DJM Construction

DJM was hired as part of a bathroom remodel Dave was contracted when the job was studded and all mechanicals were in place He was to install all tile backer, drywall and Schluter shower pan system then install all tile The contract was for labor, I would buy the tile then Dave would buy the remaining materials and charge me
The entire process started well, Dave seemed friendly and appeared to be knowledgeable The prep work went fine Troubles started with the tile The first tile to be installed was the glass mosaic tiles on the shower pan The tiles were very thin, about 1/8” and I provided Dave the installation specifications from the manufacturer Dave used too much thinset when setting the tiles leaving a very large amount of thinset pushing up in the grout lines He tried to convince me that we were just going to use additional thinset as grout He assured me that it was perfectly acceptable to do it this way I contacted the tile manufacturer and the tile store (not a big box) to discuss They were in definitive agreement that you cannot use thinset in place of grout because the grout has a flexible property and stain resistance Using thinset would mean many cracks and stains Dave reluctantly agreed but complained it would take him ‘days’ to scratch out the thinset He and his assistant spent one day picking the thinset out from the mosaic tile floor
The subway tile walls were then installed from floor to ceiling in the shower and halfway up the wall around the perimeter of the bath When it came time to grout, the grout joints were so large they covered the beveled edge for the subway tiles The job did not look professional
Fast forward to job completion Dave gave us no indication of when he would finish the job He would come and go without conversation or notification He finished the job on a Thursday, and sent a text message that evening asking to stop over for the check As we were busy that evening, we asked if he could get the check the next day, to which he replied “I believe the job is finished Sorry, but I need to get paid.” He lives in our neighborhood, and we felt sorry for him because he pleaded with us that he really needed the money, so we agreed to pay him with a check but I had to transfer the money and would post date for the next business day, Friday He gave no notice before Thursday that the job would be done, so I had not transferred the moneyWe found this unprofessional, and then, a few days later, concerning because the job was not actually finished
The grout set up and I tested the shower and it had low spots in the pan with water settling in a puddleLike a birdbath Dave returned and attempted to fix the problem We let the grout set up again, but the fix only pushed the water to a new low spot Called Dave again He returned and removed square feet of tile We had to order additional tile for him to complete the job We agreed he would pay for it When the tile came in he returned to install it Again it was grouted and left to set up I tested the shower and there was a low spot at the drain on several individual tiles
Dave never checked back to see if the last shower fix had worked, and he never responded when we sent him the bill for the extra tiles, so after days of not hearing from Dave, my wife sent him a text expressing that we were very unhappy with his lack of communication and the fact that we had paid him in full before the job was done and now he was apparently ignoring us After that, Dave became downright rude in every correspondence He informed us that he had some personal issues and that the world did not revolve around our family And in a later e-mail, he addressed the problems that we were still having with the shower (didn’t offer to do anything to fix them, but had advised us to put a dehumidifier in the bathroom to dry the floor and then seal it again- a job that he was to have done in the first place), and finished the e-mail by attacking my character
In the end, I fixed the low spots and had to scrape and retool all the grout lines on the walls Then seal all the grout, which was in the original contract but Dave failed to do
After not hearing from Dave for weeks, we received a check in the mail for sheets of the tile He said he needed sheets but I ordered three to play it safe He ended up using all three but did not pay for the third, plus deducted a tube of caulk for $ A complete double standard from when he needed me to pay for something
Dave’s final communications via email and text were very rude and unprofessional Personality and communications aside, I would not recommend Dave for any tile work based on our results Factor in his personality and the way he ultimately treated my wife, and me I would not recommend him for any home improvements

DJM was hired as part of a bathroom remodel. Dave was contracted when the job was studded and all mechanicals were in place. He was to install all tile backer, drywall and Schluter shower pan system then install all tile. The contract was for labor, I would buy the tile then Dave would buy the remaining materials and charge me.

The entire process started well, Dave seemed friendly and appeared to be knowledgeable. The prep work went fine. Troubles started with the tile. The first tile to be installed was the glass mosaic tiles on the shower pan. The tiles were very thin, about 1/8” and I provided Dave the installation specifications from the manufacturer. Dave used too much thinset when setting the tiles leaving a very large amount of thinset pushing up in the grout lines. He tried to convince me that we were just going to use additional thinset as grout. He assured me that it was perfectly acceptable to do it this way. I contacted the tile manufacturer and the tile store (not a big box) to discuss. They were in definitive agreement that you cannot use thinset in place of grout because the grout has a flexible property and stain resistance. Using thinset would mean many cracks and stains. Dave reluctantly agreed but complained it would take him ‘days’ to scratch out the thinset. He and his assistant spent one day picking the thinset out from the mosaic tile floor.

The subway tile walls were then installed from floor to ceiling in the shower and halfway up the wall around the perimeter of the bath. When it came time to grout, the grout joints were so large they covered the beveled edge for the subway tiles. The job did not look professional.

Fast forward to job completion. Dave gave us no indication of when he would finish the job. He would come and go without conversation or notification. He finished the job on a Thursday, and sent a text message that evening asking to stop over for the check. As we were busy that evening, we asked if he could get the check the next day, to which he replied “I believe the job is finished. Sorry, but I need to get paid.” He lives in our neighborhood, and we felt sorry for him because he pleaded with us that he really needed the money, so we agreed to pay him with a check but I had to transfer the money and would post date for the next business day, Friday. He gave no notice before Thursday that the job would be done, so I had not transferred the money. We found this unprofessional, and then, a few days later, concerning because the job was not actually finished.

The grout set up and I tested the shower and it had low spots in the pan with water settling in a puddle. Like a birdbath. Dave returned and attempted to fix the problem. We let the grout set up again, but the fix only pushed the water to a new low spot. Called Dave again. He returned and removed 3 square feet of tile. We had to order additional tile for him to complete the job. We agreed he would pay for it. When the tile came in he returned to install it. Again it was grouted and left to set up. I tested the shower and there was a low spot at the drain on several individual tiles.

Dave never checked back to see if the last shower fix had worked, and he never responded when we sent him the bill for the extra tiles, so after 11 days of not hearing from Dave, my wife sent him a text expressing that we were very unhappy with his lack of communication and the fact that we had paid him in full before the job was done and now he was apparently ignoring us. After that, Dave became downright rude in every correspondence. He informed us that he had some personal issues and that the world did not revolve around our family. And in a later e-mail, he addressed the problems that we were still having with the shower (didn’t offer to do anything to fix them, but had advised us to put a dehumidifier in the bathroom to dry the floor and then seal it again- a job that he was to have done in the first place), and finished the e-mail by attacking my character.

In the end, I fixed the low spots and had to scrape and retool all the grout lines on the walls. Then seal all the grout, which was in the original contract but Dave failed to do.

After not hearing from Dave for 2 weeks, we received a check in the mail for 2 sheets of the tile. He said he needed 2 sheets but I ordered three to play it safe. He ended up using all three but did not pay for the third, plus deducted a tube of caulk for $4. A complete double standard from when he needed me to pay for something.

Dave’s final communications via email and text were very rude and unprofessional. Personality and communications aside, I would not recommend Dave for any tile work based on our results. Factor in his personality and the way he ultimately treated my wife, and me I would not recommend him for any home improvements.