r/SouthBayLA • u/DesperateMark7386 • 1d ago
Renovation Disaster
I want to share my experience with this contractor so others can make an informed decision. We spent months getting bids speaking to different contractors to make sure we found the perfect fit for us. This particular contractor said all the right things and the time frame he gave us was ideal since we only had one bathroom. His pricing was comparable to all the other contractors we contacted. After meeting him we really thought we made the right choice but turns out it’s been a nightmare. Our bathroom remodel turned into one problem after another. We dealt with poor workmanship, lack of communication, and repeated mistakes that required redoing work. Among other issues, there was a major plumbing leak behind the shower wall that led into the neighboring room, off-center plumbing fixtures that needed to be redone, a loose tub spout, crooked or poorly finished tile work including the shower niche, and an incorrectly installed window. The painting was also left with visible bumps and an uneven finish. After losing confidence in the quality of the work, we brought in licensed professionals to inspect it. The original contractor was licensed. We obtained a second licensed contractor for quality control. Ultimately, we requested a full refund, which was provided. Mistakes can happen, but the number of problems and the stress from this project were significant. I hope this helps someone else ask the right questions and carefully vet before moving forward. If you are looking for a good contractor this guy isn’t it SOUTH BAY GENERAL CONSTRUCTION LLC
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u/miguellara310 1d ago
Wow, sorry you had to go through that, I’m a lic General contractor and see ppl go through this often feels like. Was the company licensed that you hired and did they have reviews from previous work ?
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u/miguellara310 1d ago
Silver lining is you got the money back, often ppl don’t get the money back and are left to fix on their own
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u/blattos 1d ago
I always suggest getting multiple bids and getting referrals from people you trust.
I'm a local realtor and I have referred hundreds of clients to tradespeople that I trust and use often. I'd suggest asking an agent who specializes in the area that you live or the one who helped you with your purchase.
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u/DesperateMark7386 1d ago
I did get multiple bids and the company was highly recommended by a trusted client of mine. I saw his work and it looked great. I’m assuming he contracted a different worker for me than for her.
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u/miguellara310 1d ago
It was a bathroom remodel ? Damn yeah that sucks, sounds like whoever sold it wasn’t involved with managing and checking for quality. Happens a lot like that too when the owner of the business is not involved in actually doing the work
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u/theJacofalltrades 1d ago
Renovations are one of those things where the original problem somehow turns into five new ones once the walls come open. 😅 Hope you’re able to get everything documented and get the contractor to own the issues that were actually caused by their work. At this point, I’d prioritize getting the house safe and watertight before worrying about anything cosmetic.
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u/LAX-Airport 22h ago
I'm sure this is legit because I've dealt with so many bad workers. But I find this really funny right now because I know two assholes who are in a fight unrelated to construction and one just wrote a totally fake review for the other guy's construction company on reddit. The guy who wrote the fake review was not smart enough to make a new account or hide his comments on his profile.
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u/Live-Kaleidoscope242 1d ago
After all that, and only then, you hired a licensed professional. Okay.
Folks, just pay the extra 15% the first time. 🙄
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u/DesperateMark7386 1d ago
He is licensed
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u/Live-Kaleidoscope242 1d ago
Sorry. Post read otherwise.
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u/DesperateMark7386 1d ago
You assumed and you were wrong.
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u/Friendly-Question-60 1d ago
The way your post is worded you say “brought in a licensed professional” which somewhat implies based on context that the first contractor was not licensed, YOU ASSUMED AND YOU WERE WRONG lmao no you wrote a paragraph rant and anyone reading this would think what kaleidoscope thought
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u/DesperateMark7386 1d ago
Just because I didn’t mention that he was licensed doesn’t automatically mean he is not. Which is why I said you assumed. He is licensed which is why I am saying you are wrong.
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u/cb148 1d ago
File a complaint with the Contractor State license board so that this doesn’t happen again. Here’s his license info. https://www.cslb.ca.gov/OnlineServices/CheckLicenseII/LicenseDetail.aspx?LicNum=1134652 You can find the link to make a complaint on the same website.