Rivera Home Improvement

Eli Rivera was the contractor used by my property manager to do handy work to bring a unit to rentable condition. It was mostly painting, weather proofing a deck, fixing a gutter, minor fixes on a window, building a closet, and dry walling. The bill, for 2,500 seemed decent for the amount of work The problems started right off the bat when my property manager handed him the check before he even started. He cashed the check immediately. But it took him two weeks to start the job. He did half the work. One job was to remove a door and dry wall the doorway. HE LEFT THE DOOR HINGES. So there are door hinges sticking out of the dry wall. I called and called and after a few more weeks, he finished a few more tasks. I think he was waiting for a renter to move in and for me to give up. Fortunately (or unfortunately) a renter had paperwork problems and the delay allowed me the opportunity to keep pursuing him. But I really think his plan was to try to wait me out until a renter came in. After 8 weeks since he cashed the check without finishing all the tasks, I told the property manager I was going to take him to court. He waited until the day before the renter moved in and did an absolutely embarrassing, barely-enough-to-stay-out-of-court job. The property manager, Del Forno, takes a hit for giving him the check before he began work. However, a true professional would have done the work contracted.