Lambert Plumbing & Heating

I hired Lambert to install a new furnace in a town house I recently purchased. I had also arranged for a ceiling fan to be installed in the bathroom at the same time. I spoke to Bob, who came out to provide a quote. For the ceiling fan, Bob recommended "Phil", an electrician who he had worked with many times before. He told me that Phil would contact me that day (the day of the quote, about 2 weeks before the installation date). He didn't. Despite Bob assuring me on at least three occasions that Phil would definitely be there on the day to install the fan, he never turned up at all (or called). But every time I suggested that I contact another electrician, Bob was all "Oh no, Phil will definitely be there, don't worry about a thing!" Well thanks Bob, now I have to arrange with somebody else on a different day.

Bob (who is a great salesman) had also assured me that he would be there in the morning of the installation day to ensure that the workmen understood what needed to be done, and that he would also be there at the end of the day to ensure that all was well. We arranged to meet at 8:30. The workmen sauntered in at 9:30 and Bob finally appeared at 9:45. I've already missed an hour's work at this point, but fine, what time will they be finished? The workmen said 4 or 5pm. Bob was all, "Oh no, they will probably finish earlier than that!" I said I would return at 4:30pm.

Not having received a call to indicate that they were behind schedule, I arrived back at the townhouse at 4:30. I live 45 mins drive away from the townhouse. I arrive to find that they are not even close to being finished. So I wait for 2 hours in the FREEZING house for them to finish. Bob would have had me cool my heels (and everything else) for another hour or so.

Meanwhile, I notice that the workmen have used the bathroom. Of course I don't mind tradespeople using the bathroom, but I expect them to leave it in the condition they found it, ie. pristine, with toilet seat down. How do I find it? Seat up and pee splashes around the edges. Are you kidding me? Could you not wipe that up before I come back? Do you expect me to do that? GROSS.

Finally, the installation is complete. However, even though they were late finishing, and knew I had to work that evening, and be up at 6am the next day, the workmen began leisurely packing away the stuff outside the unit, leaving the mess inside for last! Clearly, they should have cleaned up inside first, let me leave, and then worried about their stuff outside the unit (it was all in a safe place). Finally I gathered up their stuff and put it outside the door myself.

Looking around, I saw that the floor was a mess with bits of stuff everywhere, but the workmen didn't even offer to sweep. The walls were covered with black fingerprints and smears - no attempt to clean that. Then I noticed some blackish purple glue stuff on the wall (the same stuff that is dripped all over the white pipes). I tried to rub it off - nope. Tried removing it with paint thinner - still no luck. The workman tried to scratch it off with his nail - no go. So it had to be sanded off, then repainted...at that point I realised the workman had not only taken my only paint brush to paint the vent cover, but they had packed it away with their things. In other words, they didn't even bring their own paint brush! I asked for mine to be returned and it turned out they had thrown it in the dumpster!!!! I am talking about an almost new, good quality paintbrush! WTF people. So the workmen went dumpster diving to return my paintbrush so I could repaint the black spot. After I cleaned the paintbrush, of course.

Needless to say, there was no attempt to patch up or paint the gouges and gaps and damaged drywall around the vent pipe or new thermostat. I did that myself.

Finally, despite Bob's assurances that he would be there at the end of the day to make sure everything was done well, he never turned up at all and also didn’t even phone.

The quality of the installation itself is yet to be determined, but for professionalism, integrity, and honesty, I give Lambert a 0.