Contractors! What's a Homeowner To Do?!

UGH!! I have had the worst luck with Georgia contractors. It started with Mr. Williams who was suppose to paint my house. I never saw such a mess! Paint over all of my plants and shrubs after he promised he would cover them to protect them. And then, my deck ended up being two-toned, looking like something indescribable. Unreal. I would never recommend that company to anybody.

Last year my nephew died - while cooking. Needless to say, there was a lot of smoke damage and the kitchen's linoleum had a burned spot where the pot he was holding settled and it needed replacing. My niece was very close to her brother and she and her 5 years old son found him and of course they were distraught beyond comprehension. Hoping to get as much repaired and cleaned up to minimize the effect on her, I contacted my insurance company to see if they could get somebody out to repair the damage before we returned from the funeral and ended up commiting the ultimate sin....I LET MY INSURANCE COMPANY PICK THE CONTRACTOR.

I know. Yes, it's just not done but all I could think about was that at least some of the reminders of that dreadful day would be gone. Anyway, in all fairness, the floor repairs were done "ok" but they totally messed up my cabinets. I had white-white cabinets but when I returned, they were almond. Now, I have white-white, stove, refrigerator, exhaust hoods, etc. and these ALMOND cabintets standing out. When I called the company and said, "you used the wrong color on my cabinets", he immediately responded, "your cabinets are white-white". I said yes, they were, but they are almond now. Of course they refused to repaint the cabinets the right color and the insurance company could care less. So now, everything else is white-white in my kitchen and the cabinets are almond. Yes, even the cabinet tops are white-white! they did not clean nor replace the white-white kitchenette, or the white doors or baseboards. In their mind, the smoke went straight to the ceiling and didn't touch the walls. So, they painted the ceilings, but not the wall.

When I challenged this with the insurance company, they then painted the ceiling and the walls, but not the trim! Can you say EXASPERATING!! Paul Davis Restoration - stay away from them when it comes to painting. You can do a better job yourself. Customer service stinks!


This one is the kicker - in May 5, 2008 year I hired Morningstar Restoration to replace my roof and repair 3 ceilings that were damaged. The roof was finally done in August 2008. The three water-damaged ceilings still have not been replaced or repaired. Now, they called me and told me if I hired a handy man they would return that money to me, but of course they didn't. They held on tothe money stating they will give me my $445 refund once the company sends them the balance of the money owed. they felt certain the company would send the balance (probably over a thousand dollars) to me so they will just hold on to my $445 to see if they get their money.

Can you say STUPID?! I was furious so I filed a complaint with the BBB, afterall they proudly sport the BBB on their contract. I also sent all the documents to my nephew, who is a JAG. All I want is my darn ceilings repaired! Why can't Contractors do what they are paid to do? Are there any contractors in the Atlanta Georgia area that aren't thieves!!!!!!!

Well, let's see what happens. It's in my lawyer's hands now. Meanwhile, Ill do everything I can to make sure other consumers are aware of unethical and untrustworthy contractors that I deal with!

And me, well, - I jes' keep climbin'

L2B