PFC Remodeling and Construction

unknown

unknown

I chose Paul Mossman (PFC Remodeling & Construction) after getting some quotes back on remodeling from three different contractors. He and his competitors had each visited the house to see what I wanted, but he impressed me with his suggestions about how I might want to modify my wish list. His was not the cheapest quote, but seemed to be the most professionally prepared.
     Work started a few weeks later, with installation of a new front door and masonry work at the front of the house. Within a month, the door was binding at the top and bottom--it was clear that the house had deformed. Paul recommended that we hold off on additional work until engineers had considered the problem.
     The house had had major engineering deficiencies. It is a multi-level home with CMU retaining walls backfilled with soil and concrete slabs poured on top. The different levels had been differentially settling and the soil had dried out and shrunk, so before the remodel I had had micropiles tied in to the CMU walls around the house to stabilize it. The engineering company that did the work also recommended grout injection to fill void space beneath the slabs, but I had chosen not to do that work. Now it was clear that such work was required, as well as additional micropiles to stabilize the front door area. The grout injection required that (brand new!) carpets be removed and reinstalled, Mossman kindly handled that task. Once that additional work was complete a few months later, Paul Mossman could get back to work on the remodeling. Despite having to mobilize all over again, he did not complain and did not charge me extra.
     All of Paul's work was top notch. As far as possible I let him make all the decisions as he clearly knew more about construction than I do. Most work he did alone, though he brought in help and subcontractors when he needed them. He worked steadily until the job was done; I don't think he was ever absent from the site for more than a couple of days.
     This was our second remodel. I had been satisfied with the first, but as Mossman worked it was clear that the first was shoddy by comparison. Unlike the first remodel, he left no end grain exposed, nothing unfinished. Where previously they had used straight cuts for trim, Mossman beveled and finished everything--he has a passion for quality carpentry. He also wants his work to endure: in rebuilding the decks, he installed flashing over every beam. If they had done that in the first remodel (when the decks were built), the decks would not have needed fixing.
     I probably paid PFC Remodeling & Construction a bit more than was necessary, but you get what you pay for. Mossman's work was classy, and turned our ordinary house into something elegant and pleasing. It has now been a couple of years, but everything he did is still true; all the joints are tight; his work is going to last. If ever I have more work to do I won't hesitate to use Paul Mossman again, and I recommend him without reservation.

Initially, seemed professional and responsive... until the job actually got underway. Then he would make excuses for delays and problems or mistakes he made (kept saying certain things were "standard" size instead of measuring or checking first before ordering custom materials). I also had to call him to find out when or if he was coming to work on the bathrooms each day.

He or the subcontractors had to redo several things (fix leaks and caulking on newly installed sink and shower, fix tile that shouldn't have been installed due to flaws in tiles). As soon as he got payment for one part of job, he'd take off to another work site and days went by in which nothing was done. Subcontractors he chose to do tile work and plumbing were sloppy or rude. However, if you hire him just to do carpentry work, which is probably his specialty, he might be adequate.

Also, you must point out all the touch ups and details that must be done to finish the job or he will leave holes in the wall and areas that are unpainted or need to be fixed (eg., he broke off a piece of a new cabinet he installed and had to be shown where the wood was chipped off before he finally repaired it -- by painting over it).

I wound up doing most of the touch-up painting and wall patching myself, then had a handyman come in to fix other things that weren't done.