Do you work for this business? Unlock this free profile to update company info and see who's viewing your profile.

• By Steve S.

  September 17, 2018

  pool build and patio

  $125,000

  A word of Caution

  First, all was going according to plan. Hugo (owner of E&J construction but NOT a licensed contractor – as I was shocked to later learn) saw our vision after 3 other companies did not. It was quoted in the contract after signing to take 3 months. Well 6 months later, after an ultimatum, per California State law, it was completed, well almost. His crew had to return after the city inspectors had passed the final stage to remove the 8+ foot wooden concrete box form that I found after he “completed” the project. Thank GOD I did not use the patio chimney or the whole chimney would have caught fire. This was the last straw to a number of “human mistakes” as Hugo called them. 1) Double stamped concrete in the patio, 2) “forgotten” glued pool pipes components after install, 3) spraying water from heater pipes - 5 days later threatened to call a plumper, still took 2 more days for his subcontractor to fix it 4) Concrete patio slabs lifting up due to not anchoring to existing concrete patio, 5) installed ILLEGAL 1 HP “main” pool pump that was outlawed since 2010 (research title 20 of the California Energy Commission) http://www.energy.ca.gov/appliances/documents/2017-07-06_Pool_Pumps_Regulatory_Advisory.pdf
  6) All the owner’s manuals, warranty cards, instructions to the equipment were misplaced – THROWEN AWAY with the shipping boxes. (I had to go online to find out how my equipment worked!!) Hugo moved valves and drained the spa!
  7) Crew urinating on MY property – even after Hugo and his son Josh stated they provided a portable bathroom on every job – LIED
  8) The patio did not get quoted with a floor, that is extra. (not in the contract) Hugo’s reasoning is that people use pavers or decomposed granite. (INDUSTRY STANDARD – patios have floors) also said they would round the corners on the existing concrete to blend it in, NOPE, just poured and filled in the gaps.
  9) As I rototilled to prep for new grass I came across 6 wheel barrows full of BURIED concrete, rebar, 50/50 mix, wood stakes, screws, cut PVC pipe, cigarette butts (no one in my family smokes).
  10) Spa spillway ledge too short, water did not spill into the pool, instead ran under the ledge onto the coping and face of the spa and into the drain on the decking.
  11) Assured us that the job would be completed in time for our 20th wedding anniversary – LIED (3+ months later it was completed)
  Lack of communication, one sided MINE – until he wanted the next installment on the payment plan.
  Numerous weeks where only 1 to 2 workers showed for a day or two all week.
  Wanted me to provide him with the accounting, essentially to do his accounting for him.
  What I have learned:
  Make sure YOU have a penalty clause in the contract that If the job is not completed by the estimated date, every day it is not completed 10% will be deducted from the contract price.
  Research the Board of Contractors for their license status; it is changing with “actions” not for the better.
  Hugo is NOT a contractor; his son Josh received his “B” license in 2016?????? Prior to that this “family” company was utilizing Hugo’s father’s Contractors license and have been utilizing the history of the E&J name.
  Take pictures…LOTS of pictures to document the work (or lack of work) done every day. Stand in the same spot and take several pictures of the project EVERY DAY. The time will come to dispute “Hugo’s version” of what and when things occurred on the job.
  GET LIEN RELEASES at the time the subcontractor has been paid. (SEE contractors state board for further information) Hugo failed to provide at time of payment, I had to DEMAND to receive my releases, they were dated I requested them!!!!
  Change Orders are when you request a change to something after the contact has been signed. NOT when the contractor low bid the job and now is trying to make up the costs.
  Take notes, research, and make sure that the contract is more on a level playing ground and not in the contractors favor. (Penalty clause)
  
  As of this posting the business is suspended with the State Contractors Board under License 925746. There is one open case and one open complaint. The license number also shows DBA as Innovative Design Build.

  Read more
• By Nicholas M.

  April 25, 2018

  Pool install, turf, planter wall, fire pit

  $70,000

  Do NOT use these guys! They are terrible. They have abandoned my project, and we are about to begin the process of suing them. Hugo is a terrible communicator to his clients and employees.

  Pool project started on 10/3/17...we signed a contract agreeing to 90days (Jan 3, 2018)...well here we are, April 25, 2018 with out the entire project completed.

  Hugo showed up yesterday (since is was the last day for him to complete the project before he breached it) and it was the first time he has set foot here since November 14th, 2017, coincidentally the last time he collected a check!! Over 5 months ago!!!!!

  All the problems we had here were directly from him not being here and having to do his job and make sure his employees he sent did the right thing. perfect set-up for him. He's unapologetic about everything.

  Here you are, paying him tens of thousands of dollars for a project he agreed to, and you end up having to hound him and beg him to finish it!

  There were only 2-3 inspections that I wasn't here alone to do. That's not what i signed up for! I paid full price, I paid every time I was supposed to, and now I'm the one who has to sit and wait for the inspection?!

  Word of advice: Make sure that final payment in the contract is AT LEAST 20% or more...or you wont see your project finished!

  DON'T USE THESE GUYS!

• By J S.

  February 21, 2018

  pool

  $90,000

  What an absolute nightmare this has been. We saved for 3 years to build our dream pool, and working with E and J Construction has been an absolute nightmare.

  We contracted E&J last year in April of 2017 to build our pool. We had a contract complete the pool in July 2017, and it is now late February 2018, the following year, 7 months after our completion date, and the pool is still not complete. They go absent for weeks and months on end with no communication or work being done.

  We paid $10,000 for concrete, and when it was poured, the stamping was crooked -extremely crooked, a full 30 degrees off of parallel from the house. They had to move our air conditioner for the job, and they DROPPED the air conditioner into the wet concrete - and left a 3 foot by 3 foot indentation in the center of the walkway and ALLOWED IT TO DRY. The shoddy carelessness was unbelievable. We put a stop payment on the check and insisted they redo the concrete. They told me I shouldn't have stopped the payment while resolving the concrete. I don't believe they would have corrected it, had we not stopped payment. We paid after the concrete was repoured.

  After the concrete debacle, they were supposed to tile, plaster and install glass panels and pebble flooring. They have shown once or twice in 3 months. We've called/texted many times and they blame the delays on inability to find tile, on permit delays, and on the timing of the glass panel company who is making our upgraded glass panel windows. We paid $8k for glass panel upgrades and 6K for pebble upgrades. We called these companies, and found that although we have paid E&J construction, they have not paid their subcontractors for glass panels or pebble. They have literally taken the money and for 7 months not paid subcontractors or scheduled work.

  When contacting other pool contractors to complete our pool, they told us that this is not the first E&J pool they've had to complete. When going to the city with a complaint about a contractor who walked out on the job they replied "Let me guess. E&J Construction?" They are known for taking payments on projects (like ours) to pay for their next shoddy project because they are ever behind on paying their people, fixing their shoddy work, and completing their projects. They get jobs through heavy marketing, not through referrals.

  When filing a complaint to the State Licensing Board, we found that they are already pending disciplinary action for other homeowners making similar complaints. License number 925746 https://www2.cslb.ca.gov/OnlineServices/CheckLicenseII/LicenseDetail.aspx?LicNum=925746

  How I wish I had known this. We are now in the middle of a dispute, trying to get back tens of thousands in work and materials not delivered, while we have a gunite hole full of garbage and mold (Yes they throw their trash in there and leave it for months while it rains) Wish us luck.

  Read more