Job: new treads/risers for stairs and replaced new handrail

I am actually writing a word of CAUTION.

You will get what seems to be a low bid.

The costs keep trickling upward, though, through suggestions.

For us the failure to remember a much needed newel post (which he left out and is in code violation), and trim work.

So don't overlook a higher bid in favor of a better price.

Cheap doesn't mean good, and is especially true in this case.

Promises will be made, and not kept.

"We'll mask everything off, and wrap items". Half-baked masking, NO wrapping (lamps, pictures... YOU must remove them)

"We'll put up a 'safety rail'". to date we have yet to have that in place. (2 weeks out)

Want and 8-5 jobber? Forget it!

Request they start at 8 a.m., you might (and I say might) see him by 11:00 or 1:00 or even 3:00 (like he's done to us).

A pet peeve of mine: calling at the very time that you are expected to arrive, and say that you are "running late" or "not able to make it in, too busy'".

Excuse after excuse, as to why the stated FIVE day project is now threatening to go in to it's THIRD week.

Never mind that we paid 1/2 down for materials, as per the contract, and have yet to receive all materials in our home before being asked for another 1/4 payment. (New PROFESSIONAL contractors we had come by to finish this mess, state that there is NO way the materials and work add up to what he collected as a down payment)

Something I recommend no one do (pay for materials not in hand).

I'd love to comment on the product we got but we see no end in site (with a handful of promised finish dates) as to when that might have occured.

Projected start date: May 1

Actual: May 5 (did not show for first 3 days 5, 6, 7 May)

Projected finish date from actual start date: May 9

Walked off job, quit May 16.

No installed treads/risers and handrail.

Just bits and pieces of unfinished work.

BEWARE!