9/16 RESPONSE TO RAUL'S MESSAGE:
The photos I posted are as…read morerecent as my review. Calling them "old" doesn't change the fact that the fence still looks like that. What's actually old is your year-long list of excuses for why you never came back to fix your own work.
And really--racist? I've been nothing but patient while you strung me along for months. It's honestly appalling you'd even throw that word around when you know it isn't true. Let's also clear up this "whole team" you keep mentioning. Do you mean your dad? Because that's who showed up. I didn't even speak with him since I don't speak Spanish--which is why my Hispanic husband handled communication those two times he came out. So where you're getting "racist" from is beyond me, but it says more about you than it does me.
Also, let's drop this "you just want free work" nonsense. I paid you--every single penny. On time. I even gave you a $1,000 advance before you finished when you asked. I have all the text receipts to prove it, so maybe double-check your memory before accusing me of not paying.
And dragging your kid into this? That's just bizarre. I remember the one day he was here--sitting in your car on a hot day. I was the one who offered that he could come into the backyard or swim so he wouldn't overheat sitting in your car. If you're twisting that into me being "upset," then I don't know what to tell you. The only thing I've been upset about is your lousy workmanship and the fact that you refuse to stand behind it.
Oh, and since you keep boasting about your "$7 wood"--both licensed fencing contractors I had out to assess the mess told me the same thing: that wood for fencing needs to be purchased in advance and allowed to set, because temperature and moisture cause it to shift. The fact that you just grabbed the wood that same day from Home Depot and installed it immediately explains exactly why it started warping. And no, it didn't cost you $7 a piece--let's not exaggerate when receipts exist.
At the end of the day, I don't want free work. I wanted the work I paid for done correctly. You didn't deliver, and now instead of owning it, you're lobbing excuses, lies, and made-up drama. Unfortunately for you, the fence--and the texts--speak louder than your story does. If you spent half as much energy fixing fences as you do making excuses, we wouldn't even be here.
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ORIGINAL REVIEW
Do not hire Raul Hernandez (Ranchero Fencing / Golden Era Fencing / High Desert Affordable Fencing).
I hired Raul Hernandez in May 2024 to build a modern fence. The project was completed in June, but only after multiple delays from him not showing up when he said he would. Within three months--by September 3, 2024--the fence was already showing serious issues.
That started a year-long nightmare of back-and-forth with Raul. He made endless promises to fix his work, but rarely followed through. Over the course of an entire year:
-His father came out twice (for only a few hours each time), but even admitted the job needed to be removed and redone.
-Raul only came out once, after I pushed him repeatedly.
-Because the fence was built with tongue-and-groove wood, it can't be "patched." The only fix is to remove and rebuild it.
Instead of taking responsibility, Raul kept trying to shift the blame to his father--even though his dad only set the metal posts at the start, and Raul himself did all the woodwork. Every step of the way, it was excuses, no-shows, and broken promises.
Finally, after a FULL YEAR of nothing, I asked for a refund. I obtained two professional quotes from reputable fencing companies, both over $6,000 to fix Raul's work (reusing the same metal posts). At first Raul agreed to a refund, until he realized how much it would cost him. Then he backtracked, claimed he would "work his magic," and when I declined, he started threatening court. He even bragged that he does liens and isn't afraid of legal action.
We even tried to be reasonable by offering him a compromise of $4,000 (still leaving us $2,000+ out of pocket). He refused. At this point, we are taking Raul to court and filing a complaint with the CSLB for all three of his companies.
To be honest, I imagine the repair work would not have been so substantial had Raul addressed the issues when I reached out to him a year ago. At this point, I have no patience left for him so any of his promises to "work his magic" is gone.
Bottom line: Raul Hernandez is unprofessional, dishonest, and unreliable. His work fell apart within months, he wasted a full year of our time, and he refuses to stand by his word. Save yourself the stress and money--hire someone else.
