence while I was at work. When questioned, he assured me that everything was being done according to code, and being inspected by the appropriate departments. When the inadequacy of the work and the complete failure to have required inspections done was finally discovered, American General Building Services' contract was immediately terminated. The entire job had to be restarted after more than nine months. A new contractor had to be brought in to correct the problems, which involved dismantling every aspect of the job and doing it all over again. Now the job that was supposed to take 30 days is going into its' eleventh month! Fortunately for me, the new contractor is doing a beautiful job and I will eventually get my home back again - only this time the heating system will work properly, the lighting and outlets will stay in place when used, the lode-bearing beam will actually be capable of bearing weight,and the bath tiles will stick to the walls. This has truly been a nightmare for me and my family. I would not recommend using this man/company for anything!!