If you’re looking to do a major construction project that will require a certificate of occupancy, please note that Dean Samardich, president of Heritage Contracting Corporation, may use your certificate of occupancy, and any ignorance you may have with how construction contracts and subcontractors work, as leverage to extract thousands of dollars in trumped up overages against you before he submits the final paperwork to get your certificate of occupancy.
I don’t make these claims lightly. Six months into a major construction project with Heritage Contracting Corp, and right before the last renovation project and for the final inspection, Dean presented me with a new contract for $22,998.00 for work that he claimed was done on my project without my prior approval. He said that he withheld the additional expenses in the interest of time. Most of the work was part of, and covered under, our original contract, but Dean insisted that they were “overages” that I needed to cover. Although I felt bullied, I trusted Dean, and eventually agreed to pay a sizable portion of the new contract, but refused to sign it. Dean explained that this is how things are done in construction, and I believed him.
I got lucky. My lights kept flickering, so instead of using Dean’s electrician, I found one near me. The electrician who came to my home happened to be the electrician licensing commissioner in my town. Reviewing the work done under the Heritage name, he found ungrounded light fixtures, inadequate wiring, overloaded circuits, and outlets that were tucked into my beams instead of being properly removed. The commissioner said that the work done was dangerous, not done to code, and doubted it was done by a licensed professional.
I had to pay an additional $1,925.00 to have the electrical work brought up to code. When I complained that I already paid on my initial contract for electrical work, and Dean was asking for an additional $6,700.00. The commissioner stared at me and asked to see my original contract and Dean’s new contract. After reviewing them, he told me that I had been exploited. He said that it doesn’t cost $6700.00 to wire a kitchen, master bed and master bath, and install two light fixtures.
I confronted Dean with this information and asked for proof of his paperwork for the “overage” charges, or my money back. To date, Dean has given me neither.
The photos are work done by Deans company. I had to pay out of pocket to repaint my home, fix my electrical to code, fix sloppy plaster and drywall work, and many other items done without attention to detail. If it wasn’t for my flickering lights, I would have been out of almost 23 thousand dollars based on the trust, faith and confidence I had in Dean, that he subsequently used against me to convince me to pay him money I didn't owe.
At this point, you’re an educated consumer.
Kaela that is a beautifully written review and I can't thank you enough. Working with you this past year I have learned that your writing talent is far and above one of your best skills!! You may have missed your calling. Working on your home presented a lot of questions, thought and effort from you, I and the whole team. I've said a lot of these things to you face to face, but I do this work because I really enjoy design and construction and especially a challenge. It really does bring me joy when a client is so happy with their new or renovated home and no-one expresses themselves more openly then you!! Can't say it enough but thank you so much!!!
Dean