THE SLEAZE BRIGADE

If you have dealings with Jess Rhinehart of Cozy Basements, there’s a chance you’ll be ripped off. Based on complaints I’ve gotten from workers and customers, I’d say, “Proceed with caution!”

This is a review that typifies many of the complaints I’ve gotten from callers to my radio show. This was posted online by Laura Allan Torrisi:

IN CASE YOU CAN’T READ THAT COPY, IT STATES: “Do NOT hire Jess! You will be sorry! I hired Jess on May 29th for a simple bathroom remodel (average size home). Here I am 3 and half months later with no end in sight. Excuses, excuses, excuses! He will only respond when it’s convenient for him and could care less about his customer’s. Additionally my garage has been his dump site for over 2 months now. I can’t even get him to come pick up the trash. To top it all off, he is rude, aggressive, and confrontational.”

In another case, Tamara says she hired Rhinehart to finish a walkout basement. After paying him around $46,000, she has an incomplete job, poor quality and nothing but excuses for Jess not finishing!

And … Amin has paid more than $16,000 so far and fears “Cozy Jess” $12K up front (in September) + $6K Poor work. Framing and some plumbing, some electric. Stopped showing up.  Fake permits.

In addition to customers, I also heard from a former employee who claims he has not been paid! Fielding call my radio show to report he has worked for “Cozy Jeff” on at least 9 different properties and has yet to be paid on a $30,000 labor bill!

Other accusations include “Cozy Jess” using other people’s licenses without permission and even forging fake permits for customers who asked to see them.

This all adds up to big trouble for Cozy Basements and owner, Jess Rhinehart. My recommendation is to avoid this clown!