Denco Builder

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• By Johanna

  October 2, 2022

  Add two bathrooms on second floor, finish basement, custom millwork, redo ductwork

  $275,000

  My husband and I hired DENCO Builders for our home improvement project after getting a strong reference from an acquaintance about the their work ethic and building capabilities. From the outset of the project, we faced several delays brought on by the pandemic, including supply-chain backlogs and permitting delays, culminating in a sudden illness of the owner and GC, Dennis, who was incapacitated for several months due to legitimate health issues. Despite the setbacks, which resulted in significant expense securing alternate lodging for our family, we showed compassion and flexibility, because were satisfied overall by the quality of the craftsmanship, and we knew that they were a small business trying their best to manage obstacles beyond their control.

  Things changed, however, at the time of the last installment payment. At that time, Dennis and his project manager Steve abruptly requested payment in full, a deviation from the payment schedule specified in our original contract. Although we did not agree to the complete advance, retaining an appropriate holdback for punch list items, we trusted Dennis and Steve, so didn’t think much of it at the time.

  We were naive. Immediately after receiving their last large payment, Dennis stopped showing up to work and stonewalled any communication, instead funneling all calls to Steve. Steve would placate us by promising progress, but there was little to no follow through. At this time, we had moved back into our home but were living with faulty plumbing, faulty electric, holes in the walls, along with many unfinished items which were in scope under our original legal agreement. When we asked what was behind the hold up and change in behavior, we received excuses, denials, no-shows, and empty promises, but DENCO did not return to the job site, nor commit to a timeline to finish the work.

  After this continued for over three months, we grew suspicious and angry. We sent a demand letter giving DENCO a reasonable timeframe of five weeks to complete the project, a timeline which my husband and I clearly reiterated verbally. They agreed to finish the work by the deadline, and they finally returned.

  I almost wish they wouldn’t have. Tile for our kitchen backsplash which I had been saving for years was not installed to specification and now needs to be demolished; hardwood flooring that should have been professionally sanded and stained was given a coat of cheap polyurethane from the hardware store; cabinet fronts that should have been shaker were installed with a slab front; Paint on expensive custom cabinetry was not properly primed and chipped shortly after installation; a countertop was left installed without a backsplash, among other things which were again left unfinished. It became clear at that point that DENCO had zero pride of ownership, nor any sense of ethical, professional or legal duty to complete the job in a high quality, serious way.

  In the fall of 2022 after consulting an attorney about our options (at extra expense), we cut our losses and terminated our contract with DENCO on the basis of non-performance. They expressed “bewilderment”, but of course never offered to come back and make it right. Astonishingly, Steve instead proposed that Dennis return to build supplemental cabinetry, as if the unfinished core project never happened! (I suppose they will follow through on their commitments after all, but only if the margins are high enough?) Upon termination, Dennis again refused to communicate with us, in spite of a direct request, which speaks volumes as to his professionalism.

  Dennis and Steve pitch themselves as family-oriented, former public servants and generally good guys. Don’t believe them. They skipped out on our project and were calculating and dishonest about their intentions, even after we showed them nothing but kindness in the face of numerous delays. If there was a legitimate reason for abandoning the work or for the change in their commitment, they had ample opportunity to discuss it with us in a mature, professional way. They chose not to. Although I’ll never know for certain, it is my belief that their exit was pre-planned, and had I paid them in full like they asked, we would be out much more than the time we now need to spend cleaning up a mess.

  DENCO never completed the final building inspection, so our experience ended with me playing contractor by approaching our city's inspection team, permit in hand, and asking for help closing out the project on my own, hoping that the smoke detectors were at least installed to code before our real contractors left (they were not).

  I don’t usually bother with internet reviews, but home improvements are a serious investment of time and money, and I don’t want anyone else to go through something like this. Be good to yourself, learn from our experience and partner with another team who you can trust.

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