VISTULA CONSTRUCTION INC

Overall our experience with Vistula Construction was poor. The good thing is that the job got finished, and the final quality is reasonably good. But the process was a nightmare:
- the quote was constructed with low balled allowances including items that we explicitly specified in initial consultation - such as the exact entry door, cabinets to match the kitchen cabinets, bath/shower glass enclosure. This resulted in higher cost and considerable haggling/confusion over the estimated items. For example by the time we got to the bathroom cabinets installation, the quote doubled for them with the cabinet subcontractor. We had to go on our own to order cabinets from Home Depot to get what we wanted at a more reasonable price - but at the cost of personal hassle, and a 2 week delay. NOT what I want with a general contractor.
- the jobs were not scheduled in advance, and the whole project took 4 months instead of the originally estimated 2 months
- we had to fight a number of battles when questions came up how do do something. Andy would always recommend solutions that were easiest for him to do, and tried to convince us that they would work best for us. Example: When installing the carpet on the stairs, we wanted bullnose steps and wrap the carpet over the bullnose. Andy told my wife that the bullnose could not be done (when I was not present). I happened to be there when he was starting to install the carpet and objected to the lack of bullnose - Andy then insisted that this is how my wife told him to do it! And that in "high end homes" nobody does bullnose, so we should not do it either. In the end he installed the bullnose, but after yet another dispute.
- Andy constructed the deck for a whirlpool tub that was too shallow for the tub we had because he went by the specs for the tub off the internet - despite the fact that by the time he actually started construction the tub was already delivered. It turned out that the specs from the internet were incorrect. Andy refused to take any responsibility for the mixup and did nothing to help resolve it. We ended up having to find a shallower tub that would fit in that deck. Not only was this another hassle that we had to deal with, we also ended up with a tub that we are not happy with.
There are more horror stories to list - bottom line we got through this remodel to a finish and (with the exception of the tub) get to enjoy it. We have worked with a number of other contractors before, but never so badly as with Andy.