Frame 2 Finish

My husband and I hired Brett Harwin to completely remodel our home. We interviewed at least 5 contractors prior to hiring Brett. He was very patient with us, as neither have been through a remodel before, and found the whole process a bit intimidating. Brett was calm, and patient, and met with us at least 10 times prior to us choosing to hire him. He gave us at least 5 excellent references, which I carefully checked. He showed us several of his projects as well. We learned a lot and asked very specific questions about quality, timing, change orders, completing on time, being there every day etc.
We really enjoyed our experience working with Brett... not only from the start of the project... his workers and team were nice, respectful, clean, and there every single day on time. They left the site every day very clean and neat. We weren't even living there during the main part of the construction. Our neighbors also told they were very hard working, and there very day.
We had heard many horror stories of contractors disappearing from jobs; or not there every day; or never knowing when they were going to show up or not...............Brett's team was there every single day, on time! Brett always was, and continues to this day to be extremely responsive. When we have a question/ email, phone call... he calls us back immediately. There was never once an issue reaching him. This was one of the major complaints I have heard over and over. Brett was very responsive.
Overall, we were so incredibly satisfied with our project, and the quality of the work, we have referred him to many of our friends. Many have hired him again and again to do repeat projects on their home. We hired him again to work on our outside landscaping/hardscape project, and we had them build our outdoor BBQ, seating area, fire pit, and install flagstone, and an entire deck. We get so many compliments on it.
We highly recommend Brett and his entire team including Rafael, Victor, and everyone else. They were a pleasure to work with.

Actually my rating is -1. This company is not to be trusted to do any work at your home.

The company worked on my house and left it unfinished and in shambles. The owner, Harwin, is unqualified, untrustworthy, and uses inferior products while charging premium prices.

From the day he and his "crew" left my home, I have been payingfixing the shoddy work and inferior materials with which I was left. Unfortunately, his fees were such that I can't afford to redo all that must be done at one time. I am into the second year of repairing the work with which he and his crew left me.

What sorts of problems have I confronted?
*The wiring that was to be upgraded was not.
*The plumbing that was to be replaced was not completed, and that which was replaced has had to be redone.
*The wood exterior bannisters (5) that were allegedly "made to order" were constructed of untreated wood covered by plywood. Sealer was not applied and the cover paint was cheap and badly applied. The bannisters rotted after 16 months, and I am currently in the process of having them replaced by qualified carpenters who are using appropriately treated wood, high quality sealer and paint.
*The slate used to cover the concrete steps leading to the three exterior doors has had to be replaced because the unqualified installer used cheap adhesives and even cheaper grout.
*The "new" garage door (two car garage) stopped working properly after 6 months. I have since learned that the door for which I asked and paid was not the door installed.
*The exterior lighting on timers that was to be installed was never completed, and that which was never worked. It took a qualified electrician to redo that job professionally and completely.
*While constructing the office that was a bedroom, the workers closed, plastered shut and painted over the only attic access door. I shall have to have a new access door made and installed.
*The built in office desk area was constructed in a manner that does not permit a regular office chair to fit under the desk top, and the inside hardware for the many drawers was never installed.
*Several of the promised and paid for built-in pieces of interior shelving and bookcases were never made or purchased.
*The kitchen flooring that was installed has already begun to crack and will have to be replaced with suitable tile.
*The grout used to complete the master shower has cracked and chipped and must be completely replaced.
*The interior lighting was to be on dimmers; however, every dimmer installed was insufficient and unsafe!
*The interior paint was a small step above "used".

I could go on; but the list would exceed the space allowed.

**ADDITIONALLY, be careful not to permit Brett Harwin to use his brother, Craig Harwin, to do any audio visual work in your home. Indeed, do not hire Craig Harwin to do any work in your home. The audio and video set up that I paid for is a mess. The unfinished, inferior work done by Craig Harwin and his crew is so poor that I have yet to find a reputable company capable of fixing it. Thus, it must be entirely redone at considerable expense.
*Can you imagine paying for 2 high quality, HD large screen televisions only to discover, after the job, that the televisions were not new but rather are cheap, refurbished substitutes?
*Can you imagine finding yourself with an unfinished system that will not support a television in the office?
*Can you imagine an audio speaker system intended to provide entertainment throughout the house consisting of two speakers in the livingroom ceiling?

These are but three examples that have left me without an audio visual package that works. To make matters worse, the wiring installed was done in a fashion that I am unable to arrange for cable internet service until the entire mess system is replaced.

Brett Harwin's Frame 2 Finish Inc., along with his brother Craig Harwin, the phony audio visual specialist, should be closed and never permitted to do business in California.