UPSTATE CONSTRUCTION

Upstate has done multiple jobs for me over 15 years. Good quality, pro-active, and I greatly valued their willingness to take on specialty work required to do historical structures to a high standard. Unfortunately, this time they decided part way through that such work was not interesting to them anymore and simply stopped appearing or responding to further contact. Prior to this, Upstate has been my preferred contractor and I would have recommended them for any residential or small commercial work, and considered the owner a friend. I followed up with the owner after this abandonment, by phone and email, fearful of disaster. Not until some months later (after saying he would be back in two weeks) did he respond. Then he wrote back (punctuation edited here): "All is fine thanks for asking hopefully also with you. Let me say I personally have no problem working for you, actually I sometimes enjoy the challenge - but here lies the problem: my workers do not feel the same. In our last go round at the house one employee out right quit (the taller one ) something about the paint job he was doing; another (shorter helping me remove new front porch) had walked past the groomers before I new he was gone and the third jumped on board; and I had some what of a revolt on my hands. Then they went on to remind me about the multiple hallway colors and my brother choosing not to work at the old fire house. I can not do this work on my own and have too many years invested in some of these guys (I would like to say men, but there would be less pouting)." So, apparently, difficulty in choosing paint colors was the problem? if you have VERY well defined, written plan documents, you will get good work from Upstate for a good price, and I would still recommend them (with my only reservation being the misleading departure, which cost us the rest of the building season, while we waited in vain for any reply or return), but I guess they don't want to do anything involving decisions, options or custom/historical work - so perhaps you ought not consider them for anything like that.