Tile Specialties Unlimited

The worst contractor we have ever worked with. They were late, higher priced that quoted, and the floor in the kitchen had to be done twice. The first time was terrible. White caulking that clashed with the floor, bumps everywhere, and they claimed it was normal. They had air bumps in the linoleum that they told us would settle over the next couple of days. When it didn't they came out and cut the flooring near the holes to let the air out. The cuts were visible and no attempt was made to cover it. They told us this was normal for linoleum and tried to do everything they could to not have to redo the work. We had to bring in another contractor to verify that the works was terrible. We took pictures and talked to an attorney to protect ourselves and the company finally agreed to have it redone. <br /> The work was scheduled to be done in Nov / Dec of 2012. Didn't finish until February and we had to push out selling a home and moving. Many days people didn't show up when expected with no notification. Regularly contractors would work a short day or get sick and go home. Several times we had troubles getting a hold of the company to confirm wether or not they would be working one day or another. We seriously considered legal action against this company and if we hadn't moved out of the area we may have followed through. During home inspections we had to touch of some of the work these guys had just finished because of the quality of the finish work. Most of their work was acceptable but the finishing touches around basement and stairs carpeting had to be cleaned up by another company. <br /> We would not use them again in the future. <br /> We purchased a "deal" on Angies list and then we were locked in to that amount becuase we had already paid. Of course when the cnotractor came out to review our basement the amount was three times as much. And it took them several weeks to come out and get started. Extremely frustrating. Others may have had a better experience with this contract company but this was our experience and we will do everything possible to avoid them in the future. <br />

They arrived, did some measurements, gave us some various solutions, which we liked, and also pointed out some very good advice as to the pros and cons of some of our ideas. We appreciated their expertise on things we knew nothing about. They also pointed out some cost saving methods. We liked them very much, and would call on them again. <br /> <br /> <br />

We were happy with the results. However, it turned out they were not actually a general contractor. We actually had to put together some of the project ourselves. We basically had to be our own contractors. They also scratched the living room floor. They sent out a salesman to talk with us. He knew nothing about the kind of work they did and we could not talk with anyone who knew what they were doing until they actually started the work.

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I was not worthwhile for us and I felt it was useless.. There were no problems with scheduling and they were able to email me the 3D renderings. When he arrived for the appointment, he just measured our kitchen and he said if we wanted ideas we had to go to their company location. I thought he would give me suggestions right there on the spot and he didn't. It would have been free with any other company.

He was 30 minutes late, although he did call to let us know he was running behind (but said it was because he didn't realize how far away we were?).  He did not discuss budget for the project, just had us randomly pick cabinets out of a book that turned out to be about twice the cost we were looking to spend.  Did not try to understand the project at all. We were so disappointed with the visit we didnt even bother to follow up after the first drawings were not what we were looking for.  The contractor we ended up hiring actually went through budget, how we wanted the kitchen to flow, how we planned to use the adjectent space (we were planning to remove a wall), etc. with us before trying to come up with a design.  The guy from Tile Specialties just seemed to be there to measure the space and have someone else at the office figure out what cabinets they could fit in without ever really understanding what we wanted. <br />

The whole process was awesome! From the moment they walked into the door I knew they were professionals. The estimator was the only one I had out that seemed to know what I was talking about! He really listened. I think that's why they were able to translate my vision into reality so flawlessly. I will definitely be using them again to complete my master suite, the tile work is the best I have ever seen.

My old bathroom was disgusting--dated and from the 70s. My husband and I had never hired a contractor before, so we weren't entirely sure what to expect. I've heard some horror stories about other contractors, so that's why I joined Angies. I saw them advertised online and saw pictures of their work. My initial impression turned out to be correct--they're a great contractor! They were up front with everything from the beginning. The estimated amount was what I paid. The workers were clean, neat and professional. The tile lines are perfectly straight and there isn't a single imperfection in my bathroom. I'm planning on using them for my kitchen soon.

My husband and I had been planning a complete kitchen remodel for years.  Our previous kitchen was typical "builder quality." It wasn't horrible, but we were definitely ready for a new design.  We contacted a few kitchen remodeling companies, but it was the consultant from Fix it All that really seemed to understand what we were looking for, and honestly they seemed to be the most professional.  We first started with the basic planning. This was probably the most time consuming part of the process because it seemed like my husband and I couldn't agree on anything!  After much debate, we finally decided on our new kitchen design/cabinets/appliances/etc.   <br /> From the time the craftsman started demolishing our old kitchen, I knew I would be pleased with the project.  Right away, I noticed everyone was very clean with their work and they did an excellent job of keeping the project contained to the kitchen only.  I was so happy to see the old cabinets and flooring removed. <br /> As the job progressed after the demolition, the first major step was installing our new ceramic tile floor.  The craftsman recommended angling the tiles in a diamond pattern, and although it was more work for them, it was definitely a good design decision.  Once the cabinets were installed, I could really see the final design start to come to life.   At the suggestion of the consultant, we decided to change our 2-tier breakfast bar, into a single level breakfast bar.  I'm glad we did, because the breakfast bar has so much more space now.  The white granite counter tops and tile black splash really make our kitchen look like it is straight out of a magazine! <br /> My husband is much more observant than I am when it comes to craftsmanship.  It seemed like everyday he would go over the work from the previous day, and he was always pleased.  We are both so impressed with the finished product of our kitchen.  I honestly would love dealing with Fix it All again. Every part of the process was handled professionally and efficiently.  There were absolutely no set backs throughout the whole process (except when I changed the handles for the cabinets!) and the initial estimate was very close to what the total project wound up costing at completion.  If you are looking for a professional company that provides high quality work and individual attention to the client, than I would highly suggest checking out Fix it All.

From the first time the visited my home, I knew this was a great company and one I could trust. Everyone there is friendly and competent, which is more than I could ever say about other contractors I worked with! The work quality was flawless. I know that if I ever have an issue, they're only a phone call away. Whenever I had a question or concern, they responded immediately. This is a great service company. My kitchen looks really great.

He called, set up a time to do job, arrived on time, performed work well, cleaned up area, professional approach <br />

it all went as i thought it would go. everyone was friendly. they told me the service would be flawless and that was very true. they are a good, honest contractor and i can't say that about other contractors i've used in the past. one of my parents is getting a project done by them soon.

Very poor. JOB NOT DONE. <br />

I purchased the Angie's List 'Big Deal' with Fix it All in Spring of 2012 based on AL's reviews of Fix it All. The deal included 40 hours of man-work for $1,500. <br /> In April 20120, I had a consultant (Eric) from Fix it All come out and do an estimate of the small bathroom I wanted remodeling. Eric explored the bathroom, ran measurements, and captured what I wanted done (including new bathtub, sink, toilet, flooring, tile, and walls/painting). Eric said he would write up the estimate, share it with his project manager, and confirm everything back to me via a proposed contract. Eric sent me a contract for $1500 saying everything was included. He said nothing about plumbing not being included in the price. Both parties signed the contract stating the bathroom would be remodeled for $1500. This did not include material costs, which I knew I would pay separately. <br /> Between May and July of 2012, I had difficulty getting a hold of Fix it All. I called, emailed, text Eric and the general Fix it All Email address. Finally, in July, Robert emailed me. He apologized for the miscommunication but Eric had left the company. Robert said he would look up my contract and help me mover the project forward again.  <br /> Once Robert looked over the contract (in late July), he said it needed to be re-written because it had expired. When he re-wrote it (without coming to my house and reviewing the bathroom), he said the contract needed to be re-written because it would include plumbing work. Robert gave me a proposal for this work. I asked him how he could give me a proposal for the work if he hasn't even seen my bathroom or my plumbing system? I refused to sign the new contract and asked that he come by my house to do the estimate, himself. Robert never came to my house. Between vacation and various cancellations due to "busy days", the month of August was completely wasted. When I expressed my frustration with Robert on the phone, he promised the next date he offered in mid Sept - he would be there. Of course the day of the meeting, Robert had something come up - but at least sent his colleague Mike over to do the estimate. <br /> Mike was informed, helpful, and professional. We walked through the entire project, similar to what I did with Eric many months prior, and he also helped me make some materials decisions. When Mike verbally told me the likely estimate of the bathroom to be $5,999, I was quite surprised. To  go from $1500 to $5,999 (and supposedly the $5,999 included a discount similar to the spirit of the Big Deal on Angie's List) when essentially plumbing and some drywall work was added (from Contract #1) seemed like A LOT. But Mike seemed like he knew what he was talking about - - and it became clear to me that Eric had had no business writing the first Angie's List Big Deal contract the way he did. So, Contract #2 was signed for $5999. <br /> When Mike was at my house he shared with me that they subcontract all their work out. This took me by surprise. So, buyer, beware - Fix it All actually fixes nothing themselves. You can use the same subcontractors they use without the headache of trying to communicate with Fix it All, deal with their terrible means of writing contracts, or obviously giving them any of your money to get the job done. <br /> Let me be clear: the subcontractors I had actually did a really good job. They were professional, respectful, punctual, and the work looked good. The low ratings I am giving to Angie's List reflect my ratings for Fix it All - not their subcontractors. I will give the subcontractors separate reviews on AL. But if you want to know who I used so you can look them up on AL, they included Hunt General Contracting (Jim Hunt), CB's electric, (Chuck Bronzo), and Fast Response Plumbing (Bob Soley). <br /> The bathroom remodel work finally actually began in October. The goal the entire last couple of months was to complete the job before my parents came to visit. Needless to say, when my parents came to visit, the bathroom was in complete renovation mode - the could not use it at all. Fix it All had months to get this project up and in order, and everything took 10x longer to set up and get done than was necessary. <br /> Throughout the job, Fix it All was not at all interested in coming to my house and monitoring the work. Robert, my 'project manager' had never even been to my house. When I asked Robert to come out and see the work, he delayed any type of response. So, I called Mike, the one person who I seemed to get some value from, and asked him if he could come monitor the job - even if it was just once. Mike came over around the time when Bob the plumber was doing his part of the job. Apparently there were some pipes that needed to be replaced (the length of these pipes was just a few feet). Mike said this was not a part of the contract and would I be ok moving forward with the work. Mike gave me no estimate as to the price of the work. Since the contract had already gone up from $1500 - $5999 to include plumbing and dry wall, I was surprised that it would cost any extra. So I naively assumed that the extra money could only end up being slightly more than what they had already charged me. I told Mike that the job needed to be done right - but please let me know about price. Mike said he would get back to me with the cost - and never got back to me. The plumber did the job, with approval from Fix it All.   <br /> It was then, when the plumbing work was already completed, that I got a request for 3rd contract to be signed by Fix it All. They were asking for an <strong>additional</strong> $2,000 for the 'extra' plumbing they had not 'yet' charged me for (keep in mind how much Contract #2 already went up when plumbing was added). This contract did not have a breakdown of the work  - it just said it was an add-on of Contract #2. On 10/21 I emailed Robert and asked him for an itemized summary of the contract. Given the extra $2,000 being requested from me, I was seeking to understand what the plumbing work cost by work item. Robert wrote me back stating <em>"The amount of money that anyone is paid from our company is generally not of concern of our customer and will not be released under any circumstances." </em> That response infuriated me. My subcontractors even said that that was sketchy. How do they expect a customer to  hand over $2,000 more cash when they do not respect me enough to outline the specific plumbing work I am paying for? I then wrote Fix it All with an outlined history of my terrible experience with them - and asked to speak to someone about my issue. When I wrote them, I said that if they did not get back to me I would be happy to reach out to the Better Business Bureau, Angie's List, and potentially an attorney. <br /> It is then that I got an email from Nick. Apparently Nick, just a few years out of college, is 'the boss' of the South Jersey Fix it All Franchise. (Interestingly, prior to this email from him - I noticed that Nick -- who had never reached out to me throughout my project even though he had access to all my emails with inept Robert - - had previously looked up my profile on LinkedIn. How odd is that? I suspect he wanted to look up my job and see if, per my title, I could afford to be scammed.) Nick offered to meet with me and talk me through 'the work' of the contract. Even though we did meet on the phone, I never got a full understanding for the breakdown of the plumbing work and its prices. Needless to say, I am a sucker. I got nervous that the subcontractors would not get paid if I did not succumb to the new price. Reluctantly, I agreed to the Contract #3. $7,999 for a 5' x 7' bathroom - when Contract #1 was to do the same job through Angie's List Big Deal for $1499 (keep in mind the job still equated to about 40 hours worth of man-work, which is what the originally contract was for). I regret doing that. I let myself get scammed. <br /> It is also important to note that Fix it All clearly scheduled my project with the subcontractors last minute. Specifically, they called CG's Electric and asked him to d

They did not do the proper preparation of the walls for painting. In some cases they painted directly over peeling paint and in others they painted over wallpaper that was supposed to be stripped. They also did not shield surfaces from dust and paint and left a lot of dry wall dust, including dust that traveled from a bathroom to our master bedroom bedding and furniture. We had to re-do the bathroom caulking because it was done so poorly. <br />

Joe came to my home to give me an estimate and find out exactly what I needed. He measured the area and gave me some suggestions. Then he showed me different patterns and colors. I knew the type of pattern I wanted but couldn't decide on a color. I wanted to have it look natural. He suggested a color he had recently come up with on his own. He called it "burnt banana" even though it wasn't yellow. I decided that was the color most suited for my back yard. We established a date for the work to begin. I was trying to surprise a family member so we had to be careful communicating . Joe was very accomodating. I offered to give him a deposit before he started work but he declined the offer. He started the day and time we had arranged. His crew was very courteous and respectful of me and my property. They took care not to trample plants ect. I have 2 dogs so we had to accommodate them when they needed to use the yard. He made up a makeshift walkway before he left for them to enter the yard without ruining his work in progress. At every step of the way he asked if I was happy with the progress and made sure Any questions or concerns were handled. The work was completed on time - 3 days- and he made sure everything was tidy before he was done. There was no surprises with the bill. It was exactly what we had ageed on. It looked great! <br />

Measurements were taken, a few suggestions were made (verbally and in writing), and an estimate was submitted for bathroom remodeling, however my expectations of what constitutes a "full set of plans" were different from what I received.  My concept of "plans" was more in the form of a schematic of the bathroom (one representing the existing layout, and another representing a prospective design) in addition to an estimate for the latter.  However, what I received was an email describing current and proposed designs, as well as a Word document attachment representing the estimate.  Technically, the contractor provided a deliverable, but it was inconsistent w/ my expectations. <br />

Nick called and mentioned that he was running late.  I didn't mind as I had taken the day off.  I was actually expecting two workers for a half day worth of work, but only one showed up and let me know that he would work all day.  He got here are 10am and worked until about 6:30.  Extremely helpful and knowledgeable. <br />

Contacted Fix It All shortly after purchasing the Big Deal from Angie's List.  They seemed a bit confused about how to handle the call, it Took a week or so for them to come out and survey the space. Estimated install was January 2012. I was contacted in January and told that a Project Manager would be contacting me shortly. I was never contacted. I contacted Fix It All a few months later and reminded them about my project. (I believe that they would have not contacted me). Due to vacations I would have to wait to get this done. <br /> On the second scheduled installation they were accurate and punctual - the workers showed up on the day and the time that was agreed to.  However the sales person from Fix It All was not there. The workers were quick and hard working, minimized noise and were considerate to the fact that my toddler and my nanny were at home during the work.  Trying to arrange for the flooring to be installed was another reschedule.  Realized after the fact that the door that was already existing in the basement will no longer close after the finished basement. Spoke with several folks at Fix It All and the door is still not fixed today (December 2012).  <br /> <br /> <br />

I am extremely pleased with the outcome of my brand new bathroom. i found the experience working with each of the members of this company to be very professional. They went above my expectations. They new what I wanted even at times when I wasn't sure. I will utilize their services for future endeavors. Thank You so much. <br />

The project took a very long time to get off the ground.  I bought the Angle's Big Deal on July 28th and going into Thanksgiving weekend the project is still not completed.  Work began 2 weeks ago and due to discovering some electrical issues behind the walls it has been delayed so I am having Thanksgiving in a gutted kitchen.  Mike and his crew have been extremely responsive recognizing that this is a terrible time of the year to be stuck without a kitchen.  They hooked up a temporary sink, got the range back in place with electricity, ran extension cords to power the microwave and fridge and covered the cabinet tops with particle board so that at least we could have Thanksgiving at home and not at Denny's!   <br /> <br /> After an initial period of time when communication was a real problem, I expressed my concerns and after that it has been much better.  It still hasn't been a fantastic experience but with each milestone it has improved.  I can't say that I would use them again nor recommend them, but by the end of the project that could change. <br /> <br /> UPDATE:  The project was finally completed on December 15th.  There are missing gaps in the grout, the doors to the cabinets don't close properly, rather than painting the entire kitchen (there was very little left that wasn't covered by a cabinet are backsplash) they only touched up the areas that they had to patch due to work.  They left nail holes and just painted over them.  The list of pictures and video for this project would create a mini series.  Rob is a really nice guy and I would love to give him a better review, but the crew he had on the job was absolutely terrible.  I finally had to request that Rob be on location for the final day of the job because the crew were so unprofessional that I wasn't willing to allow them back into my home unsupervised.  Even then they put a threshold between the kitchen and family room that wasn't a T but was a nose...meaning there was a 2 inch lip for people to trip on and I had to tell them that it wasn't acceptable.  The sink leaked, the faucets were not securely installed and became loose within a week.  The finished job looks great from a distance but at close examination there are so many things that are done poorly that it clearly wasn't worth the price that was paid.  Honestly, I think Mike and his crew should be embarrassed at the quality of workmanship.

It has been months since the work began and we are having trouble with the work that was done. The bottom shelf in the cabinets is dropping out and we cannot get a hold of him to come back and fix it. They also did not finish putting the ceramics behind the cabinets and there is no insulation around the pipes. We ended up paying him about $2000 in additional costs on top of the price for the Deal. 

I would NEVER do business with this company again. First let me state my dissatisfaction is not with the guys who actually did the work but with Nick, the guy who bid the job. Nick stated it would be a two to three day job and that the materials would be "a couple hundred bucks". Materials were on top of what the job was bid at. The job actually took 8-10 hours and supplies were over $800.00. When I questioned Nick about the discrepancy he said they finished quicker than anticipated. I thought a person who was bidding a job was suppose to know how much time would be required for a job and how much supplies would be. I do understand an estimate is an estimate and the final job can differ in cost but this is ridiculous. Materials cost over 4 times what the bid was. The job took less than half the time I was quoted. It seems if a job comes in that much over budget on supplies and that much under in time there is a problem and there should be an adjustment for the inaccurate bidding. Seems unethical to charge that much for half the time. Needless to say I will NOT be using them for step two of the project which will be a kitchen/dining room redo. I am very disappointed. Hoped checking Angie's List would avoid this but guess not. Does anyone know if there is an honest construction company out there???? <br />

I contacted them and the first thing they wanted to know was what the project was I needed done. I told them I had many projects I needed done so they told me to email them a list of the services I needed and they would be in contact with you. I never received a response to my email so I called them and left voicemails. They will return my calls but no progress has been made towards the projects. I finally was able to get an appointment set up for them to come out and look at the projects at my home and they no called, no showed for the appointment. I have had to repeat myself to the company many times about the work I need completed. So at this point I feel that they do not want to complete the work for me as I cannot get them to even give me an estimate.

They were not easy to get in touch with. It took them months to finally set up an appointment. Once we finally set up an appointment, they sent a guy out to my house to take measurements and photographs. They then sent me a design, but it wasn't complete or what I told them I was interested in. They then told me that they would send someone else out to take additional measurements, but they never did. I haven't heard from them since.