Abris Construction Calgary

I have utilized the services of Abris Construction many times since 2019. As a condominium manager I see smaller projects for their team for minor repairs that are beyond the skill set of a handyman - up to major projects regulated by a contract administrator supervising a CCDC contract and providing tendering services and project design.

This means that Abris not only serves well in direct work, or labor and materials scenarios, but also when competing in a tendered bid for projects. They are one of the first to come to mind when I need a shortlist of vendors to compete on a job.

Projects I have used them for in the past include: Concrete Repair/Replacement, Deck Restructuring, Deck Membrane Replacement, Concrete Structural Repair, Wood Frame Structural Repair, Re-sloping Decks, Overlay to Slope Decks, etc.

Being a villa condo owner at Briaroak Estates I was very disappointed in the service provided by the construction project manager being Abris construction Calgary. As to what I have been told through 3rd party, Keller Engineering was hired by the property manager Simco Property Managers and our own Briaroak Estates Condo Board to renovate the front pillars on half of the units at the complex. I am one of the condo owners whose front pillars required a demolition and rebuild (Not sure I needed the reno as my 2 front pillars were not frost jacking up and down and were level, meaning they were supported by the sonic tube sub surface concrete pillars below, however). Although I did not directly pay for the reno out of my pocket, it was a project capital expense paid out of the condo reserve fund to which I pay into monthly, around 44% of our monthly condo fees goes towards the reserve fund, the other around 56% monthly condo fees goes towards routine monthly and annual services such as lawn care, snow removal, etc. Arbis was hired to project manage and hire, supervise the sub trades. The demolition started in May, June, then a sub contractor did a "form in" and pour of ready concrete over top the exposed original sub surface sonic tube concrete piles. 1st the subcontractor missed the center of the above forier center beam to center of below pile on the north pile. So the pillar reno was delayed until engineering figured a below support bracket out so the pillar actually would support the above weight of the forier. The south pillar pile was good. This put my condo pillar repairs behind schedule with all the others being done in the complex. Not a problem other than I noticed that the subcontractors coming and going were really never supervised and checked on, checked on a daily basis by the project manager Abris Construction Calgary? Finally the subcontractor carpenter got the pillar horizontal posts into place, into all the installed brackets supporting the above forier weight and encased with plywood, water proof barrier wrapped and the stucco wire installed for the next phase of the project. Finally we are making progress now in later August, although my pillars were behind the others it was coming along. Next phase of the project was when the subcontractor stucco texture applicators arrived to do their part and then my problems started. I don't think one can have that much bad luck after I complained the 1st time to Abris, and I'm thinking I might have been singled out maybe? Because it was one problem and then another, then another. I'm thinking if I wouldn't have complained the first time then I wouldn't have had any problems afterwards? The first time I complained and not a lot was after the 1st application of texture was applied by the subcontractor stucco application company. I seen 'NO' supervision by Abris as the project manager. After the 1st application, the stucco subcontractor did not do much of a cleanup, some texture was splattered on my front condo windows and front door, my water hose they used was left laying on tthe ground, not wrapped up on its hose holder like they found it. Not a big deal, got out my step ladder and cleaned off the over splatter of texture left behind from the stucco subcontractor off my front windows and front door while it was easy to do as it wasn't cured, cleaned everything up, washed my windows, wrapped up the hose, end of story, spent a couple hours, no big deal. I should have kept my mouth shut and not complained to the condo board and Simco the property manager because it just got worse after this. On August 27th the subcontractor stucco applicator company came to do the 2nd texture application as the first application had cured for a week. I had an appointment that day (which I wished I would have canceled) because again, I seen 'NO' Abris project manager supervision. When I was leaving I mentioned to the "same week before stucco crew" if they could be a bit more careful when applying the texture to not fling texture onto my front windows and door and wrap up my water hose after doing their cleanup after they were finished using it. I wasn't rude at all to them, I just left a little "care" instructions to them as the owner of the condo? And I am allowed to! I own it. The crews usually worked till 5pm. I came home at 8pm again to find over splatter on my front windows and door, although a bit disappoointed not a big deal. But when I heard water running and inspected, the crew had used my outside waterhose again, left it on the ground and the water tap was left on and fully opened for 3 hours! That is unacceptable! What sort of worker does that? To be that clueless! For sure I thought this was done on purpose after complaining the first time of the first bit of mess! As the owner of the condo it is my right to be fusssy and expect a good job just like I WOULD HAVE DONE! My philosophy as a contractor is that you leave it in the same shape you found it! If not in better shape, have some pride and integrity? So approximatley 2.4m3 of water ran out onto the ground over the 3 hours. I ran downstairs to immediatley check to see if any water was entering my basement on that side of the house. Thank god there was none so the sub grade weeping tile was doing its job diverting water away from the house and foundation. Out with the step ladder again, cleaned the texture oversplatter off my front windows and front door again, cleaned the windows again, cleaned up the mess, wrapped up the hose, put everything away. Again it took a couple hours of my time, "NOT the stucco subcontractors or any Abris Construction time", my time. This time I was mad and complained to Simco and the board again. I received an email from Mike Cormack, the Abris project manager apologizing and that I would be reimbursed for the aproximatley 2-2.5m3 of wasted water which ran onto the ground, by the way goes through my water meter, not
Briaroak Estates. That day Mike Cormack the project manager from Abris construction came to see me. Oh well all is done now but I let him know how unsatisfied and disappointed I was with the labour of the stucco subcontractor. I asked him if there was any common sense left in the world? Who leaves a water tap on and doesn't shut it off after using? The bit of mess was nothing really, but the water left on is just pure negligence. Again he apologized and told me I would be reimbursed for the water. I asked Mike Cormack how come none of these crews are supervised, he told me they have their own crew supervisors and he has other projects on the go. But not to worry that he would be talking to them. I asked him what is up next because this small pillar project is becoming a pain to me. Mike Cormack said just the painting of the pillars is left really and then the last step was installing of the removed outside lights and eaves. I specifically asked Mike the actual process of the painting. He told me that the painters use an airless sprayer system. I then specifically asked Mike "do the painters setup paint curtains, doing some masking off and "hoard themselves in" to contain their paint job to the pillars 'ONLY', to protect the front of my condo, windows, doors, newly painted window and garage door trims from overspray? Mike said not to worry that they would be setting up paint curtains, masking off and hoarding in to protect from paint overspray, the painters were professional and took the outmost care to not have overspray and make a mess. And I believed Mike Cormack the project manager from Abris Constructionn because as I was the very last set of pillars to be painted and pillars completed on the project because of the very first set back with the concrete forming and pour on my pillar redo's, a few weeks before on other villa-condos in the complex that had pillar redo's, I noticed paint curtains being setup and hand rails on walks being wrapped up, masked off and protected so I thought all will be ok? Boy was I wrong. I went golfing on September 8th in the morning with a friend, after 18 holes we went for supper. So when I returned home to my villa-condo it was somewhat dark outside, but I noticed that the pillar stucco paint crew had been here during the day and had completed the painting of my pillars. I was shocked the next morning when I inspected the pillar painting job to find nothing but beige pillar paint overspray all over myn front windows, front door, part of my garrage door trim, etc. I was furious to say the least. September 9th, I phone called Mike Cormack the project manager from Abris Construction, he did not awnser so I left a voicemail as to what had happened. I emailed Simco, Keller engineering, Abris Construction, Briaroak Condo board. Mike Cormack responded by email but not a phone call that he would be by to look at the paint overspray mess. I waited a day, September 10th, nobody from Abris came by. I emailed all involved again on September 11th, because nobody wanted to deal with this from Abris or Keller Engineering or Simco I did not know when this issue would be addressed so as angry as I was I got my ladder out and started cleaning and scraping the over spray paint splatter off of my condo windows. I could get the paint off the glass part of the windows, but not off the wooden window trims, garage overhead door trim. I had to re-paint those trim parts. All in all it took me 24 hours over 2 and a half days to scrape, clean paint off windows, repaint the front door and all the front window trims off a step ladder, repaint part of the garage overhead door trim. I believe because I complained once of the first bit of mess that I was singled out and treated like this throughout the remainder of the project, nobody else in the complex seemed to have any issues, only me and probably because I complained of a bit of a mess and my water left on for 3 hours and probably on purpose now because I complained. I did the 24 hours of work afterwards when nobody from Abris, Simco, Keller or even my own condo board would come see me and rectify the problem or even talk about it. All was avoided. Even after sending the "after the pillar paint job pictures" to everyone still no awnser? The summer before in July 2022 I had hired a professional painting company after approval by my own condo board to sand down, fill and repaint all my window trims, door trims and casings of my condo with a high quality exterior brown approved by the board paint under the recommendation of the home inspector after I purchased the condo in the fall of 2021. All my windows were and are good and I had them painted to protect my investment and windows, adding to their life span and not having to replace. It cost me $2,100 to have them re-painted. So after not hearing back from Abris or any party involved after a few days I cleaned and re-painted the window trims, etc. I made up an invoice by email just to start a conversation for $1,200, $1,150 for my 24 hours (2 and a half days of work) and an additional $50 for the water that ran on the ground for 3 hours because the crew neglected to shutoff the tap after using and sent the email to every 3rd party involved. Only Keller engineering responded and said I never waited long enough for Abris to come by and rectify the problem? I did wait 3 days, the longer the sun bakes the paint the harder it is to get off? Today is Dec 27th and I'm still waiting for the project manager Mike Cormack to come by? It is plain and simple, they weren't coming to do anything and just basically laughed in my face. Even Simco and my own condo board just went around in circles about it withthe same attitude as Abris Construction "Too bad, sucks to be you". After emailing the condo board and Simco property manager again on November 3rd, finally about a week later, President of Abris Construction Mr. Lindsay Boon emailed me a $50 etransfer for the water but wouldn't even discuss anything about the extra 24 hours that I had spent cleaning and repainting. So this review of Abris Construction that I have left is all true for all to read, is to serve the purpose of "Beware" if you own a condo and your property manager and/or your condo board has hired the services of Abris Construction to project manage a construction project. Do not complain like I did or else the same problems might occur to you as did to me? Be prepared that all subcontractors hired to do the work stages will probably not be supervised? My advice to you just like I am doing now going forward is if any project at my condo which I paid for and own is going on, I request the date of the work to be performed so I can supervise it and make sure I am satisfied unlike the non-supervision I went throught the last project go around. Going forward, my water valve inside is shut-off for my outside tap so no contractor can use my water hose and my water and throw the hose on the ground afterwards without shutting off the tap and wasting water, especially last summer when we were on a water useage and conservative advisory in the city of Calgary, plus you may not be paid for your water they use? Unless you complain and wait for 3 months, then maybe they will pay? I also have the power shut-off inside for my outside electrical outlet so nobody but me can use the outside power. Make sure to let the contractor doing the work to bring their own water supply and sourcr of power. All and all I am not impressed with the project management and job supervision provided by Abris Construction on this latest project where I own a villa-condo and I will not be fooled or taken advantage of ever again. $1,150 isn't worth the hassal of all the paperwork and small claims court. But I believe an honest, truthful review including proof and evidence in the pictures disclosed (one can see the beige paint speckles all over the newly painted brown trims) a person can make up their own mind before hiring. I know I would never hire them myself, and they won't have their way again at my owned condo even if the board or property manager hires them next time, I'll be supervising and am quite qualified to do so. When has this world gotten so bad that you can own something like a condo, pay over 1/2 a million dollars for and have no say? Not on my watch anymore! I won't let any of these outfits reno my dogn house!! Next step is the Better Business Bureau for the property manager and condo board. Condo Owners beware.