After buying the house in Ourense, I started researching construction companies capable of managing and carrying out all the work I needed.
I had already had great experiences with independent professionals; however, for jobs that required several areas of expertise (carpentry, masonry, electricity), it was better to find a company that had everything. So, this time I set out to find a complete company that would take care of the whole process without me having to manage several people.
While searching in the area, I found Paco Pisco e Hijos, a civil construction company. I sent them a contact message, and the next day they replied, giving me a WhatsApp number. A guy named Jonathan answered, who at first seemed friendly and polite.
We agreed to meet at the house on a Saturday at 9 a.m., since I’m not there during the week. I had everything planned: after the visit, I was going to see used cars with Diego, as we needed a new vehicle.
But things didn’t start well. Jonathan messaged me saying he’d be 15 minutes late, but it turned into a full hour of delay, which ruined my morning plans, and I had to postpone the entire car visit for the following weekend.
When he finally arrived, he took some measurements and started making suggestions. But the impression I got was a lack of technical judgment. What struck me most was that he insisted on installing drywall everywhere, even over stone walls. And of course, if I bought a stone house, it was precisely because I love its rustic aesthetic—what sense would it make to cover everything in plaster?
According to him, stone walls accumulate more humidity and should be covered with drywall. But honestly, that didn’t match reality. I have a thermometer and humidity meter in that house, and the house in Ourense has less humidity than my home in Porto, which is completely lined with drywall. So, the technical excuse didn’t hold up either.
Anyway, I let him finish taking the measurements and didn’t want to get into further debates. I asked him for a quote for a full renovation of the bathroom and kitchen. At that point, I didn’t mention the ruin renovation, a much larger project I have pending, because I preferred to start small.
My idea was simple: if they worked well and with good judgment, then yes, we could move on to a larger project.
A whole month passed before Jonathan contacted me again. He said he had taken the wrong measurements of the kitchen and needed to come back. Imagine the level of organization. At that time, we were traveling, so I told him I’d let him know when I got back.
I kept my word: when I returned, I contacted him via WhatsApp and told him my availability—he never replied again.
Later, I found out by asking around that they were behind schedule on several projects, especially on houses belonging to clients from Madrid who spent their summers there. They were working against the clock, trying to finish those projects before the clients arrived. And, of course, small local projects like mine were simply put on hold or ignored.
Even so, the logical thing would have been to communicate that they weren’t interested in moving forward with my project at that moment.
In fact, one of the many companies I contacted replied that they had so much work they weren’t even giving out quotes, and that they wouldn’t have availability for at least six months.
Sometime later, I went on Google Maps to leave a negative review, describing my experience. And the company’s public response was as unbelievable as it was unprofessional: they wrote something along the lines of “Good thing we were warned not to take on any job with you; it was the right decision.”
Can you imagine that? First, we’re new in the area, no one knows us. Who could possibly have “warned” them not to take on a project with us? And second, does a serious company really base its decisions on gossip? Because honestly, it seems that they are more interested in listening to rumors than working.
The most ironic part is that after reading such a response, I felt relieved. I thought that, in the end, it was a good thing we never went through with it. Because a company is measured not only by how it works but also by how it responds to criticism.
A professional company, when faced with a negative review, apologizes, acknowledges the issue, and offers to make it right. That shows management, empathy, and respect for the client. In contrast, responding aggressively or disdainfully, trying to discredit the client, only shows a total lack of professionalism.
If they don’t even have someone capable of managing their public image, you can easily imagine how they manage their construction projects.
Signs of misleading advertising
Digging deeper into this company, I went to their website and other online profiles. There, I found several striking claims:
- That they have more than 25 years of experience.
- In other places, they claim over 50 years of experience.
- But after checking the Commercial Registry, I discovered that the company was recently registered—it hasn’t even been operating for a full year.
In other words, even in their online advertising, there’s a clear contradiction: on one hand, they present themselves as a long-established, veteran company; on the other, the official records show they’re new. That could be considered misleading advertising, as it leads consumers to believe they’re hiring a company with decades of experience when that’s not the case.
In commercial law, such false claims can be sanctioned, as they violate the principle of advertising truthfulness and may constitute consumer deception, regulated under unfair competition and consumer protection laws.
Possible strategy of reopening under a new name
Another thing that caught my attention is that the warehouse where they operate doesn’t look new. In other words, the physical location was already in use before this company appeared in the registry. That makes me think there might have been a previous company under a different name at the same site, which was closed before opening this new one.
This is a relatively common practice among businesses with financial or legal problems: they shut down the old company, declare insolvency, wipe out pending debts, and then reopen under a new name—with the same staff and same facilities.
From a legal standpoint, if this maneuver is used to evade responsibilities, debts, or legal claims, it may constitute an abuse of legal personality. In such cases, the law allows what’s known as “piercing the corporate veil,” meaning the partners or administrators behind the company can be held directly responsible.
Moreover, if the previous company was closed with the intention of avoiding payments to clients or suppliers, this could point to fraudulent bankruptcy, a concept recognized in criminal and commercial law that penalizes those who use insolvency fraudulently or in bad faith.
All of this, combined with the misleading advertising about their experience, paints a troubling picture and invites reflection.
Final Reflection: what every company should learn
- Honor basic commitments — if you set a time, respect it.
- Listen to the client and respect their aesthetic and technical preferences.
- Respond respectfully to criticism. A polite answer is worth more than a thousand excuses.
- Don’t lie about your experience or years in business. The truth always comes out.
- Take care of customer service and online reputation. A poorly handled review can destroy a company.
If anyone is considering hiring them, my advice is simple: do your research first. Check the official records, compare public information, and don’t be swayed by promises of “decades of experience.” Because, as I learned from my own experience, sometimes the companies that boast the most are the ones that deliver the least.
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