Dependable Home Services

We hired Dependable Home Services, Inc. on 10/2/2011 to remodel our kitchen and first floor areas. We signed two contracts with them, one for kitchen and one for the general first floor. They came recommended from one of our friends. We paid them 50% upfront and then after 2 weeks we paid another 25%. For the first two weeks, they came every day and made significant progress. After 3 weeks, they slowed down significantly. They hired subcontractors when they had originally said all their work is to be done by their own employees. In all we paid them 75% of the money which is $52,500 and they only completed 25% percent of the work. The majority of the work still remains to be finished as assessed by his own employees/subcontractors. We have been trying to work with Dependable and have been very patient and understanding. However, they have not come back to finish up the work and are stalling us. The principals Toni Cortinas, Mark Cortinas, have cheated us and ran away with our money. We had trusted them and paid them upfront 75% of the money which was the biggest mistake we made. Initially they made excuses and even said they are filing for bankruptcy but they never did. Please BE AWARE of them. We have filed a police complaint and Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR) complaint in Virginia. They did not even pay their subcontractors who are constantly coming to us. Toni's business practice include, finding customers who can pay upfront money and then taking his profit upfront without completing the project. With our patio subcontractor (which was the third contract we signed after two weeks), he clearly stated that he took his profit upfront and only paid the subcontractor 25% of the money. When subcontractor complained to us and stopped working his comment was I am not going to give him money from my profit. Good business practitioner will only take profit upon completion of the project. Sorry to say, it is kind of ironic that the name Dependable has proven to be totally "UNDEPENDABLE".

They do not have regular sub-contractors and contract them, on a daily basis. Their workmanship and carpentry work is very bad. They and very unprofessional and do not measure accurately. The materials used are not custom made; instead they buy it from the market. Their finish was shabby, but the flooring work was very good. The crew was punctual and worked throughout without breaks. They ensured not to use their phones as well while working, but, they cleaned the place at the end of the day. They also didn?t have licensed electricians and plumbers nor spoke in English. The entire time I dealt with the project manager and his knowledge was bad. I will never use their services in future.