(July 13, 2017) The owners of Fontaine’s Barber Shop in Pocomoke City are feeling optimistic that property renovations begun in February 2016 may finally come to fruition.
Charles Fontaine Sr., who has operated scissors and clippers in Pocomoke since 1968, appeared at a City Council meeting last month to ask for help after general contractor T/A Exteriors of Westover apparently quit the job.
Pocomoke also has an interest in the project, because it provided matching funds through a Maryland Department of Housing Community Legacy Grant.
“It wasn’t the city’s fault, it was the contractor,” Charles Fontaine said. “The problem is it was not done to our satisfaction.”
When T/A Exteriors came on board in early 2016, Charles Fontaine said indications were the three-part project — updating the barber shop, a two-bedroom apartment an and adjacent 400 square feet of office space — would progress quickly.
“He started off right good,” he said.
Things were seemingly on track until a month before the originally anticipated completion date of Sept. 20.
“Last August, he stopped showing up,” Charles Fontaine said.
Joe Miller, who operates T/A Exteriors, offered a different take on the situation.
“The building is a couple hundred years old,” he said. “He had let the building go for years.”
Miller, who has worked in Pocomoke for the last decade on various projects, said he completed extensive repairs, some of which weren’t included in the original contract.
“I wasn’t trying to cheat or rip them off,” he said. “I tried to make them happy.”
The inability to communicate with the contractor, Charles Fontaine Jr. (Chuck) said, led the family business to get in touch with city officials.
“My dad and I notified the city manager, who gave him another deadline,” he said.
The Fontaines said the contractor made a few brief appearances in May with prodding from then City Manager Ernie Crofoot.
“We’d go check behind him and he didn’t do much work,” Chuck Fontaine said.
Before his departure last August, however, Miller said the apartment and office space were completed.
From his perspective, Miller said the Fontaines had unrealistic expectations regarding the renovations.
“Nothing is going to look new,” he said.
Working conditions were another matter Miller raised, noting that despite stifling heat, he performed extensive repairs to the upstairs apartment, which he said had been long neglected and was not inhabitable.
“There was no air conditioning in the summer,” he said. “The working conditions were terrible.”
Losing hope the work would be completed to their satisfaction, Charles Fontaine made another appeal to the city during the June 19 Pocomoke Council meeting at which time Crofoot shared his own frustration.
“This schedule has not been met and I’ve bent over backwards,” Crofoot said.
Assessing the present situation, Chuck Fontaine said while the apartment and office space are not fully completed, the main component of their business, the barbershop, hasn’t even been touched.
“The barber shop was never done,” he said. “I wanted him to do this last because I didn’t think it would take this long.”
Charles Fontaine also said much of the work would have to be redone, including what he viewed as a subpar paint job done inside the apartment.
“It wasn’t prepped properly,” he said. “If you don’t prep, it’s not going to look right.”
For his part, Miller said, he was presented with challenging requests, including covering up high gloss black paint with white, a task that required four coats.
Although the father and son were not oblivious as the renovations neared completion, Chuck Fontaine said when inquiries were made the contractor was not willing to enter into a substantive discussion.
“We wouldn’t even communicate with him,” he said. “He’d get defensive and argumentative when questioned.”
Miller counters that despite his best efforts, satisfying the clients seemed impossible.
“We just couldn’t see eye to eye,” he said. “I tried to make it happen, but I didn’t see how I could continue.”
At this point Charles Fontaine is still uncertain of the remaining cost to complete the renovations, but feels encouraged following a recent meeting with city officials, who pledged additional funds.
“We’re going to get another contractor,” he said.
As his business approaches its 50th anniversary next year, Charles Fontaine never tires of the surprised reaction from prior residents who pass by.
“People come in and say ‘you’re still here,’” he said.
Charles Fontaine Sr., who has operated scissors and clippers in Pocomoke since 1968, appeared at a City Council meeting last month to ask for help after general contractor T/A Exteriors of Westover apparently quit the job.
Pocomoke also has an interest in the project, because it provided matching funds through a Maryland Department of Housing Community Legacy Grant.
“It wasn’t the city’s fault, it was the contractor,” Charles Fontaine said. “The problem is it was not done to our satisfaction.”
When T/A Exteriors came on board in early 2016, Charles Fontaine said indications were the three-part project — updating the barber shop, a two-bedroom apartment an and adjacent 400 square feet of office space — would progress quickly.
“He started off right good,” he said.
Things were seemingly on track until a month before the originally anticipated completion date of Sept. 20.
“Last August, he stopped showing up,” Charles Fontaine said.
Joe Miller, who operates T/A Exteriors, offered a different take on the situation.
“The building is a couple hundred years old,” he said. “He had let the building go for years.”
Miller, who has worked in Pocomoke for the last decade on various projects, said he completed extensive repairs, some of which weren’t included in the original contract.
“I wasn’t trying to cheat or rip them off,” he said. “I tried to make them happy.”
The inability to communicate with the contractor, Charles Fontaine Jr. (Chuck) said, led the family business to get in touch with city officials.
“My dad and I notified the city manager, who gave him another deadline,” he said.
The Fontaines said the contractor made a few brief appearances in May with prodding from then City Manager Ernie Crofoot.
“We’d go check behind him and he didn’t do much work,” Chuck Fontaine said.
Before his departure last August, however, Miller said the apartment and office space were completed.
From his perspective, Miller said the Fontaines had unrealistic expectations regarding the renovations.
“Nothing is going to look new,” he said.
Working conditions were another matter Miller raised, noting that despite stifling heat, he performed extensive repairs to the upstairs apartment, which he said had been long neglected and was not inhabitable.
“There was no air conditioning in the summer,” he said. “The working conditions were terrible.”
Losing hope the work would be completed to their satisfaction, Charles Fontaine made another appeal to the city during the June 19 Pocomoke Council meeting at which time Crofoot shared his own frustration.
“This schedule has not been met and I’ve bent over backwards,” Crofoot said.
Assessing the present situation, Chuck Fontaine said while the apartment and office space are not fully completed, the main component of their business, the barbershop, hasn’t even been touched.
“The barber shop was never done,” he said. “I wanted him to do this last because I didn’t think it would take this long.”
Charles Fontaine also said much of the work would have to be redone, including what he viewed as a subpar paint job done inside the apartment.
“It wasn’t prepped properly,” he said. “If you don’t prep, it’s not going to look right.”
For his part, Miller said, he was presented with challenging requests, including covering up high gloss black paint with white, a task that required four coats.
Although the father and son were not oblivious as the renovations neared completion, Chuck Fontaine said when inquiries were made the contractor was not willing to enter into a substantive discussion.
“We wouldn’t even communicate with him,” he said. “He’d get defensive and argumentative when questioned.”
Miller counters that despite his best efforts, satisfying the clients seemed impossible.
“We just couldn’t see eye to eye,” he said. “I tried to make it happen, but I didn’t see how I could continue.”
At this point Charles Fontaine is still uncertain of the remaining cost to complete the renovations, but feels encouraged following a recent meeting with city officials, who pledged additional funds.
“We’re going to get another contractor,” he said.
As his business approaches its 50th anniversary next year, Charles Fontaine never tires of the surprised reaction from prior residents who pass by.
“People come in and say ‘you’re still here,’” he said.