Hired Bucharest flooring to have my townhouse interior painted, laminate flooring replaced in kitchen due to water leak and carpeting of the stairs and second level of the house.
I felt very pressured to commit 'on the spot' - yes my fault be he picked up on my insecurities and pushed really hard - at least that is what I have been told. He also required check/cash only.
He quoted me a price of $13,000 for everything. The painters did not use any drop cloths when painting; I am still scraping paint off by wood laminate flooring & linoleum flooring in bathrooms. A week or so after they left I found two pieces of wood from my bed behind the chest of drawers. They had been knocked off by either the painters or the carpet installers and hidden so I wouldn't see them.
He did not have enough of my original leftover wood laminate to complete the space that needed repair so he put some kind of linoleum in the half bath downstairs that doesn't look ANYTHING like the kitchen floor next to it - it is NOT wood laminate (it is no kind of laminate) and is a golden yellow color (photo below) as opposed to walnut laminate flooring throughout the downstairs. It will have to be redone.
When replacing the floor in the half-bath, the workers did not tighten the toilet to the floor and it rocks forward; also did not tighten pedestal sink and it does not fit flush with the wall. He made four appointments to fix the toilet and sink and never showed up or called (while I missed work to wait for him - and he knew this). There was also a little "door" in the half bath that covers the water meter, etc., that was not painted. I couldn't even find it for another day - it was in a closet. I painted it myself. He was going to leave without leaving me any touch-up paint & when I told him I needed it, he poured some in a plastic cup, covered it with Saran wrap and said to keep it in the refrigerator.
The molding he used in the kitchen and half bath floor/wall is made of CARDBOARD, then painted white. The first time I went to clean the floor the paint came off and the cardboard molding was revealed. I don't know how to fix this other than replacing all the molding.
He was supposed to install a flush mount kitchen ceiling light (I have the light fixture), but he never returned to install it. The glass covering over the light bulbs in a hanging light in the landing of the stairs was not put back on. They didn't return to fix it and consequently when I tried, I dropped it and now need a new lighting fixture (yes, it is my fault I fumbled it, but they never returned to put it back on themselves.
He asked for the last $2000 payment in CASH so he could pay his workers. Yes, I know I should not have done it, but I did - another insecurity.
I am a 75-year-old widow on a fixed income, which he also knew. I feel extremely guilty, foolish and embarrassed that I allowed this to happen to me, but hopefully it might help someone else avoid the financial and emotional trauma I have gone through. I know he has "rave" reviews on his website and others have told me that it is not unusual for people to post good reviews themselves. I truly believe this is the case here. Learned my lesson - the hard way.
Desired outcome: None expected; hopefully someone else will not be taken in by this man.