White Oak Construction & Restoration

unknown

We've had a contract with White Oak Construction & Restoration for two years and their workers finished the work about 2 weeks ago. They don't do the actual work, they just co-ordinate what is coming to our house and how it is being done. The roofing was done very quick and accurately but this was done by the people they had sub-hired. White Oak Construction & Restoration were not very prompt in following up emails or phone calls except when I would get 3rd party people like my insurance agent get involved and I had to do that a couple of times, so it was overall the work was done and done well but the communication needs to be done better. It took 2 years to complete the job and the roofing was done well.

I used them the first time for my basement flooding. Then we did a major remodel to the master bath. It's absolutely gorgeous. Marble slabs, a 4x7 bath, custom closet, framed heads, jets, 2 custom vanities, marble tops, back splash, etc. It's beautiful. I was hours away from using the shower for the first time when the guys from the glass company came to install the glass doors. They had been in and out the door I don't know how many times and texting. It was morning when they were here and I heard a horrific crash, I hollered up the stairs for them and there was no answer so I went up there. They had only taped the glass up there and then went to the truck to get the second piece of glass, but then they took an extended smoke break. The tape let go, my glass fell inside my shower, my ten inch frame head that I just had put in the day before it took that off, it took off the shower arm and it was dripping water and the worst part is that the corner made a hole in my white marble floors. It also destroyed the marble threshold and I found a big chunk of it by the door 21 feet away. It dented the marble on the inside of the shower and they weigh a ton. There are little gauges all over the walls, floors, they are everywhere. The guys came in and I told them what happened, they were carrying the other piece of glass in. They leaned it up against the door but I went and locked my door because anyone could come in. They started cleaning it up with his hands but I told him to stop and I'd get a broom. One of them started bleeding. They go and get a trash can to sweep it up and that's when I see the hole in the marble on the inside of the shower. They said they already called their boss and told him, I assumed he would be down this afternoon. The owner, Gordon, is so nice and helpful. He came down that afternoon, he said my best advice is to record everything. If I had recorded it I'd be a lot better off. He said don't worry, he had called his insurance agency and the promised it would be just as beautiful as it was. Two day later the adjustor came down and also told me not to worry and that it would be beautiful. This happened November 23rd. I had my marble guy down here and he said it all needed to come out because I'd always be able to see where it happened. The adjustor said it had to all come back to the studs to check the water line. He sent White Oak here to do an estimate. The insurance adjustor thought he could get the work done cheaper than our marble guy. The owner came over and brought the guy who runs the insurance company. I told them my husband wasn't home and I'd be more comfortable if he were there but they said they needed to come now. They came over and did measuring and talked about what needed to be done for the tear out. It was weeks then he send s me an email of White Oak estimate and he's got it down lower than our guys. The adjustor said this is the going rate and this is all we'll pay. I told him this wasn't a going rate bathroom. They keep insisting that White Oak will install the shower pan and some other stuff. White Oak said they were only doing the bid as a favor to the adjustor because of the work he was doing, they were low balling us with the estimate and anything over that estimate wold have to come out of our pocket. The adjustor said he was only going to write one check. They will give you a low bid with no intention of doing it but that's all the insurance will pay. Now the insurance companies has given us 3 more companies that we have to call to get down here for an estimate. For the basement water they came and got the water up. They brought the fans and humidifiers but they didn't bring enough extension chords. They told us how to restart them so we were up all night doing that and we had to use our own extension chords. When they sent someone to clean it afterwards it was he owner's teenage daughter. Parts of the quality were good and parts of it were horrible. The responsiveness was very good. The professionalism sucked, they wanted to bicker over everything. I heard cussing and tools being thrown down there, he was having a hard time getting the glue up and I told him to stop cussing and he'd be in trouble if he bothered my tile with his throwing. This was the first time we used them, we weren't going to use them again but that's when our insurance guy wanted us to get an estimate from them for the bathroom. We were going to let them do the demo if they didn't ruin anything.

One pleasing note is that when they came out to give an estimate, they put some temporary coverings on without be asked and at no charge. They were very professional as well as quick. The work took less time than estimated, was done well, and has withstood several recent storms. I would certainly recommend them.

They are very friendly and helpful. They helped us out when we were in a bind with another company regarding our roof. They did a good job.