We bought our house in Ourense in April 2025 and, as often happens with second-hand homes, as the weeks went by some hidden defects began to appear. Fortunately, the former owner responded appropriately and either fixed them or paid for them when we found someone who could do the work.
One of the most serious problems arose during the summer: the wooden roof eaves were clearly affected by a carpenter bee infestation, something quite common in Galicia. The wood was full of holes, which indicated that this was not a recent problem, but something that had been progressing for quite some time.
The concern was logical. The longer the intervention was delayed, the more damage the wood would suffer and the more expensive the repair would be. In addition, the eaves are made of pine wood, much less resistant than others such as chestnut wood. It was essential to act before the autumn rains, because once October arrived it would no longer be feasible to treat the wood until the following summer.
I already had a trusted carpenter —the one who did our kitchen— but he did not carry out this type of restoration work. We spent the entire summer looking for someone available and the reality was clear: there were no options.
Finally, we contacted a person from the company Puventer, who came to look at the problem. The initial treatment was correct and the impression, reasonably good.
Shortly afterwards they sent us a 3,000-euro quote, which included:
- Municipal license
- Scaffold rental (necessary, since the eaves are almost 4 meters above the ground and surround the entire house)
- Treatment against the infestation
- Filling the holes with two-component filler
- Sanding and varnishing of the entire eaves
It was not cheap but taking into account the scaffold rental and the license, it did not seem like an absurd amount.
We expressly asked them to try to do the work before September 19, since that was the day, we were going on a trip and we wanted to be present to supervise the work.
Coincidentally, the work started exactly on September 19, the same day we left on our trip. Later we realized that this was intentional so that we would not notice that they had not rented any scaffolding.
We left a neighbor in charge of keeping an eye on things.
The first night they showed up very late, asking my neighbor to open the garage so they could store some ladders. Something that seemed totally inappropriate to me.
Afterwards we learned that the work had lasted only a day and a half, carried out by two people, without scaffolding, without a municipal license and using only a ladder.
Seen this way, the 3,000 euros are disproportionate.
Upon returning and reviewing the work, we detected several clear irregularities:
- A provisional plastic cement that I myself had put in some of the holes was not removed. We had been told that it would be removed, properly filled, sanded and varnished. It was simply painted over, saving part of the work.
- There was no scaffolding and no municipal license, despite being included in the initial quote.
When we conveyed our dissatisfaction by message, the person in charge called us. First, he told us that putting up scaffolding and requesting a license would have been more expensive for us and that, in reality, this was not included, contradicting what had been initially agreed. Then he said that the scaffolding was his own and that he would not pay any rental, and that is why the rental price is not included in the budget.
During that call, and only after we complained, the person in charge added something new: he said that there was a half-rotten board in the eaves and that he did not know how long it would last.
If a professional detects a rotten board when he is there, up on the ladder, seeing the problem, the correct thing to do is to call the client at that very moment and say: “Look, this is what’s happening. We can replace the board for X euros more and leave it perfect.”
What is not acceptable is to bring up that argument only after a complaint, as an a posteriori justification for a poorly done job. It gives the impression of being an improvised excuse, not a real issue handled with transparency.
Despite everything, days later they again sent the same people with the ladder, without the result changing. And once again they bothered my neighbor to open the garage, even two weeks later, at 10 at night, to remove the ladders.
This work was paid for by the former owner of the house, as it was a hidden defect. For mental health reasons, we decided not to prolong the conflict. The problem, for the time being, was contained and in the future it can be addressed more calmly and with someone truly competent.
The payment was made and the matter was closed.
As expected, I left a negative review on Google Maps describing our experience. In doing so, I saw that the company had very few reviews, including a negative one from another client with serious water leakage problems after a poorly done installation.
Shortly afterwards, my Google Maps review was unpublished. Google removed it after it was reported. Coincidentally, that same week several new positive reviews appeared, very detailed, when the company had had hardly any reviews for years.
Everyone can draw their own conclusions about the reliability of the review system.
It was not a traumatic experience, but it was a disappointing: lack of transparency, poorly executed work, contradictions in the quote and excuses that appear only when there are complaints.
It is also true that:
- It was an urgent situation
- There were no alternatives available
- It was not a bad choice among several, but the only option available at that moment
I leave this experience here as a testimony and warning, especially for those who buy old houses in Galicia and are forced to solve problems in a hurry and with few options.
One more story, and a lesson learned.
More articles related to customer service and experiences with companies:
https://www.barbierika.com/en/?p=20778&preview_id=20778&preview_nonce=5ca4c6d62b&preview=true&_thumbnail_id=20771https://www.barbierika.com/en/?p=20789&preview_id=20789&preview_nonce=d0b786c599&preview=true&_thumbnail_id=20783