The terms Contractor and Nightmare are mostly synonymous, with the most recent an exception.
Experiences include … sub quality work with top financial compensation,
charged for items contractor wanted for personal use,
being ghosted after bid was accepted, being sworn at, etc.

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The contractor hired mid-March was recommended by someone I trust. Consequently, I believed he would do quality work with no need for me to micromanage. After giving him the last payment (all three payments in cash per his request), I went upstairs to see the finished project, which he boasted I would love. What I saw filled my heart with sorrow. The visible destruction was bad enough, but there were a myriad of unseen messes that the next contractors uncovered. I have trouble believing that someone could do such sub-standard work that even an inexperienced do-it-yourselfer would be ashamed of. Even worse is knowing the work done was for a senior gal nearing her 8th decade, and there would be major hazardous and financial consequences relatively soon.

EVERYTHING —- did had to be either fixed or redone. Fixing another’s mess is more costly than doing the work correctly in the first place. This nightmare began mid-March and finally ended 6 months later with my life savings (meant for help in my winter years) gone. This has deeply affected me financially, mentally, and emotionally.

The Civil Complaint listed the following:
1. Code violations 2. Breeched contract 3. Dishonesty throughout project
4. Hired two reputable contractors to repair code violations, damages, and extremely poor quality workmanship.

March 18 Written/Verbal Contract … Build and Finish two 16′ dormers to house existing shelving / Install two beams downstairs to help support upper floor / Wrap the beam in trim to match existing trim / Fix spongy floor by installing two layers of plywood / You hired the best. / You will love it.
April 13 Promise … Promised to give me the final cash payment of $10,000 with my word that he was done, and with the two sub-contractors as witnesses.
April 24 Promise Broken … My Text – “Hi —-, You promised to have final payment of $10,000 cash returned today. You have until 4:00 today, April 24^th, to keep your word. Otherwise, I will file for $12,000 plus court costs.” His Text Response – “Will be taking this matter to court.”
May 21 District Court Bradford … Here —- maintained he did quality work. However, a picture is worth a thousand words. Consequently, was awarded $12,000 plus fees, maximum allowed although only a fraction of the ongoing costs.
June 18 Appeal … Still refused to take responsibility, and waited till near end of the 30 days to submit an appeal.
July 2 Response … Filed Complaint in Arbitration for $42,200 at Prothonotary’s Office. Amount was before a massive amount of additional work was still needed.
July 6 Response … Served via constable.
July xx Supreme Court Smethport … Awaiting court date. Wonder how long this nightmare will continue before I finally have closure.

INSIDE …All four dormer walls different sizes. All thresholds left nailed to carpet or floor, a definite tripping hazard. Corner walls not tied together. Half walls built around railing not level, and moved when leaned against. Removed attic access even though against code. Holes and destruction in adjoining rooms. Debris left in attic hidden by ceiling. Cleanup not completed leaving a cleanup nightmare. And more …
OUTSIDE … Dormers not centered. Both dormers not same size. Large bubbles in rubber roof. Discarded hardware left embedded in rubber roof. Dormers not fully attached and sealed. There are many open gaps allowing weather and critters to invade. And more …

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1-2. Asked that upstairs contents be brought downstairs to ensure no damage, and allowing repairs as necessary. Instead, — piled all furniture and contents floor to ceiling in the adjoining rooms leaving me to deal with the aftermath. I am 79 years old without the balance to reach and strength to move everything. Also, thresholds were left nailed to floor leaving a tripping hazard.

3. One reason for deciding on this project was the pain to bend/crawl through the space to retrieve items stored there. — removed the doors, not addressing the problem, and leaving instead four gaping holes reducing the space available in the central dormer room. He also destroyed the wire dad had holding the insulation in place. Clean-up, per contract, was not completed.
4. The other reason for this project was to move shelves with books and puzzle collection to one area. — saw the shelving and the 16′ needed to house that shelving. We discussed the spongy floors, which he promised to fix. The “finished” room was less than 16′. Spongy floors were not fixed. All 4 walls were constructed different sizes. Consequently, additional flooring was required to fix the problem. Variable size of walls made installing the flooring difficult. Shelving had to be built to fit the existing space.

5. Walls were built on carpet with no underlying support.
6. Here mismatched pieces of wood are stacked together from top of dormer (unsupported) to roof rafter. Nails throughout partially driven. Gaps allowing light, weather, and critters are evident at multiple places where both dormers were not attached and sealed.

7. Half walls built around railing were not level and moved when leaned against. Hole left at top of stairway.
8-9-10. Massive holes and destruction in adjoining rooms. Also, there are cracks in the downstairs rooms. Heavy roofing material was dropped inside and outside with no regard to possible resulting damage.

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CRIMINAL COMPLAINT – HOME IMPROVEMENT FRAUD
Contractor fraud in Pennsylvania is formally classified as Home Improvement Fraud under the Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act (HICPA). The specific statute and subsection is 73 P.S. § 517.8(a), which outlines the specific unlawful behaviors (such as receiving advance payments without completing the work or making false/misleading statements).

CRIMINAL COMPLAINT – ELDER ABUSE FINANCIAL EXPLOITATION
Financial Exploitation: 18 Pa.C.S. § 3922.1 makes it a specific criminal offense for someone in a position of trust or confidence to commit financial exploitation against an older adult.

HOME IMPROVEMENT FRAUD 73 P.S. § 517.8(a) -and- ELDER ABUSE FINANCIAL EXPLOITATION 18 Pa.C.S. § 3922.1
I am nearing my 8th decade when decided to have two dormers built to address age-related functional impairment, as well as gathering media in one easily accessible location. Much was stored in two wings spanning the length of the upstairs. Access to the stored treasures required bending (painful) and crawling (painful to get to floor and painful with assistance needed to stand).
Met with contractor (recommended by someone I trusted) who reportedly did quality work. During the consultation (witnessed by sub-contractor), —- repeatedly said “You will love it” and “You hired the best”. What he promised and what he provided were diametrically opposed. I have trouble believing that someone could do such sub-standard work that even an inexperienced do-it-yourselfer would be ashamed of. Throughout this time, my entire home was in a state of disarray leaving me with months of mental and emotional anguish.

1. —- ruined the structural integrity of the entire second floor with inevitable collapse.
2. Dormers not secured as evidenced by only one hurricane strap on left dormer, and none on right dormer. Overhangs were not secured. High winds would definitely rip off metal, potentially causing damage to home and injury (or loss of life) to myself and/or my two sheltie companions.
3. Gaps along the dormers allowed moisture with potential mold growth.
4. Asked that upstairs contents be brought downstairs to ensure no damage, and allowing repairs as necessary. Instead, —- piled all furniture and contents floor to ceiling in the adjoining rooms leaving me to deal with the aftermath. I do not have the balance to retrieve items near ceiling, or the strength to move heavy furniture.
5. Thresholds not removed constituting a tripping hazard.
6. Nothing built to code.
7. Hired three contractors needed to repair/redo damage restoring structural integrity and safety. All the necessary work to return my home to the livable state it was in before the project, drained my life savings meant for help in my winter years.

Unfortunately, criminal complaint was denied needing additional evidence. And so it is, the nightmare continues awaiting civil court date.

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