Avoid at all costs! I know this is long but the details matter, and these are very serious issues…read more
The short version: DZYN and its owner, Matt Lee, brought in people who STOLE FROM US; lied to us; opened clearly labeled, private packages and not only didn't tell us, but left several hundreds of dollars of purchases where they could be taken by anyone (there were always different people coming and going); damaged personal property in the apt; did a provably poor job in general. The plumbing is so shoddy that after a year we don't even have a working tub drain, have already spent $3,500 to fix SOME of the plumbing problems and will have to spend thousands more to just get the drain working, including destroying the ceiling of our downstairs neighbor ...
We met Matt Lee, owner of DZYN, when he did the bathroom of a neighbor. We interviewed five other contractors, but Matt seemed like a decent, stand-up guy and that bathroom looked nice, so we hired him to renovate our bathroom. A very standard job - nothing fancy.
Worst mistake EVER. Our bathroom looks like we did it ourselves on the weekend (instead of spending tens of thousands of dollars). Besides the issues above, almost a year later we still have huge holes in our bedroom wall, which he made when he broke through the bathroom wall and did not tell us about, much less fix (they were behind a dresser and so we didn't notice at first), and then tried to wriggle out of it (he is always making excuses and refuses to take responsibility); tiles that are crooked and don't follow a very basic pattern; and almost every new fixture is damaged: e.g., there are scratches on our new Toto toilet and Restoration Hardware medicine cabinet and much more.
Just one of a dozen or more similar examples: they installed our new Rejuvenation matte black flush-mount ceiling light before finishing the ceiling. Despite my asking several times that they remove it first (which I shouldn't have had to do in the first place; it's Reno 101), they didn't, and got white primer all over it. Matt Lee did not even notice because he was not checking his team's work. When I pointed it out to him, he said they'd clean it. I saw that they took it down, but when they put it back, it was in exactly the same condition! Again, DZYN's owner did not notice (you'd think he'd have checked, right?). When I again pointed it out, he said they did clean it would do so again.
When I next saw the installed fixture, they had PAINTED OVER the damage! WTF? Every time I look up I see the mismatched shiny paint. Why didn't he replace it? He knew that they'd damaged it.
Who does this?? Matt Lee and DZYN, that's who.
I could go on and on.
Back to the thefts - we caught them live on camera (had one arrested). Matt didn't even offer to reimburse us! We contacted him while the theft was in action and he said he was going straight over and would check the guy's pockets. When we asked him later, he said he did go right away but the guy had left. But when we asked his construction mgr what time Matt arrived that day, it wasn't until several hours later when the guy had indeed left because it was quitting time.
Matt Lee LIED.
His people did so much damage to our apt - a giant hole in an antique wicker-seat chair, which Matt acknowledged and could have fixed right away but didn't; damage to our hardwood floors that's so extensive we'll have to redo the entire apt; dark fingerprints on the fabric of our George Nelson pendant; on and on...
Also, Matt Lee is VERY defensive and too quick to anger. No matter how neutral, or even "we're in this together" you try to be, you can't have a discussion with him about any challenges without him getting extremely upset. Instead of just talking it through, he denies, denies, denies - and even blamed us for much of the damage! Red-faced screaming at a woman from just feet away, the two of you alone in a small room, is NOT ACCEPTABLE and certainly not professional.
We tried to work it out with him just to get him to finish, but every time we conceded - we even agreed to pay to repair damage HE did - he'd put forth another demand, moving the goalpost. It became clear he would never compromise. We went to the DCA, the licensing board for contractors; they couldn't resolve the issue because Matt Lee simply stopped responding to their attempts.
Apparently DZYN is capable of doing good work, but why risk it?
There are plenty of other contractors out there. Contractors who won't berate you, steal from you, trash your belongings and home, and do the job you've contractually agreed upon, and then fight you tooth and nail to avoid responsibility.