Update: The two bathooms, Merrill was hired to do will be completed today. Its been since Feb trying to get a handle on all the problems Merrill actually created in the hall bathroom. I will send a bullet list what may not have been pointed out for the comment area. By now you have a vivid look at the work Merrill. and his helper did that required a total teardown. Then find a reputable company to access his work for the record, i never intended Merrill to just believe my opinion. In the case of so much wrong, only a professional could point out in detail what he did not do according to quality, code, an laying tile standards.
Description of Work: Remodel Hall Bathroom. Buyer BEWARE: SHODDY BATHROOM REMODEL has caused a "Large Financial" loss todate: I hired Merrill last week in Febuary 2016. Shortly after which I suffered a serious rear-end collision during first week of Mar 2016, resulting in a concussion, blurred vision and weekly therapy. Making it impossible to follow the work close enough to actually inspect the work weekly however, from the hallway I made several pleasing comments on the new trending style of grey in the tile pattern that would pull from the grey wall paint and Moen fixtures in brushed nickel by complimenting the helper who laid out tile on the floor (before grout). At that point I could not see the seriousness of what was coming concerning the wall tiles. I needed assistance required for an inspection of the job. I asked my pastor who had an interest in the remodeling of the house to come on Monday since Merrill indicated he was 3/4 finished. When he went into the bathroom, with Merrill, and his helper, I could hear him pointing out serious tile problems. There was no grout applied between tiles in the area of the two rows of designer tile. Tiles butted up against title. The grout lines were not the same size some larger, some smaller, and some without grout. The corners had too large of a grout line, the grout was grainy throughout the bathroom tiled area. The tile was not even, some tiles protruded, some were pushed inward unevenly with the tile next to it. Another area, of the inspection revealed the electric outlet had been moved as requested, however, Merrill positioned it adjoining the boarder of the tub wall, to close to where water falls from the shower. I asked him to move it, he then replaced it behind the right facet handle without room, making it impossible to plug in a hair dryer. He did not pull permits, to do so would have exposed the electrical wiring he moved higher on the wall to install the light fixture. He explained all this to Merrill. He was very rude to the Pastor, stating he was not on the Contract, he refuse to talk to him, while knowing he was there to help me do the Inspection. I replied to Merrill, I will give you a chance to fix it. Merrill, went into the bathroom for an hour came out said he was going home (one hour earlier than he had been leaving) He told me he had to keep working, and needed to take another job, and would come back when he could. After he left, we looked at what he had done, he removed grout for some of the trim tiles and used cardboard as spacers between the tiles. At this point I did not believe he or his helpers were qualified to get the tile correctly installed. The Inspect of the nearly completed tile work called attention to the unacceptable tile he had his helper install. At this point I called a Professional Tile and Granite Company in business 30 years to Inspect the tile install. The Tile and Granite company reported it was not up to Code Standards of the Tile Industry. Reporting lipping, grout grainy, lines inconsistent defective tile that Merrill should have been aware of when it was first taken out of the box and returned. Happy Homes failed a professional Inspection prior to nearing completion. Merrill's Contract states the final draw taken after the bathroom is completed. Merrill was paid my credit card, every Thursday, I was planning a through Inspection the coming Monday, I let him make the last draw because he said he lived from job to job, and has a family and his wife does not work. I trusted him, he said he is a good Christian, cannot sleep if his work is not approved. I hired Lowes, to come in and help me. I asked if they could save the floor, or any of the new fixtures, toilet, or vanity which he grouted in. They reported all the tile had to be demolished. The worst was yet to come, their contractor's electrician, reported a fire hazard was caused due to the incorrect wiring changes Merrill made moving the electrical box for the light fixture, he had the brace secured to the stud, that was faulty and would not pass Code Inspection by the City Building Code Inspector. The worst of this they reported it as a fire hazard. Merrill has refuse to give any of the labor funds he took in full, knowing the Inspection failed, once I had honest responsible help with the inspection. I wrote Merrill, I disputed his charges, I called him and he refuse to talk about the work. He twist my praises of the work on tile placement on the floor (never saw the troubled tile tub area) until with my pastor. He claims I loved his work, when what I did love was the placement of tiles on the floor (before grout) looked well with the color and pattern that is what I was referring to. I told his girlfriend I loved it, she misunderstood I was offering them support to work with Merrill, hang in there. Merrill knew I was trying to inspire his newly hired help. This was early on, all I saw at that time was the floor and it had no grout, weeks before the bathroom was three quarters nearing completions. He asked me not to put this on Angie's List, it would put him out of business. I have done everything I know to do, to settle this with Merrill, he has refused to return any of the $5,300.00 for labor. He charged me for a shower pan he has charged for items (a heater) to dry the drywall mud in spots here and there, never delivered a shower pan mixed in with the charges for a future master bathroom he was also trusted to remodel. To Date a serious financial lost in the following areas: Failure to access newly purchased boxed tile when opened defective and should have been returned. Merrill verbally agreed to do all the work himself, my reason for hiring him. He showed up with his 19 year old son, and a 24 yr old helper he hired two months earlier, when asked if he knew how to do the job by himself, he said, Not without Merrill's guidance. Merrill hired his helper two months earlier and put him in the bathroom installing defective tile, without giving me any indication he was doing anything wrong. Merrill did the tile cutting. His helper lacked the experience to recognize the defect in the tile, he laid out on the floor, (my comment at that time, "I loved the way he set the tile, pattern lines ran in harmony, I am not a professional inspector, I am good with color and fixtures Laying tile, grout lines keeping his word. I had to contact a Professional Tile and Granite company to evaluate the tile installment. extremely bad. I hired Merrill because he had an A rating in Oct 2015. His work is very poor. Contract stated he would not take a final draw until all work is completed. He breached his Contract in March after starting work in Feb 2016. I will continue pursuing the money he has scammed me, the best I can do at this point is ask Angie's mediation to get on board and let me prove to this contractor, that I am not asking him to believe me, I am stating he has to accept the Professionals who without doubt, said it all had to be taken out, everything and start over. Lowes has been hired, bring in permits and more than anyone very compassionate for what Happy Homes has done to beat me out of all the money spent on this project, his response is he twist my words knew I had been injured a little over a week after he started the job, he twist my "good faith trust in him." He is not fair, in any sense and denies his work is shoddy, regardless of professional opinion, cost to take his work down,and start all over on the same bathroom. Shame on you, Merrill. I am still in therapy, as soon as possible I will provide pictures. And the contract to redo the same hall bathroom. No one tears down newly installed quality tile, turns around within days has to get the job done over by a reputable company. Merrill did shoddy work, created a fire hazard, and left with no intentions of reaching a fair solution. He took it all, has no conscience of what his work cost me, not only financial, but during the time I was injured, alone and receiving medical care.