Affordable Remodeling
Ripoff doesn't honor contract, ridiculous delays

We signed a contract on 8/27/05 and were told that they would not start the work until the cabinets we picked out were ordered. Somewhere around November 11th and promised they would be finished by Thanksgiving.
We were also told we would be given notice as to the start date so that we could clean out our kitchen.

They called on September 21st, in the evening and told us they would be starting in the morning. So we had a few hours notice to get everything out of our kitchen. The next day they showed up and completely gutted out kitchen. We were so pleased the work had started so early! Woo-hoo a new kitchen for Thanksgiving! The next day they bring us a sample of our cabinets. It was the wrong cabinet. We ordered Maple cabinets with customizing. The one they brought is the standard golden Oak that they have in stock. We were basically told that we either take this cabinet or it would be at least 4-5 weeks before they could order the correct ones.

Additionally, they told us that some of the items that were on our contract like replacing the windows and moving a gas line, were now "not do-able!". Our contract calls for two new windows. One of them is smaller than the existing window and the contract specifies "tooth out replacement common brick to close in" We were told that we couldn't have the windows we ordered, they wanted to put in a different style in the same size as we had, so that no brick work would be needed.

We placed several calls to the office, and most went unanswered. It was ridiculous the crap we were told. We kept asking to speak with the President and were told over and over that it wasn't necessary. We finally called and told them that we had locked up the house and wouldn't allow the workmen access until somebody came to speak with us.

Then, suddenly, everybody is concerned about our job! The president of the company, Mark Halperin came out and discussed the job with the workers. He told them that they would do the work according to our signed contract. We told him that it appeared to us that the foreman had never read our contract at all. He had no idea what our contract details were. Mark told us that it would indeed be another 4-5 weeks until they could continue, and he would put in a sink and counter for our use until that time. We weren't happy, but what choice did we have? Imagine going over a month without a kitchen for a family. Our restaurant bills are astronomical!

They told us to go and pick out floor tile, which we did. We brought back a sample so that they could approve the price, which they did. When it came time to pick it up, the workers claimed they couldn't find the store. We ended up picking it up and paying for it ourselves.

Six weeks later, they called to let us know they had the proper cabinets and could start again. Our contract calls for two windows that are to be "cocoa" brown on the outside to match the others. They installed two white windows, these will now have to be replaced. Our contract also called for an air conditioner sleeve to be put in. The workers took our air conditioner and just stuck it in the hole they made and plastered around it!

On the outside of the house, you see a piece of plywood with the actual unit sticking through. We told them it was supposed to be a sleeve that was concreted in, so that we could take the unit in and out. Now if the unit goes bad, we have to rip out the wall to replace it. They did not move the gas line to our stove as promised.instead they ordered a smaller cabinet and we have a 3 inch gap between the stove and cabinet. They promised to take away all their trash, and instead piled it up behind our house! We had to call the company again to have them take it away, and still they left so much, we had to pay the garbage men out of our own pocket to take it!

They also told us we could pick whatever countertop we wanted, from any local home improvement store. We picked one out from Home Depot and were told that since we didn't pick one of the few they had in stock, it would be another three weeks. Our air conditioner is totally ruined as they screwed through the face of it to install it into the wall! It now looks like we will have to wait another 4-5 weeks for them to move the gas line and order another larger cabinet to fill the gap! Although the president of the company stood in my kitchen and told the foreman to move the gas line, they simply ignored these instructions. It has been two days and our calls to the company have gone unanswered.

They started work on 9/23 and it is now 11/20! The job that was supposed to take two to three weeks is now at almost two months! Please, please choose another company for your remodeling work. They have not only ruined our Thanksgiving, but Christmas is now looking iffy!

Company: Affordable Remodeling
Country: USA
State: Illinois
City: Chicago
Address: 3459 W. Foster Avenue
Phone: 7734783657

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