We spoke to several companies before choosing DFW Deckworks, Mike Duckworth to build an arbor during the installation of our pool. While we were not overly impressed with his professionalism we put it aside. Our first clue should have been during the bid process. He took several days to return calls. After his initial visit it took 3 days to get the quote and bid back. We pushed the plan through our homeowners association and got approval. During that process we changed our mind on the wood and decided we would rather have redwood versus cedar.
Mike told me Redwood was 5 times more expensive than cedar and he would revise his quote and get back to us.in the meantime we did some checking of our own and found out that was far from the truth. When my husband informed him that we found Redwood was not 5 times more expensive he came up with a price we felt we could live with since we had already gone through the pain of getting his design approved through the homeowners association.
2nd clue should have been when he told us we didn't need a permit from the city. We told him a permit was needed as the city would be out inspecting the pool several times through the build process. He agreed to get the permit. We put 1/2 the money down with him on Wednesday and he agreed to show up Monday to start the arbor. He indicated it would take him 3 days to finish the arbor (everyone else told us 24 hours). We were having rock put around our pool and the rock folks were going to rock 1/2 way up the arbor posts. The rock guys were scheduled to arrive on Wednesday to start rocking the pool, decking etc.
On Friday at 4pm I get a call indicating the city needed our site plan. We had one on file with the city already with the pool so they were able to get it taken care of. At that point he indicated he would not be able to start until the plan was approved. I was surprised to hear from the city that the permit had not been applied for until Friday at 4pm but we dismissed it since we were under a time crunch to get it in.
We contacted him on Monday and he indicated it had not been approved. The city told us they would have it approved on Monday without a problem. We expected him to show up on Tuesday. On Tuesday my husband contacted the city and we were told the plan was approved Monday afternoon. My husband contacted DFW deckworks after 10am to find out what was going on. He indicated he was working on another job and would have to come on Wednesday.
I contacted him to confirm he would be there on Wednesday and what time as the rock guys were coming in behind him and they would need to now be put on hold. He indicated he would be there no later than 9am. I also expressed my concern with waiting until Friday at 4pm to file for the permit and my displeasure with his failure to communicate with us and let us know what was going on.
He indicated he had talked to my husband the previous day. I reminded him that it was my husband who had contacted him for information. I told him this had put us in a crunch and that we had expected him Tuesday when the city approved the plan on Monday. He denied waiting until Friday to get the permit and indicated he had gone on the previous Wednesday. He also told me he had to pay $100 to register with the city of Little Elm as a contractor. He also told me he had never gotten a permit for any arbor he had ever built (Another huge red flag) and that he was "pissed off". I told him we just needed to move on and get it going, I confirmed again he would be there the following morning at 9am.
He called me back about 30 mintues later and told me he looked online and the city did not approve the plan until 10am Tuesday morning rather than the previous day as the city told us. I told him I didn't really know him as my husband had been dealing with him and that if I had been upset with him when the city was the problem I was sorry. At this point we just needed it to move forward. We left the conversation with he would be there the following morning at 9am.
Around 3pm he shows up at our house to back out of the job. I wasn't present during the conversation but from what I understand he indicated he did not appreciate being called a "liar" and didn't need our job, he had other work lined up. There were several other things said which I won't elaborate on at this point and he returned our money. We are now left with starting the process all over again which has taken over 2 months. He left us in a bad situation and in my opinon was extremely unprofessional throughout the entire process.
He needs to learn how to be professional, return phone calls in a timely manner, communicate about the job, be honest about pricing and show up when promised.
I would encourage anyone to think twice about working with him or his company as clearly he has no problem with dishonesty and leaving people in a lurch. I shutter to think what we would have ended up with attached to our house if we had actually allowed this man to work build something.
Run as far away as you can get!
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