We used Ippolito Renovations (aka Ippolito Refinishing) for a major remodeling of our home, which included the replacement of our heating and A/C systems. The remodeling part was long and drawn out over 7-8 months, far beyond the initial estimated time frame of several months. We couldn't help but feel our project was a lesser priority than other projects on the contractor's docket. However, his work crew was very friendly and professional throughout.
The reason for the two star review had to do with the heating/AC replacement phase of the work. The contractor used a long-time friend to replace our heating/AC systems, but he was totally not the right person for the job. What should have taken no more than 1-2 weeks at most to install an attic furnace and the outdoor A/C compressor took 1 1/2 months which meant having Thanksgiving, Christmas and January without heat. We entertained our family by putting up plastic sheeting in one room and plugging in several portable heaters. The installer would sometimes be a "no show" for days he promised he would be there or stay past midnight to continue his slow installation process. When he "finished" the installation, the system did not work properly and we were left to call out an independent installer to find out what was not working, which in part turned out to be an improperly connected thermostat to the new furnace. Later, Ippolito Renovations fired the original installer and called in another A/C company to finish the work as there were items that were not completed with the original install. Even to this day, the A/C output is uneven across many rooms (with barely any airflow in certain rooms). According to one A/C installer we called out because the A/C did not turn on the fuse was blown and the original installer should have replaced the old disconnect box outside near the compressor, as well as the old fuses, at the time of installation.
To make matters worse, our contractor could not provide receipts for the Marvin windows or the furnace/AC units that we could use to document our energy-efficient installations for tax purposes. These receipts are also critical for warranty purposes, as we found out when our new A/C system went out during a hot stretch this summer. Without the receipt, our ten-year warranty is void and only a basic, lesser warranty period could be honored. We called and/or emailed Rick Ippolito, the proprietor, many times well over a year for the receipts and the manuals. Each time, he told us our request was his top priority and that he would get to it once he got to his office. To this day, we have nothing, and have not heard from him.
To me, what matters most in choosing contractors is not only the quality of their work, but timeliness, dependability, and follow-through. In our case, timeliness, dependability and follow-through were totally lacking. I sincerely wish I didn't have to give this negative review, but I've lost patience with his empty promises, and the questionable work on our AC system. read more