Re: [Chat] don't hire----

[Karen Morley]

Christine and Emily.you should both post your information on Angie's List. It is relatively new here in Baltimore and you can really make a difference if you report good and bad service people.especially the ones where you've had a bad experience.Christine Gray [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:  Emily, thank you so much for your list and commentary.I add to the list of "don't hire" Tag Electric. There worker told me thatif I needed an electrical part to buy the lamp at Home Depot, take what Ineeded from the box, and return it because the lamp was "missing parts."Christine -Original Message-From: [EMAIL PROTECTED][mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Emily ChalmersSent: Tuesday, May 02, 2006 3:25 PMTo: The Charles Village Chat List;
 Chat@charlesvillage.info; Charles VillageDiscussion; Julie ModlinSubject: Re: [Chat] Wanted: Handyman/Carpenter/Advice--recommendationsUnfortunately I returned to the list a message that was intended for Didonalone.However, now that the word is out, I'll list the contractors I've found whohave done really wonderful work. It took me weeks to find this group, so Ihope this listing saves others some time.Tile: Steve Snyder, Eagle Tile and Marble 443-677-6280. Steve tiled mykitchen floor, which was very, very uneven. He not only leveled it out butalso did a lovely job with the tile. Total cost with the leveling $1200;without $800. The old tile was already up, and I bought the new tile andgrout. Steve also redid the lead pan in my 1930s shower, breaking up theold tile and installing new waterproofing and tile. It looks great. Totalcost $750, including material. Steve is a great guy--just be sure to tellhim
 to clean up the grout dust and haul away his old tile! He left me witha bag I can't lift . . .Flooring: Old World Floors, in the phone book. People in CV have talkedabout Bobby Severe for years, and I'm here to say that he is the best. Herefinished all the wood floors in my house, upstairs and down, and repairedstained and damaged areas. The floors look fantastic. Total cost$4200--about $1500 a floor and $700 for the stairs. He does repairs at $20a board. For the record, my house is about 1400 sq. ft., all but thegalley kitchen and baths with hardwood floors. Bobby may charge a bit morethan others, but his work is worth every penny--and he is prompt, pleasant,and clean. Electric: Ed and his son at E-Z Electric. I hired them out of the phonebook (they have a display ad). What a relief to find them! They don'tcharge by the minute like everyone else, but work on a job-by-basis andwill do very small jobs. They put
 outlets in my kitchen and redid some ofthe wiring before the new appliances were installed. Total cost $650. They also installed a new base fixture for a ceiling fan in a room wherethere had been no light fixture for $350. They are pleasant and prompt andas noted don't run the meter at $50 every 15 minutes.Plumber: Lou Mank and his daughter at Charm City Plumbing, also in thephone book. Lou has been around for years. Not cheap, but very nice to dealwith and very competent. I thought I got a great deal on the two commodeshe replaced for me, as he has to seek out special "thrones" to fit the oldbases--$656 for two, including hauling away the grotesque originals. Thekitchen was not so cheap but required a lot of work.I also have a good carpenter for small jobs, a great painter, and aplasterer/mason. However, I am unwilling to divulge their names until theyare done with my house. The carpenter works in the evenings
 after his dayjob, so if you want him you must be ready to give up your evenings. He hasbeen installing my kitchen and has done an excellent job with the Ikeacabinets and has made some lovely oak transitions for the floors. Theplasterer redid a bad skimming job for me, but I won't reveal his namebecause he might give you the name of the carpenter. Mean, aren't I? Thepainter is a very nice, ridiculously reasonable guy who also does fauxfinishes. I know he wants more work.If anyone's interested, send me an e-mail or call me in a few weeks(410-366-4094) and I will post. Best,EmilyNB Here are some contractors to avoid: Mastercraft Construction, TimO'Conner Painting, Stephen Scalf Electric, Joe Birch, contractor.Mastercraft is incredibly expensive, does dishonest estimates, and reallydid a terrible job on my kitchen floor; the owner then yelled at me forhalf an hour when I criticized his work. Tim
 O'Conner demanded a hugedeposit, sent over incompetent, really filthy workers to skim the walls,had his hands all over me one day, and then screamed at me when I told himhis work was bad and I didn't want him to do any painting (I also lostabout $400). Stephen Scalf wanted to do $2,000 worth of unneeded electricalwork. Joe Birch is just plain weird--not unpleasant, just weird.The world is full of creepy contractors! [Original Message] From: Didon Pachner <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: Chat@charlesvillage.info ; Charles VillageDiscussion <[EMAIL 

[Chat] don't hire----

[Christine Gray]

Emily, thank you so much for your list and commentary.

I add to the list of don't hire Tag Electric.  There worker told me that
if I needed an electrical part to buy the lamp at Home Depot, take what I
needed from the box, and return it because the lamp was missing parts.


Christine 

-Original Message-
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Emily Chalmers
Sent: Tuesday, May 02, 2006 3:25 PM
To: The Charles Village Chat List; Chat@charlesvillage.info; Charles Village
Discussion; Julie Modlin
Subject: Re: [Chat] Wanted: Handyman/Carpenter/Advice--recommendations

Unfortunately I returned to the list a message that was intended for Didon
alone.

However, now that the word is out, I'll list the contractors I've found who
have done really wonderful work. It took me weeks to find this group, so I
hope this listing saves others some time.

Tile: Steve Snyder, Eagle Tile and Marble 443-677-6280.  Steve tiled my
kitchen floor, which was very, very uneven. He not only leveled it out but
also did a lovely job with the tile. Total cost with the leveling $1200;
without $800. The old tile was already up, and I bought the new tile and
grout. Steve also redid the lead pan in my 1930s shower, breaking up the
old tile and installing new waterproofing and tile. It looks great. Total
cost $750, including material. Steve is a great guy--just be sure to tell
him to clean up the grout dust and haul away his old tile!  He left me with
a bag I can't lift . . .

Flooring: Old World Floors, in the phone book. People in CV have talked
about Bobby Severe for years, and I'm here to say that he is the best. He
refinished all the wood floors in my house, upstairs and down, and repaired
stained and damaged areas. The floors look fantastic. Total cost
$4200--about $1500 a floor and $700 for the stairs. He does repairs at $20
a board.  For the record, my house is about 1400 sq. ft., all but the
galley kitchen and baths with hardwood floors. Bobby may charge a bit more
than others, but his work is worth every penny--and he is prompt, pleasant,
and clean. 

Electric:  Ed and his son at E-Z Electric. I hired them out of the phone
book (they have a display ad). What a relief to find them! They don't
charge by the minute like everyone else, but work on a job-by-basis and
will do very small jobs. They put outlets in my kitchen and redid some of
the wiring before the new appliances were installed.  Total cost $650. 
They also installed a new base fixture for a ceiling fan in a room where
there had been no light fixture for $350. They are pleasant and prompt and
as noted don't run the meter at $50 every 15 minutes.

Plumber: Lou Mank and his daughter at Charm City Plumbing, also in the
phone book. Lou has been around for years. Not cheap, but very nice to deal
with and very competent. I thought I got a great deal on the two commodes
he replaced for me, as he has to seek out special thrones to fit the old
bases--$656 for two, including hauling away the grotesque originals. The
kitchen was not so cheap but required a lot of work.

I also have a good carpenter for small jobs, a great painter, and a
plasterer/mason. However, I am unwilling to divulge their names until they
are done with my house.  The carpenter works in the evenings after his day
job, so if you want him you must be ready to give up your evenings. He has
been installing my kitchen and has done an excellent job with the Ikea
cabinets and has made some lovely oak transitions for the floors. The
plasterer redid a bad skimming job for me, but I won't reveal his name
because he might give you the name of the carpenter. Mean, aren't I? The
painter is a very nice, ridiculously reasonable guy who also does faux
finishes. I know he wants more work.

If anyone's interested, send me an e-mail or call me in a few weeks
(410-366-4094) and I will post. 

Best,

Emily

NB Here are some contractors to avoid: Mastercraft Construction, Tim
O'Conner Painting, Stephen Scalf Electric, Joe Birch, contractor.
Mastercraft is incredibly expensive, does dishonest estimates, and really
did a terrible job on my kitchen floor; the owner then yelled at me for
half an hour when I criticized his work. Tim O'Conner demanded a huge
deposit, sent over incompetent, really filthy workers to skim the walls,
had his hands all over me one day, and then screamed at me when I told him
his work was bad and I didn't want him to do any painting (I also lost
about $400). Stephen Scalf wanted to do $2,000 worth of unneeded electrical
work. Joe Birch is just plain weird--not unpleasant, just weird.
The world is full of creepy contractors!






 [Original Message]
 From: Didon Pachner [EMAIL PROTECTED]
 To: Chat@charlesvillage.info Chat@charlesvillage.info; Charles Village
Discussion [EMAIL PROTECTED]; Julie Modlin
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
 Date: 4/17/2006 8:33:41 PM
 Subject: [Chat] Wanted: Handyman/Carpenter/Advice

 Hi Folks,

 My front porch is in serious need of attention.  I'm thinking about