I got an estimate to have a 1930's sofa restored. The agreement upon signing the order was that it would include labor and materials to complete the job. I made it clear that I would buy the upholstery material. This was in January. It was getting close to April when, without hearing from him, and without him answering the messages I had left on his service, I went to his home (business) and caught him there. He opened his garage and I saw that he had only stripped down the sofa to the frame. No other work was done on it.
I noticed a distinct odor that smelled like a chicken coop in the garage where he worked. I was reluctant to leave my sofa with him, but what could I do? It was in no shape to move and I had nowhere to take it to. I was preparing to leave on a trip in May. He said he would have it finished two weeks after the upholstery material was delivered. He had ordered an off white velvet. I made it clear that I had ordered the fabric and would call him when I picked it up.in April the fabric arrived and I immediately called him.
After several attempts he called me back and picked up the material. The sofa was not finished until July 3. When he delivered it (after I had to threaten to come and get it myself), before he took the sofa off of his truck, he demanded $450.00 more than the agreed price. He would not take the furniture off of his truck. We got into a yelling match, and he stormed off. I agreed to write a check for the amount he wanted, just to get my antique sofa. As soon as he put it down in the living room, he took off like a bat out of hell.
The next day the odor from the sofa filled the house. I've tried Fabreeze, but didn't help. I thought of maybe letting it sit outdoors for a couple of days, but knew that the odor would attract unwanted attention from neighborhood cats. Now it's September. The odor has subsided somewhat, but if it's sat on, the odor comes up from within the crevices of the sofa. I stopped payment on the check that he demanded, and haven't heard from him. I've spent $1400.00 including the price of the fabric for a sofa that stinks.
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