Ted Locker and Sean McGrory Repairs & Renovations review: Sloppy workmanship

My nightmarish experience on hiring Theodore R. Locker (Locker) to rebuild my deck:
In late summer 2024, I noticed that Locker was working across the court from my home and asked him if he could rebuild a deck. He told me he could and that he had been a councilman and was familiar with Upper Providence Township Inspections Officer. I thought that this was a plus for him; little did I know.
I told him I wanted everything the same as on the original deck with the exception that the under supporting boards be spaced apart to allow water to flow through them; as I had been told that water had gotten between boards and corrupted on my original deck. I pointed out one of my neighbors decks and he told me he knew what I wanted. He created a handwritten quote, which I told him needed to be revised to reflect what we had discussed. He returned with a rewritten quote specifying which reflected the spaced underboards, but he had only brought one copy. I signed the copy and he promised to bring me a copy agreement I had signed. I believed him.
Locker informed me that I would need a permit, which had not been needed in 2004 when I had replaced my deck the first time. I asked him when would the building inspector be out to inspect the deck as I wanted my monies worth for the inspection. Locker told me that he would be out at the beginning and at the end.
The day Locker began the work I had a doctor’s appointment and left for the better part of the day. He did not have the promised copy of the agreement nor did the inspector stop by. I also noticed that one of my boards against my home had been ripped off. I asked Locker about it and he told me that I didn’t need it. I told him he should not have ripped it off and should have left it. I asked him if he was going to replace the exposed wood and he replied that it was not in the contract to replace the board he ripped off. I asked him for my copy of the signed agreement and he told me that I had a copy of it. I told him that I did not have a copy of the agreement as he had not given it to me and asked that he bring the copy the next day.
He did not bring the copy the next day, but promised me he would give me the copy also claiming that I had a copy of it. Again, Locker never gave me a copy of the agreement.
Locker spent a total of 3.5 days working on my deck. I noticed that there many of the pieces of lumber had not been cut equally or flush. I addressed this to him and again he replied that it was not in the contract. I asked him again for a copy of the agreement and he told me I had a copy of the contract.
On the third day I called the township to ask when the inspector would be out and I was asked ‘Has the work been started’…! I was shocked. Locker had NEVER called the township to inform them that he had started the work. I informed Locker who was speechless. Still believing that Locker would do the right thing, I gave me the second check.

The last day of Locker’s work, I inspected Locker’s work more thoroughly. I realized that he had reconfigured the railing without my consent. I also touched a small piece of wood that seemed to sitting on the deck board and it fell off. The entire piece of wood had not been cut properly and a small piece just lie on the board. I showed this to Locker and he had his grandson climb the ladder and glue the wood to the deck. I told him you can’t simply glue a deck together and he told me he was using carpenters glue and it would hold up. (What other areas have been glued?)
On the last day, I still did not have a copy of the agreement, the inspector had never shown up, and Locker was still claiming that he had done quality work.
I asked him for a copy of the agreement and he asked me for the third check.
Locker stayed outside my front door knocking for an hour while I was on the phone with my doctor’s office. When I got off the phone, Locker asked for the third and final check and I asked him when the inspector be out and where was my copy of the agreement. Locker told me that I would get the copy of the agreement after I paid him. I called the police because Locker would not leave. By the time the police came, Locker had left.
The following day, the inspector came to my home, he had told Locker to put washers under a miscut supporting beam and considered the deck acceptable. When I met the township inspector he turned out to be the most egregiously nasty individual I had ever trusted. I do feel that since the township approved the sloppy work on my deck, they should be liable for the work; but that, naturally will never happen.
Locker will lie with impunity. Beware of this monster!

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