Blackburn Brothers Constructions review: Building a birdcage on my home 2

March 16, 2022, Kevin Blackburn and I signed a contract for his company to build a 571 square footage +- birdcage attached to my home. Price for the birdcage only was $15,980, which he requested $10,638 as the initial down payment, instead of the contract amount of 20 percent down, $3,196. He stated the reason for the $10,638 was he was going to order the aluminum before it went up.

The price for the concrete was $5,250, so total for both was $21,230.

Never started the birdcage until late August, 2022, shared the materials were not in, each time I would inquire. I meet Kevin in Publix July 4th weekend and he told me the materials had come in and he did not know when he would be able to start. When I asked him several weeks lated did he know when he would start the birdcage, he told me the materials were not in. I said when I saw you in Publix you told me they were in, and he said we still need three corners and don't want to start until I have them.

When the birdcage was completed, and I had paid Kevin a total of $21,230, I got a call from Community Standards, that the birdcage did not have a permit, and it had to come down. I shared my contractor Kevin Blackburn shared he had filed for the permit and his contract stated he would not start building until he received the proper permits, Marion County and from Community Standards. She stated he did file, but it was not approved and it had to come down and the concrete had to come up. She said the birdcage was built on the wrong side home.

I contacted Kevin and shared he made a mistake, the birdcage should be on the other side of the home. He said I can put it on that side. I shared I do not want it there, I would have to have more concrete, dig up two fruit trees, and I could not come out of my lanai into the birdcage. Kevin stated I am going to owe you money back. Matt, his birdcage installer, took it down with the exception of a few square feet that was on the back of home. He did say to me, he would have to refund back to me for the materials not used, I sent him a text and shared this was not acceptable, I should only pay for the square footage of the birdcage I ended up with.

Mind you, if I had known that my birdcage could not have been where Kevin's drawings were for the permit, I would not have done the birdcage at all. I had a beautiful stamped concrete patio floor lever with the walk way and now I have plain concrete that I have to step down to get on walkway, that I am going to need to have stain. So unhappy, but I was extremely nice to Kevin through his mistake until he has chosen to totally ignore me in all forms of my communications to him.

I have sent texts, emails and left voicemails for Kevin to get with me on settling up on funds due to me and to fill the holes in the concrete where the post were and replace a post inside of the now small birdcage that had four holes in it when it had been used as a post for the cage that came down. He said he would put screws in this post instead of replacing it, I told him that was not acceptable in an email I sent him, no replay from him. He will not reply to anything. I even told him I had an appointment on the 20th to have the concrete stain with American Concrete, and I asked him would he please have the holes filled in prior to this appointment, no reply as usual.

He told me his contract said he did to use text, you need to email.

Let me share this, I sent him pictures of the mess that was left in my yard after the concrete subcontractor left, and he sent someone to get the wood and all the large clumps of concrete laying in my yard for weeks, of course he never let me know he received my text.

Again, I sent him pictures of materials left in my yard, up against my door, could not get out of door, had to go around and come through the gate to remove the materials, that Matt, the birdcage installer left. He sent people to get this, but of course he never replied to my text. I sent him a text on a big tool box that was left here and he sent someone to picket up, but did not reply to my text. He reads text and reacts on the part that benefits him, but not to me.

I will say all through this process, Kevin's communication skills are the worse I have ever dealt with from anyone I hired to perform a task.

I have all of my documents if needed.

I