(Caution - lengthy post) TL:DR, He botched my job, was rude to me, and expected to be paid a second…read moretime to fix the mistakes he made.
After hiring Jamyang (Karma Handy) again to finish a remodeling project a dishonest, licensed contractor had messed up and then abandoned, I feel I have no choice but to update my review. Based on our history, I thought I could trust him but it turned out I could not.
He was asked to install a bathroom vanity, mirror, light fixture and wall cabinet, redo a wall heater installation, and finish the new kitchen (cabinets, countertop, stove and dishwasher).
While some things were done well (vanity, mirror, cabinet doors), he made so many mistakes and errors in judgement, I was beyond frustrated. (All this while he kept bugging me to write him a good review on his new webpage.)
*New bathroom cabinet was positioned so the door hit the wall, multiple drill holes through the back, mismatched hardware... it looked terrible.
*Free standing range: Told me to throw out parts that were required per mfgr. (and code) when he had no idea what they were for. Never read manual.
*Countertop: Had the slab cut into two pieces, rather than a single piece with a cutout for the stove, leaving a 4" gap between it and the wall. He insisted the stove didn't fit and didn't understand that built-ins and free-standing units have different installation requirements. Widened the piece that went alongside the wall, against specs and requiring new filler/trim.
*Ordered unnecessary materials
*Positioned dishwasher crooked and too high and couldn't find the mfgr's. mounting brackets (they were in a bag inside the appliance, along with the instructions). Trim around it was sloppy and uneven.
The list goes on... like leaving garbage and uneaten food on site, unable to reinstall cabinet hinges (I ultimately had to do that myself), rings of adhesive in the sink, installing a new light switch "upside down", incomplete caulking, mis-assembling the roll-out drawer, leaving pencil marks on the wall, and more.
The last nails in the coffin came when after several weeks, we finally scheduled a day for him to come back to fix his mistakes, he showed up late, said he was only there to "talk about the work" (I'd sent an email with a complete list but he "doesn't read email"), and to my surprise, abruptly left saying he'd be back the next day. This wasted not only the day I'd cleared for him, but meant I had to clear the next day's schedule as well.
He did return, and with a sour and argumentative attitude. He presented me with a bill that included old receipts I could not decipher, including purchases for another client (deducted after I noticed it). I wrote him a check for the full amount, but felt taken advantage of and immediately stopped payment so I could process what had just happened. It took a while but I documented what I felt were the biggest problems. I consulted professionals, highly-skilled carpenters and they all said that fixing mistakes was his responsibility (Jamyang charged me full price for fixing his errors).
(Reminded me of the time I asked him to replace an outdoor light sensor with a motion sensor. Unsuccessful after many hours of trying to figure it out, I ordered a half-dozen other units based on his recommendation. He spent hours trying with a couple of them, but left the rest unopened. So much time had passed by this point that I couldn't return them for refunds.)
The ultimate insult came when he assured me - promised, in fact, to swing by and assess the compatibility of a range hood vent that had a very short window for return. He said "tell me when it arrives and I promise I will come that day". (I'd asked him to look at the specs earlier but he couldn't figure them out.)
When the day came. he didn't reply to my texts for two days and ultimate said, bluntly, "I'm not available". That alone cost me over $350 dollars.
Ultimately, I put a list together with detailed explanations for the deductions I was taking. It was a lot of work that I did not enjoy, and I reduced the amounts deducted several times. When he showed up for his new check, I showed him the document I'd prepared with the details and that he could have someone read it to him or I could summarize it for him. He thought I wasn't going to pay him at all, which might have been appropriate but is not my style. He refused to take the letter with him and left with a snide remark.
After all this, I will never recommend, hire or trust him again. He was arrogant, unreliable, disrespectful and made numerous amateur mistakes. He didn't listen or follow/read instructions. This job was clearly over his head. His customer service skills desperately need attention. I was surprised, disappointed and left with a slew of regrets and a whole new mess to fix. I hate having to do this. Moving forward.
Caveat emptor.