Remodel4less LLC

Description of Work: Considering hiring a contractor to provide materials and labor for your project or maybe you are one of the smart ones and are going to purchase the materials and hire a builder to assemble some or all of it for you. Here has been my advice to readers: [web link removed] Long time readers will remember the story of Judy’s motorcycle crash back in September: [web link removed] She was discharged from Craig Hospital December 17, and needing a place to go to which was wheelchair friendly, returned to her partially finished home on the South Dakota side of Lake Traverse. I say partially finished, because it did not yet have floor coverings. Last summer she had carpet all picked out, but for whatever reason – didn’t get it ordered, which is good as her power wheelchair would not have liked her choice very well. Hardwood flooring is now being installed in the building (primarily oak, with small amounts of maple and Brazilian cherry for accents). The installer, however, does not do the sanding and application of the polyurethane to complete. In an effort to speed along the process, I ran an ad in Craigslist in both the Fargo area, as well as Northeast South Dakota. Not too many folks in this part of the country, so it takes a shotgun approach to get quality work done at even semi-affordable prices. One of the responses to my ad was from Bryan Sticha of Remodel4Less, LLC is Fargo. He did have a website, which is more than I can say for any of the other respondents [web link removed]. Via emails, we arrange for him to come to the house to view the work to be done on Tuesday January 5. In his presentation he sounded competent and made some suggestions, including the adding of a window in the rear wall of Judy’s sewing loft. We agreed upon a price per week for his work, after being assured he was one of those people who would put in 50-60 hours per week. Bryan told a sad story of having worked for a contractor in North Dakota who had stiffed him for most of his pay. He was also supposed to be starting a big job for a couple in Horace, ND, however they kept putting him off, so he was currently between clients. He asked for a week’s pay up front, so I wrote him a check, then he asked if I had any cash as he didn’t have any money for gas to get back to Fargo (red flag). Knowing he would be back Friday to begin work, I gave him my credit card to get a tank of gas with. From here I will relate by the text messages back and forth (typographical errors are due to reporting exactly as received): Thursday January 7 Bryan 6:17 PM You all get hit with the snow? Im bringing a rental trailer dwn with my saws and tools Me 6:55 PM About ½” last night is all Bryan 6:59 PM Fargo 6 to 9 depends where I wish not ti invade upon Judy. Lunch hr ok Mike? I have to put tarps down for wet saw in garage.. put groceries away. Make the bed etc… You.n.Judy tell me how you want my shop area set up!! Me 8:33 PM Actually we were thinking 9 a.m. Bryan 9:01 PM May be around lunch. I have to check boilers for buddies properties, load trailer, simple things. Thank you Mike Bry Friday January 8 Bryan 9:01 AM After the snow fall and cleaning it up, i got a no neat call. Ive been cleaning up water and had to change the “PRESSURE RELEASE” valve on the boiler. Now im bleeding air from my buddies tenants radiators in there units. I have an inkling this going to be a day in fart land running back n forth. What time would Saturaday work? Sorry.. but he paid me a retainer last winter to take care of the buildings. Im his main man with all the keys. Me 9:36 AM 9 a.m. Bryan 9:37 AM I pick up trailer at 9 sharp load n hot the road Bryan 3:59 PM Get last message or was it dropped Me 4:08 PM Got it, sounds like you will be getting settled in tomorrow afternoon, and be ready to start work Monday morning at 9. Bryan 4:11 PM Yes sir Me 4:12 PM You can set up any tools in boat shed on west side of building Bryan 4:15 PM Im bringing food, my tools, sleepin bag, etc.. If you wont be around just send door code. But write istructions on paper for me to follow on where to stage my tools. And tape to inside on the door. Bry Me 4:16 PM Judy will be here if I am away Bryan 4:16 PM 10-4 Saturday January 9 Bryan 9:46 AM Im head out Me 10:35 AM Cool Sunday January 10 Bryan 10:57 AM My water pump blew on way back. Mon morning I have to bring to OK TIRE. Have to borrow room mates farm truck. Probably wont get to ur place until late afternoon. I shall keep u informed. Bry Me 12:01 PM Might just try for Tuesday morning at 9 Bryan 12:03 10-4 Just barely made it back.in fargo. God was watchin over me!! Tuesday January 12 Bryan 6:32 AM I will get dwn as fast as I can. I gotta stop by where my truck is and give the last of my money to get her fixed and sgn papers. The farm truck runs good but isn’t going to spoil me like me own vehicle. Me 6:54 AM See you soon Bryan 6:57 AM 10-4 Bryan 11:15 AM Im finally headin out of fargo. With the cold, the borrowed truck wldnt start. Me 11:15 AM See you soon Bryan 11:16 AM 10-4 Bryan did finally arrive and started work at 1:30 in the afternoon. His first mission was to paint the bedroom, master bath and its walk in closet. In the midst of doing so, he managed to fall off a ladder, he appeared shaken, but otherwise okay. About an hour later, he was showing me photos he took with his cell phone of the bruises to his legs. He did work until 8:30 in the evening, so put in seven hours including his frequent smoke breaks and talking nearly constantly on his cell phone. He did paint over a popped nail in the drywall, which I pointed out to him and told him it was my pet peeve – he assured me it would be fixed. He never did fix it, but he did paint over it again. As Bryan had suggested, I had ordered the window for Judy’s sewing loft. He told me, after he came to work, he would not install it, I would need to hire someone else to! Wednesday January 13 Bryan 8:47 AM I need an xtra hr. Im hurtin bad. I did take Aleve and waitng for it to kick in The hour became nearly two, and he worked from 10:30 until 9 p.m. Thursday January 14 Bryan told me he would have to be gone Friday as he had some award to pickup from the City of Fargo for sponsoring a street clean up or some sort. He also said he had to run around and pay bills. Knowing he had spent everything we had given him when we got started, I took this as a subtle hint he would be looking for more money. Being generous and trying to keep things moving forward, I wrote him a check for the three days of work. When I gave it to him, he said, “This won’t do me any good”. He was expecting to be paid for a full week’s work! I bit my tongue and wrote him a check for a full week and reminded him he was now paid ahead for seven days of work. He worked from 9 until 4:30 and was out of here for Fargo. He was pushing the wrong buttons, so we began looking closer at the work he had been doing. Besides my previously mentioned popped nail, he had also partially filled a drywall crack with painter’s caulk, then painted over it, however the crack was still evident. In one area, he had repaired seams at the top of the wall with drywall compound, leaving trowel marks, then painted over them as well. In the bathroom, he didn’t pull out the washer and dryer, or remove a heat vent cover or a light switch. The vent cover he got paint on, the other things he just painted close to and left the rest for later. He also got paint on the ceiling in several places. Knowing he would be gone for at least three days, he left tape on woodwork to sit. All-in-all, I was less than impressed with the attention to details. And this is the man who was also to been sanding and finishing our wood floors which were being installed by another contractor. Friday January 15 Bryan 6:31 AM Major white out.. the cars in thr ditches. Love you two. See yah Mon. Morn Bryan 6:57 AM Move Me 7:50 AM ??? Bryan 7:54 AM Write it in your phone mike! Im home cleanin house!! Bills etc… (at this point between his poor workmanship and erratic behavior, I’ve decided to be done with him, before bad goes to worse) Me 9:06 AM Please call me now Bryan did call me. I let him know I had stopped payment on the check I wrote to him the previous day and notified him we were done with him. We expected him to pickup his things and to pay back the extra two days he had been paid for. Bryan 10:16 AM In the mean time leans will be produced Bryan 10:33 AM Law suit for telling me to use your ladder. The bruises i have. Sidebar – Bryan brought his own ladder and opted to use our ladder without the knowledge of either Judy or myself.