This is another one of my awful first-time homeowner experiences, where I mistakenly trusted the wrong person, Frank, who was referred to me by an HOA board member and his real estate agent wife. One week before I had hand surgery in April 2023, when the temperatures were near zero up until the 20s, one week before I was scheduled to have anesthesia, so I definitely needed reliable heating, my furnace stopped working. Short for time, I mistakenly trusted my HOA board member and his wife's referral.
First, Frank failed to give me a choice of furnaces, or walk me through the decision-making process, like my HVAC/Electrical company now, to whom I've been loyal for the past 2+ years. I was not told about single stage vs. dual, or brands, or heat pumps. Frank decided for me. Then he failed to get it up to code, which I later had my current HVAC/Electrician company do, based on a retroactive home inspection, since I assumed the VA Loan/Mortgage on my dad's, now my, house. Then - I learned from my current HVAC/Electrician company - he failed to pull the permit, so I had to work with the regulators, to fix his work. Then there was the fact that he left my house early - without turning on the heat - to go to his son's court appearance, after berating his other son in front of me all day, during the install. Unprofessional - and awkward.
So I had to contact my neighborhood handyman to jump start the new thermostat that Frank installed, with my handyman's HVAC guy, to turn on heat.
He also sold me a water heater, which didn't necessarily need to be replaced, but given I survived a water heater burst in Arlington, VA, I decided: "sure, why not," for ~$1,500. He - yet again - selected the Bradford White product for me, simply convincing me it was the best based on its marketing/sales slogans/labels, but fine, sure, whatever, it's been working fine. What he failed to do was - yet again - protect my investment, and get it up-to-code, by also installing the proper shut-off valves, as well as a pressure/expansion tank. I had my new plumber and HVAC/Electrician QA/do this work.
Then there was the fact that he flippantly told me I didn't need to move all the family photos & art work on the stars leading from my ranch style house to the basement, only to knock them off, damage them, and I had to essentially force him to return to fix everything.
Needless to say, given the thousands of dollars of investment in the furnace and water heater, I had to work with my financial institution to refund me, which they did, and given my subsequent May 2024 skin cancer diagnosis & June 2024 Mohs surgery, followed by my July 2024 Breast Cancer diagnosis & healing journey, I delayed posting this review. I also learned from my new/current contractors that many technicians in Colorado are untrained, and/or not properly licensed, or - in Frank's case - they are, but he just doesn't care about following rules/regulations. read more