American Home Improvement

Story (sorry I got the order mixed up): all the services performed: demolition of a short, non-weight bearing wall, demolition of half a layer of concrete where a window was to go, framing (studs) for the wall were set up, but let loose and leaning against the wall.

Patrick was supposed to re-tile 2 shower areas of 2 different bathrooms. He originally showed up on time (to give the estimate), which was supposed to be $1200 for both baths. He asked for half the money upfront (which I now know should have been a red flag.) It quickly became obvious how he works (or doesn't!): he would have excuse after excuse as to why he couldn't come on a particular day; if he did come, he never worked more than a few hours, he left a huge mess, etc. He tore out insulation and just left the huge pile in the bathroom. He had to cut a panel in the closet to get to a leaking pipe (which hadn't leaked before he began work) and he cut a huge piece out and left a hole until he finally just put a big block of the stuff he used in back of the tiles over it (not flush with the wall at all). He got grout all over the floor and tracked it on the carpet. I cleaned the carpet and asked him to clean the floor; he got some off but left most of it and said it would just "wipe right up". (News flash--dried grout doesn't "wipe right up"!) He asked for $250 for a shower door and faucets, and $100 for insulation and lumber. I foolishly paid it; he goes to my church and I thought I could trust him. The first check was written on March 14 and it STILL isn't finished! (I did fire him a couple of weeks ago after I had 2 independent licensed contractors come in and say that he didn't use the right stuff behind the tile, the caulk wasn't the kind that should have been used in the shower--it peeled right up with just one lift and there was mold behind it!) Many of the tiles on the part he did are chipped, the grout is uneven, the caulking is uneven and bulges in spots, he lost the insert to one of the faucets, he threw away my drain and replaced it with one that doesn't fit right, the door is unsteady--are you getting the picture?! The contractors said it looked like he didn't measure first and notice the wall wasn't exactly square so he got to a point and didn't know how to proceed. I started the project while kids were away at college and he was supposed to be done in 2 weeks! He promised he'd be done in time for the company we had for my daughter's graduation (9 weeks after he started) and it wasn't done. We were without a door for so long that he actually told us to just point the shower to the middle and use it! He has not brought the remaining tile for the 2nd bathroom (which I had purchased already) and his helper stole money from me (despite the fact that he shouldn't have been working for Patrick as he had stolen from other clients). I know of 4 other people who have also had issues with him. At this point, I have paid almost 80% of the cost he quoted for 2 bathrooms and don't even have 1 done! It will cost me at least $600 from someone else to fix the mess he made in the 1 bathroom he worked on.