PLEASE READ BEFORE HIRING.
This company goes by the names Anything in Wood and Crown Rail. I hired this company based off of the more than 50 five-star reviews on their Crown Rail website. I found the reviews on Anything in Wood too late. Just when I thought I did my due diligence in hiring a contractor, I find out he has more than one company that he goes by. During my initial conversation with Michael, he said he would be managing and overseeing the entire project with his crew, which I quickly learned was not the case. Michael is the owner. When I specifically asked Michael if Chris and Ben were his employees, he said they were. I'm thinking they are sub-contractors. He also subcontracts a painter who stains, and paints any touches up the wall paint. Israel is very reliable. Michael never came to oversee the project which made it very difficult for many reasons, including scheduling delays and unprofessional behavior from Ben and Chris. There was lack communication in what I needed to do next. For example; when do I schedule the painter, when do I schedule the carpet to be installed, as well as the fact that I was supposed to call and have the trash bin picked-up. It caused the "3-4 day" job to be extended to 16 days! Michael never showed up after the initial interview and sale for several reasons; some I believed were true, others, I'm not so sure about.
On Day 1, they were supposed to begin. I was expecting them at 9am. Michael emailed and said they had to finish another job, but they would bring the trailer by mid-afternoon. They arrived at 7pm.
Day 2, Ben's car wouldn't start so Chris had to go and pick him up. They didn't arrive until 11:15am I was nothing but kind to these young men. I offered them water, asked if they needed anything, complimented them on how clean they left my house, and complimented them on their craftsmanship.
Day 4, they came and I somehow offended them when I said, "I was excited to see the progress today." They verbally abused me like I have never been spoken to by any contractor. They packed up the trailer and left! How unprofessional and childish to stomp off mad when we were nothing but kind to them. Also, apparently you cannot ask questions throughout the process of the demo/construction in your own home, or they will be offended and leave! I was devastated by their treatment and also stressed out by how, and by who this project would get completed. Obviously, there was much left to do!
Day 5, they returned because Michael made them.
Day 16, they returned to finish something that was obviously left undone. Michael doesn't compensate the painter for several errors that Ben and Chris made, so he had to re-do stain. I asked Michael specifically to compensate him for that, since we paid him for the expected job he would do for us. I don't believe Michael had any intention to do so.
This has been an EXTREMELY stressful and unprofessional company. I would not want them in my house ever again. I lost many nights of sleep, as well as the inability to eat much due to the stress levels they caused. Michael never came back after the sale, but said he would come by to pick up the check when job was completed. He couldn't even be bothered to do that. But he had the nerve, in three emails, in 2 days before job was complete, to demand I give the check to Chris since the job was "completed". Even though the final product is okay, I do not recommend you use either company that Michael owns.
R.A read more