QUOTE CLARITY. Quote calls out some exclusions like shower glass and an electrician, but makes no…read moremention of what materials were/were not included. For example, a line item in the quote specifically states installation of tile and durock. You're supposed to know they mean durock is included but a minimum tile spec is not. After costs related to tile and hardware, like toilets, tubs, cabinet handles, faucets etc. we spent another $24k - outside the Bovenzi quote. For example, why can't an estimated cost on 3 tubs, or 3 toilets be called out as a line item such as the estimate of $3,500 for glass? Bovenzi does not provide an all encompassing quote - which is fine; however, they just need to call out ALL the exclusions and not random exclusions. Specifically calling out some items that are excluded, but not all, leaves the impression that everything else is included.
LATE: Not on time and not on-site when they say they will be there. When the GM came to complete the final walk-through, the master bath was at a point where you couldn't even physically see the floor yet - there is considerable disconnect between those managing the projects and those doing the work. Additionally, if someone tells you they will be on-site tomorrow, there's a 50/50 chance of that being accurate.
TRADES: The trades coming in smelled like booze, and lots of it. They also smell like smoke, but the alcohol was concerning.
PAYMENTS: From the day they called for final payment stating today was their last day until the day they actually left was 2 additional weeks (including 2 no-show days) - lots of disconnect.
COMMUNICATION: I actually almost called the police on a guy I saw on my cameras wandering around my driveway/entry (I was not living in the home the first 3 months of owning it). It ended up being the guy dropping off the dumpster to begin demo. While this seems innocent enough, we had absolutely NO CLUE they were starting the project that day/week/month. Thinking someone was there to drop off a giant dumpster related to the project beginning demo that VERY day was literally the last thing on my mind based on my conversations with them to date. Also, if you send in a request like "can you tell me the height of the vanity so I can order a mirror", they quickly and kindly respond that they will get that right over to you; however, you will have to ask AT LEAST 3 times to get the most basic questions answered.
NEGLECT/DISREGARD/DAMAGE: We discovered they ran the A/C at 60 degrees 24/7 for the first 5 days per our wireless thermostat (we were not at home). They said they would turn it off when they left in the evening but that was not the case. A nest thermostat we later installed fixed the problem so I could turn the system off when no one was at the home; however, the harm was already done. We required HVAC repair by the end of their first week on the job as we lost the entire upstairs system (where they were working). We had several instances of walls being punched through to the other side (bedrooms & closets) with no clean up. To clarify, we know holes will be made throughout the entire process, it was just making the mess, and not cleaning it up for weeks while everyone continues to walk on the debris, that caused considerable damage to our flooring. Dirty hand tools were set directly on brand new carpet. 40-year-old, grimy, exhaust fans, light switches, light fixtures, etc. set directly on brand new carpet with no plastic/protection. Over halfway through the project, when I was visiting the site, I was the one to personally vacuum, mop my stairs and apply floor protection paper. They will also leave white shoe covers at the front door and never use them.
MARK-UPS: Considerable mark-up on showroom selections like tile & hardware. I found all the faucets at Home Depot for $2k less but they said they went with Ferguson instead because they were in stock. Those fixture boxes from Ferguson sat on the floor of my foyer for over a month. There would have been zero issues waiting a week or two for Home Depot to supply them.
FINAL CLEAN: None. While a final clean (though poor) was technically completed on the guest baths, no one even came to complete a final clean once the master bath was finally completed.
TOTAL: Cost for 1 master bath & 2 (5X7) guest baths "all in" ended up at $82,500. If I would have known most materials were not included, they technically were the most expensive quote we had received. I now much preferred the quotes we received that budgeted for everything to complete the project.
AFTER COMPLETION: Wood floors had to be refinished in several damaged areas. One vanity faucet had hot/cold reversed. Master bathtub had no hot water. Shower drain in master was fully blocked a month after completion - we pulled massive amounts of drywall debris they must have washed down the drain. To note, we preferred to handle all of these ourselves and did not reach out to Bovenzi.
