WARNING bad contractor

[swood]

GB&S they do repair work and property maintenance
I had a job done by him it colapsed and he came finally to fix but is still not safe, a friend had used him and was over charged and he was showing up late after noon and demanding to be paid for his shody work.
Pass this around to all your contacts
he does work through out the GTA

 

[dirkd101]

You should alaways do your homework when hiring a contractor to do any work. These renovation guys just change their names every 6 months and keep on doing what they do best. Best to get quotes and hire a guy who has done good work and comes recommended for someone you know or a someone who's been in the biz under the same name for along time. Get references as well.

 

[Ms.FemmeFatale]

Another Cowboy builder eh?

http://makeitright.ca/Mike_Holmes_Online/mikes_contractor_list.php

Look through the list. All have worked with Mike Holmes on his shows. All have been screened to ensure proper workmanship. Links will point you to what shows they did what work on. You can seen for yourself first hand their work.

However, just because they work with good ol' Mike, still do your research with and ask for references and FOLLOW THROUGH with checking those references.

 

[Danolo]

Another Cowboy builder eh?

http://makeitright.ca/Mike_Holmes_Online/mikes_contractor_list.php

Look through the list. All have worked with Mike Holmes on his shows. All have been screened to ensure proper workmanship. Links will point you to what shows they did what work on. You can seen for yourself first hand their work.

However, just because they work with good ol' Mike, still do your research with and ask for references and FOLLOW THROUGH with checking those references.

Great link...Thanks FF

 

[Ms.FemmeFatale]

Great link...Thanks FF

I am reno junkie, what can I say?

and I swear it has NOTHING to do with hard working men sweating away while making the perfect kitchen for me to bake goodies in while nakid under an apron!

LOL

 

[CUPID]

Report them to www.homestars.com it is like terb for contractors.

 

[james t kirk]

Another Cowboy builder eh?

http://makeitright.ca/Mike_Holmes_Online/mikes_contractor_list.php

Look through the list. All have worked with Mike Holmes on his shows. All have been screened to ensure proper workmanship. Links will point you to what shows they did what work on. You can seen for yourself first hand their work.

However, just because they work with good ol' Mike, still do your research with and ask for references and FOLLOW THROUGH with checking those references.

I disagree. That list is a place to start (maybe), but it doesn't mean that you will get a good job. They haven't been screened. They just wanted on the show and offered their work for free to the Producers for the publicity and they made sure they did a good job at the time.

I usually do pretty much all my own home renovations, but sometimes, you don't have the tools, or the skill, or it's too much for one guy.

So I too thought that that list would be a good place to start. I needed my eaves trough and old aluminum facia and soffit replaced. I called 3 guys on the list and ended up going with "Better Contracting" (who are on that show every episode practically)

On the show, Better Contracting shows up with 8 guys in matching T shirts, wearing their safety harnesses, and mouthing off about permits and contactors that just subcontract out blah blah blah.

The REALITY is that when YOU hire them is that they merely subcontract your job to a Jobber and pay him piece work (by the square foot). They take their cut and the Jobber does the work and he has to cope with it.

In my case, they (Better Contracting) subbed the entire job to "Sonny from Oshawa" (I live in High Park.) Sonny shows up BY HIMSELF (oh, other than his girlfriend who sits in the front seat of his van and smokes and talks on the cell phone all day while Sonny works. Usually she is seen weeping as she talks on the cell. From time to time, Sonny tries to calm her down to no avail.))

Anyway, Sonny is working by himself, which of itself is dangerous when you're 2 stories up ON A LADDER.

After Sonny strips the old aluminum, het starts trying to nail up the new 2 x 6 facia boards. BY HIMSELF. Picture a guy on the top of a ladder, leaning out to catch the rafter tails, trying to hold a 2 x 6 x 12 by himself and nail by himself. (So much for Occupational Health and Safety eh) I got so pissed off watching him that I helped him. Then he kept missing the rafter tails with nails. So, again, I show him how to do his job. (Mark the locations of the rafter tails, 2 nails per tail, hold up the long end of the board, nail my ends, etc.)

He did the aluminum work by himself as well.

I had to help him there too. In fact, I came home and he had boxed in the porch beam wrong and I had him take it down and showed him how to correct it.

I also cleaned up every day for him.

A different guy did my trough and he did a great job.

All in all, I got what I wanted, but it was not proper.

 

[jackson11]

Call Holmes on Homes. Not only will he fix the shoody work the contractor did he will rip off and replace at least half your roof, add in two new bathrooms, rewire your entire house and will find and remove mold and asbestos even though you only need your shoddy work fixed. Can't beat that.

 

[Ms.FemmeFatale]

I disagree. That list is a place to start (maybe), but it doesn't mean that you will get a good job. They haven't been screened. They just wanted on the show and offered their work for free to the Producers for the publicity and they made sure they did a good job at the time.

I usually do pretty much all my own home renovations, but sometimes, you don't have the tools, or the skill, or it's too much for one guy.

So I too thought that that list would be a good place to start. I needed my eaves trough and old aluminum facia and soffit replaced. I called 3 guys on the list and ended up going with "Better Contracting" (who are on that show every episode practically)

On the show, Better Contracting shows up with 8 guys in matching T shirts, wearing their safety harnesses, and mouthing off about permits and contactors that just subcontract out blah blah blah.

The REALITY is that when YOU hire them is that they merely subcontract your job to a Jobber and pay him piece work (by the square foot). They take their cut and the Jobber does the work and he has to cope with it.

In my case, they (Better Contracting) subbed the entire job to "Sonny from Oshawa" (I live in High Park.) Sonny shows up BY HIMSELF (oh, other than his girlfriend who sits in the front seat of his van and smokes and talks on the cell phone all day while Sonny works. Usually she is seen weeping as she talks on the cell. From time to time, Sonny tries to calm her down to no avail.))

Anyway, Sonny is working by himself, which of itself is dangerous when you're 2 stories up ON A LADDER.

After Sonny strips the old aluminum, het starts trying to nail up the new 2 x 6 facia boards. BY HIMSELF. Picture a guy on the top of a ladder, leaning out to catch the rafter tails, trying to hold a 2 x 6 x 12 by himself and nail by himself. (So much for Occupational Health and Safety eh) I got so pissed off watching him that I helped him. Then he kept missing the rafter tails with nails. So, again, I show him how to do his job. (Mark the locations of the rafter tails, 2 nails per tail, hold up the long end of the board, nail my ends, etc.)

He did the aluminum work by himself as well.

I had to help him there too. In fact, I came home and he had boxed in the porch beam wrong and I had him take it down and showed him how to correct it.

I also cleaned up every day for him.

A different guy did my trough and he did a great job.

All in all, I got what I wanted, but it was not proper.

Ummmmm did you miss the part where I said

"However, just because they work with good ol' Mike, still do your research with and ask for references and FOLLOW THROUGH with checking those references."


and when you hired them and they subcontracted, why did you go through with it???? It is like showing up to a B&S. Tell Sonny to take a hike. I don't get it but whatever.

 

[dirkd101]

Your local Home Depot is a place to start, but the best contractors arew the ones that friends, co-workers and family have used. Easy to find out their work history.

 

[james t kirk]

Ummmmm did you miss the part where I said

"However, just because they work with good ol' Mike, still do your research with and ask for references and FOLLOW THROUGH with checking those references."


and when you hired them and they subcontracted, why did you go through with it???? It is like showing up to a B&S. Tell Sonny to take a hike. I don't get it but whatever.

Don't get defensive. I'm just pointing out the facts based on my experience.

Why did I go through with it?

Because they already have a deposit from you before they even mobilize.

Secondly, they don't provide you with a detailed construction methodology so you don't know who is doing what, whether Sonny is just doing the demolition, or the entire scope of work, etc. etc.

I'm just saying that what you see on Holmes and what you really get CAN BE two very different things.

But you are correct, it is a kind of bait and switch, but I did not even think to ask whether they do it with their own forces, or sub it out to a Jobber.

A good contractor, like a good mechanic, or a good dentist, or a goog call girl is a hard thing to find sometimes.

 

[james t kirk]

Call Holmes on Homes. Not only will he fix the shoody work the contractor did he will rip off and replace at least half your roof, add in two new bathrooms, rewire your entire house and will find and remove mold and asbestos even though you only need your shoddy work fixed. Can't beat that.

Agreed.

Although I am a fan of Mike, the show developed into a farce after about the 2'nd season. It went from fixing one small thing, to rebuilding the entire freaking house (none of which was usually the fault of the low-ball contractor who did the initial shitty job)

 

[RandyAndy2]

Be careful when checking references. Several years ago my parents had some work done in their home. The contractor's reference gave a glowing endorsement, then the contractor proceeded to do a completely crappy job. Turns out that the reference was the contractor's sister.

 

[ctv250]

I wish that Holmes on Homes would name names like they do. Yes I know liability questions etc... but it would be sweet to find out who the douchebags are and at least give them a chance to account for their actions. (And they never seem to be able to which makes them look that much stupider)

Speaking of liability, any issues with naming shoddy contractors in this thread?

 

[FatOne]

Be careful when checking references. Several years ago my parents had some work done in their home. The contractor's reference gave a glowing endorsement, then the contractor proceeded to do a completely crappy job. Turns out that the reference was the contractor's sister.

I am surprised that a bad contractor doesn't have a few references like that lined up unless it is asked for so rarely it is just easier to lose the occasional job.

 

[frankcastle]

write a review on homestars it's a review site for people who do home renos, residential trades and what not.

 

[richaceg]

whenever I need something done, what I do is search for a contractor who specialize on what I need done. I just don't have the confidence to hire someone who claims they can do it. Maybe it's a trust issue on my part but I just feel confident when hiring someone who specialize on a certain area. I do subcontracts on my field and I stick to it and a lot of times I've been asked by clients if I can do a certain job that's out of my grasp and I usually turn them down just because it's not my field anymore.

 

[friedrice]

Agreed.

Although I am a fan of Mike, the show developed into a farce after about the 2'nd season. It went from fixing one small thing, to rebuilding the entire freaking house (none of which was usually the fault of the low-ball contractor who did the initial shitty job)

I have to agree with James. Hired Mike to redo some electrical and while the job was well done, he charges three times what anyone else does. Double is one thing if you want peace of mind. Triple?

I am so sick of seeing the guy. He seems to be two thirds of HGTV Canada's programming.

 

[dirkd101]

They built him up and they are going to ride the Mike wave as long as they can.

 

[Ms.FemmeFatale]

Don't get defensive. I'm just pointing out the facts based on my experience.

Why did I go through with it?

Because they already have a deposit from you before they even mobilize.

Secondly, they don't provide you with a detailed construction methodology so you don't know who is doing what, whether Sonny is just doing the demolition, or the entire scope of work, etc. etc.

I'm just saying that what you see on Holmes and what you really get CAN BE two very different things.

But you are correct, it is a kind of bait and switch, but I did not even think to ask whether they do it with their own forces, or sub it out to a Jobber.

A good contractor, like a good mechanic, or a good dentist, or a goog call girl is a hard thing to find sometimes.

Why are you giving a deposit with a contact??? I would not have any work done with a contract that states time-lines, job quote, etc. No where would I sign saying that I would allow the job to be subcontracted out.

I know it is past but for people reading for the future. NEVER GET A JOB DONE WITHOUT A CONTRACT and of course one that you completely read through first.