I had 4, old metal basement windows replaced. They didn't saw out the metal frames, like the job is usually approached; they hacked them out with hammers and chisels, making a "mini-mountain range" of a mess of all the cement sills.
The windows were so poorly installed, that more outside air came in than with the old ones. There were gaps between the windows and the foundation of more than 4 inches! They attempted to correct all of this with Great Stuff spray foam---everywhere! The also couldn't even make a wooden frame w/actual 90 degree corners.
Each of the 4 windows looked like it was done by a different person. No two were left in the same "finished" condition. On one, no attempt at all was made to finish it.
They ordered the wrong window for the dryer vent. They wanted to drill a hole in my foundation instead! (You do NOT do it that way, ever!) Then, they went hunting for a place for the vent, using a 1,25" bit, and drilling straight through the foundation sill. Luckily, I caught them after their first failed attempt. I had the correct-sized dowel to fill the hole, they did not---more Great Stuff? They didn't even have an 1/8" plumber's bit to "hunt" with. I had to give that them that, too! Just measuring would have been a good idea, for starters.
They didn't protect anything; left everything in my entire basement wood-shop covered in cement dust---days and days of work to clean it all.
In the end, I paid someone $700 (he gave me a big break---out of pity) to fix them as much as possible. He had to do cement work, carpentry, and finish carpentry. At least now, no outside air comes in.
Mr. Serpa will talk really quickly and confidently to try to steamroll you into thinking his resolution is valid, when it's quite definitely not. I dread to think of things they may have done had I not been home and watching them, because even that didn't help me!
He DID offer, immediately, to send someone to "fix" it. The people who already proved they didn't know how to do it correctly in the first place, are NOT the people who should be allowed to "fix" it, right? I declined.
He feels he did nothing wrong. He even brought his town building inspector "pal" to see them after I complained. They came unannounced onto to my property w/o permission. He knew they looked nice from outside, and that was all he planned for the inspector to see.
He doesn't realize that the HOMEOWNER oversees a second opinion, not the contractor. The inspector compromised his position by doing it, making anything he said completely invalid.
Have had lots of big projects done in the last year. This was the last and smallest of them. Turned out to be the only one that I chose the wrong person to do.
BTW, I used to work w/a home improvement Master Builder. I wish I could include pics of that person's bsmt window replacement jobs alongside mine. read more
