Forum: General Contractors
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.