Contractor Threatens Libel

Remember the roof the flew off? In that post, I mentioned that I was waiting for Reach Out and Build (ROaB) to get back to me. It turns out, they did reply through email. Here's what they had to say:

Note how they omitted the most important part in defining the word libel: that the statements must be FALSE. They already know everything in the blog posts as I sent them numerous text and emails complete with pictures. I based my posts on my correspondence with them, so there's actually more information in my emails to them than there are in the blog posts.

Here's my response:

Yes, folks - this is the kind of people you'll be dealing with if you hire them. Most companies when faced with complaints will attempt to rectify the situation and try to make amends. ROaB will cry libel if they don't like what you have to say.

The thing is, if they had done a good job to begin with, they would have gotten a different review. I was talking to another contractor who inspected the carport yesterday, and she told me that had ROaB used flat bars, the roof would have lasted at least two years. But only two since the polycarbonate they used is the really thin and cheap type which gets brittle easily.

They have since taken off the option to write a review on their Facebook page, but this incident has since made me wonder. All those who post reviews about restaurants, wedding coordinators, etc., where they had a terrible experience and they name the person who made them miserable, did the ones they complain about file a libel case against them? Earl and I think though, that is the contractor's way of getting out of their responsibility.

Can you imagine if the wind had blown the roof in another direction and hit a house, a passing car, or worse - a person out on the street?

The Roof Flew Off

Literally.

So, it's just typhoon signal number one in our area and at around 6 AM, this happened:

Good thing the portion that came off landed in our garden and not the neighbor's lot. I called the village manager, Engr. Rommel, and they picked it up right away before someone got hurt or another house got damaged.

Engr. Rommel came over with a few other people who checked the roof. The contractor (Reach Out and Build Inc.) didn't place flat bars when they installed the polycarbonate, thus it flew off easily.

I've already texted said contractor and sent photos, but they have yet to reply.

Warning: Do NOT Buy an Electrolux Washing Machine!!!

We bought their 10kg inverter model (EWF 14023) end of August 2017 and started using it mid September 2017.  Less than seven months later, it started leaking oil and ruined some of our clothes (we could not get rid of the black oil stains).  They fixed it and provided a replacement machine (but only after I got mad and demanded one).

Now, three months after they repaired it, the drum has stopped moving.

Their service guy came to the house over a week ago (August 29) and informed me that the inverter board needs to be replaced.  He said someone will call the next day to give an update.   No one called.  I’ve been calling them for the past week, and they’re always promising that someone will call to give an update and no one ever does (they’ve promised to call four times now).

There are no available parts for a supposedly new model.  We have to wait a month. ONE MONTH. And they’re just guessing at this point as to when the part will be available. In the meantime, we’re left hanging as they have yet to get approval to lend us another service unit.

Years ago, we had a Whirlpool washing machine that also had an electronic board, but it took two or three years before it went kaput.  On the other hand, my mother’s Whirlpool with manual dials is still working to this day and it’s more than 25 years old.

The lesson I’ve learned from this, is that the next time we’re buying a washing machine, we’ll stick to Whirlpool with manual dials.  Though the Electrolux repair guy said to buy either Speed Queen or Maytag.

Lastly, a few people have told me that their Electrolux washing machine only lasted 4-6 years.  For one of them, the third time it needed to be repaired, it cost so much money that they ended up buying a new washing machine instead.

Electrolux, moving forward, just stick to vacuum cleaners please.

On Indefinite Leave

I've decided to take a break from actively decorating, mostly because I can't find anything I like or fits the budget at the moment. The side table, for example, needs a lamp, but I will wait and buy only if I happen to find something interesting.

This also means that new posts on this blog will be very few and far between.

Missing IKEA

The great thing about IKEA is that you can buy nice looking stuff without breaking the bank. Unfortunately, they don't have a branch in Manila.

See the picture on the left? It's the Tank Table Lamp from Keystone Lamps, and it would have been perfect for the accent table we bought last year. The problem is that it's rather short at 11.5 inches (height), and I prefer the shade be changed to something black instead.

To change the shade will cost us Php 6,800. To increase the height by around six inches will be an additional Php 11,700:

Time to start looking elsewhere.

Supplier Ratings: Reach Out & Build, Inc.

Supplier: Reach Out and Build Inc.
Price Tag: Php 458,093
Rating: Php 0/10 (10 being the highest)

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2018 Update: The roof they installed last year came off and they've threatened me with libel, so I've changed their rating to 0. Details can be found here and here.
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Pros:
Well, they were reasonable when it came to fees and the cement hollow block fence is still standing. And at least they kept coming back to repair the carport roof whenever it leaked. Though that was before I paid them in full. Hmmm, I wonder - will they return if ever the roof leaks again (the probability of which is rather great)?

Cons:

Where do I begin? The list of our complaints is rather long, but here are a few that I've posted about before:

https://twostoreys.blogspot.com/2017/06/renovation-update-18.html

https://twostoreys.blogspot.com/2017/07/renovation-update-19.html

https://twostoreys.blogspot.com/2017/08/the-tale-of-temporary-cement-floor.html

https://twostoreys.blogspot.com/2017/08/finished.html

https://twostoreys.blogspot.com/2017/08/renovation-update-20.html

Notice the rotten paint job outside in the picture on the left? It's also inside the house, like the shelves we can't really store books on as the paint they used sticks to just about everything:

The bottom shelf cracked after we placed a few children's books:

On the left is the door I ordered (but painted white), and on the right is the door they delivered.

I kid you not - the extremely hideous door is brown and white with a metal pattern I NEVER asked for. Oh, how about that frosted plastic thing in the middle? Apparently, they do want they want without consulting the one who paid for it. I thought about returning it, but I would need to look for another supplier and I was just too tired (wanted to get things over and done with). They got rid of the white paint and made the whole thing brown.

It's been five months from the time they left, and the doors and garage floor already need repair:

I asked them if the red paint on the door will crack or fade and they assured me it wouldn't happen. They also said that once the paint dries on the other areas they've painted over, it will blend with the existing color. They also said the garage floor will not be the color blue once it dries up... This just proves that you cannot believe a word they say.

I really regret hiring Reach Out and Build and wish I had gone with AQM Interior Services instead which a friend of mine had already tried out and spoke highly of. I had talked to AQM, and they admitted that they've done mostly interiors, so I wasn't sure how they'd fare with exteriors.

Well, the next time we need a contractor, I definitely know who NOT to call.