HANDYMAN OF CARROLLWOOD

Unfortunately, I did a very stupid thing and paid him $5,500 cash, in advance, because, based on previous work, I trusted him to do a good job in a timely manner. Now he refuses to finish the job. His painter performed unacceptable and sloppy work, which, in addition, is unfinished. Since starting this project, Mr. Shelly and his crew took a week's vacation (from June 30th through July 7) and then, later, a week off (July 25 through August 4) because Mr. Shelly had another customer who was mad at him for not showing up and "...he was bored coming over here all the time." Other minor items remain unfinished that were agreed upon, e.g., moving medicine cabinet in master bath; hanging mirror in guest bath; restoring baseboard and quarter round in guest bath; installing toilet paper holder in guest bath; fixing closet door in office; finishing paint and hanging closet door in guest bath; re-hanging various pictures; hook in closet for vacuum hose; hook in office to hang surge protector; installing hose holder for garden hose on wall. On August 4, 2008, Mr. Shelly walked off the job and refused to finish it. Mr. Shelly agreed to come back today to finish the minor repairs, and I told him not to bring the painter back because (1) I have hired another painter to redo and finish the rest of the paint work, and (2) his painter, Terry, was extremely rude and vicious, and I don't want him in my house. Mr. Shelly did not show up today. When I called him, he said he had planned to come but since I told him who he could or could not bring with him, he decided not to come. I want Mr. Shelly to refund me $2,500 of the $5,500 which I paid him. That sum is the amount I have to pay the new painter who starts work next week. August 18, 2008. I have had other minor expenses because of Mr. Shelly's poor supervision and management of his crew. His painter removed the iron caddy in my utility room in order to paint the wall; the caddy has disappeared. The painter removed air conditioning grates on the returns in order to paint them; two of these have also disappeared. Mr. Shelly removed door lock hardware off of two sets of French doors to paint. This was his idea, he was using his own paint, and he did it without my approval; he ran out of paint so just stopped the job. I have had to purchase new hardware at a cost of nearly $200 and will have to have them re-keyed to fit my keys. Normally, when Handy Man left my premises, he cleaned up after himself. On the last day he was at my house, his painter left cans of paint on my stove, tape around wall edges on the porch, trash in the garage, paint all over the glass in 2 sets of French doors; trash in guest bathroom. Worst of all, he left my front door standing open.