Beware, Beware the Renovation Nightmare that is Gilberto Chamu
I'm writing this review to warn you from a terrible and costly mistake in hiring Gilberto Chamu for a renovation project. Gilberto Chamu is a charlatan who cuts and runs from renovation projects that suffer from his mistakes leaving owners to clean up his mess at great expense and hassle.
On 2/21/21, Gilberto Chamu came to my home to take measurements for various materials to be procured and installed in a home renovation project. Among other parts of scope, Gilberto Chamu measured interior spaces where LVT flooring would be installed and provided me with a quantity of square feet to purchase. Due to his commitments my project was postponed to late May and on 5/22/21, Gilberto Chamu came to my home again to confirm measurements and to inspect requested materials from February were on-site to begin the project on 5/24/21. Gilberto Chamu specified his measurements into the renovation contract.
As flooring was underway it was not until 7/1/21 that Gilberto Chamu realized the flooring quantity per his measurement wouldn't be enough to complete installation and thus I ordered more flooring material. Gilberto Chamu's measurement wasn't just nearly off, it was way off, including quantity to finish my living room and areas not started like my utility room, master bedroom, master closets and master bathroom. All these areas were missing in his original measurement calculation. When the collateral flooring material delivered on 7/6/21 it was discovered that the new flooring did not fit into place with the already installed flooring and did not match in color. When I inquired with the flooring vendor, I received an education Gilberto Chamu should have safeguarded against given his professed experience in renovation - that flooring is made in batches from like-kind material and the batch I ordered back in February per his direction was now five months off of available inventory and that consequently the color could not be matched. The flooring vendor was adamant that due to Gilberto Chamu's measuring mistake I'd have to live with a two-color floor. As I wasn't satisfied with this response, I bypassed the retailer to investigate for a possible solution with the flooring manufacturer.
It was also at this time that tile work was set to begin at my master bathroom, and I purchased all my tile in advance per Gilberto Chamu's measurements. Prior to tile installation Gilberto Chamu noted tile could either be installed vertically or horizontally but that a horizontal install would result in less tile cutting and grouting for a more uniform look. I agreed with him he began tile work. Here too, as Gilberto Chamu was installing tile it dawned on him as an afterthought that horizontal installation of the tile would require far more material than had tile been installed vertically and again, I was forced to scramble with Floor & Décor for more material now out of stock. It took weeks before I could get more material.
While Gilberto Chamu's measuring complications were delaying flooring throughout and tile and finishes at my master bathroom there were plenty of items available for him to install and to reduce the scope to complete. These items included kitchen faucet and disposal, refrigerator line, dishwasher connection, microwave reattachment, kitchen fan installation, drywall repair to kitchen, kitchen pantry door, baseboards, overhead HVAC grill installations and fire alarm device at all ceilings, installation of new closet doors at two closets, installation of two new ceiling fans and outstanding paint. But rather than completing these items, Gilberto Chamu insisted these items were "Punch" items and rather than continuing with work Gilberto Chamu PUT MY PROJECT ON HOLD IN FAVOR OF NEW COMMITMENTS HE HAD SIGNED UP FOR.
On 7/11/21, Gilberto Chamu texted his wife had Covid and that he wouldn't be unavailable to work until 7/16/21. On 7/16/21 when he didn't show he texted he would start on 7/26/21. On 7/23/26, Gilberto Chamu confirmed he'd resume work on 7/26/21 but on 7/26/21 texted he would not resume until 8/23/21. He came to my home on 7/26/21 and said he would resume on 7/28/21. When he asked about flooring status, I indicated I may bring in legal counsel to assist me. The next day Gilberto Chamu texted that unless I would grant him a waiver for his mismeasurement of flooring that he WOULD NOT RESUME WORK TO COMPLETE - which he is obligated to complete by contract. He had already received 90% of payment. I wrote Gilberto that he could not extort out of me a waiver and HE ABANDONED THE PROJECT.
A contractor working in your home you should be ethical, accurate and committed to fixing damage from their mistakes. When Gilberto Chamu makes a mistake HE WILL RUN OFF WITH YOUR MONEY. See his Facebook page's enclosed caption "Don't need no one to get where I'm going". He is a renovation disaster and where he's going is to court. read more