La Cucina Studios

Luigi Algieir of La Cucina Studios in Worcester. Original estimate: 4 to 6 weeks. After 18 weeks, the bathroom was usable, but the project was not done. One year later, project is still not done. Project started before required permits were pulled. Dumpster not ordered until 3 days into the project, forcing the demolition to take 2 extra days. Demo guys did a good, clean job. Initial electrical and plumbing work done quickly. Ensuing inspections delayed by project manager. Building Inspector discovered code violations, forcing contractor to take extra time to remediate. Materials were not ordered in advance and staged, but were ordered as the project went along, which meant the work had to stop until the materials arrived. Dry wall installed with obvious bulges, but were tiled over anyway...leaving obvious bulges. Contractor responded to comments and had to take extra time to tear out the tiles, flatten the bulges and install new tile. Final design looks good. Ceiling installed over the exhaust fan/vent, requiring cutting into the ceiling to expose the fan. Many days passed with no work being done at all...forcing me to start phoning the contractor each day to see what was scheduled. Recessed lights look good. The electrician did a good job, but he stopped working with this contractor for some reason. Granite counter measured, re-measured after the cabinets were installed. Granite counter left with sandy grit requiring cleanup. Shower fixtures installed off-center, leaving a gap on one side. And now, a few months after they left, cracks have appeared in the grout. These are not small cracks: they run along the seams between the floor and wall tiles, all around the tub, and between the shower walls. Robern mirror looks good, except for noticeable crack in the front. Contractor promised to replace the cracked mirror, but never did. One of six wooden drawers is cracked. Promises to replace the cracked drawer never fulfilled. Four of six wooden drawers have screws sticking out the front of the drawers...just enough to be noticed. And the final inspection was never done. And the contractor refuses to return phone calls. And those grout cracks keep getting wider. Contractor promised numerous times to finish the job...over a year later...he never did. His business phone is disconnected. His storefront studio is closed. So, you be the judge.