UPDATE: I've added 3 photos today: a face frame that flew off the cabinet when I opened the door this morning and a tack I was obliged to put in place to support the bottom falling out of another cabinet! I've had contact from 2 people who read my reviews and are afraid to post their experiences because this man has been such a bullying presence in their homes!
"Best???"
AVOID!!!
NO! NON !!! ¡NO!!!! - In any language !!!
Unless you enjoy months of delay, every excuse in the book, being bullied and lied to by an over 6ft tall argumentative, insult wielding, contractor who thinks his customers want to hear about how hard it is for him to make a living, DO NOT ENGAGE WITH THIS HACK OF AN UNPROFESSIONAL WHO SEEMS TO COME FROM THE SCHOOL OF "HOW TO STRING A CUSTOMER ALONG/KEEP A CUSTOMER FRUSTRATED WHILE NOT FINISHING THE JOB. And by finishing the job, I mean I was told directly by Dan, the company owner, to expect the following to be addressed on the day the bulk of the work had been completed and tools/materials were moved out of my home: paint and adhesive splotches cleaned off my wood floors, scratches in the cabinets addressed (he addressed some, not all) paint on the wall, touch-ups to where the cabinets lacked full coverage in the new color....what kind of "professional" leaves a job without cleaning up their own mess? This week, I raised these issues again (4 months after paying in full for the job) and Dan texted me: "You want service." What does that even mean? He charges extra to clean up after himself/his workers and do touch-ups on cabinets in places lacking the new color?
I bought a condo in February (my 4th in Chicago) and engaged the services of 4 trades including this company. I paid each of the professionals I engaged IN ADVANCE. I have always been an independent contractor and appreciate the trust extended me when paid in advance, so I practice this when engaging other professionals.
This job dragged on for 4 months -- a job this man estimated to be 6 weeks! When I pointed out what it means to me to be paid or pay in advance, this man had the GALL to text me his advice: "Don't pay contractors in advance; they like it but it isn't good for you." So I asked if he knew that about himself why he took my money in advance --- why was he telling me after taking the money that he had only contempt, not appreciation for customers paying him in advance.
It was interesting to read other reviews in here. One person touched on feeling "bullied" by Dan. I too, felt bullied to the point of anxious when I expected him in my home. In texts and on the phone he was rude, argumentative, bullying and untruthful. One day, after telling me he would not be coming to work on the installation because "I am the owner! I am not an installer!" -- when his associate arrived, I let him in the door and looked down the hallway from my apartment to see Dan walking away with a hoodie pulled over his head!
Upon delivery, when he saw the amount of scratches and imperfections in the job done on my cabinets and island, he volunteered to take some of the doors back to his refinisher to redo them. But he put a limit on how many doors -- randomly said he couldn't/wouldn't take more than 4 or 5 - so I'm left with imperfections throughout this "paid in advance but I shouldn't have" nightmare of a job.
He admitted once I've been patient. I felt hopeful when he said that. In the end, it meant nothing. After 4 months, I'm over it. I need this man out of my home, out of my universe. It's come down to finding someone else to finish this man's unfinished work; last night I texted him I'm finished with his games and not to contact me ever again. Then I blocked him on my cell phone.
UPDATE: I added photos 7/12/17 showing the door of one cabinet cannot even be opened without scraping the cabinet next to it!
UPDATE 1/16/18: Photo added UNGLUED! 7 MONTHS SINCE THIS "WORK" WAS COMPLETED. UNDER NORMAL USE, (WHAT ELSE COULD IT BE?!) THIS FACE FRAME HAS COME UNGLUED. I KNOW HOW IT FEELS!