GLC WATERPROOFING INC

I’m a first time homebuyer who was in need of securing a basement that had sustained years of water damage because of neglect and poor maintenance. The scope of the job was tremendous as it required shoring up a crumbling foundation, installing an internal weeping system and adding new windows.
After several bids, GLC Waterproofing came out as the best of a mediocre bunch. Hudson Valley lacks reputable waterproofing specialists who are diligent, thorough, fair and honest. John Batagalia, owner of GLC, appeared to be the most willing to take on our job and stood out as the most competent bid. After three weeks of construction, GLC wrapped up their work but not without reservation as to their work practices.
The basement is not completely waterproof, as there is a persistent leak that creeps through a corner of the foundation. John serviced the leak once but it reappeared one week later. I contacted his office for a second follow up and have yet to receive a response. The weeping system has yet to collect any run off water, so I’m not certain as to the usefulness of that device. Foam insulation was added to the walls after it was reinforced with spray concrete but it seems that add on was done to hide the fact that the walls were not, or never intended to be waterproof. Foam insulation was sprayed everywhere without any concern for piping and access to other maintenance items.
A new concrete floor was poured but was done so poorly that the ground is unleveled and pock marked with air bubbles. The new concrete also covered existing pipes as if we didn’t need them, and John and his guys assumed no responsibility for their misunderstanding. The window and door installation was acceptable but John failed to address a request that we made by including a steel door. Even though we were quoted for a steel door, a $ 1200-​$ 1500 expenditure (and a 3 – 4 month wait for a custom fabrication), he purchased a $ 100 flimsy wood door from Home Depot and custom fit it for our dimensions without informing us of his intentions. So I am not sure where the difference went towards in terms of the overall job since we were never provided a breakdown of costs. With that said, there were several matters that John took his own initiative on without consulting us on the changes made and the quality of the modifications. Costs were concealed and there was a lot of ambiguity as to what had been done to secure the foundation. We only took John’s word but in hindsight, I am not certain if I’d take his with a grain of salt.
A lack of communication and transparency on John’s part reflects poorly on his business management skills. We requested concrete (no pun intended) numbers on the materials purchased but he refused to provide a concise breakdown of costs because «he has never done that» for a client. FOH. Never done that? Are you serious? I’m sorry but as a business owner myself, auditing is a big part of running a successful enterprise. For John, it was merely an inconvenience and it was more work to done that wasn’t worth validating, a practice that is absolutely unprofessional in my book. Then again, we are talking about contractors in Orange County New York where they breed shady contractors. But I digress.
Furthermore, GLC’s office secretary is a reflection of this professional indifference, as Kristine, constantly harassed us for payment even though it was understood that we could not render payment until the bank cut checks for the job since payment was tied to our mortgage. She played stupid but I highly doubt she was playing at all, and indicated that she was unaware of the situation. Whatever. Chalk it up to only having a high school level education. The only highlight of the experience is Ken Kobza, a sales rep for GLC. He seems like a thorough and honest man, as he has been the most responsive to our requests and concerns.
Would I hire GLC Waterproofing again? Absolutely not. Recommendations? A categorical no. Do I hate them? I don’t think they are terrible, they are just not honest and forthright with their business practice, and that’s not too much to ask for considering the scope and cost of the job. FYI $ 20k was spent on this job, a decent chunk of change for first time homebuyers. John complained that the scope of the job was big and too much of a task. So why bother taking it on if it’s that much of a problem? The answer is there is money to be made off first time homebuyers. GLC is an example of the rampant unprofessionalism and entitlement that contractors exhibit in the Orange County area, as they tend to take advantage of first time homeowners and get away with a lot of underhanded stuff.
I’ve filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau and contacted the NY Orange County Executive’s Office to inquire on measures to ensure businesses like GLC Waterproofing do not continue to do business in this area and not face repercussions on their shoddy workmanship and unprofessional business practic

Great company and a happy staff. Everything with the house is back to normal, certainly no issues with the work they have done. They were pleasant to work with and have done exactly what I wanted. Good work guys, glad to have called you!

rescheduled 3 times at the last minute… after I changed my schedule. the fourth time, they just failed to show up. During the whole process they failed to return emails and phone calls