Paul Davis Restoration - Vancouver
About us
Since 1966 Paul Davis has been an innovative and leading company in the areas of property damage mitigation, reconstruction and remodeling. We have built our heritage one project at a time establishing a reputation for performance, integrity and responsibility. Additional emails - [email protected], [email protected]. Additional DBAs - Chinook Restoration Inc, Paul Davis Restoration.
Business highlights
Services we offer
General remodeling, fire & smoke damage., mold testing, remediation, water
Amenities
Emergency Services
Yes
Free Estimates
Yes
Accepted Payment Methods
- CreditCard
| Number of Stars | Image of Distribution | Number of Ratings |
|---|---|---|
| 36% | ||
| 0% | ||
| 7% | ||
| 7% | ||
| 50% |
The above field looks as if the cost was nothing, but it was paid by our insurance company and I don't remember the exact amount.
We hired Paul Davis Restoration (PDR) to complete an inspection and provide a report and quote to remedy mold and mildew conditions in the crawlspace and attic at a home we were purchasing. The purpose of the inspection was to alert the owner of the extent of the problem and to renegotiate sale terms. As with all real estate deals, we were under a time crunch to get the areas inspected and get a cost estimate developed. Justin assured me he could meet our requirements and even scheduled an inspector to inspect the house on a Saturday. So far so good. The inspector arrived at the home and completed his inspection, then told the owner of his findings. His words "No big deal" were relayed back to us by their agent.
So, the inspection was on Saturday and we were promised a report and quote on Monday so that we could complete our contract addendum for the selling agent. Monday came and late in the day we get their quote. The quote came in at nearly $10,000 which was way higher than any quotes either agent had seen (not a "big deal"???)! There was NO report, NO photos, so NO documentation as to why the cost was so high leaving us with nothing to show the owner other than their price.
I called and asked for the report with photo documentation from their inspector. I was told they were very busy and our job was NOT A PRIORITY AT THAT MOMENT! The inspector's report did finally arrive, but was emailed that following Thursday evening, too late to do us any good in our negotiation.
I had two problems with the job PDR completed. (1) They did not meet their promised deadline and only provided their deliverables after repeated badgering by me and our agent by phone, text, and email. (2) Their inspector had no business speaking with the home owner regarding his findings--he was working for us. His comments likely shaded the owner's response to our addendum, although we will never know for sure.
This should have been a quick-turnaround job for these guys. Yet, I found PDR to be difficult to work with both in their responsiveness and the quality of their deliverables. I spoke with Justin the following Monday about their poor performance. I did not pay them for the work they performed and would not recommend them.
My wife and I were directed to this Paul Davis Restoration franchisee by our insurance adjuster at SAFECO following a wind damage incident in which two fir trees fell on our house. To be honest, working with this Paul Davis franchisee was the worst experience we've ever had working with a contractor and we've had extensive experience building and remodeling several homes and other projects.
Like Heidi's review, the workmanship by their subcontractors was horrible with the exception of their electrical and garage door contractors, both of whom were class acts by comparison to the framers, roofers, gutter installers and especially the painters employed by this Paul Davis Restoration franchisee.
Here's what their own project manager, Dylan Simpkins, had to say about their work in an e-mail to us:
"This definitely was not our best performance. I think had the painting and related work gone better, things would have been much smoother for all of us. I'm very sorry for the frustration and inconvenience that we caused you. We have since decided not to use that particular tradesman. He had been doing a good job for us, but we came across issues on several jobs other right around the same time he worked on yours. We didn't ever figure out what was going on, but knew that the right thing to do for our customers was to find someone else."
Apart from the poor workmanship (which they are unwilling to redo without a warranty claim against our insurance company), we have had nothing but ongoing disagreements about billing and invoicing. To be blunt, this company will attempt to overcharge you and will threaten legal action if you don't pay what they say you owe - never mind the arithmetic. We've never figured out if they simply don't know how their project estimating software works - in particular the algorithm used to calculate costs; or, if they are intentionally dishonest and attempt to get payment by intimidation and threats of legal action. Regardless, dealing with them was a nightmare and a constant source of frustration.
What we can't figure out is how the General Partner for Paul Davis Restoration's national franchise program allows this company to continue representing their brand?
As for the bio on Yelp for the franchise owner, Justin, what a load of crap. He is without exception the most rude, incompetent and immediately dis-likable business owner I've attempted to work with in decades. What he lacks in customer service skills, he makes up for by bullying. It's best not to involve him with any aspect of your dispute - which you will have - or when attempting to negotiate any form of settlement for poor workmanship or his continued attempts to overcharge you.
The trees fell on our house on January 2, 2013. We are still haggling over billing in May of 2014.
Need we say more?
"I am not going to get into the game of throwing stones with Mr. [Member name removed]. I am sorry that he feels the way he does. We have an excellent relationship with 98% of our customers, and it’s too bad that Mr. [Member name removed] is in the 2%. We have a long list of references if Angie’s list would like to contact them to confirm our performance within the industry. Paul Davis has given Mr. [Member name removed] the chance to reconcile with us for over 9 months now, yet he still persists that the accounting is incorrect. The fact is, we have reconciled with our books and his insurance company. All books are correct. Mr. [Member name removed] is having a challenging time understanding, I have personally invited him to my office to help him understand the scope of repairs and the associated costs of those repairs. The invitation is still open. Please contact my office to schedule a meeting with me to help you with the accounting. Contrary to Mr. [Member name removed]’s opinion of me, I am a very likeable person, and am actually quite easy to get along with. I encourage anybody reading this to do your own research. I have 30 employees, 40 subcontractors, many competitors, and thousands of customers that I am confident would give a positive recommendation about me, and my company, Paul Davis Restoration of Portland/Vancouver."
When I entered the house later that day, I expected everything to be soaked from the water damage (the renter told me she thought the carpets may need to be replaced). Instead, I found damp carpets as though they had been freshly cleaned. I didn't see any water damage because Paul Davis Restoration had so quickly gotten workers in to take care of it.
It is impossible for me to believe there is a company that could have done a better job, or more pleasantly, than Paul Davis Restoration during the 4 weeks they were restoring the house. They worked very closely and well with my insurance company and with my handyman. (The restoration took a little longer due to my work schedule and, since the renter had to be out of the house anyway, I hired someone to do some improvements to the house while Paul Davis Restoration was repairing damage done by the fire. On hindsight, I wouldn't recommend this).
Another advantage to having Paul Davis Restoration was they guided me through the minimum of paperwork required of me and they dealt with all the rest since they are experts at working with the insurance companies. This relieved me of the paperwork burden, which can be so time consuming and stressful. I would definitely call Paul Davis Restoration of Portland/SW Washington again if the need ever arose. I consider them the best!
Licensing
State Contractor License Requirements
All statements concerning insurance, licenses, and bonds are informational only, and are self-reported. Since insurance, licenses and bonds can expire and can be cancelled, homeowners should always check such information for themselves. To find more licensing information for your state, visit our Find Licensing Requirements page.
*Contact business to see additional licenses.