Barton & Sons Construction
reviews and complaints

Hello - I would like to let everyone know of the experience I had with Barton and Sons Construction LLC. I've provided details below, please feel free to DM me if you would like additional information, pictures, screenshots, a tour, or if you have had a similar situation with this contractor. I'm happy to share all of the facts. 

The work performed by Barton and Sons failed inspection by the Town of Amherst. The Building Inspector called the workmanship some of the worst quality he has ever seen, and he is willing to testify to that. 

The contracted job was to build a 26'x30' garage with a 5'x8' breezeway, and a 20'x20' screened porch. I signed a contract with Barton and Sons in January 2022 which detailed a timeline of 12-14 weeks (unfortunately "time is not of the essence" was in the contract - my mistake). The first shovel went into the ground on August 4th, 2022. Without notice, Ed Barton stopped personally coming to the job site as of October 28th, 2022. His crew (3 individuals with seemingly little experience) came occasionally until termination. The Notice to Cure was sent to Barton and Sons on April 18th, 2023. On May 26th, 2023, after the concerns highlighted in the Notice to Cure were not addressed I terminated the contract.

GARAGE CONCERNS:

- Ed Barton hit my existing house with the backhoe on day one

- Ed hired an inexperienced foundation crew for the garage. The foundation was poured without appropriate municipal inspection, without appropriate reinforcing steel rebar, was not plumb, and was not level. 

- The entire foundation had to be ripped out of the ground and repoured. 

- Due to the failed pour, Ed Barton refused to pay the first (inexperienced) crew. This resulted in an altercation at my property and the Amherst Police had to be called. This altercation was on a weekend in front of my young children. 

- Barton and Sons then decided to frame and pour the foundation themselves. - The re-poured foundation was also unacceptable due to continued poor workmanship. The concrete forms were improperly installed, resulting in walls that are not straight or level. 

- As a result of the negligent pour, the foundation wall is not level by 1.5" and it was never corrected prior to framing. The entire garage slopes from left to right (South to North). 

- One row of concrete block was placed on the foundation walls, but the block had to be placed around two (2) inches inside the edge of the foundation on all sides, resulting in a loss of five (5”) inches of interior space within the garage as well as an unsightly and uneven outer and inner lip around the perimeter of the entire structure and attached breezeway.

- The installation of the breezeway roof was incomplete and unacceptable, leaving exposed plywood sheathing from December 2022 through March 2023, incomplete fascia board, and shingles placed with poor quality and workmanship resulting in a leak into the existing garage.

- Barton and Sons failed and/or refused to adhere to the architectural plans by not installing ceiling joists in the breezeway.

- Where the breezeway roof connects to the existing garage and to the new garage, proper structural support was not framed and was unacceptable per the Building Inspector.

- Barton and Sons failed and/or refused to adhere to the architectural plans regarding the construction of the garage and/or breezeway walls per the following: 

A. Where the breezeway and new garage meet, the top plates must overlap to meet structural requirements.

B. The same concern exists within the garage; where wall sections meet the top plate must overlap.

C. There were two (2) missing anchor bolts in the breezeway walls that had to be placed.

D. The wall sheathing was not nailed down on studs throughout, and in some places the sheathing came together but did not land on a stud at all. Additional 2"x4" studs had to be added to correct this issue.

E. The West window opening in the garage was not centered per the architectural drawings.

F. All cells of the concrete blocking in the breezeway and garage were to be properly filled which was not completed. 

- Barton and Sons failed and/or refused to adhere to the architectural plans regarding the framing of an access panel to the attic of the garage.

- Barton and Sons failed and/or refused to adhere to the architectural drawings and Town of Amherst code regarding the placement of collar ties in the garage ceiling. Additional collar ties had to be installed. 

PATIO CONCERNS:

- The concrete piers for the porch were not poured in the correct location per plans. As a result, many of the piers had to be excavated by hand and repoured.

- As these piers were excavated by hand and ultimately repoured, Ed Barton's theory that the piers were misplaced because of an "obstruction" in the ground was proven false by his own crew. 

- Barton and Sons failed and/or refused to adhere to the architectural plans regarding centering the 6x6 posts on the poured concrete piers. On some of the 24" piers, the posts are within 2" of the edges. To ensure a structurally sound patio, the Project Architect and Building Inspector require that some of the 6x6 posts will need to be relocated.

- Barton and Sons failed and/or refused to adhere to the architectural plans by framing a 39”x82" man door on the porch when the drawings called for a 36”x80” door.

- Barton and Sons failed and/or refused to adhere to the architectural plans regarding the two (2) 2x10 beams at floor level on both sides of the patio that connect to the house. The beams were supposed to bear 3” on the existing house foundation. Instead, the beams were connected to the existing ledger board with A35 connectors which is not sufficient to bear the weight of the flooring in the appropriate section of the patio. Unfortunately, two (2) additional concrete piers had to be hand dug and poured to support the beams. 

- Barton and Sons failed and/or refused to adhere to the architectural plans regarding two (2) 2x10 beams at the floor level within the West side of the porch. The structure was only constructed with a single 2x10, which has been deemed structurally insufficient by both the Town of Amherst Building Inspector and the Project Architect. 

- Barton and Sons failed and/or refused to adhere to the architectural plans and Town of Amherst/New York State building code as Hurricane Ties should have been installed at the low end of all rafters to connect back to the horizontal beam. No Hurricane Ties have been installed on the porch. 

- The Architect and Building Inspector expressed concern that the floor joists, center and side beams were constructed too high relative to the existing house, and deck boards will not fit between the patio structure and the existing French door and side window threshold. As a result, all of the joists and side beams will have to be lowered. 

- The horizontal structural header beam on the West side of the patio appears to be deflecting. Ed Barton was requested to run a string test for the Building Inspector, which was never addressed. Update - it was confirmed by the new contractor that the header is deflecting by more than a 1/2" at center.

- Barton and Sons failed and/or refused to adhere to the architectural plans by failing to install a ridge vent on the porch roof. 

MISCELLANEOUS CONCERNS:

- Other areas of our property outside of the scope of the Contract have been damaged,including:

A. siding around the existing garage that was not to be disturbed by the new construction that was hit by a backhoe and subsequently caused structural damage

B. siding on the West side of the home near the new breezeway

C. siding on either side of the new porch

D. damage to the flashing around the existing French doors leading from the porch to our family room because the crew dropped a header beam on the doorway During the installation of a header beam, the crew hammered through the existing family room wall causing a hole in the wall. The family room wall hole was patched but the wall was not painted.

D. During site excavation for the project, the existing underground conductor pipes that transmit water from our downspouts to the storm drains were broken and rendered non-functional. This is a central element in our property drainage. Barton and Sons failed and/or refused to repair this damage, despite language in the Contract (plans and specifications) to the contrary. The cost to repair these drains by a third-party vendor was $8,327.50. 

- The following roofing issues were identified and previously communicated, and unfortunately never corrected. 

A. The roof was installed on the porch and garage without the recommended overhang of ½”- ¾” beyond the drip edge, causing water to leak between the fascia board and gutter. 

B. The roof was installed with interchanging rake and drip edge along the same fascia board on both the East and West sides of the garage causing unsightly lines and non-conforming to the construction documents.

ELECTRICAL:

- When it came time to start the electrical, Ed Barton contacted me and said that he would not provide an overhead garage door (which is explicitly stated in the Contract that it was to be provided by the Contractor) unless I, the homeowner, pulled my own electrical permit and then allowed Ed's non-licensed electrician to perform the work. I reluctantly agreed (again, my mistake) in an attempt to avoid further conflict. 

- When I went to the Town office to pull the permit, I learned the permit fee was already paid for by Mike Bonora (MJB Electric) as I assume he was originally asked to perform the work? 

BEHAVIOR:

- What I witnessed directed at myself and his crew was unprofessional, at best. On multiple occasions, Ed Barton would swear at me, flip me off, and otherwise be mean and try to intimidate me. I was nervous to ever call him or speak with him out of fear. I was often overly nice and tried to "kill him with kindness" in order to not upset him.

- I also witnessed Ed yelling/screaming at his screw on multiple occasions. His crew told me they were scared to ever question him, and behind his back they would talk about how disorganized they were. They referenced how they didn't know where they were going for the day or what they would be doing until they received a text message from Ed that morning, and oftentimes Ed Barton would forget to text a member of the crew and the left-out member had to ask his son what they were doing.

DEPOSIT:

- At the time of signing, I provided Barton and Sons a deposit to complete the stated work. Per item #2 under the Notices section of the Contract, “[p]ayments received from Owner under this contract, prior to substantial completion of the work under this contract, shall be deposited within five (5) business days of receipt in an escrow account in a bank, trust company or savings and loan association located in this state, and the Owner shall be notified of the name of the depository where the funds have been placed within ten (10) days of deposit of them.” I never received the required notice from Barton and Sons identifying the bank and account information where my funds have been deposited, nor have I received an accounting detailing the dispensing of these escrow funds strictly for the purposes defined in the Contract. This was explicitly requested and ignored. 

CURRENT STATUS:

- Unfortunately, working with Barton and Sons has taken a toll on myself and my family, both financially and emotionally. We are now in November 2023 and the porch is in the same condition that Ed and his crew left it back in October 2023 - just framing that all needs to be fixed. The garage has just recently been completed. The new contractor had to go stud by stud, wall by wall, window by window, correcting all issues. I'm estimating that to complete the job I will have to spend roughly 25% more than the original contracted price. I'd also like to apologize to all of my neighbors; thanks for being patient with us as we work through this process. It will be beautiful at some point!

I'm really happy with my new kitchen. Barton & Sons kept me updated with what was going on and the guys were really friendly. They made sure everything was cleaned up every day. The cabinets, floor, and countertops are all amazing and they got them from great suppliers. They made sure every little thing was perfect. I would definitely recommend Barton & Sons Construction for any home remodel you want to do. Thanks again Barton & Sons!

Barton & Sons did a great job helping my mom when she got out of the hospital. She had a leaky roof and they came and fixed it for her, free of charge, that day. They came back a few weeks later and replaced the whole roof. They did it fast and did a great job. They replaced everything that was rotten and did it right. They're a great company and Ed is awesome with a heart of gold!

I hired Barton & Sons for a deck build in my backyard. I talked with Ed and he helped me with the plan and pricing. Ed and his team did a great job, they paid attention to every detail and Ed kept me updated on the progress. What impressed me the most was their timing. They were able to squeeze in my job on short notice, so now I can enjoy the spring and summer with my wife on our new deck :) I will definitely hire Barton & Sons for future jobs. I highly recommend them.

Had a big reno on the first floor with Barton & Son's. Ed took down some walls and opened up our living room to the kitchen, and did a whole new remodel of the kitchen. We were amazed at how fast they worked and how good the details were. They came early and worked long days to get our home turned around. Our home finally feels like OUR home with all the amazing work they did. It wasn't an easy job, but they really did a great job! We'll definitely call them back for future renos on our home!

I recommend Barton & Sons Construction for anyone who wants their dream rooms to come true! They did an excellent job in my house twice. They turned my boring bathroom into a dream spa tub room that takes my breath away every time I use it! Ed Barton helped with the design and colors and let me know every step of the way what was being done! His crew are fantastic guys, always professional, kind, and go over and beyond for their customers! I'm extremely happy with all the work they have done in my house and will continue to be a repeat customer so I know the jobs I need done will be done right!

We started our project in August. We picked Barton and Sons to do our whole first floor remodel and our upstairs bathroom. From the start, Ed Barton has always been easy to contact and available to us. His workers were hard-working and friendly, and we felt real comfy having them in our home. Though there were minor hiccups along the way, Ed and his team always made things right and will continue to do so in the future if needed. We are super happy with how the remodel turned out. This company's attention to detail made our home look brand new. We just had our first Christmas in our new spaces and got numerous compliments on the finished product. We love how everything looks and were real pleased with Ed Barton and his crew. We developed a good relationship with all of them and know that we can contact him at any time if any issue arises. We are beyond satisfied and are enjoying every minute in our beautiful 'new' home!

Don't use Barton & Sons Construction. I contacted them yesterday and was offered a 4 pm time slot for today. I didn't give my address at that time, but I did provide detailed information about 8 or 9 projects that we want to do over the next few years, totaling over $150,000 in value. Today, I rushed home to make it in time for the consultation appointment, but they never asked for my address. I sent a text at 3:45 pm asking if we were still on, but got no response. When I called at 4 pm, they said that since I didn't give my address, it wasn't a confirmed appointment. They said they would come tomorrow morning, but we're not available then. He yelled at me and said he had his own life and kids, and one of them was sick. He was completely unprofessional. TLDR; Ed Barton blew off our consultation appointment, yelled at me, and was beyond rude.

I hired Barton & Sons Construction for a big kitchen remodel and they did an amazing job. They ripped everything out and put in new stuff like cabinets, countertops, tile, appliances, lighting, and flooring. It took a long time because of labor and supply problems, but they did a great job with the install. I wish they had given me more updates on the project, but I guess that's normal. The work is really good and even the electricians and plumber were impressed. They found some serious problems and fixed them. Barton & Sons Construction cares about the work and hires good people. They answered all my questions and concerns. I can't even explain how impressed I am with everything. They made my dream kitchen a reality and I'm so grateful. I would hire them again and recommend them.

Beautiful transformation to our home. Couldn't be more pleased with the craftsmanship.

Ed donated a wheelchair ramp for my husband a Veteran, who has been unable to leave the house. What a terrific guy to donate his time and expenses to help us! His kindness and generosity is much appreciated! Ed and his team did an awesome job! They arrived on time as promised. Excellent construction and very professional team. I would highly recommend Barton and Sons fro any project!

We recently hired Barton & Sons Construction to remove a few windows and install a sliding glass door in our dining room for a new deck we were installing. We requested he come over to provide an estimate and he responded quickly, scheduled a time, provided an estimate shortly thereafter and we hired them. Ed and his crew did a great job. They showed up on time and got the job done and were very respectful of our home. We look forward to having him back to renovate our bathroom and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend him.

After another contractor ghosted me for a replacement of a failed skylight. Barton & Sons were extremely responsive, extremely flexible with scheduling and sent an exceptionally professional and friendly while experienced team member to my home who did a phenomenal job of replacing the skylight. He also went above and beyond to make sure that everything was perfect for my wife. I would highly recommend them. As an active military member this organization came recommended by another active military member. I would consider them extremely veteran friendly.

Barton & Sons Construction LLC of Tonawanda Ed and the remainder of the crew did a great job with our kitchen. The attention to detail is great and we are very pleased that we hire their company. Very honest people and I felt like that they treated our house as if they were working on their own. Even though that the pandemic is going on and only 1 person can do work at a time, we were amazed how quick they got done and really did a great job. We would highly Recommended him and his crew for the work ethics and care that they put into our home. Not only that they give you the fair price but the work they put in is highly recommended. They are very trustworthy, and I would highly recommend him with my colleagues and friend. Thanks Ed, Ardon and sons for making my kitchen, dining beautiful. I would highly recommend over 100% Barton & Sons Construction LLC of Tonwanda for any of your remodeling needs. I now finally have my dream kitchen.