TBI HANDYMEN INC

This may seem like Angie's List advertisement, but this really happened and Angie's List could have saved our agony! What we went through was horrible! Bunch of lies, excuses, nickle and dimming and blame passing was a daily routine. If the contractor rebuttals this, it will be lies after lies and fellow members should read previous reports on this contractor, too. Please read below... We thought we did everything by book before starting our basement finishing project. Did architectural layout, ordered marble, electrical and plumbing fixtures, carpet, appliances, cabinets, then took many estimates from contractors. The idea was to get the project finished quickly. We did not select cheapest guy on the block. This company's estimate was in the mid range and were very prompt initially. We also checked 'so called' references. The biggest mistake we did was through that we did not take Angie's List membership, otherwise 2 out of 5 fellow members who filed reports on this company and graded 'F', would have made us not just walk but run away from this contractor! The main reason we gave this company contract was because the contractor said that he has 16 people working for him and he can finish the project in 6 weeks. He also said that there will be a supervisor on site every day! Well, the project was still going for 11 months! There was zero supervision and workers had no clue most of the times as to what to do. When we tried to tell them, we were accused of micro managing and treating them like personal puppets. The contractor did not understand that we paid the money and 'we' had to supervise if no one did. There was nickle and dimming every day even though, we drafted the contract in details! We had to point that out many times! The contractor as well as some workers treated us with disrespect and argued loudly many times. No one showed up for many days as the contractor treated this project like fill in the gaps between other projects. The workers were disgruntle, would get offended if we tell them about crooked walls and substandard work and would talk bad about us on phone to others in front of us. He took half of the money before the work started and another quarter after drywall was done. Then he took us even more for a ride. Calls were not returned, emails were not answered and he sent lowest skilled workers. His people damaged refrigerator during installation and tried to hide from us. The project stretched so long that the appliances were out of warranty. He would not pay his sub contractors and they would stop showing up. We were fair to him in spite of this agony, met his payment schedule, kept patience, but he does not have a 'will' to satisfy the customer at all. In fact the larger the project, lower will be in his priority. To get over this agony faster, we hired our own floor heating contractor and counter top installers. Angie's List fellow members, please beware of this contractor!

They came out the same day that I called and at the time he said he would be there. He did a great job and didn't over charge me for it. He was prompt, courteous, and very nice to be around. He finished the job quickly.

Do not use this company.

They came to estimate two jobs, (ext. painting and tiling). I never received an estimate and three weeks later they called me and didn't realize that I never got an estimate. I would not use an unreliable company like this.

THEY MIGHT BE RIGHT FOR BIG JOBS. FOR EVERYTHING I ASKED HIM TO DO, THE QUOTE WAS $1,500. I CHOSE ANOTHER SERVICE PROVIDER AND IT WAS HALF THAT. HE WAS DEFINITELY VERY PLEASANT AND HELPFUL. HE MADE NICE SUGGESTIONS. HOWEVER, THE PRICE JUST DIDN'T FALL IN LINE WITH WHAT I COULD AFFORD. I TRUST THAT THE QUALITY OF HIS WORK WOULD BE VERY GOOD. HE JUST WASN'T THE BEST FIT FOR MY JOB.

THEY WERE THE LEAST EXPENSIVE OF ALL THE BIDS I RECEIVED. THEY DID AN EXCELLENT JOB. THEY WERE VERY HONEST BECAUSE THERE WERE THREE AREAS OF WOOD THAT WE THOUGHT WERE ROTTEN AND THE WOOD WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED, BUT THEY TOLD US THE WOOD WAS FINE.