My wife and I had just bought our first home - with an unfinished basement. We met with a bunch of contractors and R&C Contracting (aka R&C Quality Contracting) seemed like good fit for our needs. Chance (owner) had some idea for our basement that got us interested. we called reference and they checked out. The work started and was planned for 4 weeks. In the beginning, the work was looking good, although I had to regularly check up on the work and point out some errors (they didn't notice a vent they had dislodged and I asked Chance twice to fix it - I could have fixed it myself). Chance often showed up late but since he said he was driving from Oshawa, it didn't bother me too much. As the weeks went on, the work wasn't progressing. After 6 weeks, the basement was almost finished but finishing was very poor - stairs were made with floor boards on top of the builder's stairs, the paint was blotchy... He managed to convince us to give him the final payment and he gave us a cheque (in good faith) for the amount towards a unit we asked him to build for the kitchen. He still showed after to to some things but then one day, he vanished.
Two weeks later, we get an email from his account but signed from someone else saying that an accident happened and that they would have someone complete the work. We had asked this person to get in touch with us - never happened. We investigate ed the address that was on the contract (100 Consilium Pl, Scarborough, ON M1H 3E3) nobody in the complex has heard of him.
Btw, Chance always seems to be having problems with his phone.
Two months later, in March & April, I send him an email saying that if I don't receive any word from, I'll need to sell some of his equipment he left behind. Half an hour later, he replies; says he'll be ready to go mid-may. I tried to arrange a meet with him at least, no reply. I've been emailing every week, no reply. I 've been calling every week, voice-mail full. We're close to the end of June and still nothing.
It was a very expensive mistake and we've learned our lesson. So now, we have 2 air conditioning vents that have been sealed up by drywall - I've to make my ceiling look like swiss cheese to locate them. The bathroom vent wasn't closed on the outside of the house - fortunately, I bought the grate to close it off before the winter came. Light fixtures are not installed. Paint is always blotchy.
I believe his "website" is just pictures from other people's work.
Now with a baby on the way, I don't think we'd have the opportunity to make it look nice. and I have home theatre equipment still in their boxes - without a TV because we don't have the money because of Chance of R&C Contracting.
I hope that he mans up and least returns the money for the kitchen unit he was going to build and our garage remote!