McKenna Construction Concrete & Landscaping

To begin with, the contractor was very friendly and went over our requests and the plans thoroughly. Although we were sometimes not home becausemy husband was under treatment for cancer, we kept in close contact by phone, and meeting him at the house.
The entire project was completed in two phases.
First, the sidewalk on the south side of the house from the existing gate in an existing block wall, around a 90 degree corner at the rear of the house to connect to a 10' by 12' patio pad adjoining an existing patio at the rear of the house. The color of the new sidewalk and patio was to be a buff color to match the color of the stucco on the side of the house. 
    - After the sidewalk was poured the gate will not open both ways. Since we are handicapped this is an important detail for us (safety). There are many places in the sidewalk and the patio that are gouged or chipped or just too rough, as if the forms were torn out improperly or finish-troweling was not done correctly.
Second, the sidewalk on the south side of the house, the pad for the trash cans adjoining an existing pad, and a sidewalk from the existing gate on the south side of the house connecting with the driveway in the front (a short way) had inconsistencies in the level (some areas do not drain water for several days after a rain) and in the color of the cure (some areas still look wet even though they are not). Additionally, the color of the south sidewalk and walkway to the driveway is obviously tinted and does not match the previous work done earlier by the same contractor.
Professionalism and attention to detail were grossly lacking. There was concrete splashed all over the existing block wall, the existing iron gate and the mesh screen on the gate, the existing walk and pad, and the driveway.
When the sidewalk on the southside of the house was finished I spoke with the contractor about draining issues since the walk created a contained area next to the house. He said he would put in a drainpipe under the sidewalk out to the rear of the yard so the water could run out. Later, after a rain created a flooding situation we called him again about putting in the drain and he said he had never suggested that and could not do it unless we paid him a large sum of money - nearly a thousand dollars. We did not have that detail, about the drainage solution, written into the contract so we had no recourse and he was denying he had ever said what he did
We had shown him detailed pictures of the steps we wanted poured in the front of the house. The workers arrived, without him, and were preparing to build forms. When I asked if they knew what they were to do, had they seen the pictures, they said they did not and had not. Their understanding was they were to pour concrete squares around the front of the house to the north gate. I had to show them the pictures, rake back the rock myself, paint outlines of the steps as I wanted them, then show them houw to pour the concrete and trowel out the shape and design of each step.
 
The contractor returned several times to check on the work and we pointed out the deficiencies to him: wrong colors, uneven levels, rough spots and gouges, gate not opening, concrete splashed and hardened all over the area including existing walls, ironwork, and driveway. He said he would be back himself to correct it all. We attempted to call him several times and he did not answer the phone nor respond to messages we left.
The whole thing left a very sour taste in our mouths. The work is shoddy and some serious problems have been created. However, since we did not get an airtight contract, and he is unwilling to fix the things that need to be fixed, we are "stuck."
DO NOT hire this contractor unless you have every detail in print, include drawings and codes/colors, specify all clean up work and what will be done and undone to your house/yard.
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