THE SIDING DOCTOR

Delay after delay, Job took twice as long as projected. Terrible paint job.

First crew would not start due to dispute over subcontract pricing. During project removed crew several times to go to other jobs.

Owner would not return calls and foreman was seldom on job site. After siding installed, exterior painting was terrible. Siding Doctor obviously was using a new painting subcontractor. Two coats of painting was contracted for and only one applied. Shrubs destroyed in process of painting. Paint splatter on driveway and screened porch. No sanding of deck rails as contracted for. A miserable job and miserable experience.

Threated law suit resulted in reduced payment.

The Siding Doctor is the worst company I have ever dealt with in nearly 50 years of dealing with contractors on a daily basis.  They did not honor a single completion date, they had to correct everything they installed.  Actually saying they corrected is not correct.  They attempted to correct their shoddy work until I gave up and accepted what I assumed was their best.  They never returned a phone call in the 6 months it took them to complete a months work (their schedule).  They scheduled the work so that they had to remove some items so they could install others and then didn't finish repairing what they broke.

I contacted them in May, took 6 bids and they were lowest.  Jeff Shea was personable and returned several times to let me see different products.  We agreed to a price and signed a contract with a 3000 down payment and the rest to be paid upon completion near the end of May.  I paid 1500 at the signing, holding 1500 for them to show up on time.  I didn't hear from anyone for 2 weeks.  I attempted to call Jeff with no answer or return call.  I called the office and was advised to call the Project Manager.  I called him and he had never heard of me.  I called him for two weeks on a daily basis and he finally had windows and siding delivered.  I went over the windows and advised the Siding Doctor office that the windows were not correct.  Now it was near the end of June and I had my garage full of windows, my drive way full of siding and no work even started.

Finally 2 workers showed up and started removing windows around the first of July. They didn't have a dumpster, they loaded the demolition debris on a trailer in the driveway (I am still finding nails).  Approximately every other day one would show up and work for a few hours and leave.  It took several weeks to finish removing and installing the new windows and they had broken one of the windows in the process leaving the old window in the opening.  They had broken the old window removing it so it was held together with tape and wedged in the opening with a minimum one inch gap around it, said opening would stay open until September.

After calling a minimum of 6 times a day for several weeks a crew appeared on a Monday.  Told me they couldn't work without a dumpster and left.  After calling a minimum of 6 times a day for several days a dumpster appeared in the center of my driveway.  This was the walking dead of dumpsters, huge 30 feet long, 10 feet wide, 6 feet high, bent dented rusty multicolor antique of a dumpster.  I mention this because it soon became a major feature of my home.  They removed the siding wrapped the sheathing and installed new siding.  This  crew was efficient, neat and professional.  Upon completion a painting crew appeared, again efficient, neat and professional.  The siding was complete except the French doors had not been replaced so the siding around the French door would have to be removed to install, which would damage the new Siding.

Near the end of July or beginning of August and several hundred phone calls, the doors were delivered.  Several hundred phone calls (all unanswered and not returned) I finally contacted Jeff and informed him the glass in the bathroom windows was wrong and the broken window was still broken and the dumpster was still in my driveway and the doors were still not installed.  I called daily for over 5 weeks about the dumpster without a response.  I called the office everyday and was told the dumpster would be removed that day...for weeks.

Sometime near the end of August two workers appeared, removed the old French doors and installed the new ones.  They appeared to trim back the new siding with a chain saw and sledge hammer to install the new doors.  Back to the phone.  Around this time I discovered that Jeff would sometimes answer if a called at least 10 times in a row.  His response was usually something about he had to call someone else and would call me back...he never called me back during the 6 month ordeal. 

Several weeks went by and the same two who had torn up the new siding and installed the wrong interior trim reappeared with several tubes of silicone calk.  The proceeded to smear the calk around the new doors for approximately 2 feet. A couple of hundred phone calls and Jeff came by, looked at the mess and said "Oh my".  New siding appeared, same guy that had messed everything up appeared, took out the damaged siding, installed new and left.  Leaving the newly installed siding un painted.

several hundred phone calls leaving Jeff the message siding was unpainted and the broken window was still broken and 2 new guys showed up with the replacement window for the broken one...and paint.  They installed the new window, replaced the trim around the window and started painting the exterior windows and newly replaced siding.  Upon looking at the new window I realized it was jammed in the  opening at a obvious angle.  several hundred phone calls and Jeff came by and hammered it in straight (I hope, around this time I wanted them gone as much as I wanted the work done).

several hundred phone calls and the painters came back to finish the interior trim.  after smearing stain on everything, leaving gaping unstained areas and painting they appeared to be finished.  The dumpster disappeared and the only sign they left was siding, trim and other materials in the driveway and garage.  I looked over the contract and remembered Jeff had insisted I have the soffit and gutters repainted.  dozens of phone calls and the painters were back and quickly finished this painting and removed the excess building supplies.  Now the saga of the screens began.  Call after call and the screens appeared in the garage.  I counted the screens and determined there were more screens than I had windows.  I left several messages, finally the painters appeared to install the screens and informed me there were more screens than windows yet two screens were missing.  Dozens of calls and Jeff appeared with the correct screens and took the excess.

I haven't mentioned money so far...I paid 1/2 the down payment in an attempt to get the job moving quickly.  When someone finally answered my original phone calls, the first thing they said was I hadn't made the down payment.  I actually paid the entire 3000 at that time, which with the original 1500 made a 4500 payment.  When the work started, the only communication from the Siding Doctor was calls from the office, the Project Manager and even Jeff asking for money.  I always referred to the contract and said no.  In August I decided they didn't have the money to pay for the replacement window and probably the doors, so I made another 5000 payment.  Weekly they requested payment.  I refused and I am convinced that is why they bothered to "finish" the project.

They said they were complete and I paid them in October, received the warranty in February.  I have a long list of touch up and repairs to their "work" which will take me years to finish.  But they are gone, I don't have to try to reach them and I don't have to listen to their constant requests for money.

I wouldn't even consider the Siding Doctor for anything if I were you.

I will not interject my personal opinion of this contractor, but will give all the facts of the experience and let the reader decide on their own.
    I received numerous quotes to re-side the rear of my house in mid/late July.  I chose the Siding Doctor (they did similiar jobs in my neighborhood).  I signed the contract with Jeff Shea (owner) around 7/29/13.  The terms were 1/3 at "start of job", 1/3 when "siding up" and 1/3 at "completion of job".  Per Jeff Shea, the job was scheduled to begin on 8/12/13. He told me that via e-mail around 8/1/13 and that was our last communication prior to the scheduled start of the job on 8/12/13.
    On Monday 8/12/13, I stayed at home to make sure everything went smoothly for the start of the job.  Around 9:00am since I had not heard or seen anyone yet, I called Jeff Shea's cell phone and left a VM.  No response from Jeff, so I called the office and was put in touch with Daniel Lewis (Project Manager).  Daniel stated he had never heard of me and my job was not on his schedule.  He said Jeff was on his way to the office for their weekly planning meeting and would call me back once he spoke to Jeff.  I did not get a call back so at 2:00pm I called Jeff's cell phone and left him a VM.  He did not call back so I called Daniel.  Daniel ststed he did not have any new information on my job, but would talk to Jeff and call me back.  I did not receive a call back.
    Tuesday morning 8/13/13, did not hear or see anyone again.  Called Jeff's cell and left a VM.  Did not get a response so I called Daniel.  He said he talked to Jeff and due to the recent rains they were behind schedule. I said I understand that, but why did no one call me to let me know that prior to 8/12/13.  He could not give me an answer.  He said my job should start later that week or the beginning of next week.  Said he would call me back in a "few hours" to confirm.  Daniel called me at about 2:00 pm to tell me the materials for the job were going to be delived on Wednesday morning and the "job would begin on Monday 8/19/13".  He said I would need to pay the delivery driver the first 1/3 payment when the materials were delivered.  I told him I would rather go by the contract and make the 1/3 payment when the job actually began on 8/19/13.  Daniel said I needed to pay the deivery driver, or they would not deliver the material.  I told him I was not comfortable with that especially since Jeff Shea had not called me back after leaving him numerous VM's over the past few days.  I saked if they took credit cards and Daniel said yes.  I told him I would pay with a credit card.  Daniel said I would need to talk to Jeff about that.  I said I would be happy to if he would call me back.  daniel said he would call Jeff and have him call me.  I did not hear back from anyone the rest of the day.
    Wednesday morning, I still have not heard from Jeff or Daniel and the material was not delivered.  I called Jeff and left him a VM.  I called Daniel and he asked if Jeff had called me.  I said no and he said he would call Jeff and have him call me.  At 2:00pm on Wednesday I called Jeff and left him a VM.  I called Daniel and he asked if Jeff had called me yet.  I said obviously not otherwise I would not be calling you.  He said jeff was at a job site and he would call him and tell him to call me.  I did not hear back from anyone the rest of the day.
    Thursday morning, I still had not heard from anyone.  I called Jeff and left him a VM.  Called daniel and he asked if Jeff had called me yet.  I said he has not called me.  daniel said he would call jeff and have him call me.  Picture a dog chasing it's tail at this point, that is how I am feeling.  Around 1:00pm I called Jeff and left him a VM.  Called Daniel and left him a VM.  Told them I need a call back or I would be canceling the contrat and going with another contractor.  Around 3:00pm, I had my wife call Jeff from her cell phone ( I figured he might answer since he did not know her number).  Guess what, he answered.  Told her he was sick the past 2 days ( remember earlier that Daniel told me Jeff was at a job site on Wednesday afternoon). Anyway, Jeff told my wife that he would have Daniel call her to schedule the job.  She did not get a call back.  My wife called Daniel and he said jeff did not call him.
    Friday morning, my wife called Daniel and he said they would tak a credit card and the job would begin Monday 8/19/13.  The material would be delivered and the workers would start.
    Monday 8/19/13.  No material and no workers.  
    Tuesday 8/20/13, materials delivered, but no workers.  We paid the first 1/3.
    Wednesday 8/21/13, dumpster delivered, but no workers.
    Thursday 8/22/13, workers finally show up.  They remove the old siding and begin putting on the new.  My wife calls me around 4:30pm and says we do not have any hot water.  We diagnose that the circut breaker has been tripped.  She attempts to reset, but it keeps tripping.  I told her the workers must have done something.  The workers remove the new siding they put on and found they drove a nail into a wire.  They remove the nail and reset the braker.  When I arrive home I ask the worker to show me the place where he hit the wire.  He showed me a spot where he said the nail went between a 2x4 stud and the plastic gang box.  I explained to him that that would not trip the breaker as he did not hit a wire at that location. he did not speak much english so it was hard for me to make my point.  After the workers left, I removed some of the sheathing above the area where ther said the issue was and found the spot where they had punctured the wire.  Instad of repairing it, they just put the sheathing back over it.  Can anyone say fire hazard.  I called the office and they said they would have an electrician come out Friday morning to inspect. I also talked to Daniel and he said they would "repair" the wire.  I told him the proper way to repair it was to run a new line from the duplex box to the switch box.  I told him that no one would be home in the morning to give access to the inside of the house for the proper repair to be completed.  He told me they could do it from the outside.  I told him that would be impossible, but he was sure they could.  I said good luck.
    Friday morning, I get a call from Daniel stating they need to gain access to the inside of the house to repair the wire (this is not my first rodeo).  I told him that my wife and I would be home later that day.  In order to keep the job going, I called my neighbor and had hom let them in.  At the end of the day, they supposedly finished installing the siding.  They were going to start the paint prep on Monday.
    Saturday morning I inspected the work and found 10 items that needed to be addressed.  I sent a text to Daniel and Jeff requesting that they meet with me on Saturday afternoon or Sunday to go over the issues.  Daniel responed that I would need to talk to Jeff as daniel was in an auto accident Friday night. I tried calling Jeff and got VM.  
    Sunday morning, still had not heard back from Jeff, so I sent another text to Daniel and Jeff.  Daniel responded stating that I should try and call Jeff again.  I responed NO.  I said I am tiered of tring to