In 1997, when first I moved to New Hampshire, I hired Monmaney Master Painters to paint the exterior of my house and repair sheetrocking and paint several of the rooms inside my house.
When Bruce Monmaney came out to do a "free bid, " he told me several of the existing clapboards on the house were rotten and should be replaced. I agreed and requested they use a semi-gloss paint on the clapboards. I was told, "Oh, we don't use that here in New England, the winters are too rough on the paint."
The bid, for both the exterior (replacing clapboards and painting) and interior (repairing cracked sheetrocking, removing some existing wallpaper, and painting) came to $7000 which I thought was an okay price for the work to be done.
When they first started, there was about 2 feet of snow on the ground, so they started the inside job first. I had to be away most of the day time hours but allowed them access to the house.
As soon as it warmed up enough outside for them to paint, they began that job, too. They purchased raw wood clapboards and insisted 75% of the existing clapboards had to be replaced but that they would keep to the original price agreed upon.
The very next day after nailing the clapboards in place, they started painting.By the time I got home, that first day, they had completed the first coat of paint. I asked if they had primed the raw wood first and never received an open response... I just got answers like, "We're professionals."
Ok, I admit... I am naive and a trusting person, so I accepted this and I got ripped off!!!
Less than six months after the completion of the exterior job, the replaced clapboards started molding with a really ugly black powdery mold. On the inside, the kitchen, where they'd steamed off existing wallpaper and then painted had never gotten prepped... in other words, where there had been glue still stuck to the walls... It just got painted over. There was no ceiling-type lights in the kitchen so I was not able to find all this shoddy work until the next weekend, during daylight hours.in the rooms where they were supposed to have repaired sheetrocking which was cracked and then painted over... They painted over but did no repairs as became apparent within 6 months when the same cracks appeared!
I called, I wrote, I threatened with legal action... Nothing. Finally, I wrote to Mr. Monmaney, the father, who was no longer part of the company but who had been the head partner. He agreed the house should be water-blasted and repainted and sent a sole, very young boy out, in November when the daytime temperatures were already dropping into the low 30's. This time, I made sure they were going to use a semi-gloss paint and refused to accept any b.S.
This young boy, who came over after school let out (high school), managed to paint 1/3 of the house before the temperatures got too cold. He assured me he'd return the next spring... Nope!
Once again, I wrote the company, I called daily, to no avail. I started trying to find a local lawyer who'd take the case and discovered the Monmaney's had, on retainer, 99% of the lawyers in a 50 mile radius... To fend off possible lawsuits, I assume.
I finally found a lawyer who said he thought he might take the case... At this time, the statute of limitations of 3 years was almost up. Three weeks before the statute would expire, the bastard (the lawyer) called and said he decided to not take the case and told me to come and pick up the paperwork I'd left with him (the original bid, the original contrct, the letter from Mr. Monmaney, Sr., etc.).
I realise it's too late to file any claim, including with the courts, I just wanted to let others know about the shoddy and careless work this company provides.
By the way, I came to discover, belatedly, before they became "master painters, " they had been in the construction business and they built really REALLY crummy houses; one of which, unfortunately, I had purchased. I had been told by Mr. Monmaney, Sr., that it was a custom built home (HAH!!!).
At any rate, Monmaney Master Painters have, in the past 3 months, declared bankruptcy, to the tune of $30 million!!! It seems while Mr. Monmaney, Sr. Was alive, he was responsible for keeping their financial situation swept under the carpeting; but, since his death, 4 months ago, the truth was revealed. Now, Bruce Monmaney, one of the sons, has reopened the company calling it Bruce Monmaney Painting Company.
Caveat Emptor, New Hampshirans!!! (who, I might add, for some reason, are VERY reluctant to take umbrage with any kind of contractor) I don't know why, but I DO know I DO!!!
P.S. If i WERE to, somehow, receive renumeration, it'd be to the tune of $5000 which is what it would cost to replace all those moldy clapboards and paint the house.
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