In mid-July 2024, we met with Chris Hollon (owner) regarding a deck and patio replacement, two…read moreoutdoor fireplaces, and a roof over part of the deck. He quoted a price lower than competitors and claimed the job could be done by Halloween. I work in construction and know this was unrealistic since we hadn't signed a contract or picked out materials yet.
On August 7, we signed the contract and paid a 1/3 deposit, with 4 equal payments to follow. Shortly after, we met on-site again. Chris dismissed the Halloween timeline (his own estimate) but said crews would be available and it could be done by Thanksgiving.
By September, we selected stone, composite, and rail types and sent them to Chris. Work didn't begin until early October, after repeated, unanswered calls to Chris and Todd Payne (general manager). The patio was poured around October 21.
In November, no work occurred. Chris and Todd blamed a truss plant fire and LVL beam shortages. Todd repeatedly asked me about the composite color--despite it already being sent.
Framing started the first week of December. On day one, Todd called to ask if I was home to give the framer engineered drawings--not something I should need to handle. During framing, Chris contacted me more than ever--not about progress, but to upsell a new roof with a "family discount." I declined.
Right before the holidays, Chris asked for the second payment early and promised major progress while we were out of town. We declined since less than half the phase was complete. While away, he walked back his claim. When we returned, the only new work was the shingled deck roof. A dump trailer had been left in our driveway the entire time. When I asked for it to be removed, Todd said it had a flat tire and asked me to inflate it, which I did just to get rid of it.
January and February saw minimal progress. Fireplaces and rough electrical were completed late January. Weather caused some delays, but 4 months in and we still had no decking or rails.
Decking started March 18--3 months after Chris said it would be done. The sub did quality work but showed up late and left early. Work picked up in March and April, and I began making partial payments as progress resumed. My wife started texting Chris frequently to get things moving. Eventually, he snapped, replying to her: "this is harassment" and "I don't need your attitude." He never apologized.
Later, when Chris came on-site, I confronted him. He admitted he underbid the project and begged us not to share what we paid. He insisted he never said we could paint the patio ceiling (even though he had) and argued over it until I asked him to stop. I gave him color swatches for trim and ceiling stain--he lost them and asked again. We resent them, and weeks later Todd asked for the colors again.
By late April, painting, stonework, gutters, trim, and patio ceiling were complete. Rust stains on the patio--caused by tools left out all winter--were removed. Chris requested another payment; I declined until full completion.
The project was finally completed May 8, 2025, and we paid in full on May 9--8 months after work started.
I do not recommend this contractor. Unprofessional, rude, and unreliable. Chris behaves more like a buddy than a contractor--talking about microdosing mushrooms and politics instead of job progress. After hiring him, I read online reviews. I was surprised by the positives but also shocked by how negatively the company responded to criticism--calling one customer "delusional" and dismissing others with "you can't make everyone happy."
Everything here is factual and can be supported with the contract, photos, and saved texts
