Andrew E. Olsson

Friendly and experienced guy but not reliable, nor trustworthy. Andrew responded to our CL post seeking a plumber to work on six projects for us at an old Victorian home we've just moved into. Claiming he was recently laid off, he was available the next day (Saturday) and quoted a reasonable hourly rate as long as he would be paid in cash. He came alone but then almost immediately asked me for help, stating that project 1 (removing old dishwasher, installing new one) was really a 2-person job. That same day before project 1 was complete, Andrew began working on project 2 (remove old electric range, install new gas range & gas line from basement) since he needed to get ~6' of pipe from the plumbing supply store before it closed. I gave him a cash advance before he left which would easily cover that day's work (still unfinished) and supplies. When he returned, he installed the new pipes (cost: $92) while I finished installing the new dishwasher. The he needed my help with the range because the existing anti-tip bracket was 1/2' off from where it needed to be for the new range and Andrew wanted to avoid removing it and placing a new one. I was able to adjust the old bracket so that new range fit into it. While I recognized that helping Andrew was probably saving us the cost of a second person, helping him pulled me away from another urgent project. I felt better after Andrew mentioned that his son, also a plumber, would accompany him when he came back on Tuesday to do the other projects. Andrew finished his work for that day, acknowledged that there was a balance between what he'd been paid and the charges we incurred that day, and assured me that he'd be back with his son on Tuesday. After he was gone, I went downstairs and found a mess of broken wood and plaster all over the basement below where the new pipes went. I immediately recalled Andrew telling me that the basement ceiling was full of asbestos so we needed to be really careful doing any work down there since we have a 14-month old baby in the house. So he said that, then leaves a giant mess of asbestos-laden plaster and wood all over the basement floor right in front of our washer and dryer? THANKS, ANDREW.

Unfortunately Tuesday came and when Andrew hadn't arrived by 1pm, I called but he did not answer. An hour later, I received a text from Andrew stating that he'd come on Thursday or Friday. I found this odd considering there was a blizzard in the forecast for Wednesday night. Andrew did not call on Thursday but we woke up to 14" of snow so I did not expect to see him anyway. I called Andrew on Friday morning for an ETA. He said that both he and his son were snowed in and could not come but that he would follow up with me on Monday. I reminded him that the work was urgently needed (running gas and water lines for washer and dryer) and said we may need to hire someone else. So he agreed to send me back the balance of the prepay and follow up on Monday to schedule the remaining work if it was still incomplete. I asked if he needed my address for the MO but he said no because it was in his phone's text messages. Well, Monday came and went and Andrew did not follow up. Today is Saturday and the money order still has not arrived. So I just called Andrew and reminded him of the prepay he owes me, including the change from the supplies. "Oh, well if you're going to be nit-picky like that, fine. I'll send the money order but I need your address." Yeah, that was his response--as if hadn't already agreed to send it. Anyway, I texted him the address again and will be pleasantly surprised if I ever see that money again. But I will feel better knowing that someone else might read this review and make a more informed decision before hiring (or pre-paying) Andrew.