Forum: General Contractors
July 4, 2008
Need contractor
I need to find a reliable, reasonably priced contractor to 1) build stairs into my basement from the outside front of my house; 2) build stairs to the roof from a room on the top floor; enclose an interior basement staircase and replace the staircase. I also am looking for someone to build a roof deck. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
July 2, 2008
Contractor in Park Slope
Has anybody out there hired Pelaez Cabinets Inc. for general contracting in the past? If so, would you please give a sense of your experience? Thanks.
Transition Construction?
I called Perfect Renovation and they do not work in Bay Ridge. So the owner gave me the number of a subcontractor he uses - Transition Construction, the owner's name is Iraj.
Any one heard of them?
June 30, 2008
TREY (or Tray) DARBY: WORST CONTRACTOR EVER
This particular individual likes to sell himself as being a contractor in the Park Slope area. I used to live across the street from him on 6th ave and my landlady thought he was a pretty swell chap so she gave him some work. Not only could he not show up when he said he would, he over-charged her and said he could repair things he had no business repairing (such as an opening roof vent that, for 6 months, he had her believing the company simply wasn't sending the part fast enough. Another guy found all he had to do was change the fuse. There was no ordered part)
Knowing all of this, I gave him the benefit of the doubt thinking that the two of them had communication problems or whatever.
Fast forward to these last few months.
I called this so-called "contractor" to move an electrical switch and a security phone to destinations further down the wall. He proceeds make the light switch crooked and leave the new plaster all wavy and cracked.
Unfortunately, and completely to my error, I paid him the last bit of money owed on the job (the plaster hadn't dried yet so I didn't know the extent of the work that still needed completing) knowing that he would be back to do work for a neighbor (sadly, I had made the recommendation) and therefor easy to track down.
Not only did he stop returning my calls/texts, when I finally cornered him in my building, he had the nerve to promise that he would be up as soon as he was done with my neighbor. Since I wouldn't be available, another neighbor offered to stay home to let in this jerk. FOUR DAYS went by until he was finished with my neighbor's place with a promise every day that he would be over just as soon as he could. FOUR DAYS of either me or my poor neighbor waiting for this jerk.
To get to the meat of the story, my neighbor's place is finished, my wall is still cracked and wavy, and he still avoids answering my calls/texts. I would think he would simply finish it just to get me off his back.
June 29, 2008
Ripped off by a contractor ?
I just signed a contract with a contractor for a total amount of $13k. Just paid the 1/3 deposit and i just got quote from 4 other guys all around $3k. So clearly I am being ripped off by the guy I signed with (I know I should have not signed before getting additional quote - my mistake). But my question is: what is my recourse ? Can I take the contractor to small claim court for overcharging ?
May 27, 2008
Contractor Needed
I need a contractor who can provide painting, skim coating, molding and shelving installations. It's a relatively small job but I want someone GOOD. Please submit people that you have had a great / personal experience with ONLY.
Thanks!
May 19, 2008
stainless screw hex screws
where can i find these? checked two hardware stores in tribeca and sisters hardware in clinton hill. nada...does home depot have them?
May 5, 2008
Bad Brooklyn Contractors
Please whatever you do don't use the following contractors. They are completely unreliable, dishonest and rip-off artist. They'll lie for just about anything. One contractors name is Babou Adoyne. He purports to be an upstanding person and will charge exhorbitant prices and not complete the job. He's supposed to be a good woodwork guy and was hired to work for me for 2 months to replace my doors and strip some molding. The job started in December and he never finished. His men quit on him and they said he never paid them. It was the 2nd worst contracting experience I had since I've owned my home. So, please, please if you meet him, please stand clear.
The other bad contractor is Michele Bruno. He too is dishonest, unreliable and very expensive. After a spending a significant amount of money with him two years ago -- which i sorely regret -- my house doesn't even look like he did anything to it. He was a bully and completely untrustworthy. So please, stay clear of him as well.
May 1, 2008
Which contractor to pick?
I have come down to two estimates for my garden floor kitchen, dining, laundry and BR gut reno after putting it off for about 4 years. Contractor A is a design build firm that has a good reputation on this site, and Contractor B is a neighborhood contractor that has been used by our neighbors and is currently working on a full gut reno on a house across the street. I have been to see his work a few times.
Contractor A is prompt, professional, reliable and thorough, but seems to charge almost twice as much for everything. e.g., the costs of updating the electric are around 12K for contrator A compared to 7K for contractor B. Cost for moving a standard window opening and installing a window in it (labor only) approx. 2K; cost for wainscoting about 30 ft (labor only) 2.5K. However, contractor B is less formal (gives an oral estimate and allows me to get a direct price from the subs), his plumber needs to be chased for estimates, etc. and I imagine the whole process will come up with some hidden costs and headaches, but hopefully they will be minor. I do not think contractor B is dishonest.
In this day and age of declining real estate prices, should I go with A or B? Those of you who have done renos or are in the process, I would love to hear from you.
April 29, 2008
CO-OP Reno
My wife and I bought a 3br Co-op on Montgomery St. (Crown Heights) and we're looking for a quick and reliable contractor. With my wife being 7 months pregnant and itching to move, the clock was ticking and as a designer/engineer I have a very strong idea of what I wanted the finished space to feel like. Luckily I found Beer Home Improvement from a fellow Brownstoner and things were underway. Thahal Beer, the owner, was easy to work with and fixed several things that we discovered as the job went along. He also had some good aesthetic suggestions. The pricing for the job was fair and toward the middle of the 6 contractors I interviewed. If you're looking for a contractor, I highly recommend them. You can reach him at 1-646-358-6118. If you e-mail me, I'll be glad to send you a photo album with pics of the job.