Demers Property Maintenance

The work went badly from the beginning: 1. The contract was late in being issued ( the Office Manager, the wife, emailed me saying that she had laryngitis) 2. The contractor, husband of the Office Manager, told me on Monday, June 24,2013, that even though I had not yet signed the contract, he had directed a workman to begin prepping the property for painting and that the work should be completed by Friday, June 28, 2013 3. On Thursday, June 27, 2013, I drove to the property (a 100 mile round trip) to see the progress of the work. There was no one at the property and there was no evidence of work in progress ( I could not tell that the property had been "prepped.") 4. On Saturday, June 29, 2013, I again drove the 100 mile round trip to inspect the property. Work was in progress. I received an email from the O.M. stating that the work would now be completed on June 30, 2013. 5. On Wednesday, July 4, 2013, I again drove the 100 mile round trip to inspect the property and to meet with the contractor. I took a professional inspector with me. We identified the flaws to the contractor who did not bother to write down our numerous concerns. His wife later wrote me asking that I send her a list of our concerns. On July 10, the inspector, my husband and I again reviewed the property. The inspector identified 50 flaws in the painting, including dripping paint, unprepared surfaces, incorrect paint etc. The kitchen cabinets were a MESS! The inspector stated that the work appeared to have been completed by a "fly by night contractor." He prepared yet another numbered list of flaws which corresponded with the blue numbered tape which he used to identify each of the flaws. 6. On July 20, 2013, the inspector identified another 18 flaws, including paint all over the kitchen floor, ( It took 1 hour & 45 minutes for the father-in-law of the contractor to remove it) and items contracted which were not completed or were completed poorly. The inspector again compiled a list which corresponded to the numbered pieces of tape which he placed on the flaws. I then informed the contractor that neither he nor anyone from his firm could enter my property without my being there. 7. In spite of the fact that I had contracted for a specific $ amount, I received repeated new invoices for increased $ amounts, including $175 for additional paint and a 500% increase over the contracted amount for connecting a laundry sink/cabinet to the existing plumbing-- just two examples. 8. The "final" invoice was approximately double the amount for which I contracted. (They did offer me a 25% "Customer Satisfaction Discount".) 9. On Friday, July 26, 2013, I again drove to the property to meet with the contractor and a person from the management firm which had managed the property for almost 19 years. We again noted all of the flaws which still needed to be corrected. 10. On the next day, I again drove to the property and discovered that the paint was peeling!! It came off the surface like chewing gum off the sidewalk on a summer day in Phoenix! I was later told that the contractor had used the wrong paint!! 11. On Monday, July 29, 2013, a representative from the property management firm met at my property with a rep from another firm to secure a bid to do damage control. The firm reported that all of the paint needed to be removed, and that the surfaces needed to be re-prepped before they could be repainted. 12. On that Monday, the rep from property management company recommended that I terminate my relationship with the Demer firm. She further reported that the items identified for re-doing or completion were being completed poorly, e.g. re-painting on the staircase. Demer re-painted the surface without prepping it and then painted over frays from the new carpeting. Additionally, she identified items which were not being completed in a timely manner, e.g. not painting the wall in back of the refrigerator ( the workmen had painted around the refrigerator rather than pulling it out!!) She further informed me that based upon the level of work she had witnessed at my property, the property management firm would no longer recommend the Patrick Demer firm. 13. Many of the replies that I received from the Office Manager in response to my legitimate complaints were extremely hostile and unprofessional. 14. Because of the numerous issues caused by the Demer firm, I was unable to list my property for lease during the prime rental window. Additionally, I have lost a potential rent of $1,650 per month. At this point, I do not know when my property will be ready for the rental market. During my lifetime, I have renovated/redecorated numerous properties. I have NEVER had issues with the quality of the work completed until I contracted with Demer"s Property Maintenance. In addition to the lost rent, the firm has cost me endless hours/days in driving back and forth to the property to review flawed work, reviewing the vast array of "revised" invoices and writing countless messages to the firm, to property management and to my attorney. I have taken great care in writing this review because I would NEVER want anyone else to have the extremely disturbing and frustrating experience that I have had. Constance Hellge Kleen Property Owner