I recently contracted LaSalle Fence aka Precision Postholes and Fences to do a large amount of replacement fencing in my kennel business starting May 23rd and finishing June 7th. The facts of the matter are as follows: I paid him a deposit of $4280 in April, and another deposit of $3860 on June 5th when they started the re-installation of my fences. Trevor and his team only installed one of the 50 something fence sections, and the fence they did install was completely the wrong height and missing gate openings effectively blocking off my yards. On June 6th Trevor and his team left early, and never came back. My kennel re opened for business on June 7th. This re opening date was made very clear with Trevor and that date was clearly recorded in our contract. We had a one day delay due to concrete but I was reassured by Trevor repeatedly that the work would be done by the end of the day on the 8th, which was also confirmed in an email. We were then told in an email from Trevor on June 7th that a combination of personal issues and the truck carrying my parts being pulled over by the MTO meant there was a delay. I called his fence supplier directly on June 7th to see if they could deliver the parts on Trevor's behalf so I could start setting them in place on my own to help Trevor's team catch up. When I contacted his supplier I was told there was no order and no gates, parts, or fences had been ordered or welded for this job. On June 8th after trying to reach Trevor multiple times by text, email and phone he finally emailed to acknowledge he would not be back to finish the job due to personal issues and would refund my deposits and reimburse me for lost revenue. I responded with an email thanking him for letting me know and for agreeing to reimburse me, and informed him that I would need that refund by June 20th in order to pay a new fence company to finish the job. I then didn't hear from him again until June 19th by email in which he said he would pay me back the deposit minus work completed with no mention of reimbursement for the daily lost revenue extending now more than two weeks past the finish date. On June 22nd I sent him another email advising him that I had sought legal advice and would be expecting a certified cheque for the full amount by 4:00 pm on June 25th. I still have not received payment from him and have discussed next steps with my lawyer.
At the end of the day we were given a laundry list of excuses - everything from delays with equipment, delays with materials, right down to his son being sick. We're not heartless people - if there's a personal family issue that prevents the job from being done I understand that - I accepted that response, thanked him for informing us and hired a new contractor. I have a family and family comes first. BUT: Trevor's personal issues should not become MY family's personal issues by putting us in this horrendous position. He collected this money from me for a job that he did not even come close to completing, acknowledged he will not be coming back to complete, and acknowledged that he will refund; therefore it is his obligation to refund that money. We are now more than two weeks behind and my business is suffering as a result.
Please please PLEASE do NOT hire this man or this company to do any work for you. Whatever personal issues may be going on does not make it ok for him to steal my money and drain my business in the process. Do not hire Trevor McDonald aka T.J. McDonald whether as LaSalle Fence, Precision Postholes and Fences, or any other name. I absolutely do not want Trevor McDonald to have the opportunity to potentially ruin a business or cause anyone else this kind of financial hardship. At the end of the day we will survive this and move on - but a brand new small business or someone on a very tight budget could easily go under because of this kind poor business practice.
**We have since learned from a couple of other sources that this is not the first time this year Trevor has done this to a business. Please be warned!!!!!