Per Bob's response:…read more
Bob claimed that I turned his workers away when they showed up as scheduled on multiple occasions. This is not accurate. On several occasions Bob sent workers on days when I had not been informed they would be coming (Saturday and Sundays) . Although this was unexpected, I still welcomed them and allowed them to work. While not expected I thought it was a sign that they were ready to get the job done quickly.
Bob also scheduled a potential replacement tile tradesman to come look at the job without notifying me ahead of time. I had to leave church in order to meet him, and I did so because I wanted to keep the project moving forward. The only time I asked his crew not to come was when our family was on vacation from the end of July through the beginning of August. This trip had been planned months in advance, and the bathroom was originally supposed to be finished by the end of May, so there should not have been any scheduling conflict.
In contrast, there were many days where I expected people to come to my home to work and nobody showed up. Sometimes for multiple days in a row, leaving my bedroom without a door, and debris all over my bathroom.
Bob also claimed that I requested nearly a dozen changes during the course of the project. This is not correct. The only adjustments that occurred were either suggestions made by his tradesmen (such as adding a transition between the tile and carpet) or "pivots" needed to address mistakes made. In those situations, I tried to find solutions that would save both time and money. Once the project was bid, we did not request changes to the original scope other than those mentioned above. I do not understand why Bob made this claim in his response.
Bob also stated that the tile pattern was extremely complex. As can be seen in the photos, the floor consists of hex mosaic tiles and the walls are standard 3x6 subway tile. Both of these tile styles have been widely used for over 100 years. We discussed the tile selections before Bob submitted his bid.
In fact, this same tile combination was installed in another bathroom by Bob's crew the previous year, and it turned out beautifully. Aside from a small issue with the floor that was quickly corrected, the finished bathroom looks fantastic. I love that bathroom, which is why I hired Bob again for our master bathroom project. Because of that positive experience, I find it surprising that he now describes this project as extremely complex. Based solely on our first bathroom project with that crew, I would have recommended Bob without hesitation.
Bob also claimed that I did not give them the opportunity to fix the grout issues on the floor. I have text message threads showing that I requested these repairs several times and it was not corrected. Eventually, the situation became tense. Bob even told me that his workers did not like me. He later walked that statement back and said only his foreman was frustrated with me. At that point, I did not want to continue asking for the same repairs repeatedly and risk further conflict with the foreman, so I ultimately accepted the result and moved forward with finishing the job. (aside from his foreman being frustrated with the situation, I found all of the people that came to work at my house to be very nice and enjoyable people).
Bob has stated that he is confident the shower is completely waterproof. However, the corner of the built-in shower niche has pulled away from the wall, leaving a large crack and gap in the grout. I have had to recaulk this area twice. I hope that there is no water behind the wall, but the issue is concerning.
Additionally, there is a screw in the shower faucet that can be pulled out because it is not threaded into anything. I have not yet had time to investigate this further, but it raises additional concerns about the integrity of the installation.
