DO NOT hire DePalma Construction for commercial projects. We hired them to build a heavy-duty parking lot for our semi-trucks and trailers. We had engineering plans in place, but after signing the contract, DePalma ignored those plans and replaced them with his own -- cutting the lot size in half. Now we can only fit 18 trailers when we need room for 60, and there's no space for employee or truck parking. Worse, the lot can't support the weight of loaded trailers. They sink into the ground, sometimes all the way up to the dolly legs. The driveway is dangerously steep and too narrow for two semis to pass, which creates traffic hazards on Hwy 231. Several experts we've brought in say there's no foundation -- just crusher run on topsoil -- and the entire site will have to be torn up and redone from scratch. Despite making multiple payments, including an additional $44,000 to meet a deadline, the property is unusable. On top of that, there's now a lien on the site because DePalma hasn't paid his suppliers. We're sharing this to help others avoid the same mistake. Be very cautious before doing business with this company. read more

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Never showed up to do the job after paying a large down payment in cash. Very poor communication the owner Steve DePalma never follows through on his word. Still trying to get my deposit back. read more

Experienced this contractors work via another contractor subcontractor work to this company. Work here in the Northeast Central NY area. Deposit was paid in July. Work did not begin to 2 week in October, after complaints of cold weather coming in and cannot pour concrete in the cold. Won't begin work unless you wait months for them to start and tell main contractor that you want your deposit back. Then the show up unprepared and have no clue of what the work is to be done and just start digging around on the job site just so it looks like they have a clue and are doing the work. However, they don't and when you talk to them about the job, they do not have a clue and start telling you this is not they quoted too, but have no drawings or documents from the main contractor telling them what is to be done. How can you show up at a job site, start work, and no clue as to what is to be done??? Only time work get they show up is when you call the main contractor with problems or ask what is going on. Then they come flying over a couple of hours later to do something. Otherwise, nothing gets done. So, you supply them with prints and drawings, as they state main contractor never provided them. Then they repeatedly try and mark the price of the job up by saying the drawings and permits are not what they quoted to the main contractor. Main contractor is never on the job site either, and only showed up 3 times: 1) to quote the job to the prints and permit; 2) to collect the deposit; 3) when you have finally had enough of the work not being done to the prints and permits and tell Depalma subcontractor to stop. You find yourself Project managing them, and Depalma quickly takes objection to being told to follow the quote, drawings, and permits, as well as material depths called out. Constantly complains to you that they underbid the job and want more money too. Flat out refuses to follow key material depths for the concrete and tells you they are going to use mesh and go thinner. You tell them to match the print, but they tell you they know what their doing and put mesh in anyways. Saves them 1-2 of concrete or more on entire project. As they fully intend to cut material costs where they can because they possible misquoted the job to the main contractor. Subcontractor flat out refuses to completely pour a 40' by 27" section of concrete, even when told his forms are in the wrong position per the drawings. Told him forms where in wrong location, said he would fix in a phone call, next day he pours the concrete without moving the forms! And this was also too shallow, 3-4" with mesh instead of 6" deep. Handicap walkway to the road was never put in. Installed curbing with no recess to the road. Handicap and loading area is now a 9-10" step up to get from the road. Building has 2 ground rods to 2 different sections of a the building. They cut the new leads to ground line and leave the older line in place, then cover the ground rod with concrete! Now I will have another company come in, drill through the concrete and install another brand new ground rod and reconnect the main build ground. Any communication with this subcontractor is strained. They Never have the prints or permits to go by on the job site, constantly touting how much experience they have, but refuse to follow the prints and material depths per the quoted work. You speak with the main contractor who does nothing to keep this job in line with the drawings and the approved permits. Never does any work unless you call main contractor and ask why nothing is getting done or why the subcontractor is not following the drawings. Repeatedly have Permit inspector initially out to site inspecting that layout does not exceed permit, but fails to ensure work meet the approved drawings and Permit on file. Verbal fights and argument with adjoining Land owners on either side are as the used a adjoining Land owners property to gain access to worksite without authorization. Damages a section of driveway, tells no one and I am surprised to find out a section of asphalt was replaced with repair patch, which has way too much stone and not enough tar. Will fall apart in year or two. Last 2 days before work was told to stop, Takes liberties in using power and water without authorization. Walks into onsite residential building unannounced and just wanders! They also installed hay/straw (I have bad allergies to this and told them) and some grass seed all over the dug up dirt areas. Which was supposed to be my responsibility. The came back with a leaf blower and blew the hay/straw and grass seed into 2 piles: one in the front lawn area, and the other 30' up my drive and all around my kitchen door!!! Very petty!!! read more