Cape Cod Roofing & Siding Skip Schiappa/Owner When asked to provide references and guarantee his work, Skip sent bizarre email. Has poor work history. Wareham, Massachusetts

Requested Cape Cod Roofing & Siding Co. to provide quote for minor roofing repairs in June 2011. Upon receiving company owner's emailed quote with several attchments containing his license, website page and workers comp declaration page, I thanked him for the quote and asked him if he had any past satisfied customers I could contact for references. I further asked Skip, the Owner, to provide his labor and materials quarantee/warranty as well.

In return, I received one of the most bizarre emails from this Owner. He basically, stated that his 32 years in business and his hands on suprervision should be sufficient to qualify his company and there was no need to supply past references. Also he does not quarantee his repairs on prior work by other contractors. This is strange because he advertises his company services including repairing of roofs. The remaining email contained multiple rants and raves including improper characterisations of me that indicated this individual was not grounded properly.

Upon searching online for reviews on Cape Cod Roofing & Siding, I found multiple complaints and negative comments about this owner.

Please do not take my word for my incident with the company as I have included for all to review the emails between this Owner and myself. Judge for yourselves.

EMAILS:  Start at the bottom

Barrister,
 
You should have went with your first instinct delete.
 
But, if you must;
 
As per your request, I visited your home and did as I had told you I would: inspect, measure, photograph and provide a free estimate for repairing your roof. Obligation complete.
 
Upon receipt of my estimate for NON-warranted/guaranteed repairs you then requested is do you many happy customers? (sic). I took your poorly worded request to mean: Do I have many happy customers?
 
Let me ask you Counselor: What the hell kind of question is that? Seriously.
 
Heres how I took it. I visit your house decent home, nothing special or remarkable except that the roof system and related components are mostly installed incorrectly, worn out, non-vented, handy-man or homeowner repaired, barely held on and look horrible.
 
I pointed out the following:
 
         Incorrectly installed valleys, sunlights, skylights
         No ridge venting AS PER MANUFACTURERS SPECIFICATIONS
         Poor repair techniques on chimney
         Loose granite slabs holding down chimney cap
         Sticky foil paper over chimney flashing
         Moss growing out of chimney bricks
 
And some other items    You were informed on site that the repairs I were to make would be a waste of money if you did NOT correct other items. YOUR RESPONSE ON THE ROOF: Just pay attention to the valleys.
 
Your roof, chimney and related components are a mess and in some cases dangerous (granite slabs holding down chimney cap). Matters brought to your attention for YOUR benefit.  All I got from you during my visit with you was a rude response. Whatever Then you request I provide you with is do you many happy customers? For what confirmation that a 12 year old can do the work you previously paid for or had done for free? My company does NOT do the work the type of work you are accustomed to receiving or authorizing nor the type of work that as an Attorney that you are familiar with filing 93As against. 
 
My response to your request: SIMPLE: My customers need NOT qualify my company to do anything for some NON-warranted/guaranteed repair. Foolishness over a $1900.00 repair.
 
You were rude and demanding of me while I was there. I would never subject my customers to the same.
 
Now,
 
I dont care about who, what or where anything about you or your high quality legal service. With further regards to your advice, apparently you are of the opinion that only yours matters as you certainly could have cared less about mine.
 
Heres some advice you should pay attention to: get your advice from a real lawyer. Maybe that lawyer who didnt attend PRETEND-LAW UNIVERSITY could have afforded you the ability to have filed suit against all those who had a hand in providing you with a roof system that lasted ONLY 7 years.
 
As to your other written offensive remarks which include cocktails go f yourself as I dont drink, do drugs, smoke, have tattoos or life a stressful life. You are a PUKE who happens to be an attorney. An a*hole who thinks he is the smartest guy in the room who can run his mouth without a filter. You got it wrong this time lawyer-boy I am not the scumbag contractor type you are used to looking and talking down to or filing suits against. I invite you to FACEBOOK or TWEET me and Ill have my legal team so far up your a*s youll be begging me for the opportunity to apologize.  
 
Beat it rude man. 
 
 From: Phil [mailto:assetgrow@comcast.net]
Sent: Thursday, June 09, 2011 5:10 PM
To: Skip Schiappa
Subject: Re: Cape Cod Roofing
 
Dear Mr. Schiappa:

Initially, I was going to delete your email, but then I was so amazed at its content that I could not pass on responding in some fashion.  You characterize yourself and your company as one who is successful because of your PROFESSIONALISM. However, your email lacked even the slightest degree of professionalism. If I operated my law practice in such a manner and responded to potential customers in the way you have, I would not be in business very long. But after 40 years of providing high quality legal services, there is one bit of advice I always recommend to my clients and that is to get personal references or recommendations on any and all contractor work projects. If you think that by receiving fancy email attachments, credentials and website reference, that I  would just take all for face value?  Then I submit, it is you who "either is a poor judge of character and unable to make a judgment on your own".  There is not one reputable regulatory agency,  help or licensing advisory board that would not first request homeowners to qualify the contractor by asking for past work references. In this day and age with multiple methods individuals and companies operate fraudulent  enterprises only a fool would rely solely on a quick job visit and online paperwork.  I cannot believe through the mere fact I asked for prior work references  this would offend you. If you  operated a professional and successful business as you attest, then you should have absolutely no problem providing a couple of work project references. Especially, operating for 32 years, you should have hundreds to offer. I did it for years as a show to potential clients of my integrity and trustworthiness. 

Now, let me address further your comments on backing up your work product, otherwise known as a guarantee. You advertised your company as one that provides roofing repairs, is that correct?  One could not expect to repair roof work only you previously installed. Obviously, you are repairing roof work installed by other contractors. If you are standing behind the 32 years of your company's success, worker training, professionalism and so on, then why in the world would you not stand behind your work product?   I do not know one quality or reputable contractor providing home repair services who would not provide some kind of a guarantee. Even your Genflex Roofing system provides a material warranty.

Yes, the reason the roof needs repair is the prior contractor over 7 years ago did not properly install the roof in the two low slope sections. And yes, I called you to repair them, therefore, by your suggesting that I have poor judgment in selecting roofing contractors, then what does that say about my decision to contact you and your company? Bad Decision, huh?????

Quite frankly, your email is just off the wall and I could only imagine you writing this type of an email to me or anyone else for that matter was at the time, you were under severe stress or hitting the cocktail hour way too long. 

Thanks for offering to pass on the project as it clearly appears you wanted any reason not to accept the roofing repair job.  As a cautionary note, if I were you Skip, I would be very careful not to offend people as with Facebook and Twitter, you could have a whole lot of people aware of the type of person you have illustrated in this email.  I would not do this, but someone else just might.
 
Phil Bateman
 
----- Original Message -----

From: Skip Schiappa

To: 'Phil'

Sent: Thursday, June 09, 2011 6:26 AM

Subject: RE: Cape Cod Roofing


Good morning,
 
Two things indicate our success; longevity and professionalism.
 
If you have failed at this point to recognize that my company or myself as having proven either then it is unfortunate. I do NOT supply happy customer names to prove either.
 
My paperwork, website and my presence on site in meeting with you should have been sufficient proof enough that I take my profession seriously to the benefit of my customers, company and myself.
 
You are either a poor judge of character or company and unable to make a judgment on your own,  or again, I have failed after 32 years of professionalism to convince you of my companys value either way, I wont leave it to a happy customer to qualify either.
 
With all due respect, the contractor who did your current roof work the roof you are requesting I fix shows little signs of either. Are you the person who qualified him? There is NO warranty or GUARANTY on repairing SOMEBODY ELSES WORK YOU QUALIFIED.
 
You are apparently accepting of bad workmanship by others and poor (and ugly) self-applied patches and now your requesting I qualify myself ? I dont get it.
 
Well pass on your project good luck.
 
Skip

From: Phil [mailto:assetgrow@comcast.net]
Sent: Wednesday, June 08, 2011 5:29 PM
To: Skip Schiappa
Subject: Re: Cape Cod Roofing
 
Skip:

Thanks for the email quote with attachments. The only question I have, is do you many happy customers? Maybe a couple I could touch base with for an opinion. If all works out, what is a potential scheduling date for the project work and completion. Also, what is the warranty on work and materials? 

Phil Bateman


----- Original Message -----

From: Skip Schiappa

To: 'Phil'

Sent: Wednesday, June 08, 2011 9:10 AM

Subject: Cape Cod Roofing
 
Good morning,
 
Attached is a quote for the work requested and/or necessary.
 
Please call me with any questions, comments or concerns.
 
Skip
Founder, President, Project Supervisor
Cape Cod Roofing & Siding
800-734-7663
www.capecodroof.com 


From: Phil [mailto:assetgrow@comcast.net]
Sent: Tuesday, June 07, 2011 2:03 PM
To: skip@capecodroof.com
Subject: Re: Re: 

Thanks.

----- Original Message -----

From: skip@capecodroof.com

To: Phil

Sent: Tuesday, June 07, 2011 11:51 AM

Subject: Re:
 
Written quote for work... You have by morning
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

From: "Phil" <assetgrow@comcast.net>

Date: Tue, 7 Jun 2011 11:59:02 -0500

To: Skip Schiappa<skip@capecodroof.com>

Subject: Re: 

Hi Skip: 

Not sure what you mean "Being Prepared". Just would like to get moving on the repair work before a heavy downpour causes me to redo the interior walls which I just got through repairing.

 

Thanks, 

Phil

----- Original Message -----

From: Skip Schiappa

To: 'Phil8'

Sent: Tuesday, June 07, 2011 5:20 AM

Subject: RE: 
 
Being prepared 

From: Phil8 [mailto:pbateman8@comcast.net]
Sent: Monday, June 06, 2011 7:50 PM
To: skip@capecodroof.com
Subject:

Hi Skip: 

Are you on vacation? Called to request quote on repair worked discussed onsite June1, 2011.  Would like to address the work to resolution stage. 

Thanks,

Phil Bateman