VOILS CONCRETE & EXCAVATING

Truly and utterly devastating. We estimate this owner owes us $25,000. All of the many attempts at communication, via multiple avenues, have been summarily ignored, with the exception of one response- then he fell off the face of the earth again. Fortunately we found an ethical local contractor who garners a significant amount of business cleaning up the wreckage left by this "company." The description on this website states that he doesn't use subcontractors, but he in fact does. However, this was not represented to us or we would have gone elsewhere. The concrete, escavation work, etc. was done "in house"- but the problems were absolutely not limited to subcontractors. Things were only done correctly when we were on site. Those hours and here and there during which we were not on site unfortunately added up to a great deal of devastation. Read the reviews.... we aren't the first or the last victims.

Poured a concrete pad and after 4 months it's already cracking. Called the company and they said its my problem. We looked under the wood they left after doing the job and realized that there were several inches of rock that was between the pad and the rocks. Very unprofessional company. Here is his exact text to me...Take me to court. I refuse to step foot on that property again.

Because Ben needed so much dirt to put in the sidewalk and driveway he said he might as well do  my finish grade.  I had gotten a price from a company that does this regularly for $2500 including dirt, he said he would do it for the same price.  He asked me if he could order 5 loads of dirt, I said ok that was $1000, then he needed 5 more - so now I had paid $2000, when I said the other price included dirt he said he couldn't do it he needed the $2500.  I was kind of stuck, I needed it done.  But because of my  mason putting on my brick front, the yard couldn't be graded yet.  I let him know when it was free but waited for almost 2 months, partly due to no reply,  the weather keeping ground muddy and holidays.  We had to bring our dogs over but they had no yard to use.  While he was spreading the 10 loads of dirt, my decking materials were in my back yard so he didn't grade there.  We manually moved them to storage in basement to free up back yard.  We then put down some straw and made a temporary fenced area for dogs but offered to move it he said it wasn't necessary he wasn't doing much in back yard.  The grading is very rough.  We needed to have drainage pipes and my husband talked to him and he said he would bury them as he graded.  So my husband worked late into the night putting them out and attaching them.  The next day Ben told me that the ground was too wet to bury and they would have to lay on top. When I asked if I could split the payment, he said that burying the pipes was not part of it, that would be extra (NEVER MIND).  I made sure he put them back for when I got home to leave this check which by my calculations came to $250 an hour for at the most 10 hours worth of dirt moving, my drainage tubes were all ripped off the house, I asked for them to be put pack, my husband didn't even need to do them if they were all removed.  I really felt taken advantage of on this job. I should have gotten TayCon to come back and bid after the dirt was delivered but the job was started and I did agree because I really thought there was  more to it and I was desperate for a yard.  He didn't do my back yard at all and the straw covering was so light that the first wind storm blew away my front yard.  So next summer, we will be burying pipes, adding even more dirt and grading the back yard and seeding with perennial grass instead of just winter seed. This yard has cost me $4500 and it isn't even close to complete. So while Ben does great concrete, do not hire him for grading and seeding.

It started out fantastic, Ben was quick and responsive. The work he did was beautiful and I felt he was trying to give me the best deal.  However, my husband talked to him about the fact that the rise was too high for 2 steps and we needed 3 and he only put in 2 which made us fail our inspection so he had to come  put in 2 more (on him) but used the cheapest concrete (I know because I bought some to put in a mail box post) and the top layer is peeling off.  The first ones are gorgeous and we are happy with them, though he told me he would put in a drainage pipe under sidewalk but didn't so now our water is trapped in our garden bed. He stamped them and put a protective finish on them and they looked like slate.  I asked if he would do that to the new steps and he said he would do it Saturday or Sunday.  I told him it couldn't be until Late on Saturday and he said Sunday then.  It didn't happen Sunday and now it is raining all week so they aren't protected and are already peeling so have exposed aggregate but that is not our design.  It is supposed to look like slate and the new ones are so much darker than the other ones so they are like zebra steps. The peeling is just going to get worse with freezing and thawing as water can get in,  It took him a long time to come back for the fix, we had beautiful weather and he never came and didn't respond to my texts (usually very good at responding).  It usually took me checking in frequently to make sure things were going.  My advice, get several estimates, he does good work if he can do it in a couple of days. Texting works and then he will call you.  He did our driveway and  street sidewalk as well and these are great - no problems there.  I will say I always felt I could trust him to be there when I wasn't able to be.  I thought his price was fair, not amazing and I found out I could have gotten a better price had I shopped around a little. Also the rock fill that was put under my porch before Ben came was not the right kind (not his fault).  Another company was going to dig it up and put in a proper footer, Ben did not want to do this so he tied it into the house and put in rebar.  We have already had a huge cave develop under the porch which we keep filling with stone as it settles.  I hope his method holds because that would be expensive to fix.  I might consider him for flat work but he also took care of our landscaping and I definitely would never hire him for that - see different review.  I split up my reviews so I could sing praises on what was done well and critique what was not done well.

He matched the price of my lowest bidder and since he was already doing our stamp work we hired him.  The driveway and sidewalk look great.  I paid for more dirt (10 loads in fact) to be delivered which he spread around yard.  Ben does great flat work.

The driveway and sidewalk look good but the porch area was suppose to be 12 inches thick so it could support the porch and it wasn't and the top is peeling off ans is cracked in several spots.Also he messed up the step but did not charge for it and was suppose to come back and fix it. I never have heard back from him and have sent pictures and at least 7 calls to him. All that can be proven..