Contractor wanted: Exterior Doors
Trying again to find excellent recommendations for a contractor/carpenter to do work on two exterior wood doors on my home in Park Slope. Don’t send me slackers or unreliable dimwits — I’ve already hired them for other jobs and paid them well only to have the work disintegrate two months later. The door frames, casings…
Trying again to find excellent recommendations for a contractor/carpenter to do work on two exterior wood doors on my home in Park Slope. Don’t send me slackers or unreliable dimwits — I’ve already hired them for other jobs and paid them well only to have the work disintegrate two months later.
The door frames, casings and moldings all need to be replaced, primed, and painted. The frames themselves need some adjustments so the doors seal properly.
I would prefer someone licensed. Any suggestions?
I know Omar and Nathan to be the best and most skilled, but lets try to define terms:
“Licensed Home Improvement Contractor” You can choose to hire somebody to work on your home and pay $200 or more, but it is illegal to do the work without being licensed. This is to protect you from ethical lapses by contractors like me. The Dept of Consumer Affairs keeps track of complaints and where to find us. I would be delighted if more of you would consider hiring me because you checked that my license is legit and in good standing.
“Licensed Trades” Plumbers and Electricians, for example. Not under DCA, go to Dept of Buildings (DOB).
“General Contractor” When you hire somebody to manage the work on your home and they distribute much or all of the actual use of tools and your money to subcontractors, that is general contracting. Both GC’s and Sub’s are required to be licensed.
“General Commercial Liability Insurance” Anybody in business with it, may also have “Workers Compensation Insurance,” among other policies. Classifications of different more or less risky work changes the price annually, or by amount of payroll respectively, but it is generally more expensive for a GC than the firm doing some aspect of the work. GC’s are not the employers of subs, yet may be held liable for their actions. Only two principals of a firm can work without workers comp, by NYS law, and as a term of their NYC license. When subs don’t have “workers comp,” GC’s are obligated to provide it.
If your contractor does not pay taxes, does not legally dispose of debris, dose not provide workers comp, damages your property and does not finish the job, and if you try to get your money back, but you can’t because they are not insured, perhaps you will hire a licensed contractor next time.
On the other hand, just because it is cheaper to operate without insurance and license, does not imply bad or inexpensive. Some of the most skilled, admired and expensive work is done by unlicensed contractors. Home owners are free to hire who ever they like.
From what I’ve read on this forum, it’s probably wiser to use the two carpenter/door experts recommended above than a licensed general contractor for this type of work.
I had a great experience with Omar of Artistic Wood Craft at 646-541-3409. He has a workshop at the Brooklyn Navy Yard. I hired him AFTER I hired the three stooges who ruined a NEW SET OF DOORS when attempting to install them. Omar rebuilt the doors, installed them, helped pick the proper hardware (had the wrong stuff initially), installed the handsets, and also installed some beautiful custom molding in my vestibule. He is the polar opposite of some of the slackers, dimwits and idiots out there. I feel your pain.
Best guy is Nathan at southslope.woodworks, he has an ad over there—>