Sure Home Improvements LLC

Hands down the worst contractor experience I have ever had. Bear with me, this review is long because so many things went wrong. I contacted Joe Schuer, the owner of Sure Home Improvements in mid-May to request an estimate on the work that needed to be done – I needed to have some exterior trim around a window at the rear of my house replaced due to water damage. I spoke to Joe on the phone and told him what the problem was, as well as let him know the type of material I believed the trim was made from (a concrete product similar to a hardiplank). He asked me to send photos and said he would have someone that worked for him, named Paul Taylor, contact me to come take a look in person. I never was contacted by anyone, nor did I see anyone at my home, however I did hear back from Joe with a quote. In early June we agreed on a price and the scope of work to be done. I asked Joe to let me know the day and time the work would get started and he explained that it was a small job and he needed some time for a crew to become available. He claimed I did not need to be home for the work to get started, but I told him that I wanted to be home and my schedule was fairly flexible (note - we had this same discussion at least a half a dozen times in the months to come). More than a month went by before I heard from Joe again on a Friday morning. He told me he had been ill and busy, but he could have someone at my property the following week. I told him any day but Wednesday morning was good for me and to please let me know as soon as possible a day and time that I could expect someone as my schedule could change (insert previous discussion on me not needing to be home/my desire to be home). The following Tuesday I got an email from Joe giving me 2.5 hours notice to let me know someone would be at my house between 12 and 2 to start the work. I replied asking if they could please come after 1:30 as I had not heard from him sooner and made some other plans - his email reply was to again tell me that I did not need to be home, followed up by a phone call with yet the same discussion related to me not needing to be home for the work to get started. At 2 pm a worker named Paul Taylor and another man also named Paul showed up and proceeded to start taking down the damaged trim. Paul Taylor then said he was going to the store to pick up the materials needed for the job. When he returned he told me he could not find the same trim product and after visiting and calling several other stores, he claimed he had found it, but would need to pick it up that afternoon and return the next day to put it up. At this point several pieces of the existing trim had been removed and had broken in the process. Paul and Paul nailed the broken pieces back up and said they would be back the next morning. I let them know I had already told Joe Schuer that Wednesday morning was not good for me and I would be home by noon or call them if I was to be home sooner. I did get a phone call from Joe apologizing for the inconvenience of the delay, but he also brought up the no need to be home discussion for the 5th time (this man was not listening to me). The next day, Paul and Paul show up without any trim product, claiming they could not find the same thing and told me that Joe would be coming by to talk to me. Forty-five minutes later Joe arrives and is immediately on the defensive stating that they did not know what kind of product it was until they started taking the existing product down and they could do the work with some similar products but it would now cost me more because all the trim would now need to be replaced in order for it to match, as opposed to just replacing the damaged parts. Joe interrupted me every time I tried to ask a question or state that they should have known at the time of quoting the job whether or not they could get the same material and that they should have known what kind of trim it was based on my original description and if not, surely after Paul Taylor’s visual inspection when he supposedly came to look at the project back in May. I could not finish a sentence without Joe’s interruption as he continued to insist that it was not their fault the product was no longer available. Ultimately I ended up raising my voice in frustration over Joe refusing to listen to me, and at this point Joe stormed off across the patio and told me that they could just “patch” up the torn up trim from yesterday as best they could, I wouldn't owe anything and I could find another contractor to do the work. I told him that was not an option as there was really no way to put things back to the way they were before they ripped everything up. We discussed several other options all of which Joe said would cost more money. Because I felt I had been bullied into this situation and had no other reasonable alternative I reluctantly agreed to a new price. Joe then said "that in all his years of construction he has never had a client that had to have it done only their way, 100% their way." I reminded him that the only thing I had insisted on was being home while they did the work and I was fully in my rights as the homeowner to want to be present while someone was on my property doing work to my home. Paul Taylor then started to head out to the store to pick up the revised materials and I asked him if the job would get finished that day. He said "yes it will get done today even if I have to stay till its dark, but if it rains I might not be able to get it done." Therefore, I asked what the plan was in the event of rain because I did not want any unfinished work getting wet. He said he would put some plastic up if that was the case. I heard Joe tell him to pick up a tarp when he was at the store. All three of them left and awhile later Paul and Paul returned and said Joe was coming with the materials. They began removing all the existing trim and proceeding with the work. At around 4pm that day Paul Taylor left and the other Paul said he had to go back to the store to get more trim product because Joe did not buy enough. Around 5:20pm I saw them nailing up old pieces of trim and asked why. Paul admitted that he made a mistake in measurement and cut a piece too short. I asked why he couldn't go back to the store and get another piece and he told me they closed at 5:00 so he would need to come back the following day to finish the job. I asked him to attach a tarp to protect the unfinished work because we were expecting rain and I did not want moisture to get in between the pieces and cause more of the problem that we were trying to correct. He said he didn't have a tarp and he would have to go out and buy one. I reminded him that Joe had told him to buy one earlier. He said he would caulk around the trim instead. He caulked some areas, but left the border of the trim un-caulked and I had to ask him to come back and do the border because moisture could still easily get in if it rained. I texted Joe Schuer to inform him of yet another delay and his attitude was very cavalier – telling me to “have patience,” “things happen,” and a very insincere “sorry” - which means nothing if you don’t put actions behind the sentiment. Finally, the project was finished the next day, albeit rather shoddily. A project that should have taken a few hours took 3 days due to the incompetence of Joe Schuer and his workmen. I wonder what would have gone up on my house had I not been home as Joe so often suggested. I am a reasonable person and I understand that things do happen that are not fully in the control of the contractor (such as the same trim product no longer being available), but planning ahead and communication to the customer is critical. The true test of business integrity is how one reacts when things do go wrong. On that point, Sure Home Improvements failed miserably. Not only was I bullied into paying more money, I was treated with condescension and disrespect by Joe Schuer. Beware of using Joe Schuer, Sure Home Improvements and Paul Taylor for any projects at your home.

I have used this company for my old house in Grandview and my new (old) house in UA. Best experience I've had with any contractor. Joe met my insurance agent and had a discussion on the roof regarding the storm damage, instead of just getting the default (not covered) when the insurance adjuster visited the first time. His crew did an excellent job, and Joe performed inspections as they worked. Since my job, four of my coworkers have used them, all with great results. Highly recommended.