If you want to be ripped off with an estimate almost twice the going rate...if you want to be jerked around for a month, and then get a phone message that they're not interested in your time-urgent job...if you want to talk and talk, but finally get not a lick of work done, then Deon Construction in Setauket, NY is the contractor for you.
To cut to the chase: Mark Deon, the owner, came to my house in Rocky Point, NY, following snow storm of March 8, 2018, to see about removing two evergreens and a small willow tree felled by the storm. His quote: $1,200! He said, "That's a fair price. You won't get someone doing it for $600, or something." (I'm a reporter, so those were his exact words.) The next day, a terrific arborist, Martin Streeff of Sound Beach, did it all for $700!
Deon was hardly a stranger when he came. He had been recommended by our electrician, a friend of his. In the past month, he had already been to our house twice for two long visits about our roof condensation problem. Butter wouldn't melt in his mouth as he talked about his company, and everything else. But he'd already canceled twice. I'd even asked if our job was too small for him; oh, no, he said. So when he tried to gouge us for the $1,200 for the trees, we already had a "relationship."
After I called and left a message that we'd had the work done for just about half of his quote, he left a message in return that he was no longer interested in our roof job, that it was better if "the two parties went their ways."
Wow, I couldn't agree more! Imagine if he'd actually started the roof job. There are many, many contractors out there; no need to go with a guy looking to rip you off. read more