Sulzbach General Contracting

He claims to have been building and remodeling for 40 years, yet I had to tell him to stop what he was doing when he was putting up cabinets over cabinet walls to hold a refrigerator. He was placing the upper cabinets against the wall when they should have been set out to be flush with front of fridge walls. They ripped the gas line. Put screws through new window. (I had someone else remove them because when I brought it to his attention, that he must remove them, he put a bead of caulk across and up over the screws). Installed a dishwasher drawer incorrectly, and I had to hire another contractor to remove and reinstall it. Gave us a bill for $3500 over contracted price with no previous notice. I was told we overpaid by 1/2. He double-charged for painting. Plumbing in basement for dishwasher was atrocious. Another plumber said it wouldn't even meet basic standards. Used string and duct tape to hold up lines, Gas line was hanging too low across basement ceiling that we could not replace the suspended ceiling tiles. Extra holes in cabinets because of poor measuring and had to remove and put up again. Took almost ALL excess construction items such as windows (when I told them a window was claimed for a neighbor) He had checked with the neighbor while I was at work and they changed their mind, but he took them without my knowledge. Broke a nice floor heat register. Used scrap pieces (some wood, some composite) to trim a window at the sink. Layed hardwood floor right over a cold air return (said we didn't need it) Did a poor job on installing ceiling cove molding (custom painted from factory) and we had to go match paint so he could repaint them. Installed hammered metal sink overflow drain rubber ring on the inside of the sink instead of the underside. Neglected to install the baseboards around new island (custom ordered and very expensive), then when I noticed, we realized they were missing! I had to tell him to bring them back (2 - 10' pieces x5") Installed ceiling pendants for over island in the wrong places. Marked up original wood trim when doing tear-out and did not fix. And more. Only now (8 months after job was completed) do we notice that the hardwood floors he installed throughout kitchen and living room CREAK very loudly. Not just a squeak when you walk in certain areas, but a sound like crack BANG! We had leftover hardwood floor (enough to do our family room) and we are doing that ourselves. Stay away.

Mr. Sulzbach met with my wife and I to go over our job requests and sign a contract we met on 2/17/12. Plumbing and electric needs were discussed. I was to buy any fancy faucets that would be needed for the new sinks,tub and toilet. Mr. Sulzbach was to supply anything that was needed for behind the walls. He stated he would come over to the house 1week before the start date and look at all the items we had purchased. This didn't happen. He was to start the job 6/10/2012, but he actually started on 7/13/2012. On the first day he asked for the rough-in valves for all the plumbing, I had no idea what a rough-in valve was. He insisted I get the valves. I did by over night mail. On this first day he had threatened to leave the job because the atmosphere was not happy enough for him. I asked him to drop the issue of the valves and lets get the work completed. He did stay but only worked 3hrs. that day. At the end of the first day I was to give him 1,282.00 which I did. On day 2 he worked 5 hrs.. I had to give him a 2x4that he needed to support some plumbing and an electric box that I was lucky enough to have. I had noted that he had the toilet flang set to low and reminded him I had a heated floor mat and tile yet to be installed, he told me to loosen the screws and do it myself, I tried but it would not come up. I also noted a leak in the septic line that he did take care of. He also covered my exposed septic line with a paper coffee cup. Needless to say my house started to smell like septic. He refused to install shut off valves for the sinks and shower and told me to use the main shut off. On day 3 I gave another 2x4, found a reverse pitch on the toilet flang whic was draining crap back toward my toilet, he claimed he didn't do that. He also drilled the holes for my new tub drain and floor mount water supply lines in the wrong place TWICE. When my rough-in valves arrived he looked at them and stated he didn't know how they worked. His advertisement says 34 yrs. experience! I showed him a video I found on my i pad on how to install a moen rough-in valve and it got done. Bottom line he left my house in very unsafe condition as listed, bare hanging electric lines, uncovered septic line, leaking septic line. Since all this has happened and he got my money he has done nothing to help me and has left the job. He also called my home when I was not home and yelled at my wife. He used approx. 100.00 of materials and took 1,282.00. Most of what he did had to be done over. Look out for this guy, full of promises and full of BS. To top it all he is a good friend of a family member!