Rdh Construction

DO NOT USE RICHARD HOPKINS OF RDH CONSTRUCTION IN CITRUS HEIGHTS CA, ESPECIALLY IF YOU ARE A SINGLE WOMAN. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I HAVE HAD TO USE A CONTRACTOR FOR A MAJOR REPAIR SO THERE IS A LOT I WAS NOT EDUCATED ABOUT. IF YOU DECIDE TO USE HIM, HERE ARE SOME TIPS which are based on my experience of having him do work.

Have your smart phone/video camera at our finger tips because Richard yelled at me and threw a big temper tantrum. Also video or tape every single conversation you have with Richard for proof. All I can say when allowing Richard to work for you is document, document, document.
Do not allow him to do any electrical work, he installed the wrong dimmer switch on my lights causing my lights to flicker and not work properly. The over the stove microwave cord was pinched and bent and the plug was not installed properly and the new electrician I had come in told me, “The installation was dangerous.” Also, when Richard installed the microwave, he did not complete the vent tubing in the attic and he did not flip the switch for the air flow to go up the vent, it blew into the kitchen. I am now worried about all the electrical work that was required that he did.
Do not allow him to do any plumbing work, I had a leak because he did not complete the installation process of the spigot under the kitchen sink. I bought the wrong faucet and instead of telling me, he jerry rigged the wrong faucet which did not work properly and he refused to fix it. I am now worried about all the plumbing in the walls that was required that he did.
Do not allow Richard to do tile work on the floor. At all the door jams Richard did not get the tile under the door jam, he left big, unsightly gaps saying he could not slip the tile under the jam. I went to Youtube and found how to alleviate the problem for proper installation. He did not put transition strips in, saying he did not do that. Once I was able to clean up after Richard, I found the tile was not level and had rolling bumps and he said he informed me and accused me of authorizing the tile over the problem which was not there with my vinyl flooring.
Do not allow Richard to do counter tile work. He chipped the tiles and told me to color it with a sharpy. He did not finish an exposed cut end of a piece of tile and told me to color it with a sharpy.
Do not allow Richard to install a vinyl sliding door because he will screw screws into the vinyl frame which will void your warranty.
Type up these questions and any other questions you have and have him write in the answers and sign:
If your insurance company requests written information from him, will he provide it.
Will he leave in the middle of your job to do other jobs.
What time does he arrive for work.
What time does he end his day.
How long does he take for lunch.
Does he call to inform you when he will be late or won’t be there for work. Several times I had to call him to find out what was happening for the day.
Make a list of everything you want completed and when he gives you his contract, check carefully that everything is there. In fact, if you are single, I suggest you get a friend or family member to be your advocate and help you make sure things get done properly.
Make sure there is a completion date on your contract. Richard walked off in the middle of my job to do another job and told me there was no completion date on my contract and he could take as long as he wanted and he would not give me a date when he would return.
If this repair is due to any type of damage and you are turning it in to your insurance company, make sure Richard itemizes his estimate for you because your insurance company needs it, otherwise Richard will refuse when the insurance company requests it.
Make sure all the numbers in the contract add up. He said I owed him $1,500, after adding up the allowances to be deducted from the contract and the checks I gave him, I actually over paid him from the contract amount.
Go with Richard to get permits and make sure everything you want done is on the permits.
TYPE UP A TIMESHEET/WORK SHEET FOR RICHARD TO FILL OUT EVERYDAY. HAVE RICHARD LOG IN WHEN HE ARRIVES, WHEN HE TAKES LUNCH AND WHEN HE IS DONE FOR THE DAY. BEFORE RICHARD LEAVES, DO A VIDEO INSPECTION, HAVING RICHARD WRITE DOWN AND EXPLAIN EVERYTHING THAT WAS DONE THAT DAY. RICHARD DOES NOT COMPLETE TASKS BEFORE GOING ON TO THE NEXT TASK. IF THERE ARE INCOMPLETE TASKS WRITE THEM ALL DOWN SO RICHARD CAN COMPLETE THEM THE NEXT DAY. IF THINGS ARE NOT DONE RIGHT RICHARD WILL TELL YOU HE DOESN’T DO THINGS, OR HE WILL TELL YOU TO BUY SHARPY PENS AND COLOR THINGS IN OR HE WILL TELL YOU HE CAN’T DO SOMETHING. AFTER RICHARD LEAVES, RESEARCH THE ISSUES TO SEE HOW THINGS ARE SUPPOSE TO BE DONE. I WENT TO YOUTUBE. WHATEVER YOU DO, DO NOT PAY RICHARD WHEN HE REQUESTS A CHECK UNTIL ALL INCOMPLETE AND IMPROPER WORK IS COMPLETED PROPERLY.
If Richard suggests adding things during your original contracted work OR you find other