Started mid-March and was given a verbal bid on a bathroom renovation (not needed, but there was a leak in the shower that started the whole thing and I added the rest because he mentioned any renovation under $6k isn't worthwhile and my bathroom was outdated and ugly anyway), add pantry and paint and chair rail in 2 areas (main bedroom and dining/galley kitchen area). 5 months later (I saw nothing done until June) I have bad grout work in bath and shower, no vanity or sink installed, bowed out drywall, about 40% of a pantry (rough drywall, with some slapdash joint fill and whatnot, no shelving, but there is a light, which he contracted out to a different company) and only a toilet working in the bathroom, Repeated lack of response, or commitments to complete made that were rarely if ever met. I was very patient, my only ask being if I had to wait, fine, just don't leave me with my house in disarray for long periods of time (the original estimate was 4-5 days and at the start I still had use of toilet and sink in the bathroom), put me on the schedule when the job could be knocked out all at once, not in dribs and drabs, which was exactly what he did. When I finally called him out on it (being very patient and understanding up to this point) and set a time I needed it to be done or I'd have to figure something else out, he told me to do so and sent me a hugely inflated 'estimate' on work completed and that he'd kindly not make me pay what was 'owed' but call it even. I gave him a 50% deposit plus another 14-15% or so draw, and have use of neither pantry or bathroom, and the work that is done will likely have to be redone to fix the issues (mismatched grout on the bathroom floor, inconsistent grout in the shower, drywall on the new pantry that doesn't meet the existing wall, etc.) so basically I have absolutely nothing to show for what I paid him for in the end. read more
