Atlantic Gas Services

I hired Dray to change out a very large water heater on my property. He requested a 10K deposit because it was a large unit. After providing the deposit, he spent the next several weeks giving us excuses why he couldn't start the job. Finally after waiting several weeks, we asked him for a receipt that he had purchased the. unit. He told us he "didn't feel comfortable sharing his prices with a customer." When we followed up the next week, he said his daughter was in the hospital so he couldn't install it. The week after that he stated his pregnant wife was in the hospital. When we asked if he could give us a time frame he stated "I am not leaving my pregnant wife in the hospital alone." At that point, I hired a Private Investigator to do some research and found out he had been vacationing in Orland and doing stand up comedy up and down the coast of Florida. I am now in the process of taking him to small claims court. DO NOT HIRE DRAY OR ATLANTIC GAS!!!!!

Unless you're willing to go to a lot of trouble, find someone else to install your gas hookups. Some background: I go out of my way to give good reviews when I get excellent service. My partner & I are licensed building contractors. Since Angie's List asks for detail, I'll give you all the facts here. 1st, I talked with Jessica at Atlantic Gas Services (AGS). She scheduled her technician to give us a quote to install natural gas to a range, hot water heater, & fireplace. She said they were affiliated with Florida Public Utilities (FPU), our natural gas utility. The technician didn't show for 2 scheduled appointments & we got no call to reschedule. Dray Fitzgerald did show up for our 3rd appointment. He is a likable guy & a good talker. We ignored our business sense & hired him -- making it clear to him that we needed lots of feedback & timely service. Dray promised & gave me his cell number. He said, "I'm here for you." We gave him a check for $500, but asked him not to cash it until the work was started. This was on 11/6. On 11/8, I signed the contract with FPU. FPU said Dray had to mark the meter. I let Dray know via text. We didn't see or hear anything from Dray. 7 days later, I texted Dray. No response. On the 16th, I texted again. He wrote back that he was out of town. Out of frustration, on 11/17, I contacted Jason Garfola with FPU. He wrote back that they couldn't do anything until Dray had marked the approximate meter location. (Why hadn't Dray done that the day he was here? He and Jessica live nearby. Would it have been so difficult to drop by and stick the flag in the ground?) Because I was losing faith, I wanted confirmation that Dray hadn't cashed the $500 check. He had cashed the check -- I wasn't happy. I coordinated FPU, their contractor, & Dray to do the job on 12/4. FPU had their people at the house. Dray wasn't here. I called him. He said he would be at the house that day (Monday), if possible. Another noo show. The next day, 12/5, I texted, "What's your schedule look like?" He wrote back that we would have gas before Friday. I asked him to let me know when he had us on his schedule. No response. When I finally talked with him, he said that he had been on an emergency job at Flagler Tavern. I agreed with him that emergencies were a higher priority. Then I learned that he was installing an outdoor fire-pit for another customer before coming to our house. I asked him if that was an "emergency". He said yes. So an outdoor fire pit took priority over my range and hot water heater? I was cooking on a camp stove and a microwave. I finally lost my patience. I asked would he be here at 8 AM sharp the next day? He said he would guarantee 8 AM, but not until 3 days later. That pushed us over the edge. We asked him to come by the house before he went home & bring his checkbook. He brought our deposit back that night. Dray had been supposed to install the FPU gas meter. On the 9th, I texted that we needed the meter for the next plumber to install. We talked & agreed that he could finish the job if he called us that evening to give us a status on the "emergency" he was currently working on. He didn't call. The next day he texted that he would be at our house on Monday or Tuesday. We didn't hear from him at all on Monday. Glory be! He finally arrived Tuesday, the 11th, with his helper, a surly man with a permanent scowl on his face. He was finished in a couple of hours. He said the next step would be the inspector coming the next day, & then we'd have gas. Next day. No inspector. I texted Dray. He said there was a problem with the permit. OMG! I fired back a text asking him what the heck? He hadn't already pulled the permit? He did the work without a permit??? He promised to be at the building dept the next morning to straighten it out. At 10 AM the next day, the pressure had dropped to 4 at the gas gauge. He had told us to call him if it dropped below 5. I did & asked if he'd been to the building department yet. He said he would be at building dept. shortly & would let me know. He didn't. I texted "Update?" He sent back a 13-line text rant that he'd never speak to me again. (Whoa, was I back in elementary school?) After calling the dogs at FPU on him, he finally completed the work on December 14th. Everything seems to be working fine. If I hadn't been so aggressively proactive, would we have gas yet? I don't think so.

I had to wait for a few days before he came to fix the stove because he had to order a part. He came out on a Saturday which is normally not a work day for him because we could not use our stove for about a week or so. He fixed the stove, and my wife mentioned that our gas logs in the living room was not working he fixed that as well.

After determining the water leak in the laundry room was coming from the water heater, I contacted Atlantic Gas Services. Dray Fitzgerald was able to come to my home and give me an estimate of the cost of time schedule for the replacement. Although he said his schedule was tight but he would make the job happen. I found that if he says he will "make it happen", he means it. He did his best to work around my schedule and still get the work done in a timely manner. I have used Atlantic Gas Services in the past and will call them in the future, if needed.

I have an older gas oven that is built into a brick wall.  The thermocouple was not working and I had contacted another company to have it repaired.  After being told the part was no longer available, I did some research on the internet and found a company that could provide one.  I was able to give the provider enough detail to have a replacement part made and sent to me.  I contacted Atlantic Gas Services and spoke to Jessica.  I explained exactly what my situation was and she said she would have the technician contact me for further information.  Within a short time the technician, Dray, called and I told him about the older oven and the replacement part I had received.  He said he was willing to come and look at the oven.  He had another job, but agreed he would come by after he completed the job.  He called within an hour, prior to coming to the house.  When he arrived, he explained what he could do, without guaranteeing the part which is exactly what I expected.  He did install the thermocouple and did manage to get it to work.  I appreciated his positive attitude and willingness to do a job that others might refuse.  He also said that if necessary he could search the internet for parts for this oven in the future.  I will definitely contact Atlantic Gas Services for any work needed in the future since I have a number of gas appliances.

I had come to the conclusion that our problem was in the thermopile since I sold a lot of gas fired equipment before I retired.  I had accessed the manufacturer's suppliers for replacement parts and ascertained that to buy the thermopile from them, the cost would be $110 plus shipping charges.  So, the $180 charge for the owner Dray Fitzgerald to furnish and install the thermopile was a bargain.  He accomplished the replacement and cleaned everything in one tenth of the time it would have taken me and probably saved me from a lot of bruises.

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Donald Fitzgerald didn't return calls for a couple of weeks.  My husband finally reached him and the services were scheduled for Monday, February 23rd.  On Saturday we received a call from Mr. Fitzgerald asking if he could complete the job on Sunday the 22nd.  We said sure.  No show on the 22nd or the 23rd.  My husband is a kinder person than I and continued to call the man.  Mr. Fitzgerald apologized to my husband saying that he got tickets to the races last minute and decided to go.  My husband called him yet again when he did not show up on Monday and Mr. Fitzgerald said he would be here Tuesday or Wednesday.  Of course that did not happen.  The job consisted of putting a regulator on a propane tank and running a line to a pipe that is already on the wall and connecting inside the fireplace for $280.00.  Mr. Fitzgerald must be well off financially as $280.00 is a nice chunk of change for an hour of work.  Mostly though, it is the lack of manners that upsets us.  When you say you are going to be somewhere-you should be there.  When you say you are going to do something-do it or at least have the gumption to call and say I won't be able to finish the job.  We hope to find an honest and reliable person to finish this job.

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