I hired Tello Stone Work & Concrete for a custom outdoor fireplace finish project. The signed…read morecontract included surface preparation, stucco application, stone installation, mantle/hearth detailing, finishing, final touch-ups, and cleanup.
Some of the initial stonework looked good, and I complimented the work during the project. Unfortunately, serious issues arose after the hearth slabs were installed. The hearth slab installation did not match the approved rendering/design, and all four hearth slab pieces had issues, including poor cuts/joints, visible gouges/scrapes, and a visible front-edge chip that was filled with mortar instead of being properly corrected. These were not natural stone variations, veining, or normal imperfections. The slabs were damaged during handling and/or installation.
After I requested replacement/correction, Hector eventually agreed that the damaged hearth stone would be replaced. After that, communication deteriorated and the company did not return to complete the correction or the remaining contracted work. Tello Stone Work & Concrete later told me they did not want to finish the project, even though we had a signed contract covering the remaining work, including stucco application, finishing, final touch-ups, and cleanup.
They also stated that stucco was not part of the original quoted scope, even though the signed contract specifically included stucco application.
The project was left incomplete, cleanup was not completed, and I was left with a damaged/problematic hearth, unfinished stucco work, delays, stress, and the added cost of finding another contractor willing to complete/correct partially completed work.
The company offered a full refund of my $1,800 deposit, but later stated they would only refund it if I allowed them to remove/demolish installed stone/materials from my fireplace.
I did not agree to allow demolition or removal because of the risk of additional damage to the existing structure/fireplace.
Based on my experience, I cannot recommend Tello Stone Work & Concrete for a detailed custom finish project. I have photos, the signed contract, emails, and text messages documenting my experience.