Tom Harber, Harber Homes, Skiatook, Oklahoma was contracted on 12/9 to freshly paint & re-floor the interior of my home in Sperry. I'm selling my home and his sloppy work has cost me the sale of my home. Tom had originally agreed to finish the project in four days but it took a week. He knew my open house was scheduled on 12/15. I checked his work on 12/16, but there were still flaws. And when I called him to discuss the flaws he seemed upset that I saw the flaws. He only was interested in getting paid.
Our bid agreement was that Tom would prep and paint the interior of my home, install carpet in one room, and using vinyl peel and stick squaresprep and apply those tiles to the kitchen, foyer, utility and two bath areas to prepare my home to be sold. He was to include all materials and labor into his final cost invoice.
And the materials I purchased were to be adjusted off the final total.
Tom told me that his average paint, cabinet stain, and ceramic tile job on an 1800 sq. Ft home was $2800. And he specifically told me that this job would be about half of that since my home was only 1053 sq. Ft.
My understanding was that this job, according to Toms definition would run me about $1400 (I did not have any cabinets stained nor did I use any ceramic tile). Technically this means he overcharged me $1000. If he had done the job properly and had it been completed as agreed uponwith a warranty as promised.
But no so. I bought 13 boxes of vinyl tiles at $247.47. And I paid for the carpet to be professionally installed by C&B carpet) Tom told them that he didnt want to mess around with carpet installation) at $200.47. These costs were never subtracted from the final costs in his final statement. I also paid Stanley Steemer to clean the carpets because Tom never cleaned up after his job. He left paint, mud, caulk and all sorts of mess throughout my carpet and never vacuumed. This cost me another $99.
None of the floors were primed, nor were they cleaned and swept as per box instructions. Glue was not applied to the floor in any room. Tom sealed over a hole in the utility room but left a hose dangling with water running in the bathroom. This suspicious incident lead to the eventual flooding on 12/17 (the day prior to his being paid in full). The tiles were just floating in the water. Tom was advised via voice mail, via phone conversation, and via a conversation with the plumber from Beardin Plumbing ($75) the next day.
This flooding left the tiles throughout the house water damaged. Water not only ran from the bathroom but under the baseboards into the utility room and into the kitchen as well. It was a disaster.
Yet, on 12/18 while the plumber and my fiance left for partsTom used intimidation and threatened me while we were alone at the house... That he wouldn't leave my house until "he" was Paid in Full for the sum of $2413. (This sum should have include all labor and materials costs with a totally completed and warrantied job). I kindly asked him for 24 hours to see how the tiles would be; but then he ordered me to go to my car for my checkbook. So I did what any scared woman would do, I paid him.
On his statement Tom Harber wrote an end note that he'd replace any tiles due to adhesive or caulking failure. Well, all the tiles in all the rooms... All 235 sq. Ft. Of them were extremely bad and warped from water damage (with debris stuck on the backing) and need replacement and re-installation. I advised Tom three times that these repairs must be done by voicemail, by phone conversation and via his personal on-site visit to the house while he spoke to the plumber on 12/18. Tom promised he'd return to the house on 12/22 to re-install the tile. But he never showed, instead he repeated called my home number and harassed me.
Tom Harber was asked to return my keys several times and was sent a certified letter, but did not comply. After his intimidating ways of collecting payment before the job was finished, I felt that I was within my right to change my lock on my house. I also had to call a locksmith after hours to re-key ($85) my home for fear of retaliation and sabotage.
I decided to have this terrible mess that Tom Harber causedfixed and repaired with new tiles installed properly. I contacted a professional remodeling contractor who specializes in repair such blunders made by others. The entire job had to be re-done on 12/28. It too Freds Do All repair service an entire day to remove the existing peeling tiles. And then since Tom Harber had left so much paint, caulk, dust and pure gunk under those tiles which prevented them from adheringthe floors had to be ground down with a wire wheel, scrubbed and buffed, then washed down before priming and applied any glue. Tome Harber never prepped the floors as he agreed.
I had to buy several new boxes of tile costing me another $171. And since the contractor had to removes the baseboards and re-touch the baseboards and plaster holes in the walls Tom Harber missed. His total costs came to $217. And since Tom had messed up the floors so badly this new contractor wasnt able to offer any warranty with his work.
To sum up this remodeling nightmare, I was a victim of a bad contractor who did terrible work and who used intimidation to collect money not rightfully his. He shouldnt be allowed to have a contractors license in Oklahoma. And I feel that he should reimburse me for the total material costs its costs me. The total thus far has added up to $1097.60. I feel that I deserve to have those costs paid back to me.
Tom Harber claims to be an insured and bonded contractor and house builder and he was contracted to finished a job under certain guidelines he failed to live up to. And I overpaid "Tom" (out of fear), was short-changed, and was intimidated and harassed by this man, I feel HE at least owes me monetary compensation for material costs. If I was hungry to get into the legal system, I could very well have grounds to file for many more charges. But Im only asking for monetary damages.
Hes lucky this time. Ive talked to an attorney. And I do have enough invoices, photos, and witnesses to files charges on him for criminal behavior. But due to my disabilities, I dont feel that I can handle the stress of a trial. But, I will write to every state governing agency and consumer protection agency out there and warn everyone I know about his business ethicsthats the least I can do.
So a word to the wise, if anyone is ever thinking about moving to Skiatook, Oklahoma and having a home built hereremember the name "Tom Harber, Harber Homes". His name is affiliated with many of the high dollar homes built along Skiatook Lake in Oklahoma.
End note: Tom Harber was originally contracted to build a custom home for me before this remodeling disaster. I have since cancelled that contract to build due to his very poor business ethics and use of intimidation and brute force and intimation to collect payment before job completion and because he's been a threat to my health and well being and affects my existing PTSD disability. Tom Harber took advantage of me because he knew Im a disabled female veteran with PTSD. He undeniably victimized me!!!
0 comments