Drew Lopez Construction

In July 2010, I hired Drew Lopez, Jr. (Drew Lopez Construction) to build a 26 x 26 ft shed (1/2 single car garage & 1/2 living quarters) in my backyard. We agreed on a price & all that should be done in the building. Lopez Jr. informed me he could complete everything within four weeks because he had several workers. To begin with, he asked for 1/3 of our agreed price for the materials. I was initially very happy to see the foundations of the building go up so fast. The shed did not get finished in July. In the month of August, Lopez Jr. asked for the second 1/3 of the money. More work was done & the building's perimeter was bricked. It was at that point that Drew Lopez was absent several times--ranging from a couple of days to a full week. When he finally showed up again, he was with his relatives (his younger siblings & his father, Drew Lopez, Sr.--also workers) who did some of the work for him. Lopez Jr. assured me that he would not leave the job until it was completed; he told me several times that I "didn't need to worry" about him & that he "was not the kind of person" who would go back on his word. By the end of September & into October, I noticed Drew Lopez Jr. would come with a couple of workers & "pick" at something & then leave--he would not even stay for a full hour. This behavior continued during the month of October. In addition, Lopez Jr. would not return my calls. One afternoon, I called him using another phone not tied to my name & he happened to answer, plausibly because my personal identity was unknown to him. Lopez returned only one time after I gave him a piece of my mind about his clearly unfulfilled job. I showed him that there was leaking plumbing in the shed; he insisted it was the rain that came through the roof because a tube placed there was not sealed. The problem with that was it hadn't been raining at all! The obvious conclusion remained to be poor workmanship. Again, Lopez Jr. promised to finish the shed, but never showed up after that afternoon. I kept trying to contact him but his phone line was disconnected. After calling their home phone number, Andrew Lopez, Sr. returned my call; he said he was going to finish the job his son had abandoned. By this time, there was only $1,000 left for me to pay, which Lopez Sr. proposed to use to finish the shed. In his attempt to finish the job, Lopez Sr. used the remaining money plus about $700 more--but just like his son, he also abandoned the job! I was fooled twice! I was left with a botched plumbing job, doors without doorknobs & a very incorrectly measured bathroom (there was hardly any leg room in front of the toilet). Furthermore, unfortunately, the brick wall in the back of the shed was unfinished, the air conditioning system was missing completely & there were uncovered holes were left in my yard from the construction. This list goes on. To put it simply--it was a shoddy job! I had to hire another contractor to correct & finish Drew Lopez's "work," which totaled to $41,700. It was a nightmare! When everything was completed by the new contractor I hired, the total price of the building went up to $46,000. Please remember the name Drew Lopez Construction. Please consider my words & opt out of choosing his "business" because he will take advantage. Belinda Baker