On September 6, 2008, my wife and I entered into a contract with My Contractor.com to have our backyard concrete removed, have a new French drain system installed, have new concrete poured and stamped and have a new retaining wall installed. On September 24, 2008, at our second meeting to discuss the details of the job, Pete Maiorana, Vice president of sales and marketing, made us an offer to also install a new gutter system. He told us that new gutters would allow the concrete contractors to unite the downspouts into the French drain system. Pete told us it would cost $2350.00 for the gutters, downspouts and premium leaf guards on the backside of our house. He said he could give us a reduced rate, since we are having other work done. He told us he would have high grade, metal leaf guards installed for his cost of $3.00 a linear foot. We agreed and I wrote a down payment check for $823.00 to My Contractor.com. A few days later, we agreed to have the gutter work done on Monday, October 6, 2008.
On October 6, 2008, Bruce Hosner, the Project manager assigned to me by My Contractor.com, called me and said that his regular gutter guy didn’t show up, so he had to find a new crew for my job. He told me that he and the gutter installers would be at my home between 10:30 and 11 am. The Gutterman Enterprises came to start the removal of the gutters at 10:50 am. Bruce showed up around 11:15, and stayed for about just over an hour, than asked me to write two separate checks for the remainder of the balance. He said one check, written for $386.00, is for My Contractor.com and the other, written for $1141.00, was for The Gutterman. I questioned why there was a need for two checks, and Bruce said that, since this was a last minute deal, the gutter company required immediate payment upon completion of the job. The job was finished at 4:30 pm, and I looked over the work. The gutters looked okay and new downspouts were installed. But, after further investigation, I found the leaf guards were made of plastic, and not metal, which Pete had quoted. Also, after the job was completed, I asked the installers if there was an invoice to show I had paid them. The installer gave me a detailed invoice for $1141.00. I asked if this was the total cost for installation, materials and removal, or just labor. The Gutterman installer said that it was the complete price for the job.
I called The Gutterman Enterprises to inquire about the pricing as soon as the installers left. A salesman, Jeff, told me that he gives My Contractor a discount for referring business to their company. Jeff told me the total for my job, if I had gone directly to The Gutterman, would have been $1296.00. I was shocked to hear what a difference in price, $1209.00, was paid to My Contractor.com. This is more than a 105 percent markup. I immediately called Pete on his cell phone and left a message stating that I needed to talk to him about a price discrepancy on the gutters. Pete called back soon after and asked what was the discrepancy. I told him about the price difference and asked what he would do about it. He said that maybe they gave us a lower grade of aluminum gutter. I told him, regardless of the quality, there was still a considerable difference in price. I told him I could see a 10 to 20 percent markup, but not 105%. Pete said he would look into it and call me back the following day, October 7, 2008. He asked for both my cell phone number and work number so he could call me. The next day I waited and, finally, called My Contractor.com at 3:15pm. Sabrina answered and I asked if Pete was available. She told me he had stepped out for a moment, but would be back. I asked her to please have him call me as soon as possible to discuss a pricing matter. I tried again at 4:10pm, but did not get any answer. At 5:44, I called Pete’s cell phone and left a message insisting that he call me tomorrow, October 8, 2008. At this juncture, both my wife and I feel that we have been taken advantage of and conned out of our finances.
On Wednesday, October 8, 2008, at 8:53am, I received a call from Pete Maiorana. He stated that he looked into the discrepancy and found that he ordered commercial grade gutters, which is a thicker gauge aluminum. He apologized for the inconvenience and he would send his corporate office a letter explaining the matter and would request a refund. He told me the corporate office would issue a check for the difference of what I had paid. When I asked if this amount would be $1209.00, he said, “is that the difference?” to which I replied, “yes, that’s what I paid to My Contractor.com”. I asked when I could expect a check and Pete said probably by the end of next week (Friday, October 17, 2008). I asked if there is anything I could have in writing to confirm the discrepancy and forthcoming payment, and Pete told me he would get something together.
On Friday, October 10, 2008, at 3:03pm, I called Pete to inquire about the gutter situation. He told me he had sent a letter to the corporate office and a check for $1209.00 would be sent soon. He also mentioned that we received the same gutters that he had on his house, which is a 19 gauge aluminum gutter. We spoke about the above mentioned backyard project and he told me the job would commence on Monday, October 20, 2008. On Friday, October 17, 2008, I received a call from the project manager, Bruce. He told me that Greg Montgomery, concrete contractor, and his crew were still finishing another job that wasn’t expected to be done until Wednesday or Thursday, October 22nd or 23rd, 2008. He said that our project could start the following Monday, October 27, 2008. I stated my frustration with the delay, and Bruce assured me the job would start the following Monday.
On Wednesday, October 22, 2008, I left a message on Pete’s work voicemail and sent him an email inquiring as to the status of the check.
On Thursday, October 23, 2008, I received a phone call from Pete. He told me that he had been on interviews the last couple of days and apologized for not replying sooner. He told me he would contact the corporate office to get the status of the refund check and said he would try to contact me by Friday to give me an update.
On Friday, October 24, 2008, my wife received a call from Pete. My wife gave me the phone and I talked to Pete. He told me that Greg Montgomery was stuck on another project that would end on Monday, October 27, 2008. He said that Greg usually gives his crew a day off before starting a new project and asked if they could start on Wednesday or Thursday, October 29th or 30th, 2008. I told him, as I mentioned numerous times before, that I wanted to be there for the demolition phase of the project. I said that I am off of work on Mondays and Fridays and they could start on Friday, October 31, 2008. Pete said that would be fine. I told him of my concern that My Contractor.com has had our 30% deposit of $8336.00 since September 6th, 2008 and was frustrated in the many delays. Pete, also, assured me that the job will start on Friday, October 31, 2008.
On Thursday, October 30, 2008, I expected to receive a call confirming the start of the project. Since I received no such call, I called My Contractor.com at 3:06 pm. I asked Sabrina to speak with Pete or Bruce. She said Bruce was in the office, but was on the phone. She asked if I would like his voicemail, which I said, “Yes, please”. On the message I stated that I would like a call back giving me an update whether or not the job would start tomorrow, (October 31, 2008) as Pete told me. I stated that I would expect a call tonight (October 30, 2008). I finally called Pete’s cell phone at 4:44 pm and left a message to check the status. I called Bruce’s cell phone immediately after. Bruce answered and I asked whether or not the job would be starting tomorrow (Friday, October 31, 2008). He told me since rain was expected, the project could not start until Tuesday, November 4, 2008. I asked if he was still the project manager on this project. Bruce told me that Pete has taken more of a roll in this project and that I should talk to Pete with any concerns. He mentioned that he would also be present during the process.
On Friday, October 31, 2008, I called My Contractor.com to speak with Pete. I was told that he was in the field and that I could call his cell phone to reach him. At 12:50 pm, I called and left a message mentioning the previous conversation with Bruce. I stated that I would appreciate a call to update the status of the project and expect a call later today (October 31, 2008). Pete called back from Tracy, CA at 2:10 pm. He also mentioned the weather situation and would know more on Monday, November 3, 2008. I mentioned to him that I still had not received the refund check from his corporate office. He told me he would call on Monday to check the status of the check. Pete told me he would contact me by Monday afternoon to give me an update on both the refund check and the backyard project.
On Sunday, November 2, 2008, I left a message for Pete. I reminded him to check on the status of the check, and, if the backyard project would start on Tuesday, November 4, 2008. I also stated that he should call my work number between 10 am and 3 pm since I didn’t get a good signal on my cell phone. I also said I would email him a reminder, which I did after leaving the voicemail.
On Monday, November 3, 2008, at 9:37 am, I received a call from Pete. He told me that the weather was looking clear and that the job could start on Thursday, November 6, 2008 (to coincide with my next day off). I agreed and Pete told me he would call to confirm with me on Wednesday, November 5, 2008.
On Tuesday, November 4, 2008, at 11:53 am, I called My Contractor.com and asked to talk to Pete. I was told that he was out of the office and that I could reach him by cell phone. At 11:54 am, I called and left a message stating that I needed a status on the refund check. I said that he (Pete) could leave me a detailed message as to the status, as I could not receive a signal in the building.
On Wednesday, November 5, 2008, at 3:07 pm, I called MyContractor.com and asked to talk to Bruce. Sabrina told me to hold on, then returned and said that Bruce would call me back. I waited and finally tried to call back at 4:17 pm, there was no answer. So, I called Bruce’s cell phone at 4:27 pm and left a message asking if the backyard project was starting tomorrow (Thursday, November 6th). I called and had to leave a message on Pete’s cell phone at 4:29, asking the same. I also tried to reach the concrete contractor, Greg, on his cell phone at 4:53 pm. Finally at 5:38 pm, Pete called back and told me the job will start tomorrow, and to expect Bruce and Greg to show between 9:00 and 9:30 am. I also asked about the status of the check. Pete replied that the check had been sent out last week and might have been lost in the mail. He told me he would have the corporate office issue a stop payment on that check and have another issued. He said he would have the check sent to the Concord, CA office and, as soon as it arrives, will overnight the check to me. I told him of my frustration in waiting over three weeks for some resolution. Pete, once again, assured me that I would have a check within a week.
Hate to say it--but the backyard took over two weeks TO DEMOLISH, stated November 6th, and has yet to start to pour concrete. I received a check for the refund that has insufficient funds after several attempts. What's next...COURT?
I finally received a check on November 21st, but, it took three attempts to cash it because funds were not available. I was finally able to cash it on November 28th. As for the rest of the backyard project, the french drain system started on December 8th. Unfortunately, the job might be delayed again because MyContractor.com is not providing the subcontractor with finances to complete thet project. I'll keep the updates coming until the job is done.
As of January 13, 2009, our backyard concrete has been poured, but, the walkway and curbside concrete remains untouched. The reason for the delay is that MyContractor.com of California is not paying the subcontractor for the work that has been done. I found out last night that MyContractor.com has had its license suspeded for Contractors Bond issues, which expired on January 4th. Their workers compensation insurance has also expired as of January 3rd. The California Contractor's State License Board says they are doing business unlawfully and should not be contracting at this time. We will be filing complaints with the California CSLB, Better Business Bureau and the Contra Costa District Attorney's Office in regards to this matter. I will try to keep the facts updated.
As of February 6, 2009, my wife and I have filed complaints with the BBB, CSLB, 7 on Your Side and the Contra Costa District Attorney. We have sent a demand letter to terminate our contract and demand a refund of our Capital One home finance loan in the amount of $19, 450. MyContractor.com has sent a response to the BBB stating that the concrete subcontractor has been fully paid $14, 000. We have a signed statement from the subcontractor stating he received only $8000. Capital One finance division has told my wife that they have terminated their relationship with MyContractor.com and any outstanding loan applications will not be funded until our situation is resolved to our satisfaction. The loan had been funded on September 25, 2008 because MyContractor.com fraudulently submitted a Certificate of Completion, prior to the October 7, 2008 project start date. Peter Maiorana, vice president of sales and marketing faxed the certificate to Tonya Stone at the Greensburg, PA corporate office on September 25, 2008. Tonya Stone put a date of September 24, 2008 next to my wife’s signature. and faxed the certificate to Capital One 20 minutes after receiving the fax from Peter. Peter has lied to us and MyContractor.com delayed the project numerous times by not paying the subcontractor for work to be completed. I have received a number of emails from others experiencing similar problems with MyContractor.com and I urge all of those and others like them to please post complaints online and file complaints with as many agencies as possible. Please email me if you have problems with MyContractor.com or need advice on what you can do to try and get your money back and shut MyContractor.com down. Bottom line, we want out of our contract and a refund of our loan finances.
As of Friday, February 27, 2009, MyContractor.com is no longer in business. Their main office number, [protected] and the toll free nuber, are both disconnected. I was lucky enough to have had MyContractor.com pay the subcontractors before they closed their doors and our project should be completed soon. I hope others are lucky enough to have gotten out of this with minimal impact. David Loetz, president of the company has given his word to complete our project and it looks like it is happening. Look out for Gary Iskra, consulting CEO of MyContractor.com opening another similar business under a different name. Peter Maiorana, VP of sales and marketing is another name to be cautious of. He is a very persuasive salesman and continues to pursue after you have said "NO"! Look up www.pacesettersucks.com for more information on the past issues with some of the heads of the company...and do your reasearch thouroughly before signing any contract. Never sign on the same day you hear the sales pitch and be aware of the amount the state requires you to put as a downpayment. Do not sign a certificate of completion or any document that you find suspicious. Please email if you have any questions or advice. Thanks.
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.
i recently had Mycontractor.com come into my house to do an estimate on a kitchen. afterwards i found more than a few complaints inline talking about exectly the same thing. on their website i could find no reference to their contractors license number, and on the california contractors search site i could find no record of them. Did your concrete work get done?
Please if you have not done so, call the CSLB and file a complaint on these smucks.
They are nothing less than crooks. They owe me more than $7, 500 and another
contractor I know more than $15, 000. They have owed me the money since June of 2008.
They have lied over and over again about when they would pay me. I feel very bad for the
people who's home I worked on as they paid for the job in full. They now have a lien on
their home and I have paid an attorney to start the foreclosure proceedings.
We are working with Mr. and Mrs. Tyler to complete their concrete patio in the next several weeks (weather permitting). It is unfortunate that we had several delays and a communication break-downs with them, however we should have this job completed in the very near future.
We have several thousand satisfied customers, and have many jobs ongoing with happy customers. We believe that once the Tyler's job is completed, they too will be satisfied with our quality of work.
This is all so familiar. We also had a kitchen remodel by MyContractor.com and a smooth salesman, Jeff Thompson came to our home in Feb. 08 after we made contact with this company at a home show at the SCCo Fairgrounds in San Jose. After numerous lies and promises and more lies by President David Loetz and non payment to subs our kitchen finally was completed 2 days before Xmas 08 after we paid directly to the remaining Subs. (10 months to complete with the contract stating the completion date would be in April). We did file with the CSLB and Investigator J. McDowell was very helpful in helping us get our kitchen completed, and we also filed a complaint with 7onyourside. Loetz and his representative Lance Q said they would have lien releases to us from all the subs who worked on our home within 2 weeks of kitchen completion. Not done. More lies. We had an HVAC system installed at the same time and had made two payments to MyCom which they said they had paid the HVAC Company in full per Bruce Hosner (Bruce by the way renegotiated our HVAC contract without our permission from the original HVAC Company we agreed upon) and then when job was completed said he would get us a lien release. This was a lie. They did not pay the HVAC company the money we had paid and now there is a court date the end of this month. Our Heating/air conditioning was completed and we did make final payment directly to the HVAC Company and received an uncond lien release from HVAC Company so, it will be left to the courts to see what happens. My Contractor.com owes $3, 662 to the HVAC Company. MyContractor.com is one of the worst companies we have ever encountered and Buyer Beware always check out what they say are "thousands of satisfied customers" Ha, I don't believe a word they say. Also check out complaints and lic and insurance status. We will be filing with the BBB and will post results from the court date.
I am a former employee of MyContractor. I wish I had never gone to work for these crooks. They shut down the business without warning, owing me over $5000 in commissions. I can tell you that there are many other people who can say the same thing. Dave Loetz, Pete Maiorana, Jeff Thompson (President and Managers) are all liars, cheats, and frauds. Gary Iskra, the owner of the company, is the worst of them all. Apparently he has done this before, ripped off many customers and employees, and will probably try again. Because of the unpaid wages, I am now homeless and having my car repossessed. These people are ###, and I am going to do all I can to take them down, so they can never do this again. I am going to the Ca Labor Board, CSLB, Seven on Your Side, the District Attorney- anything and everything I can. I feel horrible for all the customers they ripped off.
In 2006 we had our roof replaced by mycontractor.com in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They had the lowest estimate of all 8 bids we received for the job. The crew that completed our work was professionals with high standards and an excellent work ethic. They were courteous, respectful and cleaned up all debris daily. The job was executed flawlessly, without any incidents or deception and was completed within the time frame stated in the contract, less one day due to heavy rain.
Our experience with them was superb and we've since recommended them to numerous friends and family members that enjoyed the same great value and superior level of service that we did.
Court ruled in favor of the customer and HVAC company will have to pursue MyContractor.com for remaining costs owed of $3, 662.00. Subs be advised MyContractor.com does not pay for your work promply or not at all. Again, the amount of time we were without a kitchen with wires hanging, no floors, and a complete gutted kitchen was way too long and it was over 10 months from signing of contract to completion. This was totally unsatisfactory. All Subs were to be paid by MyContractor.com with lien releases obtained, but this did not happen. MyContractor.com is an unreliable company. We would not recommend them to anyone.
I used to work for MyContractor.com and it was BAD.
I was ashamed to walk into people's houses and quote them
ridiculously high prices for jobs they could have purchased
for much, much less from reliable contractors.
But they made it seem OK, for a while. Our work is "highest
quality, " and all of our contractors are bonded and insured.
Yeah right.
The day I saw what our "esteemed subcontractors" had done
to a couple's house (I can't mention it here due to confidentiality
reasons), is the day I started looking for another job.
It was horrible. I can't believe the people paid thousands of
dollars to have their home screwed up.
I hope these people find a new line of work, and some integrity
while they're at it!
My husband and I had work done by My Contractor.Com a few years ago. Of coarse the salesman was Jeff. He's good alright. But guess what? I became the biggest pain he ever had to deal with. Why? Because I made sure he wrote down every word he promised. If I hadn't I would have been stuck with the wrong windows and french doors. They ended up reordering new windows for the entire house. They took a year to finally complete that job.
There were some other issues we had to deal with. That's why we didn't have more stuff done. Today, 1-18-10, I noticed a leak at one window. I hope it's an easy sealing problem so I don't have to spend money I don't have. Like so many other people out there we've been hit hard by loss of job security. Still, we have our home and continue to do whatever work comes our way. Compared to the horrible experiences I've just read maybe we were one of the lucky ones. After doing business with them I had a bad feeling. So, when I called several numbers (no longer in service) I guess I wasn't surprised. I feel for all of the good people who were duped by this company and hope you all are able to resolve any and all conflicts against these GOOD-FOR-NOTHING-CREEPS! Good luck to all of you in your pursuit for justice. May you receive it and soon. L in sjca
Dirtbags. David Loetz signed a Service Agreement to support some of their office equipment in Concord less than one month before they dissappeared from the area. Supplies and service in excess of $600 were delivered and services rendered pending payment for the annual agreement. He was sincere and pleasant and had always paid promptly (in cash) for supplies and service up until this point over the recent months so we had no reason to be suspicious. Our trust and good faith in them was repaid by blatant theft with no remorse. Small potatoes compared to others' trouble but we felt this should be added to the gr0wing list of complaints against them.