San Filippo Bros Builders

Description of Work: Renovation project

Description of Work: Warnings !! Buyers beware.. | |I never write reviews for any good or bad experience. I feel strongly to share my nightmare experience with Sanfilippo Bros Builders of Elmhurst IL to warn others. | |To sum it all up, this builder was deceiving, completely incompetent and incapable. Did not go by the Contract's job responsibilities and compensation terms. Refuse to pay for numerous construction errors and defects under his supervision (or lack thereof) totaling more than $5k. Will bill you whatever he wanted after he was fired from the job. If you don't pay his bogus invoice, he'll record a lien on your property. | |Here is my story. Mr. Sanfilippo advertised construction services on Chicago Craigslist in 2013, I contacted and met with him which he presented himself as a builder with 50+ years of experience and had recently built a home for Adam's family in similar situation as ours. Based on his claims, I signed a construction manager contract ("the Contract") in August 2013 with him to build a home for my family with our life savings. Whenever asked for Adam's contact information, he never seemed to have it -- it was odd, but I brushed it off (BIG mistake). | |The terms of construction manager's responsibilities and progress (meeting milestones) compensation schedules were clearly defined in the Contract. When the Contract was signed, Mr. Sanfilippo was paid $X as initial payment -- is to applied to the Final Payment. | |Actual construction did not start until August 2014 -- one year after the Contract was signed. Soon after the home construction began, Mr. Sanfilippo consistently demonstrated arriving late at the construction site without planning, supervision and lack competency in basic home construction practices and knowledge, His oversights caused numerous defects which required time (weeks of delays) and money ($5k+) to fix and he refused to pay for correcting construction errors and defects. As construction defects became my financial drains, I had to dismiss him in November 2014 after concrete foundation was placed -- 20% construction completed. At the time of his dismissal, progress payments were paid in full in the amount of $Y (concrete foundation) plus an overpayment of $X (initial payment). So at this point I finally don't have to deal with construction problems right? -- WRONG! I couldn't be more wrong. More nightmares began: | |In December 2014, Mr. Sanfilippo sent me an invoice of 4 times $Y(4 times the dollar amount the Contract called for) for his services rendered. Instead of following progress payment schedule stated in the Contract, he billed services at $Z/week from the time when the Contract was signed (Aug 2013) until his dismissal in November 2014 (64 weeks -- included 52 idled weeks before any construction work started). It amounted to more than 3 times of $Y. Additionally, he billed another $Y for construction services covering from when the construction began in August 2014 until his dismissal in November 2014 -- huh? | |In response to his (bogus) invoice, I sent a reply letter which included a copy of the Contract, cancelled checks of full progress payments of $Y plus the initial payment of $X and construction site pictures taken after the dissolution of the Contract. I further explained that based on the completion of concrete foundation milestone, $Y was due to him and an overpayment of $X needed to be returned. | |In early March 2015, I received a letter from Mr. Sanfilippo stating that he recorded a Mechanic's Lien on my property. | |After Mr. Sanfilippo's dismissal, I have found and met the person (now known as Mr. Adam K.)who Mr. Sanfilippo claimed in 2013 to have built his home recently. As it turned out, Mr. K built his own home in 2007 -- 6 years prior to 2013. Mr. Sanfilippo's construction involvement for Mr. K's project I quote "basically bean counting, merely some paper work and counting and recounting materials to ensure materials were not stolen". It was further stated by Mr. K. I quote "He didn't build my home, I built my own home. He is known in Elmhurst as the moldy builder and he does not know how to build a home, it was an eye opening experience for him where he learned a lot about building when I built mine". | |Mr. Sanfilippo's pattern of deceptive advertisements and practices are further supported by the disciplinary actions taken against him by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation in 3/2011 -- https://www.idfpr.com/forms/discpln/1103_dis.pdf | |"SPRINGFIELD, IL - The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) announced today that the Acting Director of the Division of Professional Regulation, Donald W. Seasock, signed the following disciplinary actions taken during the month of March, 2011. | |Gerald SanFilippo, Elmhurst and Professional Residential Construction Inspections, Elmhurst (both unlicensed) both ordered to cease and desist the unlicensed practice of architecture by advertising architectural services without being licensed as an architect or a professional design firm in Illinois."

Description of Work: SanFilippo remediated a significant drainage issue on our property. Various other vendors were qualified for the job, but given that a large portion of our front yard would be excavated, we selected this premier landscaping firm to complete all work. This included digging a deep trough, extending from our sump outtake to the street main sewer line. Following excavation, they lay thick PVC pipe and tapped the city sewer line, working well with city officials and inspectors through the permitting and inspection processes. Finally, they restored earth and planted grass seed. Initially, the filled earth eroded within 6 weeks above the trough, and they remediated it immediately and in a professional manner. They also restored the grass using sod the second time. These remediations were pleasant and were gratis. This firm was exceptional in every way, and I highly recommend them for all drainage and landscaping projects.