If you decide to go with Hartsock despite my one star review, some suggestions: Write your own agreement based on their estimate, include all salient details of the work and include complete clean-up at the end of the job and firm agreed-upon completion dates supported by financial penalties. If they are planning or decide to do any sub-floor work (there is almost always sub-floor work), insist on a county building permit and inspection. Do not pay more than 25% up-front with the balance due on completion. Do not trust them with a key. Restrict their access to the area where they are working.
Stress. I do not need the stress, and neither do you. I read some reviews and thought they could do the job for a reasonable price. I was wrong on every level. Let me explain why:
Steve Hartsock Senior was very difficult to reach, always having phone problems. Emails are bounced back. Still, I worked to make it happen because of the reviews. His quoted price was reasonable and the tile he showed me would look nice. I gave him a down-payment that was 40% of the quoted price.
Then the first day of work arrived. Steve showed around 10:45 and left around 3:30 with an hour lunch break. That would be his (and his son's) pattern - except on the day when the truck broke down. No work that day.
The demolition & removal of the old tile filled the house with dust despite his promises to contain the dust. Hartsock left the house unlocked and empty overnight. They left the house empty and unlocked WITH THE KEY IN THE LOCK when they left for their lunch break. They made themselves at home in the kitchen and in the refrigerator. They created an atmosphere where I felt that I worked for them instead of vice-versa. After four days of effort (mostly demolition), with gaping holes in my floor and a house layered with dust, they presented me with a new estimate that was more than twice the original price.
I decided to call in a well-regarded tile expert for consultation before I paid Hartsock any more money. The expert studied their work and told me that it was flat-out wrong, amateurishly done without regard to current trade practices and structurally unstable in places. It would have to be entirely removed and re-done. I proceeded to fire Hartsock Tile.
I am now paying to have their work entirely removed and done correctly. I will also be paying to have the entire house cleaned to remove the mess that they made. Naturally, the down payment that I gave them is history and the only useful thing that I received for it was the removal of the old tile and some rotted plywood. read more
