Jay Construction

It did not go good. I wouldn't recommend this contractor even when or if his license is reactivated.

It has been a disaster! We had 3 contracts with Jay Construction totaling $92,000. We paid Jay Construction (Sione Koloamatangi, owner) $59,000 for deposits on all 3 contracts and materials. No work has been performed or materials purchased for Contracts 1 and 3. Deck work was performed in May for Contract 2 but never completed. Jay Construction was on-site for only 7 days in the month of June. We have not seen the contractor or his crew since June 20th. We have made repeated attempts to contact the contractor, which has resulted in false promises (we will return tomorrow, the next day, I?m going to return your money, etc.), but the contractor has not returned. The heavy equipment that was used during the demo has disrupted the septic field and we had sewage leaking down to the neighbor?s driveway below. We had a septic contractor out to assess the problem and he stated that the retaining wall would need to be completed before they can lay new leach lines, because heavy equipment will damage them. We stressed the urgency to Jay Construction but still no work was done. Facing liability from my neighbor and the HOA we were forced to hire another contractor to complete the work that Jay Construction committed to. We had occasional correspondence (text/phone) with Sione, but haven?t gotten any response from him since July 27th. As a result, we filed a report online for Contractor Fraud in Washington State (referral 107418) and filed a report with the King County Sheriff's department (case ID C16038369). The only reason that I paid for Angie's List services was to avoid this type of scam. After doing a little homework into Jay Construction with the WA Labor & Industries Department I discovered that there were several outstanding warrants for violations and that Sione owed $26k in penalties and couldn't legally have anyone working for him until these fines were paid. So, I essentially had an illegal contractor, who didn't file any permits with the city (as he promised), who built 3 decks (see pictures, they're a joke) that have to be removed due to code violations. I'm now out $59,000, so it has been a disaster!!!

I had hired Jay Construction after viewing their profile on Angie’s List, thinking that I would be hiring a good contractor since their reviews were almost all good. There were a few that weren’t but I felt that was to be expected. I was wrong. While replacing my driveway we had the following problems; • They damaged my garage by hitting the center post with the equipment they were using to remove the old concrete. The garage door opener would not work due to the misalignment of the garage door rails. Sione said that they would fix it the next day. Jay construction did not show up the next day. o I got the door to close for the evening and then had to take the next day off work to do a final / complete repair of the center post between the two garage doors o The repairs were done at my expense • The second day of the driveway job I came home from work and Sione asked me if my bank was close by and could I go and get some cash so that he could pay his crew. I felt this to be very unprofessional and that as a contractor should have operating capital for this part of his business. Sione was given half of the money for the project up front before he started with the balance due on completion of the driveway. I also hired them to remove the old railroad retaining wall & fence between my house and the neighbors and to haul away the debris. They made a very competitive bid and were aggressive about it. The agreement was to give them $6,500 dollars with the balance due when the job was done. • A day or two after the project was started Jay again was asking for more money before the job was complete which I told him no. Jay was upset because when he took the old railroad ties to the dump they charged him $1300 dollars to take the railroad ties. I feel that as a contractor he would have or should have known that the railroad ties were considered hazardous waste since he was a contractor. He then proceeded to tell me that he was not going to remove and dispose of the remaining railroad ties because it cost him too much to do so. He was hired to do this and hasn’t. After the retaining wall was installed my next door neighbor was concerned about the ground settling above the retaining wall where the new fence posts have been installed so I asked Sione if they could wait a few weeks to let the ground settle. After 2 weeks went by the neighbors wanted the fence done so I contacted jay Construction and ask them to come out and finish the fence. • I was told that they would be here Monday June 13th to complete the fence and remove the debris from the old retaining wall, they did not show up. • I contacted Sione, the contractor of Jay Construction, and again was told that they would be out for sure next week and complete the fence, they did not show up or call. • Again I had to call and was told that they would be here on Monday the 20th of June and again they didn’t show up. I called again and I was told that they would finish the fence the coming week at which time I told them that they had until Friday the 24th of that week to complete the fence and if not done by then that I would have to hire another company to complete the fence. • It is now the end of August - the fence is not complete and the debris have not been hauled away. I had to take a day off work (September 2nd) to remove the debris and haul it to the dump at my expense. At this point I do not want them back to finish this job. I would not recommend Jay Construction to anyone. I should have listened to the one review prior to hiring Jay Construction, “ Don’t walk away from Jay Construction, RUN “. A report was also filed with Labor & Industries. Additionally, the fence posts that have been installed are not pressure treated 4 x 4 fence post that I asked for they are fir and will not last more than 5 to 7 years if that. The 14 fence posts will have to be removed and new posts installed at my expense.

The job went well until Sione began to have personal issues. Job was completed with the exception of two 15 foot sidewalk sections. Work stopped at that point suddenly and without warning; only verbal promises were made after that. Most recently, his phone has been disconnected and contact is now impossible. I spoke with Sione's brother today and was told that Jay Construction is out of business. Our HOA will be notifying the BBB to ensure potential customers are aware of the situation. I feel very badly for those who were most recently 'stung' by Jay Constructions. One neighbor in our Association contracted for a driveway and removal of a tree. Old driveway was torn-up and removed and the tree cut down by a subcontractor. Work stopped leaving a dirt driveway and a large pile of tree debris. Angie's List should spotlight this contractor as one avoid.

Worked with Jay's Construction (Sione and team) in April. Positives are that Sione is a nice guy, very responsive and accessible which I really appreciated. Rated a "C" rating because after the demo was done there was a further recommendation to replace a small concrete stairway that wasn't included in the original bid, and a new-found problem with the dirt stability underneath the driveway (due to a downspout draining underneath) that resulted in the need to remove more dirt and add more gravel. That caused a doubling in price from what was originally quoted. I'm still recovering from the unexpected additional cost. After the project was complete our garage door wouldn't close. Not sure what happened or why. Sione was responsive when I told him and came out to look but ultimately denied responsibility so here we are today with another project on our hands. I think splitting the bill to have the door fixed would have been a better solution especially given the circumstances of the job cost and increases. Sione did throw in stamped concrete for free (normally an upcharge) because of the overall price increase. We get many compliments on the new concrete. I would just make sure you understand how pricing can change upfront when working with this team.

The job started out well but once the substantial deposit (50%) was cashed, the driveway and back patio torn up the ups/extras started. Sione swore, prior to signing the contract, that our old concrete was not thicker than 4” and there was no wire/re-bar in the concrete. He did state up front that if either of these conditions exited cost more but he didn’t see that would not be our situation. Well, of course, there was wire mess in the driveway and he claimed some of the concrete was more than 4” on the patio. He tried to say the driveway was extra thick too but luckily by this time my husband started to measure the driveway pieces as they pulled them out (not more than 4”). What was I to do but pay – the job just increased by 30%. Next, as they were removing the patio, he discovered the existing drain pipe along the back of house was broken – what was I going to do – I paid to replace it. The cost of this pipe was double the cost of a previous pipe I put in across the front (similar length). Next, Sione told me if I moved forward with the pavers, per the contract, he would void the warranty previously agreed to and implied the job would turn out sub-standard. What was I to do – I ended up agreeing to have the cement stamped along the same lines that I had wanted brick pavers (very cheap substitute). Needless to say this was not the look I was after and, when finished, did not look like the neighbor’s driveway he showed me as a sample. Instead of a 2 tone driveway I now have a monotone cement ribbon with a minimal stamped image. After a great deal of pushing I did get the drainage that was called for in the original contract, though I am still missing a downspout (yes, in the contract) and a 1 drain cover (small item but I still need shop for it and have it install). The great last minute surprise was when Sione said his work would stop 10’ from the street (yes, he already pulled out the existing asphalt) and he said I would need to contract with someone to fill this area with asphalt!! Now tell me who contracts for a driveway that stops 10’ from the street? I showed him the diagram we agreed to (part of the contract) and he just struggled his shoulders and said I would need to pay more money. Well you guessed it, I had to pay an additional $2500 to get the job finished. He also demanded $500 to dump the remaining dirt debris on my back lot (debris removal was in the contract) that was previously covered. The cement was not sealed so every tire track shows and drips from the deck over patio left a pattern in the unsealed patio. It is now May and the driveway is developing crack lines and Jay Construction is not returning my calls. <br> <br>I talked at length with Sione when the job was finished and he stated that if he fully quotes a job, including potential ups and extras (if they happen) he would not get the work. This job went from $15,877 to $28,500 in the end!! Even if I subtract the broken pipe and some timbers he said I had to replace it is still 30% over the original contract. If you use Jay Construction be prepared for your job to most likely exceed the stated quote and may not even match your expectations. It looks like it will take another $4,000 or so to rework the stamping (very poorly done), add the color, fill with gravel along the sides (was to have been done), fix the garage entry (what a mess) and, of course, seal the cement. Though I believe we have a driveway and patio that may last for years I am unhappy with the appearance, the experience and, of course, the cost. I would not recommend this contractor. <br> <br>

unknown

It's unfortunate that I have to write this, especially since we started out so well with the first of a two phase project, but I have to write the good and the bad, which is why Angie's Lists exists. Jay Construction completed the second phase of a major project with some skepticism on my part about a top soil purchase they made on my landscapers behalf that ultimately ended with me purchasing a lot more top soil (almost $1K worth) so my landscapers could complete their portion of the project. I requested on numerous occasions for a copy of the receipt so I could see exactly how much soil they purchased and was delayed by excuse after excuse, which only made me wonder if they cheated me in some way. I mean, if you tell me you have nothing to hide, but yet it's been 3 weeks and I still have not received a copy of the receipt after multiple attempts what am I supposed to think. I can say that I think they are good at what they do and have a good work ethic, but after paying $50K to them on these two projects, money I didn't have readily available and had to pull from my 401(k) because of an emergency situation, I had hoped to be treated a lot better! I'm a single mom, I don't have extra money laying around...

Jay was great to work with. He was incredibly prompt and his team was efficient. I called Tuesday night for a bid, he started work Wednesday and finished the job by Friday. The end product was very well done.

unknown

We are very satisfied with the final results and felt that the price was fair. Siene and his crew were very professional and worked hard, especially with the rather complicated steps down to a house below grade, adjacent to a rockery. Our only concern was that the crew had a busy schedule during the Christmas season and, with our projects being kind of small, the work was scheduled and then postponed several times. But overall, we love the results and would definitely call them again for other projects involving cement work. <br />

Sione was great to work with.  He communicated with me everyday via telephone since this is my rental and I'm out of state.  He also sent me pictures of before and after.  His crew worked hard everyday for 4 days straight before taking a day off to resume for another day or so.  This was a great experience given the circumstances.

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Crew were very conscientious and know how to perform the work with good materials. Very personable and friendly with the neighbors - very important on a job like this with a driveway between two neighboring households. Our garage pad needed a lot more excavation and structural (footing) support increasing the cost of the original bid with a fair price. Work was performed in a timely and professional manner for a good, comparable price in the Seattle area. <br />

unknown

After spending 2 1/2 months trying to get this job done I can happily say that it is now DONE! Sione came to scope out the job on a Tuesday and on Wednesday he and his crew showed up to replace about 100sf of cracked and buckled concrete in my driveway due to root invasion. They were on time and did the job very quickly and efficiently. The end product is exactly what we had expected. The bottom line is that once the job was done, it was done well and quickly. If you can handle the frustration of going back and forth and waiting for them to have time to do a job then I'd use them. Maybe they sold too many deals so they were extra busy?  I saved a lot of money by getting this deal as other bids were coming in significantly higher. His workers were very professional; informative, efficient, and paid attention to details.

<p>It went well.  The crew who did the prep. work did a great job.  They were punctual and highly professional.  It has been record-breaking hot so it was hard work, indeed.  The only break they took was waiting for the concrete truck to arrive and that was a shot time, less than 1/2 hour.  On the initial job preparation, the crew recommended several things that could be done to improve the space, the use of the space and to help us in the future should we need an easy way to access our house.  </p> <p>The day the concrete was poured went equally smoothly.  The men were helpful throughout the job.  They provided ideas that we had not considered and made the entire job better if we were to incorporate into the scope of the job.  Thankfully, we did and are exceedingly pleased with the results.  Thank you to Jay Construction and Simone, et. al.  </p> <p>Mary & Richard Vollert </p> <br />

<p>I was correct in trusting his scheduling. Jay's crew were here to lay forms, accurate measurements, as well as grading the project the way I wanted for my selective runoff. the day of the pour Jay wanted a early AM pour due to extreme heat.  </p> The crew worked all day because they appear perfectionists' and I'll agree. They helped kids write there names in slab, they really enjoyed that. <br />

Sione's crew worked a very full and long day to carve out a new driveway plus sidewalk. First, a tree needed to be removed and then some landscaping. Once that was done, the driveway work could begin. After assessing that the crew knew exactly what I wanted, I felt confident that I could leave them to do their work. When I returned, the driveway and sidewalk were almost finished. Some minor work needed to be finished the following day. By the time I got home on the second day, all was finished and the job site was clean and tidy. Sione and his crew were very friendly, professional and considerate of my time as well and disturbing my neighbors. A follow up visit from Sione was a pleasant and very much appreciated surprise. <br />

The work was accomplished very quickly.  Sione has a hard working crew who were friendly and worked tirelessly in the heat.  The pavers were cleared the first day, and the cement poured the second.  The price was clearly stated, and everything was cleaned up afterwords. <br />

<p>Sione came to our house soon after I contacted him via phone.  After coming to our house to measure, he provided a bid via email.  He came out the next week to sign a contract and take a deposit.  The following week they removed the old concrete driveway and path, laid gravel, stamped it down, and poured the new concrete.  We are really pleased with the whole process and really like how the new driveway and path look.  They were friendly and easy to work with.  They did a good job cleaning up after themselves.  What I really appreciated about the process was that when a few minor issues came up, Sione immediately fixed them without any complaints.  We have received a number of compliments from the neighbors on our new driveway.</p> <br />

unknown

<p>The crew arrived, tore out all of the existing driveway and walkways and prepared the areas for a new concrete pour.  They had to widen the original driveway approximately a foot and a half.  The crew  did the work in a very professional, and cheerful manner and had everything cleaned out by mid-day the first day.  The second day the crew prepared the area by putting in a layer of crushed rock, compacting it and then putting down all of the required rebar in the pour areas.  Later that same day the cement was delivered and the crew began working the cement as it was poured.  By late the second day the job was completed. </p> <p><br /></p> <p>We would highly recommend Jay Construction to anyone considering having concrete work done.  <br /> <br /></p> <br />

<p>The work done was first class all the way and the result is beautiful.  The old driveway, stairs and landing were broken up by tree roots and water problems. Sione and his crew were easy to work with and they kept a tidy job site.  The project took nearly 3 weeks to complete.  The final project cost more than initially bid because of problems that became apparent after they removed the old concrete and vegetation.  We also changed from a brushed finish to the stamped colored finish with a sealer coat..</p> <p>The driveway removed was more than 4 inches thick in places which was the thickness  covered by the contract.  Some places were as much as 8 inches thick.  When the driveway was removed, it was apparent that the existing drainage system under the driveway was not functioning properly so new drainage pipe was installed.  The initial bid included installing a new French drain along one side of the driveway.  The old drainage system and the new French drain were connected together at the bottom of the driveway and the water was exited to the street about 20 feet below the driveway so all the water problems should be corrected.  </p> <p>When the bushes between the driveway and a rockery were removed, it was obvious that part of the rockery was in danger of falling.  So about 30 feet of the rockery was knocked down and reset.  The rocks were very large, much more than 2 person rocks.  Sione brought in a rockery expert to guide the process of excavating the bank and resetting the rocks.</p> <p>After 2 weeks of prep work including installing the forms and rebar, the concrete pour occurred.  Sione sold us on the idea of putting a stained, stamped finish on instead of a brushed finish.  The concrete crew consisted of about 8 people the day of the pour and they worked all day.  This was about twice the size of the normal crew.  The stain and sealer were added after the concrete cured about 10 days.</p> <p>Jay  Construction was not the least expensive bid, but I am glad we had them do the work.  The only misunderstanding I had was whether the sales tax was included in the original bid.  I thought it was, but the written contract did not specifically state that, so I paid the tax.  </p> <p><br /></p> <br />

Sione and his crew showed up on the first day to excavate the crushed gravel walkways at my mom's house.  They cleared out the old crushed gravel along two sides of the house and then removed the sod all along the other side of the house.  They had to regrade along the way to make sure that none of the walkways would be too steep for my mom's wheelchair/walker.  Sione took great care in keeping my mom's needs in mind and worked with his guys to make sure this happened.  They laid the forms that day and most of the crushed gravel base.  They even had to relocated a few sprinkler heads. <br /> My mom's house has a very challenging driveway so after a few days of going back and forth and trying to decide if a cement truck would be able to make it down the driveway....the time came and the truck made it, otherwise we would have had to pay extra for a pumper truck.  The pouring of the cement went well and as I was talking to the cement truck driver (from a well know sand and gravel company in Ballard), the driver gave Jay Construction a huge compliment "I have worked in this business for a long time and I can tell you that these guys are good and know what they are doing"......then I KNEW I had picked the right guys along with their awesome Angie's List reviews. <br /> Communication with Sione was great.  He always returned my calls/texts in a timely manner. He was organized and professional even when things got tense with the cement truck issues.  He cares very much about the quality of the work and stays on top of his guys to make sure this happens. <br /> The final day, they came back to remove the forms and we could finally walk on the path.  Sione jumped out of his truck when he saw that my mom and I were going to wheel her wheelchair on the path for the first time.  He really cares and wanted to see how she liked it.  Mom got choked up she was so pleased.  Sione had recommended that in a certain area the pathway be made wider so as to not risk having the wheelchair or walker go off the edge.  Mom commented on that right away.  She feels much safer and is looking forward to moving out of her wheelchair and being able to walk all the way around her house with her walker which she would have never been able to do before with crushed gravel walkways and sod. <br /> Thanks to Sione and their crew!  Sione even got a hug from me....that's how happy I was with the finished product!  We are looking at resurfacing our driveway with Jay Construction at a future date. <br /> NOTE ON WHY I GAVE A "B" GRADE ON PRICING. <br /> There was a large amount of dirt and sod whose disposal cost was not worked into the original bid.  The only reason that I graded Jay Construction a "B" on price is that we had to come up with the extra money to have Sione bring his loader and his dump truck and pay the dump fees for this dirt.  I was disappointed that it wasn't worked into the original pricing.  Another item that we ended up paying for was that the cement delivery was short and the cement truck had to go back and refill and then make another trip.  This also was not included in the original bid and we paid that as well.  Sione explained that he poured thick in some areas to make sure that the walkway wouldn't wash out from underneath.  I still believe that this should have been included originally.   <br /> This still would not change my mind in terms of working with them.  This was a difficult job with some unknowns and we understood and even though were unhappy with having to pay more, we did because we understood the issues. <br /> <br />