I'm going to deviate from my crafting, to post an important message to anyone who wants to hire a "Handyman" or someone to do construction work in the north Louisiana, Arkansas or Texas areas.
Although I have a new house I did need some minor work, so I hired Micah Petty, (also known as "A Time to Build") to do work for me. IT WAS A TOTAL NIGHTMARE!
I paid him $545 to do this small amount of minor Handyman-type work:
1. Seal up areas where mice might enter the attic. This was simply to get on a ladder, find and seal any small areas where a mouse might enter ( this did not involve getting on the roof and I did a majority of the work myself).
2. Adjust two toilets
3. Replace a burned-out fuse for the outdoor light
4. Replace the front door lock with a deadbolt
Mr. Petty mentioned to me beforehand that he wanted to seal up the "weep holes" because mice can enter there. I told him I didn't want him to seal them since they exist to air the house when it rains. He told me that a few were too wide and he would only place a bit of mortar in them to narrow the opening a bit. I should also mention that they showed up with a girlfriend, who sat in my living room all the time they worked.
After approx 3 hours the guys finished with the work, were paid and left.
The next day, I walked around my house and found that every weep hole had been sealed completely! I had to chip away at the stuff with a hammer and screwdriver to attempt to get it out. In addition, I noticed that when I opened the door (with the new deadbolt lock) the alarm bell wasn't working.....the alarm contact had been broken. Two days after the work, the outdoor light went out and the front bedroom went into complete darkness. When I checked the circuit breaker, it had been tripped to the off position.
I had to get an electrician to come out and repair the outdoor light. He told me that whoever did the work did not reconnect the wires correctly (repair cost $125). I had to call the alarm company to replace the contact for the front door (repair cost $85). The Alarm repairman was puzzled as to how a contact could be broken when only the lock was changed. I still have a mouse problem because Mr Petty never attempted to seal any new areas. He did remove my plugs and put instant mortar in them. He also dirtied my attic floor when he went in there with muddy boots.
I know this is a long post, but I feel I have to do something to warn innocent people about these scam artists!! I was always a smart person who checked references, had a lot of common sense, etc. But Hurricane Katrina has thrown so many of us a curve ball. I moved from South Louisiana to North Louisiana after I lost my home due to Katrina.
My house is new but there are always little things that come up. That's really why I hired a so-called Handyman in this area. I really wasn't thinking with a clear head when I hired Micah Petty and wound up paying twice!! Please heed my warning and hire a reputable person to do your repair work!
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