Description Of Work: Sandy aftermath!
1. All traces of studs and supporting members were removed.
2. All walls were treated with waterproof coating.
3. New metal studs, headers and footing were installed.
4. Roll insulation was installed.
5. Sheetrock in 5/8ths thickness was installed on walls and ceilings.
6. Electrical outlets (3 feet from floor) and ceiling highhats were reinstalled.
7. Steel door 32×48 was ordered and installed for access to backyard. Outer door was sheathed for weather.
8. Two doors, swollen from the storm, were refitted to work properly.
9. One row of bricks was removed from wall to widen stairway to basement and cemented remainder.
10. Two six panel doors were installed with hardware.
11, Molding was applied around doors and base of all sheetrock.
12. Washing machine and dryer were installed and tested.
13. Laundry sink was installed and connected.
14. Access panels were installed for water lines.
15. Entire basement was painted with two coats of paint.

First the back story. We live in Red Hook, Brooklyn, NY. One block from the waterfront. The new home of Cunard’s Queen Mary2, et.al. My wife and I had just finished a one year complete remodel of our three story house; from basement to top floor. The only things left to do were install new inner front door and railings for the new stairs. We treated ourselves to a cruise and (Thank God) hired a house sitter. We survived Irene, so how bad could this Sandy be. Sandy struck while we were on the ship and we couldn’t get off. The house sitter was able to deal with managing the sump pumps and had everything under control until Con Edison decided to turn the electricity off. Consequently, the basement and three inches of the first floor were flooded.  I’ll end this horror story at this point and talk about the recovery.
I’m a paid member of Angie’s List and have been using it for years. So, in researching the List, the top candidate appeared to be Joseph Ashley dba ACJ Remodeling Inc. I reached out to Joe and he immediately responded and we met that day. Now, be warned, that Joe does not suffer fools gladly. He is a busy, professional businessman.  Although empathetic, he will not join hands and sing with you. Presently, he must plan four to six weeks ahead because of the amount of work he’s faced with in addition to Sandy. Using due diligence, I obtained three of the estimates on the refurbishment. Joe’s was in the middle. We signed the contract on 12/18/12 and he began work on 1/28/13. The work was completed on 2/8/13 and encompassed eleven (11) work days. We learned quickly, that Joe will NOT nickel and dime you to death! He did not hold us to the confines of the written contract, which he could have. So, it was comfortable to have some wiggle room and not be reticent about asking to correct issues which were not contemplated for in the formal contract. Joe has two crews: and inside and outside complement.  The staff that worked on our job were led by Eric who can do anything and everything. They arrived promptly every morning at 8 AM and were no-nonsense in their attitude, leaving at five PM. They policed up after every job. Joe has factored in a debris removal system that picks up garbage generated at the site and managed by Angel, another one of his great staff. At Joe’s suggestion, we replaced the wooden studs with metal in order to facilitate a rapid repair in any future flood emergency. And this made a lot of sense. We allowed the basement to air dry out and had Apex, another Angie’s List company, survey the building for signs of mold. Thankfully, we received a clean bill of health. My wife and I walked through the basement and developed a Punch List of issues needing addressing.  Joe and Eric replied to every line item without hesitation or complaint. In fact, pointing out things we had overlooked in the walkthrough.  I should also mention that Joe is a bonafied contractor recommended by the CertainTeed Corporation, which is no easy feat, as it requires written testing.  I will be using Joe to replace the siding on our house which was destroyed by Sandy. But, we will have to wait until March because of the weather and Joe’s other commitments.