318 views
New Reviewer
4 comments
stars-rating-full stars-rating-full stars-rating-full stars-rating-full stars-rating-full
1.0

We hired a contractor named David Piepenburg (Buffalo NY) of Dave's Home Improvements (a lie!) who turned out to be a criminal just released from prision 90 days ago and still on parole using the business name of an actual good business. After incomplete, improper and shoddy bad work, he simply never showed back up. We spent over $5K for work and will need to spend more than $7K to undo and redo! Police tell us it's a civil matter (tho his parole officer would love to send him back to jail and is working to do just that -but that does not give us money to fix this disaster). His employees were not paid (nor did he have them on the 'books'. The guy with the real business will forever be linked by this incident.

We believe Thumbtack needs to do a better job of looking into the facts provided from suppliers, and asking important questions like: "have you ever been convicted of a crime?" Also, if someone is a business they should need to PROVE what they are - a DBA, LLC, C-corp, S-corp, etc. and provide it to Thumbtack. Anyone these days (as we learned) can say whatever they want. This guy stated he had been in business for 3 years and had 2 employees -lies lies lies. The references we called were probably friends. Everything seemed legit but not one thing he told us was true. Total scam.

Be smart people and google the people you are doing business with - even check your local prison websites (In NY I discovered you can search people's names and find out f they have a criminal record, if they went to jail what the reason was, and if they are on parole)

Reason of review: convicted felon on parole allowed to operate on thumbtack to rip people off.

Monetary Loss: $12500.

Preferred solution: Full refund.

Thumbtack Cons: Convicted felon operate on site freely, Most of their clients are not pros and not even businesses, Coni.

Location: Orchard Park, New York

Do You Have Something To Say ?
Write a review

Comments

chat-icon

Please avoid publishing any personal information and promotional content

You will be automatically registered on our site. Username and password will be sent to you via email.
Post Comment
Guest

I agree that thumbtack has it's faults. But to try to single a certain group of people because of a bad experience is wrong.

I've ha d my brushes with the law, but I'm a legitimate business owner now and all my clients/customers are very pleased with my service.

Leeandra Dnx
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-1093665

I have no problem with people who try to turn their lives around and do the right thing. My issue is that sometimes does not do a very good job in asking the correct questions in allowing people to post as a vendor or supplier on thumbtack.

When I was working with thumbtack, which was a useless process, I discovered they say "hire with confidence" BUT never even adk if someine was convicted of a crime. So technically a *** could list themselves as a nanny or babysitter for hire and THAT is a scary thought.

This particular convict stole another person's business name and didn't pay his workers. Thumbtack has so many computers I am certain they could write an easy program to search backgrounds and filter out the bad seeds.

Shawna Gqz
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-1093665

Preach!

I have been in trouble in the past & cannot find a job anywhere (probably because people judge you for a criminal past- just like this person did!) and this is exactly why I started my own business!

If anyone knew of the person I was before I would Never be hired again!

People are extremely judgmental and don't believe people can honestly change (due to idiots like this guy ripping people off)

Also, not all crimes of which I was convicted was I in fact guilty of

I do great work and would never take advantage of someone else

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-1101711

That is all fine. But if you get out of jail, steal someome else's good business name and hire people you don't pay you are not trying to do anything but line your own pockets.

Leaving a trail of unpaid workers, a man who forever -because of the internet- will have to explain why these bad reviews are not his busness name when they are in the same name is NOT someone looking for a break, for a chance, to be accepted, to not be judged.

I hope he is judged - and sent to prison.

Thumbtack Reviews

  1. 1281 reviews
  2. 319 reviews
  3. 144 reviews
  4. 100 reviews
  5. 166 reviews
Thumbtack reviews