I found Escobar AZ Painting LLC through Angi and hired them for painting in October 2025. When I asked about bathroom upgrades at that time, the owner, Juan, said the company could do them and brought in workers to do the job: removing the old tub surround, installing tile, and adding a recessed shelf. I had bought a new faucet and tub spout and told the workers they could install them if needed, or I would return them. They chose to install them. The existing faucet and spout had to be removed anyway for the tile work.
During the work, the crew cracked our vanity sink and damaged the marble countertop. The owner arranged a replacement sink, but the countertop damage could not be corrected.
In July 2026, water began coming through the adjoining kitchen wall whenever the bathroom was used. We stopped using it and found mold under a kitchen cabinet. In September, a plumber sent by our home warranty company told us the tub spout had been improperly installed, letting water flow behind it. He replaced the spout and the leak stopped, and he warned that moisture remained inside the wall. His invoice notes mold and drywall and floor damage.
I shared these findings with the owner. He came to see the damage, then told me to contact the worker he had brought in. That call was argumentative and went nowhere.
Mold remediation has cost us about $3,200. The cabinets in the affected area could not be saved, and the kitchen repairs are expected to cost about $13,500. When I told the owner, he first said he would send a licensed contractor but never provided that persons license or insurance information when asked. He later offered $2,000, then $3,000, on the condition that we remove our review. He has said he is not responsible because plumbing was never discussed.
We have filed a complaint with Angi and will be filing with the Maryland Home Improvement Commission. We also plan to pursue this in court. As of 10/1/26, I could not find an MHIC license for this company or its owner, and the Virginia State Corporation Commission lists the LLC as inactive since January 2023.