From Sofia H.
CSB Plumbing Company
Unfortunately, I did not have a good experience with Chris, and want to let other customers know so they can consider my experience when hiring Chris. Chris mismanaged my project, ignored emails, messages, and instructions, lost proprietary parts because of his disorganization, damaged property, disrespected me and my GC and my space, delayed finish for over 3 months, and blamed everyone else but himself for the delays and errors. Chris has cost me over $1200 because of his delays and mistakes, not counting the time I myself took off of my work to run his errands and help him with his mistakes.
I hired Chris to replumb a two-family house as part of a gut renovation, including 5 bathrooms, 2 kitchens, and installing tankless water heaters. The project is 3.5 months past original agreed upon completion date and I am having to find another plumber to finish the job. I still cannot live in my house.
The rough work went fine, but Chris's slowness caused me to delay many other contractors, regardless of my repeated communications with him on what was due next by others. I had to have him stop for 2 weeks in the middle of rough because he just didn't finish and I needed the house sprayed for mold and couldn't wait for him.
After rough inspection, things got worse. There have been major mistakes (e.g. hot and cold water lines crossed, diverters mixed up between bathrooms and plumbed wrong, hoses not connected). Chris threw away or misplaced every single product box and manual and can't tell me what he installed where. He threw things all over the house and lost unique screws and parts that can only be obtained from the manufacturer. He has damaged my floors (wood and tile) and vanity and opened the same walls up multiple times because of his errors.
He did not communicate with any of the other contractors that would affect his work. For example, the tiler cut the trim hole too big and it paralyzed Chris for days. Errors happen, but Chris' reaction were extreme and rather than trying to work with us to find a solutions (which were often simple, like a $3 tile plate), he would leave for the day.
In addition, he has been belligerent and blamed others for things that never happened (e.g. insisted we ordered the wrong parts even though receipts, calls to the supplier, and calls to the manufacturer prove everything is correct). I've taken days off of work to serve as his assistant and gone to the plumbing supply and troubleshooted mistakes with him.
Chris failed inspection because he forgot to attach the gas line to the stove. Further, there is a long list of things still needed to make the house livable even if inspection does pass (no dishwasher hooked up, no shower functioning, etc).
I even advanced Chris a portion of his final payment because he said he needed the money, even though this was not in contract. We have been patient, kind, and accommodating with Chris because he is a nice guy and sometimes seems to try, but we cannot have him working for us anymore.
I now have to transfer the permit to another plumber and wait for someone to have time to finish the job before I can live at my house.
I told Chris I plan to pay him his final amount less the cost of hiring someone else to complete the work. I think this is more than fair, and I am not even charging him for the variety of already paid expenses because of his mistakes.
Chris may be capable of smaller, discreet jobs, but he is currently not suited for large-scale projects on his own.
