Get matched with top deck maintenance specialists in Ocean Gate, NJ

"Handeled the job quickly and efficiently. All my questions were answered quickly. The crew did a gret job. I'm very happy! Would defintely recommend them!"

"Prompt, reliable, and professional service. Good communication with Steve via email and Dennis on site before, during, and after the project was completed. Fair price for the job and good workmanship. I have already recommended them to others. I had them replace the railing, treads, and bottom platform of an outdoor staircase leading up to a second story deck."

"Joe was great. He showed up on time when promised. He cleaned up at the end of his day every day of a three day job. He installed a light fixture for us when it was not part of the original job ( for a very reasonable charge ). There were a couple of spots that could have been sanded better. But all in all he did a great job and would definitely hire him again."

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I really hate having to give reviews like this.

 

In the early spring, I began contacting companies to get estimates for staining my deck. It was in kind of rough shape as a few years ago some well-meaning “helpers” had varnished the deck instead of staining it.  I had to wait a couple of years to let most of the varnish peel off and I was finally ready to get the job done.

Everett came out as scheduled and did a thorough investigation of the second story deck. He determined that a few balusters, boards and railings would need to be replaced (they had warped, so this wasn’t a surprise).  He told me that he would first need to power wash the deck with an environmentally friendly solution to remove the remaining varnish. After that, some areas were probably going to need sanding, and then after letting the deck dry out for a few days, he would stain all surfaces of the deck with two coats of semi-solid stain. He provided a written estimate, which I appreciated since a few others just gave me verbal pricing. He showed me his large portfolio of past work and I could see he knew what he was doing. Out of all the estimates I received, his was about 50% higher than where all the others came in, but I felt it was worth the additional money to get someone who specialized in deck restoration and had a great rating on Angie’s List.

 

At first everything went really well. We had scheduled the work to begin the first week of May. Of course the weather didn’t cooperate (which I completely understand) and so the work got delayed a bit. Still, his guys came out as they could and when they did the power wash and replaced the boards, the deck already looked fantastic.  At the beginning of June, there was a break in the weather and they were finally able to come out and stain the deck.  The guys showed up around 1 p.m. and started doing some sanding (I couldn’t see where as I work from home and my office is in the lower level of the house and they were working upstairs).  However, shortly after the rest of their crew showed up, I noticed that they stopped sanding. They worked quickly (there were four of them) and by 5 p.m. they were wrapping things up and cleaning their brushes. I went outside to check on the work and noticed that there was a section on the side of the deck that hadn’t been stained. Neither had the underside of the deck (which is fully viewable because it covers my downstairs porch).  I pointed this out and they put some stain on the small part they had missed. They told me they don’t stain the underside because the wood needs to breathe (okay, except they stained all sides of the posts?).  I wasn’t able to go upstairs to view the deck since it was still wet (as were the stairs), but everything looked pretty good to me, so I paid them and they left.

 

The next couple of days the weather turned and I didn’t really have a chance to get outside and look at the work. On Saturday the sun was out again and I went to admire my newly refreshed deck. Surprisingly, I noticed blotches on the stairs and the stain on them looked quite light for it to be two coats of semi-solid stain (which shouldn’t show wood grain). The platform of the deck also looked like only one coat was laid down.  Then I noticed that the posts, while looking darker, had some splotches which appeared to be unremoved varnish. While I was outside, my neighbor came over to admire the work and oddly she said, “Are they coming back to do a second coat?” I told her that I assumed they had done it since everything was settled with them. She said she had been watching from across the street all afternoon and she only saw them go over the upper surfaces one time.  At this point, I pulled out my written estimate to make sure I was promised two coats and I was.  While I can’t verify the truth in her observations, she is retired and so spends a lot of time sitting outside surveying the neighborhood and she would have had no reason to pose that question to me if it weren’t true.

 

I called the office on Monday morning and spoke with the office manager to share my concerns. She told me that Everett was out but would be back shortly and either she or he would call me back. I heard nothing the rest of that day. Realizing they were busy (I’m sure since all the rain in May must have set them back), I waited and called again on Thursday. This time I got their voicemail message and so I left one asking that someone call me back. It’s now Tuesday of the following week and I’ve heard nothing back from them.

After having such high expectations of the quality of their work from their portfolio and their reviews, I am extremely disappointed that now that they’ve been paid for the job, they really don’t care if I’m happy or not. I’m not an overly picky person, but I do like to get what I paid for, particularly when I paid a premium for quality work.  I really would have appreciated the courtesy of a call back and for Everett to come out and look at the areas of concern I have as he was not there when the work was completed.  This is the reason why I’ve given the ratings I have (they reflect the end of the job vs. the beginning). I would not use them again in the future or refer them to friends/family if this is how they treat a customer who has concerns.  The beginning of my experience with them was great, but after they were paid, I seem to have become an afterthought, so I assume my future business isn’t important to them. It’s not like I can’t live with the deck as it is – it does look much better than before the work began – but I cannot recommend them without adding this caveat emptor – don’t pay them for the finished work until you’ve had a chance to check it after it has dried. Stupidly, I trusted that they would stand behind their work, but I was obviously mistaken.

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"A+ Professional Painting is THE company if you are considering painting you home.  Derek was upfront explaining the lead time to start the job would be considerable, BUT the wait was well worth it.
From the first day both he and Brad were extremely conscientious about keeping the house clean and the work area organized. At the end of each day they would clean the area and place all the equipment in one space to minimize the inconvenience to me. A big plus since painting an entire house is quite a job. They were meticulous with regard to the prep work so as to ensure the finish paint would look perfect. Derek even went back to re-prep something he wasn't quite happy with. A sign of true pride and professionalism when the owner retraces his own steps to make sure he and the owner are satisfied. Both Derek and Brad did an outstanding job, making sure the walls were perfect before final coat.
All furniture and personal items were well cared for with both men listening and paying attention my concerns, very nice. All furniture and pictures were moved and replaced by them. 
Both Derek and Brad were very personable, polite and showed concern for my convenience and routine. 
I would rehire them in an instant for any future painting projects(blue room). 
My thanks again to both Derek and Brad for making this as pleasurable an experience as painting can be.
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"We had our deck professionally cleaned, and the results were outstanding. Years of algae and dirt disappeared, leaving the wood looking refreshed and protected from weather damage."

"I received a phone call and was able to get an appointment on a Saturday. Jenkin and Hasan were the gentleman that did a walk through of my property. They were professional and to the point. I received my estimate within two hours on a Saturday. Very impressed! They were able to accommodate me with an install within a week. Jenkin was very accommodating and quick to respond to my questions. He was also a big help with a very last minute change in fence layout. His crew showed up introduced themselves and started to work. They also were very professional. They took away the old fence after removal and cleaned up after themselves when done."

"The work was well done and despite my oversized deck, the work was completed in a timely manner."

"They were fantastic. They did the job on time, on budget, courteous and friendly. I highly recommend them. Will have them do interior painting next month."

"Excellent operation and service. Very easy to work with; paid strict attention to customer requests. Worked a long day, went beyond expectations in cleaning up after job; job quote was very competetive and I would recommend using them again for any project I might be planning. Family operation very concerned with customer satisfaction. 5 stars!"