I was not the least bit supprised when I heard these guys were on a rip off website. In fact I had a good laugh when I read what the gentleman in Edenton wrote about them because I can relate.
A few years ago they tried to frame a house for me and it was a nightmare. I had to be there to babysit them every day just to make sure it would pass the inspections and not look like it was built by a crew that knew nothing about construction. Go figure....
I am an established builder on the outer banks of Nc and had a few projects out in that area so I ran an add in the paper to find some local help. Hence my acquaintence with Wayne and Matthew Evans. I have always tried to include locals in what ever area I am building in because it is good for public relations in most cases.
Wayne also told me that he was in some financial trouble and needed some work so I gave it to him. I figured if I helped him then he would at least take the job seriously. Boy was I wrong.
When I first met with Wayne, he assured me that his son Matthew was a competent framer and a hard worker. Matthew was on the jobsite mabey half of the time and the other half he spent at home in his parents house/trailer playing video games. This is a 25 year old I'm talking about! By the way, Wayne was paying him even when he wasn't working. I just don't get it.
At the beginning they did not have workers comp. or general liability insurance nor had a clue what it even was. I told them that I needed to have those policies on file before they could commence work on my jobsite. This was about two months before the starting date. Finally I get a fax containing a "ghost policy" which is just basic coverage on ONE person and that person was Matthew. I let them start anyway figuring the worst thing that could happen was I would have to file suit against them should something happen on the job. Sorry guys, that's business.
Wayne pleaded with me that I allow him to draw a crertain amount per week untill he was out of his hole. I agreed under the terms that they at least make an effort to catch up with the work by working a little longer each day and mabey even a Saturday of two. That didn't happen. They barely worked 8 hours each day accept for Fridays when they would leave at noon to go golfing (must be nice). They did not even work one Saturday. Oh yeah, there was that week vacation they took at my expence as well.
Wayne realized that he was overdrawn and wasn't going to get any more money so he left for a few days to do another job without notifying me. He did not answer his phone during that time either. When they returned they said some things that shocked me. They explained to me that I was a "yankee" who was in their area so I'd better watch myself because they would have people break into my house and beat me up. Little do they know, I hold a class 3 weapons permit and the tactical training to go with it so it's a good thing they didn't follow through on their threat. How dumb could those people be?!
I then reminded them that I had help them financially as well as tought them how to build a house. Basically they got a crash course in construction and got paid at the same time! They acted like I did nothing for them at all.
What really made me realize how dumb these rednecks were was when they acted supprised when I told them they would no longer work for me. Wayne said, "I don't understand, you said we could frame more houses after this one". I couldn't believe what I was hearing! When I reminded them of their work ethic, skill and the things (insults) they said to me they couldn't seem to remember any of it.
Needless to say they did not finish the project. I was at my wit's end so I dismissed them and finished it myself with the help of another crew.
Wayne Evans and Matthew Evans are by far two of the dumbest people I have EVER encountered in my life. I still however wish the best for them though because they need all the help they can get in every aspect of work as well as life.