Anonymous
Post 02/01/2023 14:48     Subject: Warning for those looking for a contractor
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Please join us in welcoming Omar Elrahimy, Founder and CEO of Optimum Group, Inc., to the RTMC Board of Directors. As a successful businessman and serial entrepreneur, Omar leads ventures including Optimum Construction Inc., Optimum Investments, The Clarksburg Room, Optimum Entertainment, Optimum Interiors, The Maryland Auto Show, and Private Track Days. Omar is passionate about RTMC's mission and we look forward to working with Omar to serve our homeowners. #WeAreRebuilders #givingback #RebuildingTogether #nonprofitboardservice #volunteering

What a joke!


No longer on the board of directors as of today.


Did you see an announcement by RTMC or just that he is no longer listed on https://www.rebuildingtogethermc.org/our-board ? Hopefully they will do the right thing and make a statement. Does not need to go into detail but it would confirm that they made a mistake - be transparent. Can be simple, Omar Elrahimy is no longer a board member as RTMC did not feel that we were aligned on our goals and values. Ultimately, they need to clear things up. Clearly they did not do their homework or were mislead like so many others that have dealt with Optimum and Omar Elrahimy. Do the right thing RTMC.


I sent an email to the executive director explaining my situation and she replied this morning saying he was no longer on the BOD. Don't know if they're going to put out a statement, but I would doubt it.
Anonymous
Post 02/01/2023 11:15     Subject: Warning for those looking for a contractor
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Please join us in welcoming Omar Elrahimy, Founder and CEO of Optimum Group, Inc., to the RTMC Board of Directors. As a successful businessman and serial entrepreneur, Omar leads ventures including Optimum Construction Inc., Optimum Investments, The Clarksburg Room, Optimum Entertainment, Optimum Interiors, The Maryland Auto Show, and Private Track Days. Omar is passionate about RTMC's mission and we look forward to working with Omar to serve our homeowners. #WeAreRebuilders #givingback #RebuildingTogether #nonprofitboardservice #volunteering

What a joke!


No longer on the board of directors as of today.


Did you see an announcement by RTMC or just that he is no longer listed on https://www.rebuildingtogethermc.org/our-board ? Hopefully they will do the right thing and make a statement. Does not need to go into detail but it would confirm that they made a mistake - be transparent. Can be simple, Omar Elrahimy is no longer a board member as RTMC did not feel that we were aligned on our goals and values. Ultimately, they need to clear things up. Clearly they did not do their homework or were mislead like so many others that have dealt with Optimum and Omar Elrahimy. Do the right thing RTMC.
Anonymous
Post 02/01/2023 11:09     Subject: Warning for those looking for a contractor
I'm doing a gut rehab+addition and searched bbb.org, verified insurance policies and licenses thanks to advice received here.
Anonymous
Post 02/01/2023 09:58     Subject: Warning for those looking for a contractor
Anonymous wrote:Please join us in welcoming Omar Elrahimy, Founder and CEO of Optimum Group, Inc., to the RTMC Board of Directors. As a successful businessman and serial entrepreneur, Omar leads ventures including Optimum Construction Inc., Optimum Investments, The Clarksburg Room, Optimum Entertainment, Optimum Interiors, The Maryland Auto Show, and Private Track Days. Omar is passionate about RTMC's mission and we look forward to working with Omar to serve our homeowners. #WeAreRebuilders #givingback #RebuildingTogether #nonprofitboardservice #volunteering

What a joke!


No longer on the board of directors as of today.
Anonymous
Post 01/31/2023 16:49     Subject: Warning for those looking for a contractor
Anonymous wrote:Is there a way to look up federal cases like for Maryland Court cases?


You can access through https://pacer.uscourts.gov/ You will likely need an account and there can be charges if you download court documents.
Anonymous
Post 01/31/2023 12:45     Subject: Warning for those looking for a contractor
Is there a way to look up federal cases like for Maryland Court cases?
Anonymous
Post 01/31/2023 09:29     Subject: Warning for those looking for a contractor
Anonymous wrote:Their accountant is Bobbie Smith. She's been named in a recent lawsuit that's moved to federal court.
https://casesearch.courts.state.md.us/casesearch/inquiryDetail.jis?caseId=C15CV22003677&loc=68&detailLoc=ODYCIVIL


Unfortunately being thorough requires a homeowner to become proficient in things they shouldn't need to be. The link above is for Maryland and does not cover federal cases. Using Optimum and Omar Elrahimy as an example, they have cases in Maryland and DC, at the state and federal levels. There are also cases that name Omar Elrahimy himself and thus if you only search Optimum Construction you may miss something. This is where MHIC totally fails its responsibility to protect homeowners. Note: Bobbie Smith is Optimum's office/business manager and lives in North Carolina. One of the reasons one of the lawsuits was moved to Federal court because the customer was in DC, Optimum was in Maryland and Bobbie Smith lives in North Carolina.
Anonymous
Post 01/31/2023 09:20     Subject: Warning for those looking for a contractor
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:The company is Optimum Construction owned by Omar Elrahimy. He may try to start another company with a different name so please beware


When did you pay him? When we made our 2nd payment at the end of August the check was made out to Optimum Interiors. I wonder if they have two sets of books?


Curious, are you saying that you signed a contract with Optimum Construction, made the first payment to Optimum Construction but made the second payment to Optimum Interiors? They are separate companies and only one has a MHIC license. Did they ask you to make the second payment out to Optimum Interiors?


Yes. And the last payment was made in early January.


Suggest you keep any emails and specifically anything that had someone from Optimum (hopefully from Omar himself) asking you to write the check to Optimum Interiors. Also get a copy of the cancelled check as that will also prove where it was deposited.
Anonymous
Post 01/31/2023 07:10     Subject: Warning for those looking for a contractor
Their accountant is Bobbie Smith. She's been named in a recent lawsuit that's moved to federal court.
https://casesearch.courts.state.md.us/casesearch/inquiryDetail.jis?caseId=C15CV22003677&loc=68&detailLoc=ODYCIVIL
Anonymous
Post 01/31/2023 05:54     Subject: Warning for those looking for a contractor
Anonymous wrote:Thanks for the warning! How to look into a company exactly? Search for legal cases in DC/MD/VA? Do we search by the owner name or company name? Are there other ways, for instance the BBB? What about background checks? I am clueless but very wary of losing money..


On projects you should get a draw or payment schedule in the contract presented for your signature. Some are specific amounts and others can vary based on payments made by contractors. This sample is 10% upfront and the rest gets paid in stages as work happens. If the contractor orders cabinets they have to pay the cabinet company a deposit- so you wash out the amount they paid to the cabinet company deposit. The labor or work time involved for ordering and dealing with the cabinet company is out of the deposit [planning]. https://www.homeadvisor.com/r/payment-for-home-improvement-work/

That 10% could be 5-7%. Another way to check companies is looking up permits. If the project estimated includes walls down, new kitchen, moving plumbing and electrical for a weird total project cost of less than 10k...

Anonymous
Post 01/30/2023 20:38     Subject: Warning for those looking for a contractor
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:The company is Optimum Construction owned by Omar Elrahimy. He may try to start another company with a different name so please beware


When did you pay him? When we made our 2nd payment at the end of August the check was made out to Optimum Interiors. I wonder if they have two sets of books?


Curious, are you saying that you signed a contract with Optimum Construction, made the first payment to Optimum Construction but made the second payment to Optimum Interiors? They are separate companies and only one has a MHIC license. Did they ask you to make the second payment out to Optimum Interiors?


Yes. And the last payment was made in early January.
Anonymous
Post 01/30/2023 15:55     Subject: Re:Warning for those looking for a contractor
glad you were able to avoid a potential disaster
Anonymous
Post 01/30/2023 13:35     Subject: Warning for those looking for a contractor
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Does the name of this company start with an O?


Does it start with an H?

Oh we are in a mess with one that starts with an H. Based in Alexandria?


Which company? I just got a quote from a company starting with H and considered it but am wary now
Anonymous
Post 01/30/2023 09:49     Subject: Warning for those looking for a contractor
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:The company is Optimum Construction owned by Omar Elrahimy. He may try to start another company with a different name so please beware


When did you pay him? When we made our 2nd payment at the end of August the check was made out to Optimum Interiors. I wonder if they have two sets of books?


Curious, are you saying that you signed a contract with Optimum Construction, made the first payment to Optimum Construction but made the second payment to Optimum Interiors? They are separate companies and only one has a MHIC license. Did they ask you to make the second payment out to Optimum Interiors?
Anonymous
Post 01/29/2023 23:23     Subject: Re:Warning for those looking for a contractor
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:As one of the seven (that I know of) open/active lawsuits Optimum/Omar Elrahimy is engaged with I can confirm that the references here are not an isolated case. There are many that have been impacted by the actions of Optimum Construction. MHIC is familiar with Optimum. Unfortunately MHIC appears to offer little value and support for homeowners. MHIC was fully aware of multiple complaints and lawsuits and still renewed Optimum's MHIC license last spring. It appears even more homeowners were needlessly impacted by this decision. I have seen a couple of posts referencing bankruptcy? At this time there is no bankruptcy filed by Optimum Construction, Optimum Interiors, Optimum Group, Optimum Investments, or Grip Inc -- all companies started by Omar Elrahimy. Optimum Interiors appears the have shutdown, there is a sign on the door, the place has been cleared out, and signage taken off the building. If you were told of bankruptcy I would be curious to know by whom and how? I have read the court filings for all of the lawsuits. There appears to be a clear pattern and includes impact to elderly and veterans. The amounts are in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. I too am confused by the announcement that Omar Elrahimy joined the board of Rebuilding Together - https://www.rebuildingtogethermc.org/our-board It really makes me question the values of that organization. I can confirm Sameh Elrahimy is Omar's brother and runs Go Pro Construction which ironically located next to Rebuilding Together.


That’s pretty sad that the MHIC could have prevented this but failed to do their job - to protect the consumer. I am still awaiting bankruptcy letters. I was notified of the bankruptcy through an email sent from Optimum Construction. Funny enough, Rebuild Together just posted a picture of Omar at a marketing brainstorrm meeting. What a fking clown pretending everything is fine while behind the scenes he’s ruined peoples’ lives.




Curious, did the email from Optimum say they have filed bankruptcy? or they are going to file bankruptcy? FYI - he was sending out notices of going out of business in 2020 - so who knows. With all of the judgements, settlements, and pending lawsuits the bankruptcy lawyers are going to have a great time going after whatever is left. Hearing that someone made a second payment to Optimum Interiors instead of Optimum Construction shows how messy everything is going to be. I laughed at the same post from Rebuilding Together. Getting marketing ideas from someone that is simultaneously filling our bankruptcy paperwork and closing the doors on Optimum Interiors three months after the ribbon cutting is hilarious.