Michael J Vasas

I called Mike back in March to have my deck painted. Mike quickly responded and came over and provided me with a quote. I agreed to the quote and told Mike he would be paid in full when the job was completed. I purchased the paint and scheduled the prep work 3 weeks in advance as he requested. Mike called me back said "my car broke down" then called again and said "my pressure washer is broken" Mike finally showed up to pressure wash my deck over 3 weeks behind schedule. He pressure washed for about 3 hours (this was verified by my security cameras) 5 days go by and I don't hear from Mike..... I eventually get a call from him stating I owe him $140 dollars for the pressure washing and that he thinks he is not physically up for the rest of the job. Mike then tells me he will stop by to pick up the payment.... Mike shows decided to show up at my house over 1 hour late from our agreed meeting time... He rings my doorbell and as soon as I open the door he asks for the payment. I ask him about our agreement about being paid in full at the completion of the job. he states "No one does it that way" I then asked him if he could complete the job? He states "I can't finish the prep and my deck is too large" He then also states "maybe you can find someone else to finish the prep?" This is where I laughed... A lot. I got confused here, He knew what the job was going in.... Now, He cant do it? At this point, I handed mike the money he requested, thanked him for screwing me and asked him to leave my property immediately. He decided to call me an "*******" on his way out....Funny, the only ******* I noticed was the pill-popping scumbag demanding I pay him for a service he didn't complete. Mike is dishonest, manipulating and not trustworthy under any circumstance. DO NOT HIRE Mike

Awful. Recommend you avoid him.

I had used Mike Vasas the past, though he never finished the last job around 2009 -- so I was surprised to hear from him this year.  Mike contacted me in March 2013 looking for work. He offered a reduced rate of $15 an hour.  Mike gave me an estimate on exterior work of 16.75 hours.  I told him that he needed to stay within 20% of estimate and finish before June.  I OK'd additional 2 hour for prep on front peak.  
He insisted on being paid every 2 weeks.  Then kept raising hourly rate.  As part of our arrangement I asked for invoices that broke out the exterior work from other items, so I could keep track of where we were with things.  I explained I was on a fixed income now and had a lot of medical expenses related to recurrent cancer.  All I ever got from Mike was a hastily scribbled paper which was difficult to decipher.  When I would ask for information he would consistently deflect the issue.
Mike would show up for only a few hours at a time, so there was a lot of extra set-up and clean-up time which he billed me for. I gave him an extra $64 for supplies, but was only credit for $49.  He refused to adjust the bill.
After being paid twice his estimate for the unfinished exterior work he disappeared for 3-1/2 weeks.   When he did contact me he demanded money.  Didn't ask, just demanded, and was neither polite or professional. 
Mike decided on his own, when I was out, to scrape the back side of the house.  Doing this work was not part of our agreement.  He gouged and broke cedar clapboards.  I had told him I would replace the clapboard in the next year or two when the large window was replaced and had asked him if he wanted to prime and paint the clapboards before they went up.  So he knew the status of this side of the house.
He had pre-painted other clapboard for me.  He said it was easier to do it at home.  I said OK. Then he charges me transportation time, which essentially doubled his estimate.  
There were two projects where I asked him to use alcohol based primer because I had problems with bleed-through -- and he refused. I ended up redoing all the trim on the 3-season porch myself. (I am a good painter myself but have medical issues that complicate doing it.)
I had to leave him alone one afternoon.  He went to my basement and stole hundred of dollars worth of best quality brushes.  And  canvas drop cloths were taken.  One belonged to me, one belonged to my carpenter.  As an artist I am very particular about my brushes, and had three pristine vintage natural bristle brushes that were gifted to me by family members.  I also buy top-of-the line ones, not cheap.  He then had the nerve to be using one of my sash brushes right in front of me.
Mike is someone that never takes responsibility for his mistakes.  He broke an antique neon sign in a rare color, worth $1500.  I never got a cent.  He also put turpentine soaked rags in my barrels of bird food on the 3-season porch.  A genuine fire hazard, which luckily I found in time.  But it ruined $75 worth of bird food.  Again, I never got a cent.  Mike has also has damaged things.  He would never tell me, I'd find it after he left.  And when asked about it, he would deny it.  His business card says "insured", but I doubt it if he's not willing to make a claim.
When I finally told him I wasn't giving him any more money he left two voicemails ith foul language that were both offensive and threatening.  I tried to help him when he needed money, and he came here with a bad attitude that went from uncoopertive to bullying.  I paid him way more than his estimate.  Based on our original arrangement I budgeted $500.  The exterior was estimated at 16.75 x $15 or $251, plus another $200 for the bath ceiling and cabinets and a little more for some small items. I OK'd an additional $30 for exterior prep.  Actually paid $1146, and the work is unfinished and went well beyond the original time frame.  When Mike called looking for more money I asked him when he would finish and he refused to give me an answer.  After that I decided not to pay any more.
Mike is capable of doing good work, but his attitude and lack of professionalism, compounded by stealing -- well, Its not worth it. I can not recommend Mike Vasas.