Family Audio Video & Electronics

Talked to and hired Michael Dubin to assemble a gazebo and install a power outlet in the gazebo. Made the request on the 16th. He called me Sunday the 17th, and agreed to start on Monday the 18th. I gave him pictures of the gazebo I purchased from Costco as he requested, sent pictures of where I wanted it, and we agreed he would start on Monday the 18th of May at 10 AM. He was bringing his son to help. We agreed on the cost of $600 for assembly and electric. I thought great, done deal. Monday rolls around at 10, no Michael, 10:30 got a text his alarm didn’t go off he was just getting up and they could make it in a couple of hours, not thrilled, but should be ok. 1:00 texts and says en route. 3:00 finally arrives to see the work site and tell me he couldn’t start as he had to go to Clovis,NM. Not happy, but trying to be nice. Michael said he would be back the next day and would drop the price $100 and pay for supplies (should be very minor). Said he would be at my house early Wednesday morning to do the job. Texted Tuesday night to see what time he wanted to start Wednesday and his response was “not early or Thursday is open”. Getting pissed now, but trying to be nice and help the guy out. Promises Thursday morning y 9AM. 9am I’m texting to see where he’s at. Response is on my way. Hour and a half later he responds he’s close. Supposedly his truck is in the shop so he has no ladders or anything to get high up. The gazebo is 12 feet at the posts and 16 feet at the pitch. Luckily I have ladders. Finally shows up, by himself, works for 2-3 hours “staging” everything then leaves for the day. Again saying he will be back early the next day by 10:30. 10:30 and I’m tracking him down again. Texts and says he will be here by 12. I ask if that’s enough time to finish and he assures me yes. They will be done today. Shows up with his nephew, works for a couple of hours, gets the frame set (which almost topples because they didn’t support it first) I had to run out to stabilize one side while they connect it and keep it from smashing my house or hurting them. I ask how much extra to add on an additional outlet and he says $150 more. Asks for $150 to run to get supplies, works a few hours then leaves for the day, not finished. Says they will be back the next day early. We are now on day 6 of when he agreed to start and barely made a dent. His 17 year old nephew arrived at 8:30, Michael is nowhere to be found, his nephew gets started putting this whole thing together. His nephew works almost all day on his own, Michael shows about 2pm to help put the roof on, which I have to help as they don’t have enough people. Get the gazebo almost all the way built, but not finished. Michael tells me he has to go to LA the next day to work another job for friends. Wants me to pay him the balance less $100 which I can pay to his nephew when he finishes the gazebo on Sunday. Michael would be back Tuesday to finish anchoring the gazebo and put in the outlet. We reached our end and my wife and Michael exchanged words. Advised he was not getting any more money until job was done as hired. Michael stomps off saying we were unprofessional for acting this way to him. He’s been accommodating and lowered the price. This job should be charged more as it was more than he expected. Especially since I asked for two outlets. Begrudgingly says he would be back early the next morning to finish then leave to LA. His nephew is here at 8, no Michael and no tools for his nephew. I had to lend him my drills, bits, ladders again, and Michael finally shows about noon. They started working again and Michael went to do the electric, ran the two outlets (poorly), got quickrete self leveling cement to fill in the area he grinded out for the wiring. Ran out and had to go get more, than ran out again, and thought using silicon was a good substitute, which now looks like crap. Went to connect the wiring to my house electric, without shutting to power off to the outlet, potentially causing an emergency situation. Finally got the wiring done and got one bolt in for anchoring this down. Granted this gazebo weighs 800 lbs, but we do have high winds in AZ and I’m not too comfortable about the assembly (fingers crossed). Once they got done, I had it with him and said I would finish the rest. Got major attitude when I tried to pay with a check ( never said it was a cash job). Overall very disappointed with the service. If you accept a job, do what you say you’re going to do. Michael is very unreliable, lazy, and not professional at all. Definitely would not hire this person or ever recommend him for any work.