West Palm Beach's best and worst contractors for 2008

Published on January 1, 2009

by Valerie Christopher & Staci Giordullo

In addition to our nationwide list, here are the West Palm Beach Contractors who have earned the distinction of being the Best or Worst in the West Palm Beach area.

The Best

Benchmark Painting & Carpentry
Boynton Beach

Martin Devincenti says he isn’t your typical contractor. “We start and finish,” he says. “We don’t start the job and come back three days later. I stress to my [12] employees: treat the home like it’s your own.”

Breaking out on his own after working with four older brothers, Devincenti started Benchmark Painting & Carpentry in 1995. He received the 2008 Best of Boca Raton Award by the U.S. Local Business Association for oustanding work in painting and says he receives two to three calls a day from Angie’s List members.

Thomas Gire say it’s no wonder Devincenti has so many “A” reports. “They caulked all walls, trimmed and sanded so the repairs are undetectable,” Gire says. “Their work was exceptionally neat and the highest quality.”

V E Quillen Roofing & Consulting Services Inc.
Lake Worth

Owner Victor Quillen has learned a lot about keeping customers happy during his 25 years in the roofing business. “When we do work, we do 300 to 400 percent more than other contractors,” Quillen says. “We don’t just cover a leak. We fix it from the source, giving our customers a sweet taste of our services.”

He says customer service is everything to him and his sons: Brent, who’s Quillen’s business partner, and Devon, who handles the company’s marketing.

Customer Eileen Kerbaugh says they gave her peace of mind when patching her roof. “I was frantic about my roof flooding, but the guys were so accommodating,” she says. “Mr. Quillen is just a sweetheart and his boys are great!”

The Worst

TransFlorida Corp.
Rockledge

Homeowners across Central and South Florida have filed nearly 150 complaints each with the attorney general and the Better Business Bureau, claiming TransFlorida Corporation accepts deposits and promises work, but fails to deliver. The company hasn’t resolved or responded to a majority of the complaints.

“It’s one of the biggest construction frauds I’ve ever seen,” says Angie’s List member Jim Krupka, who says he paid TransFlorida owner Geoffrey Gill $73,000 to remodel his house. He later filed an “F” report on the company. “They left me with two liens from subcontractors and no roof,” he says. Several customers have successfully sued TransFlorida for breach of contract, and a few civil cases remain pending.

In February, the Florida Construction Industry Licensing Board revoked Gill’s license and ordered him to pay $283,970 in damages. “We’re continuing to collect complaints regarding TransFlorida,” says Robert Finkbeiner, a prosecutor for the attorney general’s office. “If the investigation reveals a basis to file criminal charges, we’ll prosecute.” Gill couldn’t be reached for comment.

Palm Beach Air Conditioning Consultants
West Palm Beach

Palm Beach Air Conditioning Consultants — also known as AC Consultants and Palm Beach AC Consultants — has 13 unanswered complaints with the BBB and three bad reports on Angie’s List from the past year. The “F”-rated company has an Angie’s List alert for questionable business practices.

Member John Szuba paid the company $300 for quarterly air conditioning cleanings and a new filter he says he never received. “So I called and canceled the contract, but they haven’t refunded my money,” Szuba says.

Szuba didn’t want the filter when it arrived, says co-owner Kathy Knoll. “Distributors can take months to deliver filters, but as soon as it arrived, I called Szuba,” she says. Szuba says three months had passed, despite an alleged 30-day contract term. “I just want my money back,” he says.

At least one civil suit against the company remained pending as of press time. No further details were available. Co-owner Gary Knoll says he’s aware of the complaints, but says it’s only natural with 30,000 customers.