I contacted Steve on 4/28/18 to come and give me an estimate to lay laminate flooring in my living…read moreroom, dining room and hallway. He got back to me quickly and stated he could come the next day. When he came he gave me an estimate on the spot and we talked about an estimate (which he gave me) to lay floor moldings and change the fascia on the outside of the house and our timeline. We explained to him that my husband is currently changing the moldings around all the door frames and should he continue or wait until the floor is done. Steve said to continue because he has a special tool that he can cut the moldings while on the wall so it will adjust for the new flooring. We said great we will continue putting up the moldings.
We told him we wanted it done the weekend on June 9/10th, which he said weekends are no problem for him. He was very enthusiastic to do the job, and stated that he does whatever it takes to do the job and will stay late and work nights to get it done.
May 4th I contact Steve to put in two doors, we agreed on a price and date (May 11th). My husband removed the old doors, and Steve came promptly and did the doors quickly.
May 12th I text Steve to tell him we are ordering the laminate floor and I want to confirm June 9/10th. He tells me that June 9/10th works for him.
May 20th, I text Steve to tell him everything is ordered and in, and we will have the floor prepped and my husband will be on hand that weekend to help move the furniture as needed throughout the day, also I confirmed June 9/10th, and Steve said we are good, there is no problem.
June 4th (Monday), Steve texts me to tell me he may have to change the date to install because of soccer. I text him back stating the following weekend I have a prior engagement and that it is Fathers Day that Sunday. Due to soccer he didn't come June 9th, so we agree that he will come Fri/Sat, June 15/16, but he told me to call that Wednesday confirm with him because of his schedule. He will do the floor on Friday, and then the moldings on Saturday. He doesn't know if or when he can do the outside work.
June 15th he shows up at 8am with another guy and they start the job. They work until 6pm and the floor is not totally installed. At this time I asked him I don't understand why he is leaving the floor isn't done and that we were told you will work into the night to get things done. He said he had to go because he had to pick up his child, so we had no choice. After he leaves, my husband and I look around, and what a botched job. Steve had to remove and cut the door moldings, (which he told us he had a special tool) to put the floor down and in doing so he put holes in the wall, messed up the paint and dented/scratched the moldings, AND HE CUT THEM TOO SHORT. Also, when fitting the laminate floor he would do a cut too long, so you can see the cut marks when the floor was laid by the edges. Also when taking off the molding he must have slammed into the door with the pry bar because there is a big knick in one of the doors. Also, he cut the floor to far away from the wall.
June 16th, he shows up and he states he can only stay until about 4pm because he has something to do. We state, will the job be done, he says he's going to try. We start by telling him all the things he did wrong and asked what is he going to do. He had no answers for the damaged wall and paint, and his answers for the short moldings was he will caulk underneath them. REALLY!!! He starts working on finishing the floor and starts the floor moldings. By 4pm, he's ready to leave and not all the floor moldings are done, so we pay him for the work that is done, with the agreement that he will get the rest when he comes back to finish the moldings and he still needs to do the outside work. We are still not very happy with the work, and then noticed that a part of the laminate floor must not have been locked correctly because it came apart (so my husband had to fix this himself).
June 29th, I text Steve to see if July 21st is good to finish the work. He says its good. July 17th, I text him to confirm and he gets back to me on July 18th saying he is overwhelmed with work and he can no longer come. I write to him to tell him we had an agreement, and that I booked this almost a month in advance. He said he was sorry and didn't even offer me another date to come and finish the work.
Please don't hire this man to do any work. He is very unprofessional and really does sloppy work. I have all the texts and pictures to prove this. I really should bring him to small claims court to have him reimburse me for the all the door frame moldings he has ruined. I love to give small business work, and I love to help out people just starting out, but they have to be professional and stick to the agreement, which Steve does not!