For a couple of years, I had been planning to have skylights installed in a few rooms to brighten an older home. I found an ad for a skylight installer in a local remodeling magazine.
When I requested a brochure from SUNBURST SKYLIGHTS IN THOUSAND OAKS CALIFORNIA, the sole proprietor, BRIAN MCQUADE, sent a very impressive looking brochure of a company he represents or implied he represents. The skylights were beautiful; from the brochure, they blended into the roof without looking like huge lasagne pans.
I should have called a few other contractors for bids and brochures but I was in a hurry to complete a partial remodel job, found out that McQuades record with the California State Board of Contractors was complaint free, he was bonded and insured. What could go wrong, he said he was a roofer who specializes in skylight installation.
The first red flag that I ignored when I signed a contract for the job, was his arrogant personality. The second red flag was when he asked for $300 down and said he would call to set the first appointment to cut the holes in the roof which he would cover until the skylights were custom manufactured.
When ten days passed and he hadn't called, I called him and told him that he better get over to my house and do something or return the $300. He was over the next day. I had electricians working in the house the same day. Mcquade worked for a couple of hours, made a mess of my kitchen and living room and left. The electricians cleaned up the mess.
Another ten days went by, and I called McQuade again. He said the skylights were ready and he would stop by to install them. He stopped by when I wasn't home and installed skylights that looked like lasagna pans - three big aluminum boxes (2X4). The skylights weren't the ones he showed me in the brochure. He even denied giving me a brochure; I said your label is on it which he asked me to describe.
I found out the company I was supposed to get my skylights from cut Mcquade off for stiffing the company on previous invoices.instead of being honest and telling he couldn't get the skylights, he was sneaky and figured I wouldn't notice. He was out-of-control when I went to the company and the vice president of sales called him while I was in the office. He was busted and really upset. I didn't care; no one rips me off and gets away with it.
I may not file complaints immediately but I will take care of it before any statutes have passed. He left the inside rims unfinished, and left two holes in the roof for the remaining smaller skylights which are still covered with warped plywood. I was so angry with him, I let him have it. I called him a low life dead beat and demanded that he return the $5,300 I paid him. Of course he told me where to go and said he wasn't coming back. Then, I got a letter from this whacko begging me to let him come and finish the job - he knew he was in deep —if he didn't do this.
Then, he sent a lien notice stating that I still owed him $1,800 for two skylights I never got nor did I agree to that amount. Anyway, I haven't filed any complaints yet; as soon as all my financing comes through to complete the house, I am going to make this sucker wish he had never met me! That is the only way to deal with dead beat contractors - sue 'em, report 'em and expose 'em so others will be aware. The roofer I hired told me McQuade has a reputation for being a jerk and treating his customers like crap - unfortunately most of them take it and he gets away with customer abuse.
Not this time, McQuade is goin' down... Too bad McQuade your company ain't gonna be so sunny when I get through with you - little buddy. P. Weemz P is for Piranha whenever any contractor tries to con me like McQuade did.
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