Quality Improvements

Jim gave me a business card with only his name and phone number and the name of his business, "Quality Improvements." He gave me the estimate on 3/30/11; I don't remember exactly when he started to work. The estimate was for removing the concrete where the old posts were, the new concrete posts, replacement of the concrete around them, adding to my driveway and cutting up the diseased crab apple tree and grinding up the stump. I paid $1050 immediately and the other half when he was done with what he did. He put his sign out front. He did an amazing job on the concrete posts; they are about 3 or 4 feet in the ground and about 4 feet tall. He filled them with re-bar too! There are 5 and positioned so I don't believe anyone could get in the house again. We found out from a city person that it wouldn't be a good idea to reroute how people come into my driveway. I wanted to have guard rail all across the front and have the driveway more toward the curve, but this guy said that could cause people to think they go straight, and they'd go right into our yard and smash the shed! So he then cut down the crab apple and ground up the stump and we can't even tell a tree was there. Another great job. Then I had him pull out the euonymous that was taking over the ramp and he put wood planks along the ramp under it to close it in...looks so much better! Next I asked if he could put siding on the shed in the back yard because I'm turning it into a playhouse for my daycare. He did that and painted the door and trim and put 2 little windows in it, and it looked great! He had agreed on doing all these things for the $2100. I then asked him if he could help do the interior of the playhouse and he said he could use luan for the paneling and put cabinets up in the back and fix the gate to the back yard and he said that would be about $700. I had $400 so I gave him that. I believe he said he'd be back in a week to do that. He didn't come so I called him and he said he'd be here in a couple days I think, then after calling a couple more times and getting no response...I noticed his sign was gone! I kept calling but he did not answer. So I went to Home Depot so I could call from their phone. He answered and sort of apologized and said he'd be here that Friday, but of course he didn't come. Since all I had was his name and phone number there wasn't much I could do. That was the stupid thing on my part not to get more info! His estimate has no address for him either. And he didn't give me a receipt for what he did. I didn't realize until about March of 2012 that the door he used on the playhouse is an interior door and the paint and veneer started pulling away and it just deteriorated more and more! The guy that recently the interior had to put on a new door so that was an extra cost too. I would have rated his work at an A above if it weren't for that. Everything else was really done well. I cannot understand why someone that can do such amazing work would rip someone off! Makes no sense! I just recently found his name on Angie's List so I just want to warn people to get plenty of info before letting Jim Ledman do a job for you. Apparently he decides when he is done, and if there's not a written and signed agreement as to what is being done he'll take advantage of that. . I looked up that address that Jim Ledman has on his page and tried to Google it. There is no such address here in Lafayette, but then he doesn't have the town listed! So I think that may be a bogus address.