| Year Established | 1985 |
|---|---|
| Business Categories | Additions and Remodels, Masonry in Ventura, CA |
It was a nightmare in every way! We do NOT recommend this contractor to anyone! It was a large project that he said he would bring a large crew to complete it quickly. However, he showed up by himself and took his sweet old time while other contractors waited for him and had their schedules ruined. They became angry with the owners. The quality of Mr. Abeloe’s work is atrociously bad. Various leftover, half-sized blocks used on our high visibility, high-priced walls! Shockingly, we received a lien notice from State Ready Mix for $5,767.93 on behalf of Abeloe Masonry last May. We cannot believe that Mr. Abeloe has yet to pay for the concrete he pumped for the walls several months ago. Each and every time after the concrete was pumped, Mr. Abeloe always asked us for a large check to pay for State Ready Mix without fail and assuring us that he would pay State immediately. He threatens to abandon the job unless we pay for him in full in advance with the unconscionable, unauthorized overcharges in his last invoice. This was even while we were informing him about the defect of corner walls he built were too short and too low to hold the hills (not built per plans). We had to pay and hire another contractor to correct his mess.
Many jobs in California will require municipal permits in order to be approved by the town's inspector. It's always good to ask who will be responsible for pulling those permits, and if you'll be expected to do it. You'll almost never be told to pull your own, but knowing that Ventura Additions and Remodels permits are required makes you appear to be a well informed customer.
Some companies may require a 10% deposit, some may not require any. For larger projects, you'll almost always need to give a deposit, and it's good to ask how much the deposit will be before going forward with a project. The Ventura contractor will know how much they need for a deposit when they've given you the estimate, so ask early.
This is important mostly for larger jobs. Clearly a two man operation is going to build a home much slower than a 15 man crew. This is also a good indication of the overall size of the Additions and Remodels company, if that's an area of concern for you. The reason you may want to ask about the fleet is that fleet size is a good indicator of the mobility of the company. Mobility may not sound important, but it's hard for the Ventura contractors to get to job sites if they lack appropriate vehicles.
You'll always want to ask how long the company has been in business in Ventura. While this isn't a guarantee that the company will do good work, companies with longevity on their side must be doing something right. That being said, there are newer companies that do great work. If the company is under three years old, ask where the owner was employed before and for how long. If he/she has a long history of employment, it's reasonable to infer that he or she decided to go into business for themselves after so many years of experience.
This will be answered when you ask if all employees are licensed. The only way to obtain a legitimate tradesman's license is to be a legal or naturalized citizen of the US. The company may employ people in positions that don't require a license, however, so it's wise to inquire.
