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General Home Improvement Contractor not using licensed tradesman but handymen.
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I'm building a new bathroom with shower, whirlpool tub, commode, and window, walls to be tiled, and a pocket-door.
The workmanship I have received (other than the tile work) is beyond shoddy.
Their work is sub-out to various Handymen. None of them are licensed and most don't know what their doing. And it's difficult to communicate because most of the crews don't speak English. An unlicensed electrician doubled breaker wiring against code when he could have used a slim-line breaker to separate the load. Tub Heaters and Pumps require a separate dedicated line. What they did is against Californian code but they just ignore code to save a few dollars on the cost of a GFI breaker.
The Window was wrong installed. On the exterior wall they ran paper over the window seal rather than under which allows rain to enter the building. On the interior water from the shower will run between the walls. Their motto is what you don't see won't hurt you. They could easily learn how-to by going to YouTube but the handyman don't speak English.
They can't cut a 45 degree angle door trim nor floor board trim, using wall patch to fill the square cut. The toilet flange is not level but 3/4" off which will require 2 wax rings to keep from leaking. They can't follow manufacturer directions (none of them can read English nor comprehend it).
One fellow was hired from Home Depot parking lot, he was supposed to get everything ready for exterior stucco. He figured a stud wasn't needed to attached the many pieces of chicken wire, (instead buying a roll), so he pushed the nails thru paper into thin air. Two days later a worker bumped his butt against the wall and the wall caved in. They never fixed it properly, their solution was "cover it up". Lots of cement filled the hole (without chicken wire).
The specs called for a 1 1/4 inch hole for a Roman Spout plumbing, but they cut the hole way bigger so now we have a leak into hidden area under the tub. If I wasn't astute, I wouldn't have known until dry rot showed up years later.
They wanted to use foam (they say, they always have) to support the tub, while all manufacturers (that I've talked too) void the warranty if foam is used. Kohler and American Standard both emphasize never to use foam. So people have been receiving the very thing Kohler technical warns you about.
They wanted to cut an access panel so small one can't remove the motor in case of failure. The Pocket door installation was a huge flop, with the wall wobbling back & forth. Millennia said they all do that, but the wobble was in excess for me of the doors I have seen. But, they refused to repair the door, so I told the crew not to come back.
A different Handyman brought in a "Garage door man" to inspect and he saw the problem immediately. The problem was, they didn't fasten the drywall to the floor but was just hanging on an upper stud. The lower part dangling. And No Door guides for the wobbly door. One can't see the error until the drywall is removed. And they refused to remove the drywall to inspect the cause.
The filthy working condition is just too much; none know to how to work in a clean work environment or clean after themselves. Because they don't believe in sweeping up, lots of drywall, broken tile, nails and debris is buried under the adjacent room carpet. Kicked under with constant walking use. You can't leave the house for fear shoddy workmanship will be covered up, and then everything looks fine but underneath it's third grade workmanship, or worse for repair bills to come. Most everything they buy comes from Home Depot, not from in the Trade Stores. So you won't get that brass drain pipe for instance. I have 17 written pages and lots of pictures of shoddy work, so this review only mentions a few.
Most of the door frame were made from rough sewn/cut crate material. To hide the rough cut wood they covered the entire wood, Jamb, the trim, and stops with 1/8" to 1/4" drywall patch. Which will crack and fall off especially when the door lock set is installed. Another patch job on the way.
Further, the frame wasn't square, and the Jamb didn't reach the floor, leaving a 2 1/2" gap. The solution was -- cover it up, more drywall patch.
Travestine stone tile must be sealed. I caught them in time not to use TileLab Sealer & Finish. Don't they read directions on the can ? I'm told by Millennia salesman they always use that Sealer/Finish, but the directions on the bottle says: Not to be used in wet areas. Home Depot also has it posted, Not To Be Used In Wet Areas. What's not wet about a Shower ? There are many hundreds of complaints on the web site of people complaining their shower is turning white over time. It's caused by improper sealer. These people are definitely not in the How, instead of me being thanked for catching the error, I got verbal abuse.
I also didn't get the Gloss I wanted, because they didn't apply it in time. It must be done within 50 minutes of applying sealer or one can never ever apply the shine according to 511 Technical department. If I did apply it now I will have huge problems down the line according to the Manufacturer. To be sure I heard correctly I called another Tile specialist. No, I can't have the shine applied, it's too late unless I want to use Mineral Spirits to remove the penetrating sealer first and then sand out. A huge job. Therefore I'm not getting what I am contracted to get. Although Millennia would apply it anyway, irregardless what the manufacturers technicians say. I also ask Millennia salesman whether Travestine can be made shinny. I was told, NO, Quote: "There is no way Travestine can have a shine". Well, that's also not true, just call a Tile refinisher they will tell you otherwise. Who's right ?
I ask Millennia for a license plumber to fix the shoddy work, for asking for a license tradesman I was abused. The next day when 2 fellows arrived I ask them "are you the plumbers". they said yes. Then I ask are you licensed, they said no but Millennia is. Millennia is a General, not a licensed plumber, electrician , and so on. We expected tradesmen for the 22,000.00 improvement, not Home Depot day labor and handymen at $12.00/ hr. who are using me as a guinea pig to learn the trade. As far as I'm concerned Millennia is an utter disgrace to the contracting profession. Too boot all this, the sweet talk at time of contract write-up that everything will be done the way we want isn't true after all. Maybe these workers could learn the profession better had they the right tools for the field, but they don't.
I offered my tools, but only one man took me up and borrowed my table saw.
One man spend a full day with a hammer and a dull crowbar to attempt to chop out 6" of cement, but got nowhere. So their solution was, cover it up.
It's all Mikey Mouse. Hope your home to watch or you won't know what behind the walls, the details.
PS: The same crew I told to leave for not wanting to repair the Pocket Door, also wanted to install the shower and bath trim. When I stopped them to explain, the trim comes on after the Sealer. You got it backwards.
The real problem is, all crews bid on certain work, so they won't do that which was not done by the prior man, but is a needed requirement to be done as a 1st step, so that's why they run into problems Mikey Mousing the job. The many supervisors are really NOT supervisors for the company but are the owners of Handyman services who will show up to inspect only after there is a complaint. So the workers are not supervised. I know the supervisor who was responsible for installing the spa tub never installed one before or he would have known that a spa has motor. He was going to cut a 6" opening in which the motor would never fit through. The manual says it requires a 15" x 24" opening, not 6 inches. Can they and do they read ? It has been a very traumatic time for both my wife and I.
Keep a Camera and paper & pencil handy.
UPDATE: Today I learned Millennia Constr. is being sued by the State Contractors License Board, Professional Code 7114, 7118, & 7068.1 Case being referred to the California Attorney General Office. Which leaves in question how good any warranty will stay effective.
UPDATE: Today almost 3 weeks have passed and learned that rough plumbing has been installed incorrectly (Not allowing the trim to fit flush to the wall 3/4" away from the tile wall). The tile has to be chopped out and plumbing redone. They said they quit, and won't be back. I can keep whatever balance I still owe at completion of the job. The big question is, will I have enough money to fix all the bad work plus the work which has not been done yet ? What a disappointment to have a contractor give up on his own required repair.
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