HandyBernie LLC

The best way for me to describe how it went in one word: disappointment. I feel Handy Bernie misrepresented his expertise when it came to finish work, re-finishing a floor, and painting in general. His initial quote to us included a very specific reference to how he was going to take the extra steps involved in the prep work so essential to a good interior paint job. I learned that it didn't necessarily carry through to the actual work. Casings around windows were cut too short, trim and chair rail, as well as baseboard wood trim were frequently cut "short" The solution to this in many cases was to fill these voids with caulk and paint it. I have measured some of these caulk-fills, and some of them are almost an inch wide! There was a point in the job that he needed to take a week of personal time for a family emergency. Understandable. However, he returned from overseas more than a week later and told us he would be done within a day! My wife and I were so surprised by this that we asked him to let us know what he felt had to be finished. He replied that once he was done, we were to go around the house and make notes about things that required "touch-ups", etc. I thought the contractor was supposed to go around and perform these checks and note-taking, then act upon them by finishing the job. The truth is that Handy Bernie had his next job lined up the following day! This was shocking to us because we felt there was at least another 4-5 full days of work left. We decided to cut our losses at this point because we had been virtually living out of boxes and a recreational vehicle for months. Although I am not a professional contractor, I have been a DIY-type for many years, and I can honestly say that I could have done a much better job. Seeing that I have a full-time job however, my wife and I decided we needed "professional" help. I have been hesitant to review Handy Bernie publicly, but I am still finding his work lacking in a new area every day. I have had to now hire another finish work carpenter to come in and repair Handy Bernie's work. I wish I could have come to Angie's List with a Good review of the Handy Bernie Company, but I am not able to do so. I would never recommend Handy Bernie LLC to do any work for any of my family or friends. Handy Bernie is still owed a bit of money (8-10%), which we have placed in escrow, in the event he decides to come back and try to make good on a contract that I feel he did not honor. I do not expect that he will though.