I regret having to write a negative review, as this is Dave's livelihood, but my experience was disappointing. The job was to cut and hang a few doors using the old doors as templates.
Day 1 - Dave called to cancel without prior notice, saying he was unwell. Unfortunately, I had already driven 30 minutes to meet him, so more notice would have been helpful.
Day 2 - Dave got lost and arrived late and visibly frustrated, expressing regret about taking a job in Kailua. He appeared under-equipped, missing several basic tools that I ended up providing. While routing for the hinges, he attempted to proceed without a hinge template, resulting in a rough, uneven finish. I was surprised to hear that, despite his experience, he wasn't familiar with hinge templates. I ended up purchasing one for him to use the following day. Additionally, he was quite rough with the freshly painted doors, dropping them onto the floor to avoid bending down, which created numerous dings and scratches that I'll now have to repaint. Lacking chisels, he couldn't install the door latch, and since he wasn't feeling well, he decided to return the next day.
Day 3 - Dave came back with a chisel, and I provided the hinge template, thinking this would allow for a smoother process. However, he didn't use blue tape to prevent splintering during the cut, and despite using the old door as a guide, the new door was still cut too long, requiring another trim. The cut quality suffered due to his circular saw's bent fence guide, which left a noticeable wavy edge. Dave mentioned he wished he'd brought his planer to fix it, but the cut was beyond repair, leaving light visible through the top of the door jamb. At this point, I had to stop the job to prevent further damage.
In total, I lost three days and a day of work, as I had taken time off for Day 1. Now, I'll have to buy and paint a new door and arrange for another truck to transport it. It was a frustrating experience overall, and I would suggest Dave consider updating his tools and approach to ensure a better outcome for future clients. read more