In late 2022, I hired Kal, Owner/Manager, to install a premium iron fence on 4x4 posts for 2 properties in the Beaches. This was a nightmare and Kal was unprofessional, unapologetic, unaccountable and left me with an unfinished/damaged fence.
Kal was to supply me with 4x4 galvanized/powder coated posts and when I asked what time they would arrive the next day, he said he needed 2 more weeks. This was problematic as I scheduled landscapers/concrete pour on Monday morning and needed to install the posts over the weekend. Kal then berated/yelling that I had the wrong dates and that I was unappreciative of his efforts until I sent him texts that proved the date I relied on was correct. I had to reshuffle my contractors last minute late Friday afternoon.
Originally, Kal showed how their powder coating doesn't chip on a sample piece of metal and yet everything came chipped. When asked about it, Kal said it happens but he would touch up with paint. On the day of installation, Kal forced, kicked, wedged, hammered the panels in place and even grinded away the galvanize to bare metal severely damaging the fence. Despite the posts sitting for 2 months before, in harsh weather with snow/ice/salt, the posts never rusted but within days of his installation rust already began to form.
After watching his installation, I noticed that they were trying to figure out where the panels needed to go. They left 2 sections uninstalled despite having them in the truck. When I asked why, Kal said that all of his drill batteries had died. When I asked about the poor quality and damages, he offered the galvanizing/powder coat companies for me to discuss these issues. When I asked why items on the contract were missing, he said I had told him differently in person so he relied on what I apparently told him instead of following the written contract. Despite his poor workmanship, Kal offered no apologies.
After speaking with the galvanize company, I was told that the metal would be protected for over 40+ years provided the galvanize layers were intact. I later found out that it could be protected for up to 175 years so it was obvious these were not just superficial scratches. When I asked Kal about why the installation was so sloppy, he admitted that he’s never actually installed a 4x4 post fence before but failed to mention it when I hired him and I would never have hired him had I known.
When I asked him about the deep gouges/rust, he said he would touch it up with paint. It was -11 degrees and he said he would come a few days later when it was warmer at 4 degrees (0 with the windchill). Kal sent me a video of an industrial-grade acrylic paint used for touch ups. I called the powder coat paint company and found out that it's Benjamin Moore latex paint and not the product he sent but was also told not to apply it at freezing weather as it was only latex. Having painted the exterior of both homes in 2021, BM also confirmed that the paint had to be applied in proper conditions for it to cure (above 10 degrees).
I told Kal that he misled me with the painting/galvanizing, downplayed the severity of the damages, showed that the fence patterns did not line up and yet Kal expressed no accountability and offered no apologies. I had asked that he return to finish the job, repair the damages, correct the mistakes and for the posts that were expensive to remove/repair, provide an as-is discount in lieu but in his last communication, he didn't want to return to the job site, instead, return my deposit and let me deal with the damaged fence. Unfortunately now I must hire a third party contractor to address his deficiencies.
I would strongly caution anyone against hiring Iron & Railings Int’l Inc. and be wary of the promises that are offered to you. The quality of their work is shoddy at best, and their lack of accountability is appalling.
