Where do I start. Hired Handyman Veteran in September 2022 to stain my front and side entry stairs but had to sit with the results and fall out for a few months so I didn't write from anger.
I received what I hoped was a fair rate for the area since I'd just moved here, and he had good reviews. I also try to support local and thought he was a veteran.
I was not in a rush to get the work done since it was early fall and very warm out and I also work from home so could be here. But it seems Jeff was since he had me immediately order the stain I wanted from the paint store, but he said when he got there it wasn't ready and he showed up at my place about 2:30pm with a 1/3 full 5 gallon bucket of what looked to be a nice color and he kept saying it was far superior to the stain I ordered so I did approve that bucket of paint on his word and good faith. Jeff said that I should have let him pressure wash the stairs, but why do that when I stated up front not necessary as it was part of the purchase of my home so why would I pay for it to be done a second time? The stairs were clean and dry when he arrived. He did not seem well prepared and was in a friends very new car with his spray equipment and materials in back, said his truck was broken down and I told him I was happy to wait since I didn't want him to rush. He insisted to get started but did not protect my front porch deck or the side entry walls and door, also my car which was right next to the stairs and could have easily been moved had he let me know. He then got heavy sealant overspray on my front porch deck, side entry walls and door and over half of my car which I had to take to get cleaned right away! He also applied such a heavy layer of the sealer on the side stairs they had puddles and weren't fully dry when he then tried to paint in the pouring down rain a couple of days later, also asked him not to paint while it was raining but he did. He was not neat and slopped the dark paint on the white porch rains, spilled it on the stone walkway and just left it, walked through the paint and tracked it around the side entry on the driveway. There are missed spots all over the entire project. And when he came back the 3rd day he claimed he had to go buy another gallon (3rd one) of the paint to complete the job, though not sure why since the original white bucket was a 3rd full at start and paint store said it shouldn't have taken more than what I noted he showed me, for which I also paid for but it turns out it was another can of leftover paint from someone else's project opened and partially used, and he tried to hide it from me, also tried to take it with him even though it was mine having paid for it. And here is the final kicker to all of this, not only the poor and sloppy/shoddy work but the paint and sealant were incompatible and there was so much oil coming up to the surface I slipped and fell managing to fracture my wrist in the fall. As the winter weather has brought much rain a lot of areas have literally washed away. Jeff kept saying he stands behind his work and he'd come back and "fix it" but why would I have him back, he broke the trust by the bad work he did? He ruined both of my entries and they will now have to have fully stripped and properly done at my expense. I have the photos documenting all of this and had 3 different contractors all look at what he did and 2 of them said I should pull his bond. Not going to do that but want you all to beware of bad work. read more
