ATLAS CONSTRUCTION SERVICES INC

Rob Karolys, the proprietor Atlas Construction/Apple Trim was hired thru my former architect to build an addition to my existing farmhouse. He was contracted to excavate, install ICF building forms and pour concrete for the foundation. From the start there were problems with the excavation but at that point the architect was overseeing the project. Firstly, Atlas did not have adequate drainage and water control at the site and their initial excavation resulted in water clogging the new drainage pipes that had just been installed. Secondly, and more seriously, he failed on at least 2 occasions to notify the building inspector of his concrete pours as required by law. In fact, the Town of Olive building inspector, Dominick Cavello, was so furious with him that he told Karolys he would never work in town again. Thirdly and most seriously, he failed to pour the concrete slab and walls properly so that the floor seam around the entire perimeter of the NEW basement continously leaks. I had to spend an extra $20,000 and many months of engineering and re-waterproofing to partially remedy the problem. The basement still leaks but can be controlled with mops and a humidifier. Throughout the construction process Atlas/Karolys promised that he was an expert on installing the ICF forms and concrete work and that the basement would be dust and WATER tight. When problems started to arise he categorically refused to take responsibillity for the shoddy and work and insisted that he build the forms and applied the waterproofing according to spec. Many of the engineers and basement specialist who subsequently enlisted to try to solve the problem, concluded that the concrete work was not done properly and that the work was very sub-standard. Atlas/Karolys also behaved very unprofessionally during the process, took much longer that estimated to do the work, and was completely unresponsive when confronted with problems related to his work. Among the many contractors I used during the construction of a highly engineered house which has geothermal and photovoltaic and radiant heat systems, Atlas was the only contractor with whom I had a terrible experience. I would avoid him at all cost.