Homefix Custom Remodeling responded to our Home Advisor query to replace the gutters on our new home. Once the appointment was set, I was contacted twice more to set up my free estimate. I explained that we already had an appointment.

The salesman arrived on time and was friendly enough. He took some measurements, and we sat down to discuss the cost. His initial estimate was over $6,000. We talked social media and how I always review the companies I choose; he told me that was just great and if I’d review them on social media he could give me a discount from his advertising budget. Even though this was a small job (he stressed this a couple of times) and we’re in a rural area (which we are, private drive, no traffic), he could now quote $5,100.00. I wonder if it’s still great I’m doing this review?

We chatted some more, he went for the close… ‘If you sign today, I can do this for $4,800.00!’ ‘No, sorry I told you when we started not signing today that will consult with wife’ ‘Ohhh, so the “little lady” has to chime in, don’t want to get in trouble with the boss.’ ‘Uhhh, no, it’s called respect, something we have for each other, big reason we’ve been together almost 20 years.’ So I asked if he’d honor the price for 24 hours. His answer was no. My response? Thank you for your time, have a good day.

The very next day, I got a follow-up call to see how the “presentation” went. Uhm, no presentation: all I got was a verbal quote from handwritten notes on the back of the company letterhead. Oh, well that’s just awful! ‘Please let me send a supervisor out to give you a brand new quote.’ Sure, why not. Set an appointment. Every day I was called to set a follow-up appointment and each time I told them it was already set.

Second quote. Different guy for sure. We chatted, he measured, drumroll please….$3150.00—with his company discount! I pointed out that if the first quote had been a reasonable one, since I was sure they weren’t losing money at this price a lot of time could be saved. We discussed it, agreed, and signed a contract with them. My wife was there.

Two weeks later, we’d heard nothing about an installation date so we followed the prompts on their homepage to find out when our job was scheduled. No response. Ok, moved to step two: contact Andy Sherwood, Manager of Siding and Gutters. Called, left message, no response. Repeated process two days later. Emailed the next day. Got a call the following day, Mr. Sherwood didn’t realize he hadn’t hung up and dropped the “F” bomb while grumbling he called back, why didn’t she answer the F’$@!#% phone! I have the message.

I contacted the CEO, Adam Shampaine, sending him a copy of the voice mail. His response was that he was embarrassed. I imagine so. His solution? To mail me a $250.00 visa gift card. I’ve yet to receive it.

Finally, we got our appointment for our small job. The day came and went. Oops. Rescheduled for Saturday. Three o’clock Saturday afternoon after contacting Homefix and finding out no one knew where the “team” was, I located the “team” at the end of our private drive in front of the wrong house, walking around aimlessly trying to find cell phone service in an area of about 20’. Yes, he was the “team”. Him. One guy in a box van. Lost by the company. WOW!

After being led to our house, the “team” got to work. Three hours, after telling me multiple times that I “worry too much”, the “team” was done. One guy fabricated and hung our gutters and down spouts in three hours. For $3150.00! One section was 70’ long. He hung it alone. That was impressive, only thing.

I was never called back by the same person. Even after being assured that they themselves would call me it never happened. I’ve kept the call logs. Now I was contacted, but it was always delegated to someone else to relay information. At least half of the time, I was still not able to get the information I requested and was told they didn’t know, they were told to call me and tell “this”. The one time I desperately wanted to not return a call was when I promised to call and let them know when the “team” was found and the job was done. I did. I doubt it made any impression. Do what you say you will.

Ok, how about the gutters? After the season’s first nor’easter, it appears that the gutters are doing the job. Cosmetically they look fine—with one pretty major exception. When taking off the old gutters and removing the down spout retainers, the “team”, of course pulled them free from the siding they were screwed in to. Did he use the same holes? No. Did he at least try to cover the old holes? No. He fastened the retainers to the gutter down spouts with the screws in the down spouts. Now, the screw is going to protrude into the down spout. These are supposedly seamless gutters. No seam, no restrictions or places for things to get hung up, build up and clog. Umm, screw sticking into down spout equals restriction. Plus I now have to find a caulk color that matches the siding, go around my house, and fill in all the holes. Thank you, Homefix!

Bottom line: would I recommend Homefix? Not to anyone to handle anything! Nothing about this has been even remotely handled in a professional manner. I had to call two days after the gutter install to ask how much I owed them after being told that the “team” supervisor would have all our paperwork and settle up with the bill. I have no paperwork. I have one piece of paper that says pretty much “Paid in Full”. I seriously thought of just ignoring them, wait for them to contact me, see how long it went on but I could see them slapping a mechanics lien on the property and make even more headaches. I guess I broke my rule of never asking anyone to take my money.

Save yourself the headache, aggravation, irritation, frustration and money. Homefix is broken.

As I sat here writing this, nearly 2 weeks after the installation of our gutters, my wife received a voice message saying that Christian with HCR was calling to set up our installation… Broken.