RJ Smith Construction Does Not Pay Their Subcontractors Palo Alto, California
One year ago, my company did over $25,000 of work at 5 different jobsites for RJ Smith. We filed pre-lien notices, per our standard practice. However, the bookkeeper at RJ Smith stonewalled us with small payments and promises of more for months, until our ability to collect from the homeowners had lapsed. The owner of RJ Smith even provided a personal guarantee of payment within 30 days, which he did not honor. He has since been unavailable and unreachable.
Despite repeated phone calls and a remaining balance of over $10,000, we have received no payments in the last six months. Just one week ago we called, AGAIN, to check on the status of payment and we were told that the bookkeeper was no longer handling any requests for payment. She referred me to a law office who then informed me that RJ Smith would be starting bankruptcy proceedings!
However, my business partner drove by an ACTIVE RJ Smith Construction building site just two days ago!
RJ Smith is has left us, a small local business in Menlo Park for over 60 years, with a substantial financial burden even though our work was completed in a timely fashion and was of superior quality.
Do not use this company!