Colorado. We hired a contractor to put up drywall over existing paneling. Quoted as a 4-day job. The company kept pushing us to do more work than in the original bid (take out ceiling, strip floors, etc). We let them take out the ceiling and they busted open two closet ceilings by ripping out a beam. Insulation and dust fell down and covered my nice business suits and cleaning them will cost over $300.
This is an old home, so we told them we have a baby in the home and implored them NOT to take out any drywall, just put it over the existing paneling due to lead-based paint. We repeatedly found them doing just the opposite and had to stop them.
We also told them NOT to touch the 9" tile beneath the carpet pad as it was likely asbestos. I personally went to all three workers and told them no matter what anyone tells you do NOT remove the asbestos tile. I walked in to asbestos dust flying and one of the workers busting open the asbestos floor. This was a BAD contamination and the front three rooms had to be professionally abated three times to get it all. The contractor said he is not willing to use his insurance for any of the damages. He said the asbestos contamination is our fault. When we mentioned issues with lead, asbestos, and the health of our baby, he said "Well, your kid isn't going to be in the room much anyway." (Uh, this is her baby room...)
Now we are trying to paint, but there are huge quantities of tobacco spit and tobacco embedded in the wall texture. The worker clearly used the wall texture as a spittoon. I am truly sick to my stomach at the thought of all of this spit.
We now know they also damaged floors, ruined and discarded the heat register covers, ruined and discarded the air conditioner, did not finish electrical, did not finish the hung door, and more. This fiasco took three months. The paint will have to be done repeatedly, as the tobacco stain will leach through forever. Our expenses for remediation are reaching near $5000, not to mention loss of 40% of our home being unusable for three months. They will not return our calls. Suggestions?
This is an old home, so we told them we have a baby in the home and implored them NOT to take out any drywall, just put it over the existing paneling due to lead-based paint. We repeatedly found them doing just the opposite and had to stop them.
We also told them NOT to touch the 9" tile beneath the carpet pad as it was likely asbestos. I personally went to all three workers and told them no matter what anyone tells you do NOT remove the asbestos tile. I walked in to asbestos dust flying and one of the workers busting open the asbestos floor. This was a BAD contamination and the front three rooms had to be professionally abated three times to get it all. The contractor said he is not willing to use his insurance for any of the damages. He said the asbestos contamination is our fault. When we mentioned issues with lead, asbestos, and the health of our baby, he said "Well, your kid isn't going to be in the room much anyway." (Uh, this is her baby room...)
Now we are trying to paint, but there are huge quantities of tobacco spit and tobacco embedded in the wall texture. The worker clearly used the wall texture as a spittoon. I am truly sick to my stomach at the thought of all of this spit.
We now know they also damaged floors, ruined and discarded the heat register covers, ruined and discarded the air conditioner, did not finish electrical, did not finish the hung door, and more. This fiasco took three months. The paint will have to be done repeatedly, as the tobacco stain will leach through forever. Our expenses for remediation are reaching near $5000, not to mention loss of 40% of our home being unusable for three months. They will not return our calls. Suggestions?