About two years ago, (April, 2 2006) Kilifi Tupou Haatoa, a Tongan Islander, who was at the time residing in East Palo Alto, and former resident of 2089 Mesa St. San Bernardino, CA, was knocking on my neighbor's doors soliciting concrete & landscaping work. He approached me and said that he was doing work for two other neighbors. We got to talking about how much it would cost me for him to replace my driveway. He said, it would cost $4,700 dollars, and would take 3 days to complete. I thought that sounded like a fair deal and told him to come back in 3 days to start the work.
I went on an errand, I was gone for about an hour, when I arrived back at home, he already started tearing out my driveway. He actually had two day-workers from the local Home Depot doing the work with nothing more than a sledge hammer and huge crow bars; not eye protection; no gloves, no professional tools what so ever, and he was no where to be found. I was extremely upset as I need to still gain access to my garage.
About an hour later and with my drive way just half way broken up he came back to pick up his workers. I told him I didn't authorize him to start any work, while the whole time he keep reassuring he would be done in 3 days time and with most of the work done the very next day. As he was leaving he asked me for half the money, actually it was $2,400. I told him I wasn't going to pay him nothing until the work was completed. He left and returned the next day at 11:00 A.M.
This time he had 6 day-workers with him. Before he started, he said he needed to get at least half the money because he had so many guys there that he had to pay. I thought, well, maybe if he had that many guys ready to do the work, he would have it ready for pouring the next day. So I went and got him the money, when I returned about an hour later, no work had been started, and the guys he had there were actually working my other neighbors' houses. He came back with two guys and they started breaking up the drive way with the a sledge hammer and no gloves or eye protection. He pulls up, this time with his wife Luseane U. Haatoa & her elderly parents. He said that he had to rush his father in-law to the hospital and that he would be back tomorrow witha truck to remove the broken cement.
The next day came and went with no call from Kilifi Haatoa. The weekend passed and still no call. Four days later, he calls and says he would be there (at my House) tomorrow, but didn't show up. He shows up on Friday, a week after he said he would be finished, but this time at 2 pm, and with no helpers and no truck. He gave me some sob story about how he had to pay for his father in-law's medical visit because he didn't have insurance. But that he needed another $2,000 to finish the work by the next day. I told him now, and he left.
Drive-way still left in huge broken chunks of cement; still can't get into my garage and with no commitment from Kilifi Haatoa when he would be back to finish.
Again, the weekend passes, no hear from him. So, I hire a reputable, licensed cement contractor. They came by, with a tractor and huge dump truck. Picked up the chunks of concrete and hauled it away. Just before they left, they set the forms and laid the re-bar and returned to pour the cement. They were done. It cost me an extra $4,500.
So, just to warn you. Kilifi Tupou Haatoa is a complete and absolute RIP-OFF! He is not a licensed contractor of any kind. He will take your money and not complete the work. He will start on the work and have to think he is going to finish, but he will keep try to get more money off you while making your yard a mess. I spoke to my other neighbors that he did work for and they confirmed the same exact behavior.
If he knocks on your door, call the police. The last phone number I had for him, was: 650-771-0148. It's been disconnected since, but that was his number. At the time he drove a old blue ex-PG&E truck and lived in East Palo Alto with his wife Luseane Haatoa & sone Siosai Muti Haatoa. Also, Mele Haatoa is related and they are all working to get money from people.
Do not do business with this guy, you have been warned. At one time he registered a company name of "Friendly Island Concrete" with the county of San Mateo.
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