Burbank Painting & Handyman

Based on a flyer on my porch and the fact that he lived in my neighborhood, and that I had seen his painting truck several times, I hired this man as a handyman to recaulk my shower. He did a good job; (was too talkative, but I tried to ignore that.). Based on this job, I felt comfortable hiring him to paint the wood facing and trim on my house and patio and replace some termite eaten posts. He estimated all this at $2875.00. When the work started, he sent two helpers, who I found out later, he had just met and hired within days. They used a spayer rather than hand painting. The 2nd day, he seemed to have disappeared, and one of his helpers kept asking me what they were supposed to do. He indicated that Bill was getting angry when he was bothered with questions on the phone, so I had to call him to come over and straighten out some problems. Bill had some unique ideas on some new colors for my home, and he persuaded me to go with it, promising that if I didn't like it, he would do it over. Then he convinced me that he was an experienced landscaper and had wonderful ideas for a new over-all look. He is a very smooth talker. I hesitatingly agreed and every plant and hedge was removed from my front yard, much of it dumped in my back yard. Then he asked for payment IN CASH for the painting and promised he would personally do some of the finishing touches next week. After receiving the payment and without giving me a paid receipt, he announced that he was leaving on vacation and would return in a week. After his vacation week, he called saying he injured his back. I became very confrontive and insisted that the work be resumed immediately. During his absence I investigated his ideas with several nursuries and found that the plan for the plants and design was not appropriate. During the next week he began to realize, although he wouldn't admit it, that he didn't know what he was doing. He has since abandoned the job without contacting me, and has left me with unfinished painting work and bare dirt on the front of my house, and large clumps of plants and heavy articles in my back yard. (I am a senior woman) I am having to try to interview and hire new people to finish the work and a landscaper to start from scratch all of which is financially burdening and a great source of stress. Now,I see that he is advertising himself as working under a contractor number, which belongs to someone else, and claims on his card that he does design, electrical, framing, landscaping, plumbing and remodels. He also advertises that he discounts to seniors. He asked for an another $100.00 for some extra wood he said he had to purchase and also asked for an extra $60.00 for spraying some termite poison around some areas, telling me that that would take care of any termite problem I have. I can't believe I actually trusted this person, that he knew what he was doing and was ethical. No one should hire this man. He has changed his business card to Custom Builders, 15445 Ventura Blvd. Sherman Oaks with someone else's contractor Number, and naming himself as Superintendent.