I hired Rick to move a pool table from a home about 1 1/2 hours away, transport it to my house, reassemble it, and install new felt.
About two weeks before the move, I selected Dark Green (#32) after Rick sent us a color swatch from Championship Billiard Fabric. I also said I would confirm that color with my husband. On the morning of the move, I texted Rick to confirm that he was still able to bring the Dark Green (#32) because that was the color that we decided on. Rick replied, "Got it!"
When he arrived, my husband noticed the felt package was actually Accuplay English Green, not the Dark Green (#32) we had agreed on. When I pointed this out, Rick immediately became angry and started yelling. He claimed, "You texted me this morning and that's what I had in the truck," even though he texted back the two words GOT IT when I asked if he had that Dark Green 32. He also complained that he had driven an hour and a half, despite the travel being part of the job we had hired and paid him for. Then he insisted it was "the same color, just a different company," but it clearly was not.
What shocked me most was how quickly the situation escalated. In a matter of seconds, he went from a normal conversation to screaming and issuing ultimatums. His emotional self-control reminded me of a five-year-old throwing a tantrum rather than a professional contractor trying to resolve a customer concern.
He then said, "Give me $1,000 (of the $1,900 we owed him) and you can get someone else to finish the job." I have never experienced such unprofessional behavior from someone providing a service.
He also accused my husband of "hovering" and interfering with his work. In reality, my husband simply asked that the table be centered on the carpet. Rick himself asked if the placement looked correct, and my husband moved it about a quarter of an inch so it would be perfectly positioned. That was the extent of his involvement.
At that point, I just wanted the job completed, so I reluctantly agreed to keep the felt he brought, even though it was a different brand than the color chart he showed us and, more importantly, a different color than the Dark Green (#32) we had selected two weeks earlier and confirmed again the morning of the move.
Unfortunately, the problems didn't end there. In addition to installing the wrong color felt, several pocket nails were missing, the table is 1/4" out of level (even though Rick claims he levels it as he builds it), and the rubber bumpers were not aligned evenly with the wood rails. And after Rick left my husband used a rubber mallet to align the uneven bumpers.
For the record, I purchased this pool table from the original owner, and I am only the second owner. The previous owner had bought this table 30 years ago new and kept it in pristine condition. Rick was the only person who disassembled it and then reassembled it. If the missing pocket nails weren't there after the installation, they went missing during the move or reassembly.
Based on my experience, I cannot recommend Rick. His communication, professionalism, and workmanship all fell well below my expectations. Looking back, I wish I had paid more attention to his previous negative reviews because my experience was very similar. read more